Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Escape, people of Benjamin, get out of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, sound the alarm in Beth-haccherem; for disaster looms from the north, massive devastation.
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Flee for safety, O children of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise a signal on Beth-haccherem; for evil looms out of the north, and great destruction.
2 You are like a lovely pasture, Daughter Zion.
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I have likened daughter Zion to the loveliest pasture.
3 Shepherds come to her with their flocks. They pitch their tents around her and graze in their place.
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Shepherds with their flocks shall come against her. They shall pitch their tents around her; they shall pasture, all in their places.
4 "Prepare for battle against her; get ready; let's attack by noon! Oh, no! Daylight is fading, and the evening shadows lengthen.
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"Prepare war against her; up, and let us attack at noon!" "Woe to us, for the day declines, the shadows of evening lengthen!"
5 Get ready, let's attack by night and destroy her fortresses!"
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"Up, and let us attack by night, and destroy her palaces!"
6 The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: Cut down her trees, and build siege ramps against Jerusalem. This city must be held accountable, for there's nothing but oppression in her midst.
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For thus says the Lord of hosts: Cut down her trees; cast up a siege ramp against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her.
7 As a well brings forth fresh water, she brings forth evil. Violence and destruction are heard within her; injury and wounds are ever before me.
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As a well keeps its water fresh, so she keeps fresh her wickedness; violence and destruction are heard within her; sickness and wounds are ever before me.
8 Hear me out, Jerusalem, or else I'll turn away from you and reduce you to ruins, a land unfit to live in.
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Take warning, O Jerusalem, or I shall turn from you in disgust, and make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.
9 This is what the LORD of heavenly forces says: From top to bottom, let them harvest the remaining few in Israel. Pick clean every last grape on the vine!
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Thus says the Lord of hosts: Glean thoroughly as a vine the remnant of Israel; like a grape-gatherer, pass your hand again over its branches.
10 To whom can I speak and warn? How can I get someone's attention? Their ears are shut tight, so they won't hear. They are ashamed of the LORD's word and take no pleasure in it.
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To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? See, their ears are closed, they cannot listen. The word of the Lord is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it.
11 But I'm filled with the LORD's rage and am tired of holding it in. Pour it out on the children in the streets and on the youths gathered together; husband with wife will be trapped, as will those old and gray.
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But I am full of the wrath of the Lord; I am weary of holding it in. Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the gatherings of young men as well; both husband and wife shall be taken, the old folk and the very aged.
12 Their homes will be turned over to others, their fields and wives as well. I will stretch out my hand against the people of this land, declares the LORD.
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Their houses shall be turned over to others, their fields and wives together; for I will stretch out my hand against the inhabitants of the land, says the Lord.
13 From the least to the greatest, each is eager to profit; from prophet to priest, each trades in dishonesty.
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For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.
14 They treat the wound of my people as if it were nothing: "All is well, all is well," they insist, when in fact nothing is well.
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They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, "Peace, peace," when there is no peace.
15 They should be ashamed of their detestable practices, but they have no shame; they don't even blush! Therefore, they will fall among the fallen and stumble when I bring disaster, declares the LORD.
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They acted shamefully, they committed abomination; yet they were not ashamed, they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the Lord.
16 The LORD proclaims: Stop at the crossroads and look around; ask for the ancient paths. Where is the good way? Then walk in it and find a resting place for yourselves. But you said, "We won't go!"
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Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, "We will not walk in it."
17 Still, I have appointed watchmen to warn you. But you said, "We won't listen!"
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Also I raised up sentinels for you: "Give heed to the sound of the trumpet!" But they said, "We will not give heed."
18 Therefore, pay attention, nations; take notice, assembly, what is ahead of them.
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Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.
19 Pay attention, earth: I'm bringing disaster upon my people, the fruit of their own devices, because they have ignored my words and they have rejected my teaching.
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Hear, O earth; I am going to bring disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not given heed to my words; and as for my teaching, they have rejected it.
20 What use to me is incense from Sheba or sweet cane from a faraway land? Your entirely burned offerings won't buy your pardon; your sacrifices won't appease me.
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Of what use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing to me.
21 Therefore, the LORD proclaims: I'm putting obstacles before this people, and both parents and children will stumble over them; neighbor and friend alike will perish.
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Therefore thus says the Lord: See, I am laying before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; parents and children together, neighbor and friend shall perish.
22 The LORD proclaims: An army is on the move from the northern regions; a great nation is roused from the ends of the earth.
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Thus says the Lord: See, a people is coming from the land of the north, a great nation is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth.
23 Equipped with bow and spear, they are cruel; they show no mercy. Their horsemen sound like the roaring sea, arrayed in battle formation against you, Daughter Zion.
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They grasp the bow and the javelin, they are cruel and have no mercy, their sound is like the roaring sea; they ride on horses, equipped like a warrior for battle, against you, O daughter Zion!
24 We have heard reports of them and are panic-stricken; distress overwhelms us, pain like that of a woman in labor.
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"We have heard news of them, our hands fall helpless; anguish has taken hold of us, pain as of a woman in labor.
25 Don't go out into the field! Don't walk on the road! The enemies' sword terrorizes at every turn.
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Do not go out into the field, or walk on the road; for the enemy has a sword, terror is on every side."
26 My people, put on funeral clothes and roll in ashes; weep and wail as for an only child, because the destroyer will suddenly descend upon us.
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O my poor people, put on sackcloth, and roll in ashes; make mourning as for an only child, most bitter lamentation: for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.
27 I have made you a tester of metals, to examine my people to know and prove their ways.
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I have made you a tester and a refiner among my people so that you may know and test their ways.
28 They are tin and iron; they are headstrong and rebellious. They live to slander. They act corruptly—every last one!
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They are all stubbornly rebellious, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron, all of them act corruptly.
29 The bellows roar; the lead is consumed. Yet the refining fails; the impurities remain.
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The bellows blow fiercely, the lead is consumed by the fire; in vain the refining goes on, for the wicked are not removed.
30 They are called "rejected silver," for the LORD has rejected them.
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They are called "rejected silver," for the Lord has rejected them.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.