The Lord's Judgment on Ammon
1 This is what the Lord said about Ammon: “Where are the men of Israel? Is there no one to defend their land? Why have they let the people who worship Molech take the territory of the tribe of Gad and settle there? 2 But the time is coming when I will make the people of the capital city of Rabbah hear the noise of battle, and it will be left in ruins and its villages burned to the ground. Then Israel will take its land back from those who took it from them. 3 People of Heshbon, cry out! Ai is destroyed! Women of Rabbah, go into mourning! Put on sackcloth and mourn. Run about in confusion. Your god Molech will be taken into exile, together with his priests and princes. 4 Why do you unfaithful people boast? Your strength is failing. Why do you trust in your power and say that no one would dare attack you? 5 I will bring terror on you from every side. You will all run away. Each one will run for his life, and there will be no one to bring your troops together again.
6 “But later on I will make Ammon prosperous again. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
The Lord's Judgment on Edom
7 This is what the Lord Almighty said about Edom: “Have the people of Edom lost their good judgment? Can their advisers no longer tell them what to do? Has all their wisdom disappeared? 8 People of Dedan, turn and run! Hide! I am going to destroy Esau's descendants because the time has come for me to punish them. 9 When people pick grapes, they leave a few on the vines, and when robbers come at night, they take only what they want. 10 But I have stripped Esau's descendants completely and uncovered their hiding places, so that they can no longer hide. All the people of Edom are destroyed. Not one of them is left. 11 Leave your orphans with me, and I will take care of them. Your widows can depend on me.
12 “If even those who did not deserve to be punished had to drink from the cup of punishment, do you think that you will go unpunished? No, you must drink from the cup! 13 I myself have sworn that the city of Bozrah will become a horrifying sight and a desert; people will make fun of it and use its name as a curse. All the nearby villages will be in ruins forever. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
14 I said, “Edom, I have received a message from the Lord. He has sent a messenger to tell the nations to assemble their armies and to get ready to attack you. 15 The Lord is going to make you weak, and no one will respect you. 16 Your pride has deceived you. No one fears you as much as you think they do. You live on the rocky cliffs, high on top of the mountain; but even though you live as high up as an eagle, the Lord will bring you down. The Lord has spoken.”
17 The Lord said, “The destruction that will come on Edom will be so terrible that everyone who passes by will be shocked and terrified. 18 The same thing will happen to Edom that happened to Sodom and Gomorrah, when they and the nearby towns were destroyed. No one will ever live there again. I, the Lord, have spoken. 19 Like a lion coming out of the thick woods along the Jordan River up to the green pasture land, I will come and make the Edomites run away suddenly from their country. Then the leader I choose will rule the nation. Who can be compared to me? Who would dare challenge me? What ruler could oppose me? 20 So listen to the plan that I have made against the people of Edom, and to what I intend to do to the people of the city of Teman. Even their children will be dragged off, and everyone will be horrified. 21 When Edom falls, there will be such a noise that the entire earth will shake, and the cries of alarm will be heard as far away as the Gulf of Aqaba. 22 The enemy will attack Bozrah like an eagle swooping down with outspread wings. On that day Edom's soldiers will be as frightened as a woman in labor.”
The Lord's Judgment on Damascus
23 This is what the Lord said about Damascus: “The people in the cities of Hamath and Arpad are worried and troubled because they have heard bad news. Anxiety rolls over them like a sea, and they cannot rest. 24 The people of Damascus are weak and have fled in terror. They are in pain and misery like a woman in labor. 25 The famous city that used to be happy is completely deserted. 26 On that day her young men will be killed in the city streets, and all her soldiers destroyed. 27 I will set the walls of Damascus on fire and will burn down King Benhadad's palaces. I, the Lord Almighty, have spoken.”
Judgment on the Tribe of Kedar and the City of Hazor
28 This is what the Lord said about the tribe of Kedar and the districts controlled by Hazor, which were conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia: “Attack the people of Kedar and destroy that tribe of eastern people! 29 Seize their tents and their flocks, their tent curtains and everything in their tents. Take their camels and tell the people, ‘Terror is all around you!’
