1  Concerning Idumea, thus saith the Lord; There is no longer wisdom in Thæman, counsel has perished from the wise ones, their wisdom is gone, 2 their place has been deceived. Dig deep for a dwelling, ye that inhabit Dædam, for he has wrought grievously: I brought trouble upon him in the time at which I visited him. 3 For grape-gatherers are come, who shall not leave thee a remnant; as thieves by night, they shall lay their hand upon thy possessions.

4 For I have stripped Esau, I have uncovered their secret places; they shall have no power to hide themselves, they have perished each by the hand of his brother, my neighbour, and it is impossible 5 for thy fatherless one to be left to live, but I shall live, and the widows trust in me.

6 For thus saith the Lord; They who were not appointed to drink the cup have drunk it; and thou shalt by no means be cleared: 7 for by myself I have sworn, saith the Lord, that thou shalt be in the midst of her an impassable land, and a reproach, and a curse; and all her cities shall be desert for ever.

8 I have heard a report from the Lord, and he has sent messengers to the nations, saying, Assemble yourselves, and come against her; rise ye up to war. 9 I have made thee small among the nations, utterly contemptible among men. 10 Thine insolence has risen up against thee, the fierceness of thine heart has burst the holes of the rocks, it has seized upon the strength of a lofty hill; for as an eagle he set his nest on high: thence will I bring thee down.

11 And Idumea shall be a desert: every one that passes by shall hiss at it. 12 As Sodom was overthrown and Gomorrha and they that sojourned in her, saith the Lord Almighty, no man shall dwell there, nor shall any son of man inhabit there. 13 Behold, he shall come up as a lion out of the midst of Jordan to the place of Ætham: for I will speedily drive them from it, and do ye set the young men against her: for who is like me? and who will withstand me? and who is this shepherd, who shall confront me?

14 Therefore hear ye the counsel of the Lord, which he has framed against Idumea; and his device, which he has devised against the inhabitants of Thæman: surely the least of the sheep shall be swept off; surely their dwelling shall be made desolate for them. 15 For at the sound of their fall the earth was scared, and the cry of the sea was not heard. 16 Behold, he shall look upon her as an eagle, and spread forth his wings over her strongholds; and the heart of the mighty men of Idumea shall be in that day as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

17  Concerning the sons of Ammon thus saith the Lord, Are there no sons in Israel? or have they no one to succeed them? wherefore has Melchol inherited Galaad, and why shall their people dwell in their cities? 18 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will cause to be heard in Rabbath a tumult of wars; and they shall become a waste and ruined place, and her altars shall be burned with fire; then shall Israel succeed to his dominion. 19 Howl, O Esebon, for Gai has perished; cry, ye daughters of Rabbath, gird yourselves with sackclothes, and lament; for Melchol shall go into banishment, his priests and his princes together.

20 Why do ye exult in the plains of the Enakim, thou haughty daughter, that trustest in thy treasures, that sayest, Who shall come in to me? 21 Behold, I will bring terror upon thee, saith the Lord, from all the country round about thee; and ye shall be scattered every one right before him, and there is none to gather you.

23  Concerning Kedar the Queen of the Palace, whom Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon smote, thus saith the Lord;

Arise ye, and go up to Kedar, and fill the sons of Kedem. 24 They shall take their tents and their sheep, they shall take for themselves their garments, and all their baggage and their camels; and summon ye destruction against them from every side. 25 Flee ye, dig very deep for a dwelling-place, ye that dwell in the palace; for the king of Babylon has framed a counsel, and devised a device against you.

26 Rise up, and go up against a nation settled and dwelling at ease, who have no doors, nor bolts, nor bars, who dwell alone. 27 And their camels shall be a spoil, and the multitude of their cattle shall be destroyed: and I will scatter them as chaff with every wind, having their hair cut about their foreheads, I will bring on their overthrow from all sides, saith the Lord. 28 And the palace shall be a resting-place for ostriches, and desolate for ever: no man shall abide there, and no son of man shall dwell there.

29  Concerning Damascus. Emath is brought to shame, and Arphath: for they have heard an evil report: they are amazed, they are angry, they shall be utterly unable to rest. 30 Damascus is utterly weakened, she is put to flight; trembling has seized upon her. 31 How has she not left my city, they have loved the village?

32 Therefore shall the young men fall in thy streets, and all thy warriors shall fall, saith the Lord. 33 And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall devour the streets of the son of Ader.