¶ O ye¹ children of Benjamin, gather² yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow³ the trumpet in Tekoa⁴, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem⁵: for evil⁶ appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

I have likened the daughter⁷ of Zion to a comely and delicate woman⁸.

The shepherds⁹ with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall¹⁰ pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.

Prepare¹¹ ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon¹². Woe unto us! for the¹³ day goeth away, for the shadows¹⁴ of the evening are stretched out.

Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy¹⁵ her palaces.

For thus hath the LORD of hosts¹⁶ said, Hew¹⁷ ye down trees, and cast a mount¹⁸ against Jerusalem: this¹⁹ is the city to be visited; she is wholly²⁰ oppression in the midst of her.

As a fountain²¹ casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence²² and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.

Be thou²³ instructed, O Jerusalem, lest²⁴ my soul depart²⁵ from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

¶ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall²⁶ throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.

¶ To whom²⁷ shall I speak, and give²⁸ warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear²⁹ is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word³⁰ of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight³¹ in it.

Therefore³² I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will³³ pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even³⁴ the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.

And their³⁵ houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will³⁶ stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.

For³⁷ from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and³⁸ from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

They have healed³⁹ also the hurt⁴⁰ of the daughter] of my people slightly, saying, Peace⁴¹, peace; when there is no peace.

Were⁴² they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush⁴³: therefore⁴⁴ they shall fall among them that fall: at the time⁴⁵ that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

Thus saith the LORD, Stand⁴⁶ ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk⁴⁷ therein, and ye shall⁴⁸ find rest for your souls. But they said, We will⁴⁹ not walk therein.

Also I⁵⁰ set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken⁵¹ to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We⁵² will not hearken.

¶ Therefore hear⁵³, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.

Hear, O earth⁵⁴: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even⁵⁵ the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to⁵⁶ my law, but rejected it.

¶ To what⁵⁷ purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba⁵⁸, and the sweet cane⁵⁹ from a far country? your burnt⁶⁰ offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will⁶¹ lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers⁶² and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.

Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people⁶³ cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.

They shall⁶⁴ lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel⁶⁵, and have no mercy; their⁶⁶ voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.

We have⁶⁷ heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish⁶⁸ hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

Go not⁶⁹ forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword⁷⁰ of the enemy and fear is on every side.

O daughter⁷¹ of my people, gird⁷² thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee⁷³ mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the⁷⁴ spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

⁷⁵I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

They are all grievous⁷⁶ revolters, walking⁷⁷ with slanders: they are brass⁷⁸ and iron; they are all corrupters⁷⁹.

The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder⁸⁰ melteth in vain⁸¹: for the wicked are not plucked away.

¶ Reprobate silver⁸² shall men call them, because the LORD⁸³ hath rejected them.