30 “People of Hazor, I, the Lord, warn you to run far away and hide. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia has plotted against you, and this is what he says, 31 ‘Come on! We'll attack those people that feel safe and secure! Their city has no gates or locks and is completely unprotected.’
32 “Take their camels and all their livestock! I will scatter in every direction those people who cut their hair short, and I will bring disaster on them from every side. 33 Hazor will be made a desert forever, a place where only jackals live. No one will ever live there again. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
The Lord's Judgment on Elam
34 Soon after Zedekiah became king of Judah, the Lord Almighty spoke to me about the country of Elam. 35 He said, “I will kill all the archers who have made Elam so powerful. 36 I will make winds blow against Elam from all directions, and I will scatter her people everywhere, until there is no country where her refugees have not gone. 37 I will make the people of Elam afraid of their enemies, who want to kill them. In my great anger I will destroy the people of Elam and send armies against them until I have wiped them out. 38 I will destroy their kings and leaders, and set up my throne there. 39 But later on I will make the people of Elam prosperous again. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
حكم الرب على بني عمون
1 هذا ما قالَ الرّبُّ على بَني عَمُّونَ: «أمَا لِشعب إِسرائيلَ بَنونَ، أو لا وارِثَ لهُم؟ فما بالُ شعبِ الإلهِ مَلكومَ وَرِثَ أرضَ جادَ وسكَنَ في مُدُنِها 2 لذلِكَ تأتي أيّامٌ، يقولُ الرّبُّ، أسمَعُ فيها هُتافَ القِتالِ في رَبَّةَ عاصِمةِ بَني عَمُّونَ، فتَصيرُ تَلا مِنَ الأنقاضِ، وتُحرَقُ قُراها بِالنَّارِ، ويَسلُبُ بَنو إِسرائيلَ سَالِبـيهِم، يقولُ الرّبُّ.
3 «وَلْوِلي يا حَشبونُ لأنَّ عايَ دُمِّرَت. أصرُخنَ يا بَناتِ رَبَّةَ وتَحَزَّمْنَ بِالمُسوحِ واندُبْنَ وطُفْنَ بَينَ الأسيجَةِ، لأنَّ الإلهَ مَلكومَ يَذهَبُ إلى السَّبْـي، هوَ وكَهنَتُهُ ورُؤساؤُهُ جميعا.
4 «ما بالُكِ تَفتَخرينَ بالأوديَةِ، وواديكِ يَفيضُ دَما أيَّتُها الابنَةُ العاصيَةُ، المُتَوكِّلَةُ على كُنوزِها، القائِلَةُ: مَنْ يَهجُمُ عليَّ؟ 5 سأَجلِبُ علَيكِ الرُّعْبَ مِنْ حَوالَيكِ يقولُ السَّيِّدُ الرّبُّ القديرُ، فيُطْرَدُ أَهلُكِ ويَهيمُ كُلُّ واحدٍ على وجهِهِ ولا أحدَ يَجمَعُ الشَّارِدينَ. 6 وبَعدَ ذلِكَ أُعيدُ أمجادَ بَني عَمُّونَ يقولُ الرّبُّ».
حكم الرب على أدوم
7 وقالَ الرّبُّ القديرُ على أدومَ: «أمَا مِنْ حِكمَةٍ بَعدُ في تيمانَ؟ هل نَفَدَ الفَهْمُ في بَنيها وزالت حِكمَتُهُم؟ 8 أُهرُبوا. وَلُّوا. إختَبِئوا يا سُكَّانَ دَدانَ! سأجلِبُ النَّكبَةَ على الأدوميِّينَ بَني عيسو لأنَّ وقتَ عِقابِهِم حانَ. 9 لو جاءَكِ القاطِفونَ يا أدومُ لكانوا تَركوا في الكَرْمِ بَقيَّةً، أوِ اللُّصوصُ ليلا لكانوا قَنَعوا بِنَهْبِ ما يكفيهِم. 10 أمَّا أنا فأُعرِّي بَني عيسو وأَكشِفُ خَفاياهُم فلا يَقدِرونَ أنْ يَختَبِئوا. وأُدَمِّرُهُم. هُم وذُرِّيَّتُهُم وأنسِباؤُهُم وجيرانُهُم، حتّى لا يَبقى مِنهُم أحدٌ. 11 أُترُكْ أيتامَكَ يا أدومُ فأنا أحيـيهِم، ولتَتَوكَّلْ أرامِلُكَ عليَّ».
