2:1  Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame,

2:2  Before the decree takes effect-- The day passes like the chaff--Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, Before the day of the LORD'S anger comes upon you.

2:3  Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility Perhaps He will hide you In the day of the LORD'S anger.

2:4  For people will abandon Gaza And Ashkelon a desolation; The Lord will drive out Ashdod at noon And will uproot Ekron.

2:5  Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD speaks against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; And I will destroy you So that no inhabitant will remain.

2:6  So the seacoast will turn into pastures, With caves for shepherds and folds for flocks.

2:7  And the Lord will turn the coast over to the remnant of the house of Judah, They will pasture on it In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening; For the LORD their God will care for them And restore their fortune.

2:8  "I have heard the taunting of Moab And the reviling of the sons of Ammon, With which they have taunted My people And become arrogant against their territory.

2:9  "Therefore, as I live," declares the LORD of hosts, The God of Israel, "Surely Moab will resemble Sodom And the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah-- A place possessed by nettles and salt pits, And a perpetual desolation The remnant of My people will plunder them And the remainder of My nation will inherit them."

2:10  This they will have in return for their pride, because they have taunted and become arrogant against the people of the LORD of hosts.

2:11  The LORD will prove a terror to them, for He will starve all the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.

2:12   " I will slay you also, O Ethiopians, by My sword."

2:13  And He will stretch out His hand against the north And destroy Assyria, And He will make Nineveh a desolation, Parched like the wilderness.

2:14  Flocks will lie down in her midst, All beasts which range in herds; Both the pelican and the hedgehog Will lodge in the tops of her pillars; Birds will sing in the window, Desolation will lie on the threshold; For He has laid bare the cedar work.

2:15  We hear the exultant city Which dwells securely, Who says in her heart, " I exist, and no one exists besides me " How she has become a desolation, A resting place for beasts! Everyone who passes by her will hiss And wave his hand in contempt.