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.

“Run away to be safe, O sons of Benjamin! Run from Jerusalem! Blow the horn in Tekoa, and light a fire in Beth-haccerem. For a sinful power is coming down from the north, that will destroy much.

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

I will cut off the beautiful and fine ones, the people of Zion.

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 and their flocks will come to her. They will set up their tents around her and feed their flocks there, each 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.

Make war against her. Rise up, let us go and fight her at noon. It is bad for us, for the day is passing! The shadows of the evening are longer!

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

Rise up, let us go and fight in the night and destroy her strong houses!”

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 All says, “Cut down her trees, and build a battle-wall against Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished. There is nothing but a sinful power that makes hard times for others 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 well keeps its water good for drinking, so Jerusalem keeps going on in her sin. The sounds of those who fight and those who destroy are heard in her. Sickness and sorrow are always before Me.

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

Listen about the danger, O Jerusalem, or I will become a stranger to you. I will make you a waste, a land with no people.” Israel Will Not Listen

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.”

The Lord of All says, “They will gather all the people of Israel who are left like gathering from the vine. Pass your hand over the branches again like one who gathers grapes.”

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.

Whom should I tell of the danger, that they may hear? See, their ears are closed and they cannot listen. They have become ashamed of the Word of the Lord. They have no joy 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.

But I am full of the anger of the Lord. I am tired of holding it in. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the young men gathered together. For both husband and wife will be taken, the old and those who have lived a very long time.

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.”

Their houses, their fields and their wives will be given to others. I will put out My hand against the people 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 to the greatest of them, every one is always wanting something. And from the man of God to the religious leader, every one lies to get what he wants.

14 T hey have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.

They have healed the hurt of My people only a little, 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 ashamed because of the sinful things they had done? No, they were not ashamed at all. They did not even know how to turn red. So they will fall among those who fall. When I punish them, they will be brought down,” says the Lord. Israel Will Not Go God’s Way

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.’

The Lord says, “Stand by where the roads cross, and look. Ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and 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!’

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

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

So hear, O nations, and know, O people, what will happen 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. See, I am bringing much trouble upon these people. It is the fruit of their plans, because they have not listened to My words. And they have turned away from My law.

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.”

Why does special perfume come to Me from Sheba, or sweet spices from a far away land? I will not receive your burnt gifts on the altar in worship. The gifts you give on the altar are not 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.”

So the Lord says, “See, I am laying things in front of these people, and they will fall over them. Fathers and sons will fall together, and neighbor and friend will die.” Armies from the North

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.

The Lord says, “See, a people is coming from the north country. A great nation is being raised up from the farthest parts 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 take hold of bow and spear. They are hard on people and have no pity. Their voice sounds like the sea. They ride on horses, dressed as a man for battle against you, O people 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 about it. Our hands fall weak. Suffering has taken hold of us, like the pain of a woman giving birth.

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.

Do not go out into the field, and do not walk on the road. For the one who hates us has a sword. Fear is all around us.

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, dress in cloth made from hair and roll in ashes. Have sorrow as if you lost your only son. Cry with a bitter cry. For all at once the destroyer will 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 asked you to test My people, that you may know and test their ways.”

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

All of them are strongwilled in turning to their own way, going about telling stories to hurt people. They are brass and iron. All of them are sinful.

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.

Air is blown hard on the fire to burn up the lead. It is of no use because the sinful ones are not taken away.

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

They are called waste silver, because the Lord has turned away from them.