8 As for you, Jerusalem,the citadel of God’s people,your royal might and powerwill come back to you again.The kingship will be restoredto my precious Jerusalem.
9 But why are you now screaming in terror?Have you no king to lead you?Have your wise people all died?Pain has gripped you like a woman in childbirth.
10 Writhe and groan like a woman in labor,you people of Jerusalem,for now you must leave this cityto live in the open country.You will soon be sent in exileto distant Babylon.But the lord will rescue you there;he will redeem you from the grip of your enemies.
11 Now many nations have gathered against you.“Let her be desecrated,” they say.“Let us see the destruction of Jerusalem.”
12 But they do not know the lord’s thoughtsor understand his plan.These nations don’t knowthat he is gathering them togetherto be beaten and trampledlike sheaves of grain on a threshing floor.
13 “Rise up and crush the nations, O Jerusalem!”says the lord.“For I will give you iron horns and bronze hooves,so you can trample many nations to pieces.You will present their stolen riches to the lord,their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.”