1 GLT Bring yourselves to safety, sons of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem! And in Tekoa blast a horn! And over Beth Hakkerem lift up an uplifting! For evil looks down from the north, and a great collapse. 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 GLT I liken the daughter of Zion{ to} the beautiful and delicate woman. BSB BSB: Though she is beautiful and delicate, I will destroy the Daughter of Zion.
3 GLT To them shepherds and their flocks will go; they will pitch tents against her all around; a man will shepherd{ with} 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 GLT “Be sanctified{ for} war against her! Arise and let us go up at noon! Woe to us for the day faces away, for the shadows of evening are lengthening. 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 GLT Arise and let us attack at night and destroy her palaces.” BSB BSB: Rise up, let us attack by night and destroy her fortresses!’”
6 GLT For thus says Yahweh of hosts: Cut a tree, and heap up siegeworks against Jerusalem! She{ is} the city he left behind, all of her{ is} oppression 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 GLT Like a well keeps its waters fresh, thus she keeps her evil fresh. Violence and oppression are heard in her; always before my face{ are} sickness and plague. 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 GLT Let yourself be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul turns away in disgust from you, lest I make you a wasteland, 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 GLT Thus says Yahweh of hosts,“They will certainly glean like a vineyard the remnant of Israel. Cause your hand to return as to gather grapes on tendrils. 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 GLT To whom should I speak and testify and they would listen? Behold! Their ear{ is} uncircumcised, and they are not able to pay attention! Behold! The word of Yahweh has come to them for disgrace, but they would not 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 GLT But I am filled with the heat of Yahweh. I am tired of holding{ it in}.“Pour it out on the children outside and on the groups of young men altogether. For also a husband will be captured with a wife, an old person with fullness 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 GLT And their houses will be turned over to others, fields and wives altogether. For I shall stretch out my hand against the inhabitants of the land— the declaration of Yahweh. 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 GLT For from the smallest and to the greatest, all of them are greedy{ for} dishonest gain. And from a prophet and as far as a priest, each makes 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 GLT And they have healed the collapse of my people lightly, saying,‘Peace, Peace,’ but 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 GLT Were they ashamed when they did an abomination? Even to be ashamed, they were not ashamed; they did not even know to be humiliated! Therefore they will fall among the fallen ones; At the time I punish them they will stumble says Yahweh. 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 GLT Thus says Yahweh,“Stand at the roads and see, and ask for the ancient paths.‘Where{ is} this, the way of the good?’ Then go on it and find rest for your spirit. But they say,‘We shall not go.’ 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 GLT And I stationed lookouts over you. Pay attention for the sound of the horn! But they said,‘We shall not pay attention.’ 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 GLT Therefore, hear, nations! And know, assembly, what{ will be} among them! BSB BSB: Therefore hear, O nations, and learn, O congregations, what will happen to them.
19 GLT Hear, the earth: Behold, I shall bring disaster to this people— the fruit of their plans. For to my word they did not pay attention, and my law, they 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 GLT What{ is} this to me, frankincense coming from Sheba? Or reed perfume from a distant land? Your burnt offerings{ 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 GLT Therefore thus says Yahweh,‘Behold, I shall give a stumbling block to this people, and they will stumble on it— fathers and sons together. A resident and his neighbor will 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.”
22 GLT Thus says Yahweh,‘Behold, a people is coming from the land of the north, and a great nation is being woken up from the farthest parts 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 GLT They hold bows and spears. It{ is} cruel and they are not compassionate. Their sound roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, arranged like men for battle against you, 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 GLT We have heard the reports{ about} them and our hands fall limp. Distress seizes us, writhing as 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 GLT Do not go out{ to} the field, and do not walk{ on} the road, for the sword of the enemy, terror from all around. 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 GLT Daughter of my people, gird yourself{ with} sackcloth and roll in ash; make mourning for yourself{ as for} an only son a lamentation of bitterness, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon 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 GLT “I have given you{ as} a tester to my people, an appraiser, so you can know and test their way. BSB BSB: “I have appointed you to examine My people like ore, so you may know and try their ways.
28 GLT All of them{ are} stubborn ones who rebel, going about{ in} gossip All of them{ are} bronze and iron; they act corruptly. BSB BSB: All are hardened rebels, walking around as slanderers. They are bronze and iron; all of them are corrupt.
29 GLT The bellows are burned; the lead{ is} from their fire. For worthlessness he refines to refine, but the evil things are not torn 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 GLT They will be called,‘rejected silver,’ for Yahweh 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.