^{1 Ref} Strengthen yourselves, sons of Benjamin, From the midst of Jerusalem, And in Tekoa blow ye a trumpet, And over Beth-Haccerem lift ye up a flame, For evil hath been seen from the north, And great destruction.

^{2 Ref} The comely and the delicate one I have cut off, The daughter of Zion.

^{3 Ref} Unto her come do shepherds and their droves, They have stricken tents by her round about, They have fed each `in' his own station.

^{4 Ref} Sanctify ye against her the battle, Rise, and we go up at noon. Wo to us, for turned hath the day, For stretched out are the shades of evening,

^{5 Ref} `Rise, and we go up by night, And we destroy her palaces.'

^{6 Ref} For thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Cut down her wood, And pour out against Jerusalem a mount, She `is' the city to be inspected, Wholly -- she is oppression in her midst.

^{7 Ref} As the digging of a well, is `for' its waters, So she hath digged `for' her wickedness, Violence and spoil is heard in her, Before My face continually `are' sickness and smiting.

^{8 Ref} Be instructed, O Jerusalem, Lest My soul be alienated from thee, Lest I make thee a desolation, a land not inhabited.

^{9 Ref} Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: They surely glean, as a vine, the remnant of Israel, Put back thy hand, as a gatherer to the baskets.

^{10 Ref} To whom do I speak, and testify, and they hear? Lo, their ear `is' uncircumcised, And they are not able to attend. Lo, a word of Jehovah hath been to them for a reproach, They delight not in it.

^{11 Ref} And with the fury of Jehovah I have been filled, (I have been weary of containing,) To pour `it' on the suckling in the street, And on the assembly of youths together, For even husband with wife are captured, An elder with one full of days,

^{12 Ref} And their houses have been turned to others, Fields and wives together, For I stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land, An affirmation of Jehovah.

^{13 Ref} For from their least unto their greatest, Every one is gaining dishonest gain, And from prophet even unto priest, Every one is dealing falsely,

^{14 Ref} And they heal the breach of the daughter of my people slightly, Saying, `Peace, peace!' and there is no peace.

^{15 Ref} They were ashamed when they did abomination! Yea, they are not at all ashamed, Yea, blushing they have not known, Therefore they do fall among those falling, In the time I have inspected them, They stumble, said Jehovah.

^{16 Ref} Thus said Jehovah: Stand ye by the ways and see, and ask for paths of old, Where `is' this -- the good way? and go ye in it, And find rest for yourselves. And they say, `We do not go.'

^{17 Ref} And I have raised up for you watchmen, Attend ye to the voice of the trumpet. And they say, `We do not attend.'

^{18 Ref} Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O company, That which `is' upon them.

^{19 Ref} Hear, O earth, lo, I am bringing evil on this people, The fruit of their devices, For to My words they gave no attention, And My law -- they kick against it.

^{20 Ref} Why `is' this to Me? frankincense from Sheba cometh, And the sweet cane from a land afar off, Your burnt-offerings `are' not for acceptance, And your sacrifices have not been sweet to Me.

^{21 Ref} Therefore thus said Jehovah: Lo, I do give to this people stumbling blocks, And stumbled against them have fathers and sons together, The neighbour and his friend do perish.

^{22 Ref} Thus said Jehovah: Lo, a people hath come from a north country, And a great nation is stirred up from the sides of the earth.

^{23 Ref} Bow and javelin they take hold of, Fierce it `is', and they have no mercy, Their voice as a sea doth sound, And on horses they ride, set in array as a man of war, Against thee, O daughter of Zion.

^{24 Ref} `We have heard its sound, feeble have been our hands, Distress hath seized us, pain as of a travailing woman.

^{25 Ref} Go not forth to the field, And in the way walk not, For a sword hath the enemy, fear `is' round about.

^{26 Ref} O daughter of My people, Gird on sackcloth, and roll thyself in ashes, The mourning of an only one make for thee, A lamentation most bitter, For suddenly come doth the spoiler against us.

^{27 Ref} A watch-tower I have given thee, Among My people a fortress, And thou knowest, and hast tried their way.

^{28 Ref} All of them are turned aside by apostates, Walking slanderously -- brass and iron, All of them are corrupters.

^{29 Ref} The bellows have been burnt, By fire hath the lead been consumed, In vain hath a refiner refined, And the wicked have not been drawn away.

^{30 Ref} `Silver rejected,' they have called to them, For Jehovah hath kicked against them!

^{1 Ref} Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem; for evil looks forth from the north, and a great destruction.

^{2 Ref} The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off.

^{3 Ref} Shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed everyone in his place.

^{4 Ref} Prepare you war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! for the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

^{5 Ref} Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

^{6 Ref} For thus has Yahweh of Hosts said, Hew you down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.

^{7 Ref} As a well casts forth its waters, so she casts forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds.

^{8 Ref} Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you; lest I make you a desolation, a land not inhabited.

^{9 Ref} Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn again your hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets.

^{10 Ref} To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can't listen: behold, the word of Yahweh is become to them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

^{11 Ref} Therefore I am full of the wrath of Yahweh; I am weary with holding in: pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.

^{12 Ref} Their houses shall be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says Yahweh.

^{13 Ref} For from the least of them even to the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.

^{14 Ref} They have healed also the hurt of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

^{15 Ref} Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, says Yahweh.

^{16 Ref} Thus says Yahweh, 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].

^{17 Ref} I set watchmen over you, [saying], Listen to the sound of the trumpet; but they said, We will not listen.

^{18 Ref} Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them.

^{19 Ref} Hear, earth: behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.

^{20 Ref} To what purpose comes there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.

^{21 Ref} Therefore thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people; and the fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them; the neighbor and his friend shall perish.

^{22 Ref} Thus says Yahweh, Behold, a people comes from the north country; and a great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

^{23 Ref} They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Zion.

^{24 Ref} We have heard the report of it; our hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.

^{25 Ref} Don't go forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy, [and] terror, are on every side.

^{26 Ref} 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 destroyer shall suddenly come on us.

^{27 Ref} I have made you a tester of metals [and] a fortress among my people; that you may know and try their way.

^{28 Ref} They are all grievous rebels, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.

^{29 Ref} The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away.

^{30 Ref} Refuse silver shall men them, because Yahweh has rejected them.

^{1 Ref} O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

^{2 Ref} I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.

^{3 Ref} The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.

^{4 Ref} Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

^{5 Ref} Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

^{6 Ref} For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.

^{7 Ref} As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.

^{8 Ref} Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

^{9 Ref} Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.

^{10 Ref} To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

^{11 Ref} Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon 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.

^{12 Ref} And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.

^{13 Ref} For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

^{14 Ref} They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

^{15 Ref} Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, 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, saith the LORD.

^{16 Ref} Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

^{17 Ref} Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

^{18 Ref} Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.

^{19 Ref} Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

^{20 Ref} To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

^{21 Ref} Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.

^{22 Ref} Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.

^{23 Ref} They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.

^{24 Ref} We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

^{25 Ref} Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.

^{26 Ref} O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

^{27 Ref} I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

^{28 Ref} They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.

^{29 Ref} The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.

^{30 Ref} Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.