11-13 “And you, because of my blood covenant with you,
    I’ll release your prisoners from their hopeless cells.
Come home, hope-filled prisoners!
    This very day I’m declaring a double bonus—
    everything you lost returned twice-over!
Judah is now my weapon, the bow I’ll pull,
    setting Ephraim as an arrow to the string.
I’ll wake up your sons, O Zion,
    to counter your sons, O Greece.
From now on
    people are my swords.”

14-17 Then God will come into view,
    his arrows flashing like lightning!
Master God will blast his trumpet
    and set out in a whirlwind.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies will protect them—
    all-out war,
The war to end all wars,
    no holds barred.
Their God will save the day. He’ll rescue them.
    They’ll become like sheep, gentle and soft,
Or like gemstones in a crown,
    catching all the colors of the sun.
Then how they’ll shine! shimmer! glow!
    the young men robust, the young women lovely!

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12 Return to your fortress,(A) you prisoners of hope;
    even now I announce that I will restore twice(B) as much to you.
13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow(C)
    and fill it with Ephraim.(D)
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
    against your sons, Greece,(E)
    and make you like a warrior’s sword.(F)

The Lord Will Appear

14 Then the Lord will appear over them;(G)
    his arrow will flash like lightning.(H)
The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;(I)
    he will march in the storms(J) of the south,

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