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

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

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.’ ”