God is in its fortresses; he reveals himself as its defender. ¹ 

Consider its defenses! ¹  Walk through ²  its fortresses, so you can tell the next generation about it! ³ 

May there be peace inside your defenses, and prosperity ¹  inside your fortresses! ² 

So I will set Gaza’s city wall ¹  on fire; fire ²  will consume her fortresses.

So I will set fire to Tyre’s city wall; ¹  fire ²  will consume her fortresses.”

So I will set Teman ¹  on fire; fire ²  will consume Bozrah’s ³  fortresses.”

So I will set Judah on fire, and it will consume Jerusalem’s fortresses.” ¹ 

Make this announcement in ¹  the fortresses of Ashdod and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt. Say this: “Gather on the hills around Samaria! ²  Observe the many acts of violence ³  taking place within the city, ⁴  the oppressive deeds ⁵  occurring in it.” ⁶ 

So my heart constantly sighs for Moab, like the strumming of a harp, ¹  my inner being sighs ²  for Kir Hareseth. ³ 

So I will set Hazael’s house ¹  on fire; fire ²  will consume Ben Hadad’s ³  fortresses.

Wild dogs will yip in her ruined fortresses, jackals will yelp in the once-splendid palaces. ¹  Her time is almost up, ²  her days will not be prolonged. ³ 

Her fortresses will be overgrown with thorns; thickets and weeds will grow ¹  in her fortified cities. Jackals will settle there; ostriches will live there. ² 

“They do not know how to do what is right.” (The Lord is speaking.) “They store up ¹  the spoils of destructive violence ²  in their fortresses.

Therefore,” says the sovereign Lord, “an enemy will encircle the land. ¹  He will take away your power; ²  your fortresses will be looted.”

Israel has forgotten his Maker and built royal palaces, and Judah has built many fortified cities. But I will send fire on their cities; it will consume their royal citadels.

So I will set fire to Rabbah’s ¹  city wall; ²  fire ³  will consume her fortresses. War cries will be heard on the day of battle; ⁴  a strong gale will blow on the day of the windstorm. ⁵ 

So I will set Moab on fire, ¹  and it will consume Kerioth’s ²  fortresses. Moab will perish ³  in the heat of battle ⁴  amid war cries and the blaring ⁵  of the ram’s horn. ⁶ 

The sovereign Lord confirms this oath by his very own life. ¹  The Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking: “I despise Jacob’s arrogance; I hate their ²  fortresses. I will hand over to their enemies ³  the city of Samaria ⁴  and everything in it.”

He will give us peace. ¹  Should the Assyrians try to invade our land and attempt to set foot in our fortresses, ²  we will send ³  against them seven ⁴  shepherd-rulers, ⁵  make that eight commanders. ⁶