Jerusalem’s Final Warning 1 AKJV O you children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the middle of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appears out of the north, and great destruction. BSB BSB: “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.
2 AKJV I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman. BSB BSB: Though she is beautiful and delicate, I will destroy the Daughter of Zion.
3 AKJV The shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place. BSB BSB: Shepherds and their flocks will come against her; they will pitch their tents all around her, each tending his own portion:
4 AKJV Prepare you 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 stretched out. BSB BSB: ‘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.
5 AKJV Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces. BSB BSB: Rise up, let us attack by night and destroy her fortresses!’”
6 AKJV For thus has the LORD of hosts said, Hew you down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the middle of her. BSB BSB: For 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.
7 AKJV As a fountain casts out her waters, so she casts out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds. BSB BSB: As a well gushes its water, so she pours out her evil. Violence and destruction resound in her; sickness and wounds are ever before Me.
8 AKJV Be you instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from you; lest I make you desolate, a land not inhabited. BSB BSB: Be forewarned, O Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you; I will make you a desolation, a land without inhabitant.”
9 AKJV Thus says the LORD of hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back your hand as a grape gatherer into the baskets. BSB BSB: This 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.”
10 AKJV To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot listen: behold, the word of the LORD is to them a reproach; they have no delight in it. BSB BSB: To 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.
11 AKJV Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out on the children abroad, and on the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. BSB BSB: But 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.
12 AKJV And their houses shall be turned to others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says the LORD. BSB BSB: Their 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.
13 AKJV For from the least of them even to the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest every one deals falsely. BSB BSB: “For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit.
14 AKJV They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. BSB BSB: They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.
15 AKJV Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? no, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, says the LORD. BSB BSB: Are 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.
16 AKJV Thus says the LORD, Stand you in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. BSB BSB: This 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!’
17 AKJV Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Listen to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not listen. BSB BSB: I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen for the sound of the ram’s horn.’ But they answered, ‘We will not listen!’
18 AKJV Therefore hear, you nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. BSB BSB: Therefore hear, O nations, and learn, O congregations, what will happen to them.
19 AKJV Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words, nor to my law, but rejected it. BSB BSB: Hear, 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.
20 AKJV To what purpose comes there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet to me. BSB BSB: What 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.”
21 AKJV Therefore 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. BSB BSB: Therefore 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.”
An Invasion from the North 22 AKJV Thus says the LORD, Behold, a people comes from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. BSB BSB: This 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.
23 AKJV They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roars like the sea; and they ride on horses, set in array as men for war against you, O daughter of Zion. BSB BSB: They 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.”
24 AKJV We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail. BSB BSB: We have heard the report; our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor.
25 AKJV Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side. BSB BSB: Do not go out to the fields; do not walk the road. For the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side.
26 AKJV O daughter of my people, gird you with sackcloth, and wallow yourself in ashes: make you mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come on us. BSB BSB: O 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.
27 AKJV I have set you for a tower and a fortress among my people, that you may know and try their way. BSB BSB: “I have appointed you to examine My people like ore, so you may know and try their ways.
28 AKJV They are all grievous rebels, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. BSB BSB: All are hardened rebels, walking around as slanderers. They are bronze and iron; all of them are corrupt.
29 AKJV The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melts in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. BSB BSB: The bellows blow fiercely, blasting away the lead with fire. The refining proceeds in vain, for the wicked are not purged.
30 AKJV Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD has rejected them. BSB BSB: They are called rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.