1 O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem! And blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise a signal over Beth-haccherem! For evil is looking forth with eagerness from the north, and great destruction.

2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.

The comely and delicate one, the Daughter of Zion, I will destroy.

3 T he shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.

Shepherds with their flocks shall come against her; they shall pitch their tents round about her; they shall pasture, each one in his place.

4 P repare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

Prepare yourselves for war against her; up, let us attack her at noon! But alas, the day declines, the evening shadows lengthen.

5 A rise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

Arise, let us go by night and destroy her palaces!

6 F or thus hath the Lord of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.

For the Lord of hosts has said, Hew down her trees and cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem. This is the city which must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her.

7 A s a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.

As a fountain wells up and casts forth its waters and keeps them fresh, so she is casting forth wickedness. Violence and destruction are heard within her; sickness and wounds are continually before Me.

8 B e thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

Be corrected, reformed, instructed, and warned, O Jerusalem, lest I be alienated and parted from you, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.

9 T hus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: They shall thoroughly glean as a vine what is left of Israel; turn back your hand again and again into the baskets, like a grape gatherer, and strip the tendrils.

10 T o whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot hear or obey. Behold, the word of the Lord has become to them a reproach and the object of their scorn; they have no delight in it.

11 T herefore I am full of the fury of the Lord; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.

Therefore I am full of the wrath of the Lord; I am weary of restraining it. I will pour it out on the children in the street and on the gathering of young men together; for even the husband with the wife will be taken, the aged with the very old.

12 A nd their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord.

And their houses will be turned over to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land, says the Lord.

13 F or from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness (to greed for unjust gain); and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.

14 T hey have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

They have healed also the wound of the daughter of My people lightly and neglectfully, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.

15 W ere they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

Were they brought to shame because they had committed abominations (extremely disgusting and vile things)? No, they were not at all ashamed, nor could they blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them they shall be overthrown, says the Lord.

16 T hus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Thus says the Lord: Stand by the roads and look; and ask for the eternal paths, where the good, old way is; then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk in it!

17 A lso I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hear and obey the sound of the trumpet! But they said, We will not listen or obey.

18 T herefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.

Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what to them.

19 H ear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing evil upon this people, the fruit of their thoughts (their schemes and devices) because they have not listened and obeyed My words, and as for My law, they have rejected it.

20 T o what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

To what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices sweet or pleasing to Me.

21 T herefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.

Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. And the fathers and the sons together will stumble against them; the neighbor and his friend will perish.

22 T hus saith the Lord, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.

Thus says the Lord: Behold, a people is coming from the north country, and a great nation is arousing itself from the ends of the earth.

23 T hey shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.

They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel (ruthless and inhuman) and have no mercy. Their voice sounds like the roaring sea; they ride on horses, every one set in array as a man for battle against you, O Daughter of Zion!

24 W e have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

We have heard the report of it; our hands become feeble and helpless. Anguish has taken hold of us, pangs like that of a woman in childbirth.

25 G o not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.

Go not out into the field nor walk on the road, for the enemy is armed with the sword; terror is on every side.

26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

O daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackcloth and wallow in ashes; make mourning as for an only son, a most bitter lamentation, for the destroyer will suddenly come upon us.

27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

I have set you as an assayer and a prover of ore among My people, that you may know and try their doings and be like a watchtower.

28 T hey are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.

They are all the worst of rebels and utter and total revolters against God, going about publishing slander. They are bronze and iron; they are all corrupters.

29 T he bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.

The bellows blow fiercely, the lead is consumed by the fire; in vain do they continue refining, for the wicked are not removed.

30 R eprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them.

Men will call them reprobate and rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them.