7 Army command Yahweh declares:

Wake up, sword, and work against the one who’s my shepherd and the man who stands close to me.

Strike the shepherd and the flock will scatter[ref]

because I’ll turn my hand against the lowly ones.

8 Yahweh declares: Then it’ll come about that throughout all the land,

that two-thirds of it will be cut off.

Those people will die—only one-third will remain there.

9 I’ll bring that third through the fire and refine them like silver is refined.

≈ I’ll test them like gold is tested.

They will call out to me for help,

and I’ll answer them saying, ‘This is my people.’

and they’ll say, ‘Yahweh is my god.’ ”