1 F lee for safety, ye children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth-haccherem; for evil looketh forth from the north, and a great destruction.

¶ O ye sons of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem and blow the shofar in Tekoa and set up as a sign smoke in Bethhaccerem; for evil appears out of the north wind and great destruction.

2 T he comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off.

I shall liken the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.

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

The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed each one his portion.

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

Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up towards the south. Woe unto us! for the day goes away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

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

Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

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

For thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, Hew ye down trees and cast a mount against Jerusalem; this is the city that all of her is to be visited; there is violence in the midst of her.

7 A s a well casteth forth its waters, so she casteth forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds.

As the waters never cease to flow from a fountain, so her wickedness never ceases to flow; injustice and robbery is heard in her; in my presence continually, sickness and wounds.

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

Chastise Jerusalem lest peradventure my soul be disjointed from thee, lest peradventure I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

9 T hus saith Jehovah of hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn again thy hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets.

¶ Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine; turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.

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

11 T herefore I am full of the wrath of Jehovah; I am weary with holding in: pour it out upon the children in the street, 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 fury of the LORD; I have worked hard to hold myself in from pouring it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together; for the husband with the wife shall also be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.

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

And 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.

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 unto the greatest of them each one is given to greed; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one deals falsely.

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

They treat also the destruction of the daughter of my people lightly, 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 Jehovah.

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? no, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush; therefore, they shall fall among those that shall fall: at the time that I visit them they shall fall, saith the LORD.

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

17 A nd 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, Hearken to the sound of the shofar. But they said, We will not hearken.

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

¶ Therefore hear, ye Gentiles, and know, O congregation of Gentiles.

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; and as for my law, they have rejected it.

Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts because they have not hearkened unto my words, and they hated my law.

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

To what purpose does this incense come to me from Sheba and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not according to my will, nor are your sacrifices sweet unto me.

21 T herefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people; and the fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them; the neighbor and his friend shall perish.

Therefore 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.

22 T hus saith Jehovah, Behold, a people cometh from the north country; and a great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

Thus hath the LORD said, Behold, a people come from the land of the north wind, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.

23 T hey lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses, every one set in array, as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Zion.

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

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

We have heard the fame thereof; our hands wax feeble; anguish has taken hold of us, and pain as of a woman in travail.

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

Do not go forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear 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 destroyer shall suddenly come upon us.

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 destroyer shall suddenly come upon us.

27 I have made thee a trier and a fortress among my people; that thou mayest know and try their way.

I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people; thou shalt know and examine their way.

28 T hey are all grievous revolters, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.

They are all rebellious princes; they walk with deception: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.

29 T he bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away.

The bellows are burned; the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melts in vain; for the wicked are not plucked away.

30 R efuse silver shall men them, because Jehovah hath rejected them.

Reprobate silver shall men call them because the LORD has rejected them.