6. The Lord says, “At that time,I will gather the crippled;I will bring together those who were sent away,those whom I caused to have trouble.
7. I will keep alive those who were crippled,and I will make a strong nation of those who were sent away.The Lord will be their king in Mount Zion from now on and forever.
8. And you, watchtower of the flocks, hill of Jerusalem,to you will come the kingdom as in the past.Jerusalem, the right to rule will come again to you.”
9. Now, why do you cry so loudly?Is your king gone?Have you lost your helper,so that you are in pain, like a woman trying to give birth?
10. People of Jerusalem, strain and be in pain.Be like a woman trying to give birth,because now you must leave the cityand live in the field.You will go to Babylon,but you will be saved from that place.The Lord will go thereand buy you back from your enemies.
11. But now many nationshave come to fight against you,saying, “Let’s destroy Jerusalem.We will look at her and be glad we have defeated her.”
12. But they don’t knowwhat the Lord is thinking;they don’t understand his plan.He has gathered them like bundles of grain to the threshing floor.
13. “Get up and beat them, people of Jerusalem.I will make you strong as if you had horns of ironand hoofs of bronze.You will beat many nations into small piecesand give their wealth to the Lord,their treasure to the Lord of all the earth.”