English Standard Version

International Standard Version

1Flee for safety, O people of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise a signal on Beth-haccherem, for disaster looms out of the north, and great destruction.

1"Flee to safety, you people of Benjamin, leave Jerusalem. Sound the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise a signal over Beth-haccerem! For calamity and terrible destruction are turning toward you from the north.

2The lovely and delicately bred I will destroy, the daughter of Zion.

2I'll destroy the lovely and delicate Daughter of Zion.

3Shepherds with their flocks shall come against her; they shall pitch their tents around her; they shall pasture, each in his place.

3Shepherds and their flocks will come against her. They'll pitch their tents all around her, and every one will tend his flock in his own place.

4“Prepare war against her; arise, and let us attack at noon! Woe to us, for the day declines, for the shadows of evening lengthen!

4Prepare for war against her. Get ready, let's attack at noon! How terrible for us that the day is coming to an end, and that the evening shadows are lengthening.

5Arise, and let us attack by night and destroy her palaces!”

5Get ready, let's attack at night, and destroy her fortresses."

6For thus says the LORD of hosts: “Cut down her trees; cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her.

6For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Cut down trees and set up siege works against Jerusalem. It is the city to be judged, and there is oppression throughout the entire city.

7As a well keeps its water fresh, so she keeps fresh her evil; violence and destruction are heard within her; sickness and wounds are ever before me.

7As a well keeps its waters fresh, so the city keeps her wickedness fresh. Violence and destruction are heard in her, sickness and wounds are always before me.

8Be warned, O Jerusalem, lest I turn from you in disgust, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.”

8Be warned, Jerusalem, or I'll be alienated from you. I'll make you desolate, a land not inhabited."

9Thus says the LORD of hosts: “They shall glean thoroughly as a vine the remnant of Israel; like a grape gatherer pass your hand again over its branches.”

9This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Let them glean the remnant of Israel as thoroughly as they would the vine. Pass your hand over them like grape gatherers over the branches.

10To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, they cannot listen; behold, the word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it.

10To whom will I speak and give a warning so they'll listen? Look, their ears are closed, and they cannot hear. Look, this message from the LORD is contemptible to them; they don't delight in it.

11Therefore I am full of the wrath of the LORD; I am weary of holding it in. “Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the gatherings of young men, also; both husband and wife shall be taken, the elderly and the very aged.

11I'm full of the wrath of the LORD, and I'm tired of holding it back. Pour it out on the children in the street and on the groups of young men gathered together. Indeed, both husband and wife will be caught in it, the old and the very old.

12Their houses shall be turned over to others, their fields and wives together, 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 together— when I stretch out my hand against those who live in the land," declares the LORD.

13“For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.

13"Indeed, from the least important to the most important, they're all greedy for dishonest gain. From prophet to priest, they all act deceitfully.

14They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.

14They treated my people's wound superficially, telling them, 'Peace, peace,' but there is no peace.

15Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,” says the LORD.

15Were they ashamed because they did what was repugnant to God? They were not ashamed at all— they don't even know how to blush! Therefore they'll fall with those who fall. When I punish them, they'll be brought down," says the LORD.

16Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

16This is what the LORD says: "Stand beside the roads and watch. Ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is. Walk in it and find rest for yourselves. But they said, 'We won't walk in it!'

17I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.’

17I appointed watchmen over you. Listen for the sound of the trumpet. But they said, 'We won't listen!'

18Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.

18Therefore, hear, nations, and know, congregation, what will happen to them.

19Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.

19Listen, earth! I'm about to bring calamity on this people, on the fruit of their plans, because they didn't listen to my words and they rejected my instruction.

20What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.

20What good is frankincense that comes from Sheba to me, or sweet cane from a distant country? Your burnt offerings aren't acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing to me."

21Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will lay before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend shall perish.’”

21Therefore, this is what the LORD says: "I'm about to put stumbling blocks in front of this people, and fathers and sons will stumble over them together. The neighbor and his friends will perish."

22Thus says the LORD: “Behold, a people is coming from the north country, a great nation is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth.

22This is what the LORD says: "Look, people are coming from a northern country. A great nation is stirring from the ends of the earth.

23They lay hold on bow and javelin; they are cruel and have no mercy; the sound of them is like the roaring sea; they ride on horses, set in array as a man for battle, against you, O daughter of Zion!”

23They grab bow and spear; they're cruel and show no mercy. Their sound roars like the sea as they ride on horses, deployed like men ready for battle against you, daughter of Zion."

24We have heard the report of it; our hands fall helpless; anguish has taken hold of us, pain as of a woman in labor.

24We have heard the news about it, and our hands are limp. Distress has seized us like a woman in labor.

25Go not out into the field, nor walk on the road, for the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side.

25Don't go out into the field, and don't travel on the road, because the enemy has a sword, and terror is on every side.

26O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth, and roll in ashes; make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.

26Daughter of my people, put on sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as one mourns at the death of an only son. For the destroyer will come on us suddenly.

27“I have made you a tester of metals among my people, that you may know and test their ways.

27"I've made you an assayer of my people, as well as a fortress. You know how to test their way."

28They are all stubbornly rebellious, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron; all of them act corruptly.

28All of them are very rebellious, going around as slanderers. They're bronze and iron, and all of them are corrupt.

29The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed by the fire; in vain the refining goes on, for the wicked are not removed.

29The bellows blow fiercely to consume the lead with the fire. The assayer keeps on refining, but the impurities aren't separated out.

30Rejected silver they are called, for the LORD has rejected them.”

30They're called reject silver, because the LORD has rejected them.

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