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A Good Kingdom Is Coming

32 A king will rule in ·a way that brings justice [righteousness; justice],
    and ·leaders [rulers; princes] will ·make fair decisions [rule in justice].
Then each ruler will be like a shelter from the wind,
    like a ·safe place [refuge] in a storm,
like streams of water in a dry land,
    like a cool shadow from a large rock in a ·hot [thirsty; weary] land.

Then the eyes of those who see will ·see the truth [not be closed],
    and the ears of those who hear will listen.
·People who are now worried [or Those who are reckless; L The heart of the hasty] will be able to understand.
    ·Those who cannot speak clearly now [The stuttering/stammering tongue] will then be able to speak clearly and quickly.
Fools will not be called ·great [noble; honorable],
    and people will not respect the ·wicked [scoundrel; deceiver].
A fool says foolish things,
    and in his ·mind [heart] he ·plans evil [or commits sin].
A fool ·does things that are wicked [practices ungodliness],
    and he ·says wrong things [spreads error] about the Lord.
A fool does not feed the hungry
    or let thirsty people drink water.
The ·wicked person [scoundrel] uses evil ·like a tool [or schemes; methods].
    He plans ·ways [wicked schemes] to take everything from the poor.
He destroys the poor with lies,
    even when the ·poor person [needy] ·is in the right [L speak justice].
But a ·good leader plans to do good [honorable/noble man plans honorable/noble things],
    and those ·good [honorable; noble] things make him ·a good leader [or stand firm].

Hard Times Are Coming

You women who are ·calm [complacent] now,
    ·stand [rise] up and listen to ·me [L my voice].
You ·women [L daughters] who feel ·safe [secure; self-confident] now,
    hear what I say.
10 You women feel ·safe [secure; self-confident] now,
    but ·after one year [L in a year and some days] you will ·be afraid [shudder; tremble].
There will be no grape harvest
    and no summer fruit to gather.
11 Women, you are ·calm [complacent] now, but you should shake with fear.
    Women, you feel ·safe [secure; self-confident] now, but you should tremble.
·Take [Strip] off your nice clothes
    and put ·rough cloth [burlap; sackcloth] around your waist [C a sign of sorrow or despair].
12 Beat your breasts [C a sign of mourning or grief], ·because the fields that were pleasant are now empty [L for the pleasant fields].
    ·Cry, because the vines that once had fruit now have no more grapes [L …for the fruitful vine].
13 ·Cry for [L …for] the land of my people,
    in which only thorns and weeds now grow [Gen. 3:18].
·Cry for [L …for] the city that once was happy
    and for all the houses that once were filled with joy.
14 The ·palace [or fortress] will be ·empty [abandoned; deserted];
    the ·noisy [bustling; populous] city will be abandoned.
·Strong cities and towers [or The citadel and the watchtower] will be empty.
    Wild donkeys will love to live there, and sheep will go there to eat.

Things Will Get Better

15 This will continue until ·God pours his Spirit [L the Spirit is poured] from ·above [heaven; T on high] upon us.
    Then the desert will be like ·rich farmland [a fertile/fruitful field]
    and the ·rich farmland [fertile/fruitful field] like a forest [29:17; 35:1, 2].
16 Justice will ·be found [L dwell] even in the desert,
    and fairness will be found in the ·rich farmland [fertile/fruitful field].
17 That fairness will bring peace,
    and it will bring ·calm [quietness] and ·safety [trust; confidence] forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful places
    and in ·safe [secure] homes
    and in ·calm [quiet] places of rest.
19 Hail will destroy the forest,
    and the city will be ·completely destroyed [brought down; laid low].
20 But you will be ·happy [blessed] as you plant seeds near every stream
    and as you let [L the feet of] your cattle and donkeys wander freely.

The Kingdom of Righteousness

32 See, a king(A) will reign in righteousness
    and rulers will rule with justice.(B)
Each one will be like a shelter(C) from the wind
    and a refuge from the storm,(D)
like streams of water(E) in the desert(F)
    and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,(G)
    and the ears(H) of those who hear will listen.
The fearful heart will know and understand,(I)
    and the stammering tongue(J) will be fluent and clear.
No longer will the fool(K) be called noble
    nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
For fools speak folly,(L)
    their hearts are bent on evil:(M)
They practice ungodliness(N)
    and spread error(O) concerning the Lord;
the hungry they leave empty(P)
    and from the thirsty they withhold water.
Scoundrels use wicked methods,(Q)
    they make up evil schemes(R)
to destroy the poor with lies,
    even when the plea of the needy(S) is just.(T)
But the noble make noble plans,
    and by noble deeds(U) they stand.(V)

The Women of Jerusalem

You women(W) who are so complacent,
    rise up and listen(X) to me;
you daughters who feel secure,(Y)
    hear what I have to say!
10 In little more than a year(Z)
    you who feel secure will tremble;
the grape harvest will fail,(AA)
    and the harvest of fruit will not come.
11 Tremble,(AB) you complacent women;
    shudder, you daughters who feel secure!(AC)
Strip off your fine clothes(AD)
    and wrap yourselves in rags.(AE)
12 Beat your breasts(AF) for the pleasant fields,
    for the fruitful vines(AG)
13 and for the land of my people,
    a land overgrown with thorns and briers(AH)
yes, mourn(AI) for all houses of merriment
    and for this city of revelry.(AJ)
14 The fortress(AK) will be abandoned,
    the noisy city deserted;(AL)
citadel and watchtower(AM) will become a wasteland forever,
    the delight of donkeys,(AN) a pasture for flocks,(AO)
15 till the Spirit(AP) is poured on us from on high,
    and the desert becomes a fertile field,(AQ)
    and the fertile field seems like a forest.(AR)
16 The Lord’s justice(AS) will dwell in the desert,(AT)
    his righteousness(AU) live in the fertile field.
17 The fruit of that righteousness(AV) will be peace;(AW)
    its effect will be quietness and confidence(AX) forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful(AY) dwelling places,
    in secure homes,(AZ)
    in undisturbed places of rest.(BA)
19 Though hail(BB) flattens the forest(BC)
    and the city is leveled(BD) completely,
20 how blessed you will be,
    sowing(BE) your seed by every stream,(BF)
    and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.(BG)