The Mountain of the Lord
1In the last days
the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and peoples will stream to it.
2Many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
4Everyone will sit under their own vine
and under their own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
5All the nations may walk
in the name of their gods,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord
our God for ever and ever.
The Lord’s Plan
6“In that day,” declares the Lord,
“I will gather the lame;
I will assemble the exiles
and those I have brought to grief.
7I will make the lame my remnant,
those driven away a strong nation.
The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion
from that day and forever.
8As for you, watchtower of the flock,
stronghold4:8 Or hill of Daughter Zion,
the former dominion will be restored to you;
kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.”
9Why do you now cry aloud—
have you no king4:9 Or King?
Has your ruler4:9 Or Ruler perished,
that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?
10Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,
like a woman in labor,
for now you must leave the city
to camp in the open field.
You will go to Babylon;
there you will be rescued.
There the Lord will redeem you
out of the hand of your enemies.
11But now many nations
are gathered against you.
They say, “Let her be defiled,
let our eyes gloat over Zion!”
12But they do not know
the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,
that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13“Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion,
for I will give you horns of iron;
I will give you hooves of bronze,
and you will break to pieces many nations.”
You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,
their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
People From Many Nations Will Worship at the Lord’s Mountain
1In the last days
the mountain where the Lord’s temple is located will be famous.
It will be the highest mountain of all.
It will be lifted up above the hills.
And nations will go to it.
2People from many nations will go there. They will say,
“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain.
Let’s go to the temple of Jacob’s God.
He will teach us how we should live.
Then we will live the way he wants us to.”
The law of the Lord will be taught at Zion.
His message will go out from Jerusalem.
3He will judge between people from many nations.
He’ll settle problems among strong nations everywhere.
They will hammer their swords into plows.
They’ll hammer their spears into pruning tools.
Nations will not go to war against one another.
They won’t even train to fight anymore.
4Everyone will have
their own vine and fig tree.
And no one will make them afraid.
That’s what the Lord who rules over all has promised.
5Other nations worship and trust in their gods.
But we will worship and obey the Lord.
He will be our God for ever and ever.
The Lord’s Plan
6“The time is coming
when I will gather those who are disabled,”
announces the Lord.
“I will bring together those
who were taken away as prisoners.
I will gather those I have allowed to suffer.
7I will make the disabled my faithful people.
I will make into a strong nation those driven away from their homes.
I will rule over them on Mount Zion.
I will be their King from that time on and forever.
8Jerusalem, you used to be
like a guard tower for my flock.
City of Zion, you used to be
a place of safety for my people.
The glorious kingdom you had before
will be given back to you.
Once again a king will rule over your people.”
9Why are you crying out so loudly now?
Don’t you have a king?
Has your ruler died?
Is that why pain comes on you
like the pain of a woman having a baby?
10People of Zion, groan with pain.
Cry out like a woman having a baby.
Soon you must leave your city.
You must camp in the open fields.
You will have to go to the land of Babylon.
But that’s where the Lord will save you.
There he will set you free
from the power of your enemies.
11But now many nations
have gathered together to attack you.
They say, “Let Jerusalem be made ‘unclean.’
We want to laugh when Zion suffers!”
12But those nations don’t know
what the Lord has in mind.
They don’t understand his plan.
He has planned to gather them up like bundles of grain.
He has planned to take them to his threshing floor.
13The Lord says,
“People of Zion, get up
and crush your enemies.
I will make you like a threshing ox.
I will give you iron horns and bronze hooves.
So you will crush many nations.”
They got their money in the wrong way.
But you will set it apart to the Lord.
You will give their wealth
to the Lord of the whole earth.
