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¹ Flee for safety, you sons of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth-haccherem; for evil looks forth from the north, and a great destruction.² The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, I will cut off.³ Shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every 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.⁵ Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.⁶ For thus has Yahweh of hosts said, Cut 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.⁷ As a well casts forth its waters, so she casts forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds.⁸ Be instructed, O Jerusalem, or else my soul will be alienated from you; and I will make you a desolation, a land not inhabited.

⁹ Thus says Yahweh of hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn again your hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets.¹⁰ To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? look, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can't listen: look, the word of Yahweh has become to them a reproach; they have no delight in it.¹¹ Therefore I am full of the wrath of Yahweh; 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 that is full of days.¹² And their 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.¹³ For from the least of them even to the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest every one deals falsely.¹⁴ They have healed also the hurt of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.¹⁵ They were ashamed when they did these disgusting things. But, they did not feel ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among those that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, says Yahweh.¹⁶ Thus says Yahweh, Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk [therein].¹⁷ And I set watchmen over you, [saying], Listen to the sound of the trumpet; but they said, We will not listen.

¹⁸ Therefore hear, you nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.¹⁹ Hear, O earth: look, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they haven't listened to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.²⁰ To what purpose does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.²¹ Therefore thus says Yahweh, Look, 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.²² Thus says Yahweh, Look, a people comes from the north country; and a great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.²³ They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, every one set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, O daughter of Zion.²⁴ We have heard the report thereof; our hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.²⁵ Don't go forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy, [and] terror, are on every side.²⁶ O daughter of my people, gird with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes: make mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come on us.²⁷ Among my people, I have made you as a trier [of metals], as a fortress you will examine and try their way.²⁸ They are all grievous revolters, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.²⁹ The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away.³⁰ Men shall call them refuse silver, because Yahweh has rejected them.