“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will populate the cities and the ruins will be rebuilt.

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. ¹  If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.

Their slander will bring about their demise. ¹  All who see them will shudder, ² 

A person who has friends ¹  may be harmed by them, ²  but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Indeed, ¹  nations or kingdoms that do not serve you will perish; such nations will be totally destroyed. ² 

Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” ¹ 

The Lord did so; a ¹  thick ²  swarm of flies came into ³  Pharaoh’s house and into the houses ⁴  of his servants, and throughout the whole land of Egypt the land was ruined ⁵  because of the swarms of flies.

The Lord says, “I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob. I will show compassion on their ruined homes. ¹  Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins. ²  Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site. ³ 

I will bring back my people, Israel; ¹  they will rebuild the cities lying in rubble ²  and settle down. ³  They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce; ⁴  they will grow orchards ⁵  and eat the fruit they produce. ⁶ 

But the wheat and the spelt ¹  were not struck, for they are later crops.) ² 

I am like an owl ¹  in the wilderness; I am like a screech owl ²  among the ruins. ³ 

The way of the Lord ¹  is like ²  a stronghold for the upright, ³  but it is destruction ⁴  to evildoers. ⁵ 

Keen insight ¹  wins ²  favor, but the conduct ³  of the unfaithful is harsh. ⁴ 

Panic and pitfall ¹  have come upon us, devastation and destruction. ² 

In all your dwellings, the cities will be laid waste and the high places ruined so that your altars will be laid waste and ruined, your idols will be shattered and demolished, your incense altars will be broken down, and your works wiped out. ¹ 

“Surely one does not stretch out his hand against a broken man ¹  when he cries for help in his distress. ² 

The Lord comes to pronounce judgment on the leaders of his people and their officials. He says, ¹  “It is you ²  who have ruined ³  the vineyard! ⁴  You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor. ⁵ 

I replied, “How long, sovereign master?” He said, “Until cities are in ruins and unpopulated, and houses are uninhabited, and the land is ruined and devastated,

Wild animals will rest there, the ruined ¹  houses will be full of hyenas. ²  Ostriches will live there, wild goats will skip among the ruins. ³ 

A deceiver’s methods are evil; ¹  he dreams up evil plans ²  to ruin the poor with lies, even when the needy are in the right. ³