16. “No,” you said,“Upon horses we will flee.”Very well, you shall flee!“Upon swift steeds we will ride.”Very well, swift shall be your pursuers!
17. A thousand shall tremble at the threat of one—if five threaten, you shall flee.You will then be left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,like a flag on a hill.
18. Truly, the Lord is waiting to be gracious to you,truly, he shall rise to show you mercy;For the Lord is a God of justice:happy are all who wait for him!
19. Yes, people of Zion, dwelling in Jerusalem,you shall no longer weep;He will be most gracious to you when you cry out;as soon as he hears he will answer you.
20. The Lord will give you bread in adversityand water in affliction.No longer will your Teacher hide himself,but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,
21. And your ears shall hear a word behind you:“This is the way; walk in it,”when you would turn to the right or the left.
22. You shall defile your silver-plated idolsand your gold-covered images;You shall throw them away like filthy rags,you shall say, “Get out!”
23. He will give rain for the seedyou sow in the ground,And the bread that the soil produceswill be rich and abundant.On that day your cattle will grazein broad meadows;
24. The oxen and the donkeys that till the groundwill eat silage tossed to themwith shovel and pitchfork.