| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1If you return, Israel-- this is the LORD's declaration-- you will return to Me, if you remove your detestable idols from My presence and do not waver, | 1"Israel, if you return to me," declares the LORD, "Return to me, remove your detestable idols from my presence, and don't waver. |
| 2then you can swear, "As the LORD lives," in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him and will pride themselves in Him. | 2If you swear, 'as surely as the LORD lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations will be blessed by him, and in him they will boast." |
| 3For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: Break up the unplowed ground; do not sow among the thorns. | 3For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, "Break up your unplowed ground, and don't sow among thorns. |
| 4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because of your evil deeds. | 4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD and remove the foreskin of your heart, you men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem, or else my wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to put it out, because of your evil deeds." |
| 5Declare in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: Blow the ram's horn throughout the land. Cry out loudly and say: Assemble yourselves, and let's flee to the fortified cities. | 5Declare in Judah, make known in Jerusalem, by saying, "Blow the trumpet in the land, cry out, and say, 'Gather together and let's go to the fortified cities!' |
| 6Lift up a signal flag toward Zion. Run for cover! Don't stand still! For I am bringing disaster from the north-- a great destruction. | 6Raise a standard in the direction of Zion. Flee! Don't stand around! For I'm bringing calamity from the north, along with great destruction. |
| 7A lion has gone up from his thicket; a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to make your land a waste. Your cities will be reduced to uninhabited ruins. | 7A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to make your land a waste. Your cities will be ruined, and without inhabitants. |
| 8Because of this, put on sackcloth; mourn and wail, for the LORD's burning anger has not turned away from us. | 8So, put on sackcloth, mourn and wail, because the burning anger of the LORD has not turned away from us." |
| 9"On that day"--this is the LORD's declaration--"the king and the officials will lose their courage. The priests will tremble in fear, and the prophets will be scared speechless." | 9"On that day," declares the LORD, "the courage of the king and the leaders will fail. The priests will be appalled and the prophets astounded." |
| 10I said, "Oh no, Lord GOD, You have certainly deceived this people and Jerusalem, by announcing, 'You will have peace,' while a sword is at our throats." | 10Then I replied, "Ah, Lord GOD, you have completely deceived this people and Jerusalem when you said, 'You will have peace,' while the sword is at their throat!" |
| 11"At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, 'A searing wind blows from the barren heights in the wilderness on the way to My dear people. It comes not to winnow or to sift; | 11At that time, it will be told this people and to Jerusalem, "A scorching wind from the barren heights in the desert is coming toward my people, and it's not for winnowing or cleansing. |
| 12a wind too strong for this comes at My call. Now I will also pronounce judgments against them.'" | 12A wind too strong for that is coming at my bidding. Now I'm judging them as I speak." |
| 13Look, he advances like clouds; his chariots are like a storm. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined! | 13Look, he comes up like clouds, and his chariots are like a whirlwind. His horses are as swift as eagles. Woe to us—we're destroyed! |
| 14Wash the evil from your heart, Jerusalem, so that you will be delivered. How long will you harbor malicious thoughts within you? | 14Jerusalem, wash your evil from your heart so that you may be delivered. How long will you harbor evil schemes within you? |
| 15For a voice announces from Dan, proclaiming malice from Mount Ephraim. | 15For a voice announces from Dan and declares disaster from Mount Ephraim. |
| 16Warn the nations: Look! Proclaim to Jerusalem: Those who besiege are coming from a distant land; they raise their voices against the cities of Judah. | 16"Tell the nations, 'Here they come!' Proclaim to Jerusalem, 'The besieging forces are coming from a distant land. They cry out against the cities of Judah. |
| 17They have her surrounded like those who guard a field, because she has rebelled against Me. This is the LORD's declaration. | 17They have surrounded her like those guarding a field because they have rebelled against me,'" declares the LORD. |
| 18Your way of life and your actions have brought this on you. This is your punishment. It is very bitter, because it has reached your heart! | 18"Your lifestyles and your actions have brought these things on you. This is your calamity—it is indeed bitter, for it has reached your heart!" |
| 19My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in agony! Oh, the pain in my heart! My heart pounds; I cannot be silent. For you, my soul, have heard the sound of the ram's horn-- the shout of battle. | 19"My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain. Oh, the aching of my heart! My heart pounds within me; I cannot keep silent. For I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm for war. |
| 20Disaster after disaster is reported because the whole land is destroyed. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, my tent curtains, in a moment. | 20Disaster upon disaster is proclaimed, for the entire land is devastated. Suddenly, my tent is destroyed, in a moment my curtains. |
| 21How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the ram's horn? | 21How long will I see the battle standard and hear the sound of the trumpet? |
| 22"For My people are fools; they do not know Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing what is evil, but they do not know how to do what is good." | 22"For my people are foolish, they don't know me. They're stupid children, they have no understanding. They're skilled at doing evil, but how to do good, they don't know." |
| 23I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty. I looked to the heavens, and their light was gone. | 23I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void, at the heavens, and there was no light there. |
| 24I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills shook. | 24I looked at the mountains; they were quaking, and all the hills moved back and forth. |
| 25I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the sky had fled. | 25I looked, and no people were there. All the birds of the sky had gone. |
| 26I looked, and the fertile field was a wilderness. All its cities were torn down because of the LORD and His burning anger. | 26I looked, and the fruitful land had become a desert. All its towns were broken down because of the LORD, because of his burning anger. |
| 27For this is what the LORD says: The whole land will be a desolation, but I will not finish it off. | 27For this is what the LORD says: "The entire land will be devastated, but I won't completely destroy it. |
| 28Because of this, the earth will mourn; the skies above will grow dark. I have spoken; I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back from it. | 28Because of this, the land will mourn, and the heavens above will be dark. Because I have spoken and decided, I won't turn back from doing it." |
| 29Every city flees at the sound of the horseman and the archer. They enter the thickets and climb among the rocks. Every city is abandoned; no inhabitant is left. | 29At the sound of the horseman and the archer the entire city flees. Its residents go into the thickets and climb among the rocks. Every city is abandoned, and no one lives in them. |
| 30And you, devastated one, what are you doing that you dress yourself in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? You beautify yourself for nothing. Your lovers reject you; they want to take your life. | 30You are ruined! What are you doing dressing in scarlet, putting on golden ornaments, and highlighting your eyes with makeup? You are making yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers reject you— they're out to kill you. |
| 31I hear a cry like a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child. The cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands: Woe is me, for my life is weary because of the murderers! | 31I heard a cry like that of a woman in labor, anguish like one giving birth to her firstborn, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for air, stretching out her hand: "Woe is me! I'm about to faint in front of killers!" |
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