1 On that day, Leviathan,the sea monster,will squirm and try to escape,but the Lord will kill himwith a cruel, sharp sword.
2 At that time you must singabout a fruitful vineyard.
3 I, the Lord, will protect itand always keep it watered.I will guard it day and nightto keep it from harm.
4 I am no longer angry.But if it produces thorns,I will go to war against itand burn it to the ground.
5 Yet if the vineyard dependson me for protection,it will become my friendand be at peace with me.
6 Some day Israel will take rootlike a vine.It will blossom and bear fruitthat covers the earth.
7 I, the Lord, didn't punish and killthe people of Israelas fiercely as I punishedand killed their enemies.
8 I carefully measured outIsrael's punishmentand sent the scorching heatto chase them far away.
9 There's only one waythat Israel's sin and guiltcan be completely forgiven:they must crush the stonesof every pagan altarand place of worship.
10 Fortress cities are leftlike a desertwhere no one lives.Cattle walk through the ruins,stripping the trees bare.
11 When broken branchesfall to the ground,women pick them upto feed the fire.But these people are so stupidthat the God who created themwill show them no mercy.
12 The time is coming when the Lord will shake the land between the River Euphrates and the border of Egypt, and one by one he will bring all his people together.
13 A loud trumpet will be heard. Then the people of Israel who were dragged away to Assyria and Egypt will return to worship the Lord on his holy mountain in Jerusalem.