Jerusalem’s Enemies to Be Destroyed

12 A prophecy:^(A) The word of the Lord concerning Israel.

The Lord, who stretches out the heavens,^(B) who lays the foundation of the earth,^(C) and who forms the human spirit within a person,^(D) declares: ² “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup^(E) that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling.^(F) Judah^(G) will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. ³ On that day, when all the nations^(H) of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock^(I) for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure^(J) themselves. ⁴ On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the Lord. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations.^{(K) 5} Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong,^(L) because the Lord Almighty is their God.’

⁶ “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot^(M) in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume^(N) all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact^(O) in her place.

⁷ “The Lord will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah.^{(P) 8} On that day the Lord will shield^(Q) those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest^(R) among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God,^(S) like the angel of the Lord going before^(T) them. ⁹ On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations^(U) that attack Jerusalem.^(V)

² I will gather all the nations^(A) to Jerusalem to fight against it;^(B) the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped.^(C) Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.^{(D) 3} Then the Lord will go out and fight^(E) against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle.^{(F) 4} On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,^(G) east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split^(H) in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

¹⁰ The whole land, from Geba^(A) to Rimmon,^(B) south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up^(C) high from the Benjamin Gate^(D) to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate,^(E) and from the Tower of Hananel^(F) to the royal winepresses, and will remain in its place.^{(G) 11} It will be inhabited;^(H) never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.^(I)