1 “ Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the middle of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem; for evil looks out from the north, and a 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 will cut off the comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion.

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

3 S hepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her all around; they shall feed everyone 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 “ Prepare war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines, 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 up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.”

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

6 F or Yahweh of Armies said, “Cut down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression within 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 well produces its waters, so she produces her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness 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 instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you; lest I make you a desolation, 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 Y ahweh of Armies says, “They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Turn again your hand as a grape gatherer 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 testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can’t listen. Behold, Yahweh’s word has become a reproach to them. 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 Yahweh’s wrath. I am weary with holding in. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him who 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 T heir houses shall be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says Yahweh.”

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 “ For from their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals 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 my people superficially, 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? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I visit them, they shall be cast down,” says Yahweh.

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 Y ahweh says, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

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 I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen!’

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, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them.

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

19 H ear, earth! Behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they have 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 comes there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to 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 Yahweh says, “Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them. The neighbor 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 Y ahweh says, “Behold, a people comes from the north country. A great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts 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 take hold of bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, 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 its report; our hands become feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, and pains as of a woman in labor.

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 D on’t go out into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and terror, are 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 D aughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes! Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come on 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 made you a tester of metals and a fortress among my people; that you may 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 rebels, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.

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

30 M en will call them rejected silver, because Yahweh has rejected them.”

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