All the people of Israel, everyone who lives in the city of Samaria, will know that he has done this. Now they are proud and arrogant. They say,

"The brick buildings have fallen down, but we will replace them with stone buildings. The beams of sycamore wood have been cut down, but we will replace them with the finest cedar."

Now listen to me, you that say, "Today or tomorrow we will travel to a certain city, where we will stay a year and go into business and make a lot of money."

What you should say is this: "If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that."

God is so wise and powerful; no one can stand up against him.

When God tears down, who can rebuild, and who can free those God imprisons?

If God decided to do nothing at all, no one could criticize him. If he hid his face, we would be helpless.

If the LORD does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the LORD does not protect the city, it does no good for the sentries to stand guard.

Human wisdom, brilliance, insight---they are of no help if the LORD is against you.

You will be killed in battle or dragged off as prisoners. Yet even so the LORD's anger will not be ended; his hand will still be stretched out to punish.

But the LORD says, "Can an ax claim to be greater than the one who uses it? Is a saw more important than the one who saws with it? A club doesn't lift up a person; a person lifts up a club."

The LORD Almighty is going to send disease to punish those who are now well-fed. In their bodies there will be a fire that burns and burns.

The will of the Lord alone is always carried out.

"Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering.

There is hope for your future; your children will come back home. I, the LORD, have spoken.

and you will be killed in battle in your own country. Then everyone will know that I am the LORD.

Go and look at the city of Calneh. Then go on to the great city of Hamath and on down to the Philistine city of Gath. Were they any better than the kingdoms of Judah and Israel? Was their territory larger than yours?

and have hated Esau and his descendants. I have devastated Esau's hill country and abandoned the land to jackals."

Remember, LORD, what the Edomites did the day Jerusalem was captured. Remember how they kept saying, "Tear it down to the ground!"

Together they will attack the Philistines on the west and plunder the people who live to the east. They will conquer the people of Edom and Moab, and the people of Ammon will obey them.

The LORD has prepared his sword in heaven, and now it will strike Edom, those people whom he has condemned to destruction.

It will burn day and night, and smoke will rise from it forever. The land will lie waste age after age, and no one will ever travel through it again.

"Who is this coming from the city of Bozrah in Edom? Who is this so splendidly dressed in red, marching along in power and strength?" It is the LORD, powerful to save, coming to announce his victory.

The LORD answers, "I have trampled the nations like grapes, and no one came to help me. I trampled them in my anger, and their blood has stained all my clothing.

I was amazed when I looked and saw that there was no one to help me. But my anger made me strong, and I won the victory myself.

Laugh on, people of Edom and Uz; be glad while you can. Your disaster is coming too; you too will stagger naked in shame.

Zion has paid for her sin; the LORD will not keep us in exile any longer. But Edom, the LORD will punish you; he will expose your guilty acts.

My people Israel will take revenge on Edom for me, and they will make Edom feel my furious anger. Edom will know what it means to be the object of my revenge." The Sovereign LORD has spoken.

I will make you desolate forever, and no one will live in your cities again. Then you will know that I am the LORD.