| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1“Run for cover, O sons of Benjamin; flee from Jerusalem! Sound the ram’s horn in Tekoa; send up a signal over Beth-haccherem, for disaster looms from the north, even great destruction. | 1"Run for cover, Benjaminites, out of Jerusalem! Sound the ram's horn in Tekoa; raise a smoke signal over Beth-haccherem, for disaster threatens from the north, even great destruction. |
| 2Though she is beautiful and delicate, I will destroy the Daughter of Zion. | 2Though she is beautiful and delicate, I will destroy Daughter Zion. |
| 3Shepherds and their flocks will come against her; they will pitch their tents all around her, each tending his own portion: | 3Shepherds and their flocks will come against her; they will pitch their tents all around her. Each will pasture his own portion. |
| 4‘Prepare for battle against her; rise up, let us attack at noon. Woe to us, for the daylight is fading; the evening shadows grow long. | 4Set them apart for war against her; rise up, let's attack at noon. Woe to us, for the day is passing; the evening shadows grow long. |
| 5Rise up, let us attack by night and destroy her fortresses!’ ” | 5Rise up, let's attack by night. Let us destroy her fortresses." |
| 6For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Cut down the trees and raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem. This city must be punished; there is nothing but oppression in her midst. | 6For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: Cut down the trees; raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem. This city must be punished. There is nothing but oppression within her. |
| 7As a well gushes its water, so she pours out her evil. Violence and destruction resound in her; sickness and wounds are ever before Me. | 7As a well gushes out its water, so she pours out her evil. Violence and destruction resound in her. Sickness and wounds keep coming to My attention. |
| 8Be forewarned, O Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you; I will make you a desolation, a land without inhabitant.” | 8Be warned, Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you; I will make you a desolation, a land without inhabitants. |
| 9This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Glean the remnant of Israel as thoroughly as a vine. Pass your hand once more like a grape gatherer over the branches.” | 9This is what the LORD of Hosts says: Glean the remnant of Israel as thoroughly as a vine. Pass your hand once more like a grape gatherer over the branches. |
| 10To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it. | 10Who can I speak to and give such a warning that they will listen? Look, their ear is uncircumcised, so they cannot pay attention. See, the word of the LORD has become contemptible to them-- they find no pleasure in it. |
| 11But I am full of the LORD’s wrath; I am tired of holding it back. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the young men gathered together. For both husband and wife will be captured, the old and the very old alike. | 11But I am full of the LORD's wrath; I am tired of holding it back. Pour it out on the children in the street, on the gang of young men as well. For both husband and wife will be captured, the old with the very old. |
| 12Their houses will be turned over to others, their fields and wives as well, for I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land,” declares the LORD. | 12Their houses will be turned over to others, their fields and wives as well, for I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land. This is the LORD's declaration. |
| 13“For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit. | 13For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is making profit dishonestly. From prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. |
| 14They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all. | 14They have treated My people's brokenness superficially, claiming, "Peace, peace," when there is no peace. |
| 15Are they ashamed of the abomination they have committed? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will collapse,” says the LORD. | 15Were they ashamed when they acted so abhorrently? They weren't at all ashamed. They can no longer feel humiliation. Therefore, they will fall among the fallen. When I punish them, they will collapse, says the LORD. |
| 16This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’ | 16This is what the LORD says: Stand by the roadways and look. Ask about the ancient paths: Which is the way to what is good? Then take it and find rest for yourselves. But they protested, "We won't!" |
| 17I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen for the sound of the ram’s horn.’ But they answered, ‘We will not listen!’ | 17I appointed watchmen over you and said: Listen for the sound of the ram's horn. But they protested, "We won't listen!" |
| 18Therefore hear, O nations, and learn, O congregations, what will happen to them. | 18Therefore listen, you nations and you witnesses, learn what the charge is against them. |
| 19Hear, O earth! I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their own schemes, because they have paid no attention to My word and have rejected My instruction. | 19Listen, earth! I am about to bring disaster on these people, the fruit of their own plotting, for they have paid no attention to My word. They have rejected My instruction. |
| 20What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please Me.” | 20What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please Me. |
| 21Therefore this is what the LORD says: “I will lay stumbling blocks before this people; fathers and sons alike will be staggered; friends and neighbors will perish.” | 21Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I am going to place stumbling blocks before these people; fathers and sons together will stumble over them; friends and neighbors will also perish. |
| 22This is what the LORD says: “Behold, an army is coming from the land of the north; a great nation is stirred up from the ends of the earth. | 22This is what the LORD says: Look, an army is coming from a northern land; a great nation will be awakened from the remote regions of the earth. |
| 23They grasp the bow and spear; they are cruel and merciless. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses, lined up like men in formation against you, O Daughter of Zion.” | 23They grasp bow and javelin. They are cruel and show no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, lined up like men in battle formation against you, Daughter Zion. |
| 24We have heard the report; our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor. | 24We have heard about it, and we are discouraged. Distress has seized us-- pain like a woman in labor. |
| 25Do not go out to the fields; do not walk the road. For the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side. | 25Don't go out to the fields; don't walk on the road. For the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side. |
| 26O daughter of my people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as you would for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us. | 26My dear people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in the dust. Mourn as you would for an only son, a bitter lament, for suddenly the destroyer will come on us. |
| 27“I have appointed you to examine My people like ore, so you may know and try their ways. | 27I have appointed you to be an assayer among My people-- a refiner-- so you may know and assay their way of life. |
| 28All are hardened rebels, walking around as slanderers. They are bronze and iron; all of them are corrupt. | 28All are stubborn rebels spreading slander. They are bronze and iron; all of them are corrupt. |
| 29The bellows blow fiercely, blasting away the lead with fire. The refining proceeds in vain, for the wicked are not purged. | 29The bellows blow, blasting the lead with fire. The refining is completely in vain; the evil ones are not separated out. |
| 30They are called rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them.” | 30They are called rejected silver, for the LORD has rejected them. |
|
