Note how, in the last sentence, “righteousness” clearly refers, not to human virtue or correct behavior, but to the action of God in restoring justice and righteousness to Israel. Again, “righteousness” has the character of a verb rather than a noun; it is not so much that God is righteous but that he does righteousness.67 It is true that God will turn his hand against Israel in judgment, but (remember that the word “judge” is part of the same word-group as “righteousness”) the judgment is not for destruction; it is for smelting away impurities and removal of alloy. It is clear that this will
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