12 وقالَ الرّبُّ: «الّذينَ لا يَستَحِقُّونَ أنْ يَشرَبوا كأسَ العِقابِ شَرِبوها الآنَ، فلِماذا أُبَرِّئُكَ أنتَ يا أدومُ؟ لا أُبرِّئك، بل تَشرَبُها أنتَ أيضا، 13 لأنِّي بذاتي أقسَمْتُ، يقولُ الرّبُّ: تَصيرُ بُصرَةُ العاصِمةُ مَثارَ رُعْبٍ وعارا وخَرابا ولَعنَةً، وتَصيرُ جميعُ قُراها خرائِبَ أبديَّةً».
14 سَمِعْتُ نَبَا مِنَ الرّبِّ حَمَلَهُ سفيرٌ إلى الأمَمِ: إجتَمِعوا واهجُموا على أدومَ وانهَضوا لِلقِتالِ. 15 سأجعَلُكِ صغيرةً في الأمَمِ، حقيرةً بَينَ البشَرِ. 16 ضَلَّلَكِ بَطشُكِ وكِبرِياءُ قلبِكِ، أنتِ أيَّتُها السَّاكِنَةُ في شُقوقِ الصَّخرِ بِأعالي الجِبالِ، ومهما تُعَلِّينَ عِشَّكِ كَالنَّسرِ، فأنا أُوقِعُكِ مِنْ هُناكَ. 17 وتكونينَ خرابا، فكُلُّ مَنْ يَمُرُّ بِكِ يُدهَشُ ويَصفِرُ صفيرَ الهُزءِ على جميعِ نكَباتِكِ. 18 وكما في سَدومَ وعَمورَةَ والمُدُنِ المُجاوِرَةِ بَعدَ دَمارِها لا يَسكُنُ فيكِ إنسانٌ ولا يتَغَرَّبُ بشَرٌ يقولُ الرّبُّ.
19 «ها أنا كأسَدٍ يَصعَدُ مِنْ غَورِ الأردُنِّ على مُرتَفَعِ قُطعانٍ خَصيـبٍ انقَضَّ بَغتَةً وأطرُدُهُم مِنها وأُقيمُ علَيها الّذي أختارُهُ. فَمَن مِثلي؟ ومَنْ يُحاكِمُني؟ ومَنِ الرَّاعي الّذي يَقِفُ في وجهي؟ 20 فاسمَعوا ما نَوَيتُ بهِ أنا الرّبُّ على بَني أدومَ وما فكَّرْتُ بهِ على سُكَّانِ مدينةِ تيمانَ: حتّى صِغارُهُم يُجَرُّونَ جَرًّا ويَستَولي الرُّعْبُ على مساكنِهِم. 21 مِنْ صوتِ سُقوطِهِم تـتَزَلزَلُ الأرضُ، وصُراخُهُم يُسمَعُ في بَحرِ القَصَبِ. 22 ها هوَ العَدُوُّ كنَسرٍ يَرتَفِعُ ويَطيرُ ويَنشُرُ جناحَيهِ على بُصرَةَ، فتَصيرُ قُلوبُ جبابِرةِ بَني أَدومَ في ذلِكَ اليومِ كقلبِ امرأةٍ تُعاني المَخاضَ».
