Jerusalem’s Final Warning 1 CPDV “O sons of Benjamin, be strengthened in the midst of Jerusalem, and sound the trumpet in Tekoa, and lift up a banner over the house of Haccherem. For an evil has been seen from the north, with 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 CPDV I have compared the daughter of Zion to a beautiful and delicate woman. BSB BSB: Though she is beautiful and delicate, I will destroy the Daughter of Zion.
3 CPDV The pastors will come to her with their flocks. They have pitched their tents against her all around. Each one will feed those who are under his hand. BSB BSB: Shepherds and their flocks will come against her; they will pitch their tents all around her, each tending his own portion:
4 CPDV ‘Sanctify a war against her! Rise up together, and let us ascend at midday.’ ‘Woe to us! For the day has declined; for the shadows of the evening have grown longer.’ 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 CPDV ‘Rise up, and let us ascend in the night, and let us destroy her houses.’ ” BSB BSB: Rise up, let us attack by night and destroy her fortresses!’”
6 CPDV For thus says the Lord of hosts: “Cut down her trees, and build a rampart around Jerusalem. This is the city of visitation! Every kind of false claim is in her midst. 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 CPDV Just as a cistern makes its water cold, so has she made her wickedness cold. Iniquity and devastation will be heard in her; sickness and wounds will be ever before me. 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 CPDV O Jerusalem, accept instruction, lest perhaps my soul may withdraw from you; lest perhaps I may set you in a desert, in an uninhabitable land.” BSB BSB: Be forewarned, O Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you; I will make you a desolation, a land without inhabitant.”
9 CPDV Thus says the Lord of hosts: “They will gather the remnant of Israel, even as a single cluster of grapes is gathered from a vine. Direct your hand, as a grape-gatherer directs his hand to the basket. 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 CPDV To whom should I speak, and to whom should I testify, so as to be heard? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, and so they are unable to hear. Behold, for them, the word of the Lord has become a disgrace. And so they will not accept 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 CPDV For this reason, I have been filled with the fury of the Lord. I labor to bear it. Let it be poured out upon the child outside, or upon a group of young men meeting together. For a man will be taken captive with a woman, an elder will be taken captive with one who 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 CPDV And their houses will be given over to others, with both their lands and their wives. For I will extend my hand over the inhabitants of the earth, 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 CPDV Certainly, from the least of them even to the greatest, all of them practice greed. And from the prophet even to the priest, all of them act with deceit. BSB BSB: “For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit.
14 CPDV And they healed the destruction of the daughter of my people with disgrace, by saying: ‘Peace, peace.’ And there was 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 CPDV They were confounded, because they committed an abomination. Or rather, they were not confounded with shame, because they did not know how to blush. For this reason, they will fall among those who are being destroyed. In the time of their visitation, they will fall, 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 CPDV Thus says the Lord: “Stand above the ways, and see and ask, about the ancient paths, as to which is the good way, and then walk in it. And you will find refreshment for your souls. But they said: ‘We will not walk.’ 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 CPDV And I appointed watchers over you, saying: ‘Listen for the sound of the trumpet.’ And 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 CPDV For this reason, hear, O Gentiles, and know, O congregation, how much I will do to them. BSB BSB: Therefore hear, O nations, and learn, O congregations, what will happen to them.
19 CPDV Hear, O earth! Behold, I will lead evils over this people, as the fruits of their own thoughts. For they have not listened to my words, and they have cast aside my law. 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 CPDV For what reason are you bringing me frankincense from Sheba, and sweet smelling reeds from a far away land? Your holocausts are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing 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 CPDV Therefore, thus says the Lord: “Behold I will bring this people to utter ruin, and they will fall, with their fathers and sons; neighbor and relative will perish together.” 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 CPDV Thus says the Lord: “Behold, a people is coming from the land of the north, and a great nation will rise up from the ends 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 CPDV They will take hold of arrow and shield. They are cruel, and they will not take pity. Their voice will roar like the ocean. And they will climb upon horses, for they have been prepared like men for battle, 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 CPDV ‘We have heard of their fame. Our hands have become weakened. Tribulation has overtaken us, like the pains of a woman giving birth.’ BSB BSB: We have heard the report; our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor.
25 CPDV Do not choose to go out into the fields, and you should not walk along the roadway. For the sword and the terror of the enemy 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 CPDV Wrap yourself in haircloth, O daughter of my people. And sprinkle yourself with ashes. Make a mourning for yourself, as for an only son, a bitter lamentation: ‘for the destroyer will overwhelm us suddenly.’ 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 CPDV I have presented you as a strong tester among my people. And you will test and know their way. BSB BSB: “I have appointed you to examine My people like ore, so you may know and try their ways.
28 CPDV All these leaders who are turning away and walking deceitfully, they are brass and iron; they have all been corrupted. BSB BSB: All are hardened rebels, walking around as slanderers. They are bronze and iron; all of them are corrupt.
29 CPDV The bellows has failed; the lead has been consumed by fire; the molten metal was melted to no purpose. For their wickedness has not been consumed. BSB BSB: The bellows blow fiercely, blasting away the lead with fire. The refining proceeds in vain, for the wicked are not purged.
30 CPDV Call them: ‘Rejected silver.’ For the Lord has cast them aside.” 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.