Jerusalem’s Final Warning

1Be strong, ye sons of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem, and in Tekoa strike the trumpet, and lift up a lifting up upon the house of the vineyard, for evil overhung from the north, and great breaking.

2I likened the daughter of Zion to her becoming and delicate.

3To her shall come the shepherds and their flocks; they fixed the tents upon her round about; they fed each with his hand.

4Consecrate ye war against her; arise, and we will go up at noon. Wo to us! for the day turned away, for the shadows of the evening will stretch forth.

5Arise, and we will go up in the night, and we will destroy her fortresses.

6For thus said Jehovah of armies, Cut off the wood, and throw up a mound against Jerusalem: this the city to be reviewed; oppression is wholly in her midst.

7As a pit, letting flow her waters, so she dug up her evil: violence and oppression will be heard in her; upon my face continually disease and smiting.

8Be admonished, O Jerusalem, lest thy soul shall be alienated from thee; lest I shall set thee a desolation, a land not inhabited.

9Thus said Jehovah of armies, Gleaning, they shall glean as a vine the remainder of Israel: turn back thy hand as he gathering grapes into wicker baskets.

10To whom shall I speak and testify, and they will hear? behold, their ear being uncircumcised, and they shall not be able to hearken: behold, the word of Jehovah was to them for a reproach; they will not delight in it.

11I was filled with the wrath of Jehovah; I was weary holding up; to pour out upon the child in the street and upon the assembly of the young men together; for also the man with the woman shall be taken, the old man with the full of days.

12And their houses were turned to others, the fields and women together; for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the earth, says Jehovah.

13For from their little even to their great, every one plundering, plundered; and from the prophet and even to the priest every one did falsehood.

14And they will heal the breaking of the daughter of my people by making light, and saying, Peace, peace; and no peace.

15Were they ashamed when they did abomination? also shaming they will not be ashamed; also they knew not feeling shame; for this they shall fall with those falling: in the time of my reviewing them they shall faint, said Jehovah.

16Thus said Jehovah, Stand ye upon the ways, and see, and ask for the beaten paths of old, where this the good way, and go ye in it, and find rest to your soul. And they will say, We will not go.

17And I set up watchers over you, Attend ye to the voice of the trumpet And they will say, We will not attend.

18For this, hear ye nations, and know, O Assembly, what is among them.

19Hear, thou earth: Behold me bringing evil to this people, the fruit of their purposes, for to my word they hearkened not, and my law they will reject it.

20Wherefore this to me shall frankincense come from Sheba, and the good cane from a land from far off? your burnt-offerings are not for acceptance, and your sacrifices were not sweet to me.

21For this, thus said Jehovah, Behold me giving to this people stumbling blocks, and they stumbled upon them, the fathers and sons together; the inhabitant and his neighbor shall perish

An Invasion from the North

22Thus said Jehovah, Behold, a people coming from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be raised up from the thighs of the earth.

23They shall lay hold of bow and javelin; it is fierce and they will not pity; their voice will roar as the sea, and they will ride upon horses arranged as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.

24We heard its report: our hands were relaxed; straits held us, pain as of her bringing forth

25Thou shalt not go forth to the field, and thou shalt not go by the way; for the sword to the enemy, fear from round about.

26O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth, and roll thyself in ashes: make to thee the mourning of an only begotten, a wailing of bitterness; for he laying waste shall suddenly come upon us.

27I gave thee a watch-tower among my people, a fortification, and thou shalt know and try their way.

28They are all turning aside, degenerate shoots, going about tale-bearing: brass and iron, they are destroyers all of them.

29The bellows were burnt from their fire, the founder melted the lead in vain, and the evil were not plucked up.

30They called to them, Rejected silver, because Jehovah rejected them.