حكم الرب على دمشق
23 وقالَ الرّبُّ على دِمشْقَ: «تَخزَى حماةُ وأرفادُ لأنَّهُما سَمِعَتا نَبَا فظيعا، وتَذوبانِ مِنَ الرُّعْبِ وتَضطَرِبانِ كالبحرِ الّذي لا يُمكِنُ أنْ يَهدَأَ. 24 تَخورُ قوى دِمشْقَ فتُولِّي هارِبَةً. يَدُبُّ فيها الذُّعْرُ ويَستَولي علَيها الغَمُّ والوجَعُ كامرَأةٍ في المَخاضِ. 25 وَيحَها كيفَ تُهجَرُ تِلكَ المدينةُ المَرِحَةُ 26 وكَيفَ يَسقُطُ شُبَّانُها في ساحاتِها ويَهلِكُ جُنودُها في ذلِكَ اليومِ. 27 وأُشعِلُ نارا في سُورِ دِمشْقَ فتَأْكُلُ قُصورَ بَنهَدَدَ مَلِكِها.
الحكم على قبائل العرب
28 وقالَ الرّبُّ على بَني قيدارَ ومَمالِكِ حاصورَ الّتي قاتَلَها نبوخذنَصَّرُ مَلِكُ بابِلَ: «قوموا اصعَدوا إلى بَني قيدارَ ودَمِّروا أبناءَ المَشرِقِ 29 خُذوا خيامَهُم وغنَمَهُم وستائِرَهُم وجميعَ أدواتِهِم وجِمالَهُم، ونادوا علَيهِم بِالرُّعْبِ مِنْ كُلِّ جهةٍ.
30 «أُهرُبوا سَريعا واختَبِئوا يا سُكَّانَ حاصورَ، لأنَّ نبوخذنَصَّرَ مَلِكَ بابِلَ نَوى علَيكُم شَرًّا ودَبَّرَ مكيدَةً.
31 «قوموا اصعَدوا إلى أُمَّةٍ مُطمَئِنَّةٍ ساكِنةٍ في أمانٍ، لا أبوابَ لها ولا أقفالَ وسُكَّانُها في عُزلَةٍ. 32 فتُنهَبُ جِمالُها نَهبا وتُسلَبُ مَواشيها الكثيرةُ. وأُبَدِّدُ معَ كُلِّ رِيحٍ أولَئِكَ المَقصوصي الشَّعرِ، وأُنزِلُ بهِمِ النَّكبَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ جِهَةٍ يقولُ الرّبُّ. 33 فتَصيرُ حاصورُ مأوىً لِبناتِ آوى، قَفْرا إلى الأبدِ، لا يَسكُنُ فيها إنسانٌ ولا يَتَغرَّبُ بشَرٌ».
على عيلام
34 وقالَ الرّبُّ لإرميا النَّبـيِّ على عيلامَ، في بَدءِ عَهدِ صِدقيَّا مَلِكِ يَهوذا: 35 «سأَكسِرُ قَوسَ عيلامَ، مَصدَرَ قُوَّتِها، 36 وأجلِبُ علَيهِمِ الرِّياحَ الأربَعَ مِنْ أطرافِ السَّماءِ الأربعَةِ وأُبَدِّدُهُم معَ الرِّياحِ كُلِّها، ولا تَبقى أُمَّةٌ لا يَلجأُ إلَيها مُهَجَّروهُم. 37 وأُنزِلُ بِسُكَّانِ عيلامَ الذُّعْرَ أمامَ أعدائِهِم وأمامَ الّذينَ يَطلُبونَ حياتَهُم، وأجلِبُ علَيهِمِ الشَّرَّ ونارَ غضَبـي. وأتبَعُهُم بِالسَّيفِ حتّى أَفنيَهُم. 38 وأجعَلُ عرشي في عيلامَ وأُهلِكُ مَلِكَها ورُؤساءَها، 39 لكنِّي في الأيّامِ الآتيةِ أُعيدُ أمجادَها يقولُ الرّبُّ».