1. This is a message about Israel from the Lord, the Lord who spread out the skies, created the earth, and gave life to man. He says,
2. “I will make Jerusalem like a cup of wine; the nations round her will drink and stagger like drunken men. And when they besiege Jerusalem, the cities of the rest of Judah will also be besieged.
3. But when that time comes, I will make Jerusalem like a heavy stone — any nation that tries to lift it will be hurt. All the nations of the world will join forces to attack her.
4. At that time I will terrify all their horses and make all their riders go mad. I will watch over the people of Judah, but I will make the horses of their enemies blind.
5. Then the clans of Judah will say to themselves, ‘The Lord God Almighty gives strength to his people who live in Jerusalem.’
6. “At that time I will make the clans of Judah like a fire in a forest or in a field of ripe corn — they will destroy all the surrounding nations. The people of Jerusalem will remain safe in the city.
12-14. Each family in the land will mourn by itself: the family descended from David, the family descended from Nathan, the family descended from Levi, the family descended from Shimei, and all the other families. Each family will mourn by itself, and the men of each family will mourn separately from the women.