New King James Version

Christian Standard Bible

1“O you children of Benjamin, Gather yourselves to flee from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, And set up a signal-fire in Beth Haccerem; For disaster appears out of the north, And great destruction.

1"Run for cover out of Jerusalem, Benjaminites. Sound the ram's horn in Tekoa; raise a smoke signal over Beth-haccherem, for disaster threatens from the north, even a crushing blow.

2I have likened the daughter of Zion To a lovely and delicate woman.

2Though she is beautiful and delicate, I will destroy Daughter Zion.

3The shepherds with their flocks shall come to her. They shall pitch their tents against her all around. Each one shall pasture in his own place.”

3Shepherds and their flocks will come against her; they will pitch their tents all around her. Each will pasture his own portion.

4“Prepare war against her; Arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us, for the day goes away, For the shadows of the evening are lengthening.

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.

5Arise, and let us go by night, And let us destroy her palaces.”

5Rise up, let's attack by night. Let us destroy her fortresses."

6For thus has the LORD of hosts said: “Cut down trees, And build a mound against Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished. She is full of oppression in her midst.

6For this is what the LORD of Armies 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 fountain wells up with water, So she wells up with her wickedness. Violence and plundering are heard in her. Before Me continually are grief and wounds.

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 instructed, O Jerusalem, Lest My soul depart from you; Lest I make you desolate, A land not inhabited.”

8Be warned, Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you; I will make you a desolation, a land without inhabitants.

9Thus says the LORD of hosts: “They shall thoroughly glean as a vine the remnant of Israel; As a grape-gatherer, put your hand back into the branches.”

9This is what the LORD of Armies 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 shall I speak and give warning, That they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, And they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the LORD is a reproach to them; They have no delight 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.

11Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD. I am weary of holding it in. “I will pour it out on the children outside, And on the assembly of young men together; For even the husband shall be taken with the wife, The aged with him who is full of days.

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 gathering of young men as well. For both husband and wife will be captured, the old with the very old.

12And their houses shall be turned over to others, Fields and wives together; For I will stretch out My hand Against the inhabitants of the land,” says 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“Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely.

13For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is making profit dishonestly. From prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.

14They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.

14They have treated my people's brokenness superficially, claiming, "Peace, peace," when there is no peace.

15Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time I punish them, They shall be cast down,” says the LORD.

15Were they ashamed when they acted so detestably? 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.

16Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then 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!"

17Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘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, you nations, And know, O congregation, what is among them.

18Therefore listen, you nations and you witnesses, learn what the charge is against them.

19Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people— The fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not heeded My words Nor My law, but rejected it.

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 words. They have rejected my instruction.

20For what purpose to Me Comes frankincense from Sheba, And sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices sweet to 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 thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people, And the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them. The neighbor and his friend shall 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.

22Thus says the LORD: “Behold, a people comes from the north country, And a great nation will be raised from the farthest parts of the earth.

22This is what the LORD says: Look, an army is coming from a northern land; a great nation will be stirred up from the remote regions of the earth.

23They will lay hold on bow and spear; They are cruel and have no mercy; Their voice roars like the sea; And they ride on horses, As men of war set in array 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 of it; Our hands grow feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, Pain as of a woman in labor.

24We have heard about it, and our hands have become weak. Distress has seized us--pain, like a woman in labor.

25Do not go out into the field, Nor walk by the way. Because of the sword of the enemy, Fear 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 in sackcloth And roll about in ashes! Make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; For the plunderer will suddenly 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 set you as an assayer and a fortress among My people, That you may know and test their way.

27I have appointed you to be an assayer among my people--a refiner--so you may know and assay their way of life.

28They are all stubborn rebels, walking as slanderers. They are bronze and iron, They are all corrupters;

28All are stubborn rebels spreading slander. They are bronze and iron; all of them are corrupt.

29The bellows blow fiercely, The lead is consumed by the fire; The smelter refines in vain, For the wicked are not drawn off.

29The bellows blow, blasting the lead with fire. The refining is completely in vain; the evil ones are not separated out.

30People will call them rejected silver, Because the LORD has rejected them.”

30They are called rejected silver, for the LORD has rejected them.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.