Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 People of Benjamin, run for safety! Escape from Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa and build a signal fire in Beth Haccherem. Disaster and destruction are about to come from the north.
1
“Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the middle of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem, for evil looks out from the north with a great destruction.
2 The city of Zion is beautiful, but it will be destroyed;
2
I will cut off the beautiful and delicate one, the daughter of Zion.
3 kings will camp there with their armies. They will pitch their tents around the city, and each of them will camp wherever they want.
3
Shepherds with their flocks will come to her. They will pitch their tents against her all around. They will feed everyone in his place.”
4 They will say, "Prepare to attack Jerusalem! Get ready! We'll attack at noon!" But then they will say, "It's too late, the day is almost over, and the evening shadows are growing long.
4
“Prepare war against her! Arise! Let’s go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
5 We'll attack by night; we'll destroy the city's fortresses."
5
Arise! Let’s go up by night, and let’s destroy her palaces.”
6 The Lord Almighty has ordered these kings to cut down trees and build mounds in order to besiege Jerusalem. He has said, "I will punish this city because it is full of oppression.
6
For the LORD of Armies said, “Cut down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem. This is the city to be visited. She is filled with oppression within herself.
7 As a well keeps its water fresh, so Jerusalem keeps its evil fresh. I hear violence and destruction in the city; sickness and wounds are all I see.
7
As a well produces its waters, so she produces her wickedness. Violence and destruction is heard in her. Sickness and wounds are continually before me.
8 People of Jerusalem, let these troubles be a warning to you, or else I will abandon you; I will turn your city into a desert, a place where no one lives."
8
Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.”
9 The Lord Almighty said to me, "Israel will be stripped clean like a vineyard from which every grape has been picked. So you must rescue everyone you can while there is still time."
9
The LORD of Armies says, “They will thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Turn again your hand as a grape gatherer into the baskets.”
10 I answered, "Who would listen to me if I spoke to them and warned them? They are stubborn and refuse to listen to your message; they laugh at what you tell me to say.
10
To whom should I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can’t listen. Behold, the LORD’s word has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it.
11 Your anger against them burns in me too, Lord, and I can't hold it in any longer." Then the Lord said to me, "Pour out my anger on the children in the streets and on the gatherings of the young people. Husbands and wives will be taken away, and even the very old will not be spared.
11
Therefore I am full of the LORD’s wrath. I am weary with holding it 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 will be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.
12 Their houses will be given to others, and so will their fields and their wives. I am going to punish the people of this land.
12
Their houses will be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says the LORD.”
13 Everyone, great and small, tries to make money dishonestly; even prophets and priests cheat the people.
13
“For from their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.
14 They act as if my people's wounds were only scratches. "All is well,' they say, when all is not well.
14
They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.
15 Were they ashamed because they did these disgusting things? No, they were not at all ashamed; they don't even know how to blush. And so they will fall as others have fallen; when I punish them, that will be the end of them. I, the Lord, have spoken."
15
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they will fall among those who fall. When I visit them, they will be cast down,” says the LORD.
16 The Lord said to his people, "Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths and where the best road is. Walk in it, and you will live in peace." But they said, "No, we will not!"
16
The LORD says, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 Then the Lord appointed sentries to listen for the trumpet's warning. But they said, "We will not listen."
17
I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen!’
18 So the Lord said, "Listen, you nations, and learn what is going to happen to my people.
18
Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them.
19 Listen, earth! As punishment for all their schemes I am bringing ruin on these people, because they have rejected my teaching and have not obeyed my words.
19
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 What do I care about the incense they bring me from Sheba, or the spices from a distant land? I will not accept their offerings or be pleased with their sacrifices.
20
To what purpose does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”
21 And so I will make these people stumble and fall. Parents and children will die, and so will friends and neighbors."
21
Therefore the LORD says, “Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together will stumble against them. The neighbor and his friend will perish.”
22 The Lord says, "People are coming from a country in the north; a mighty nation far away is preparing for war.
22
The LORD says, “Behold, a people comes from the north country. A great nation will be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.
23 They have taken up their bows and swords; they are cruel and merciless. They sound like the roaring sea, as they ride their horses. They are ready for battle against Jerusalem."
23
They take hold of 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 "We have heard the news," say the people of Jerusalem, "and our hands hang limp; we are seized by anguish and pain like a woman in labor.
24
We have heard its report. Our hands become feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, and pains as of a woman in labor.
25 We don't dare go to the countryside or walk on the roads, because our enemies are armed and terror is all around us."
25
Don’t go out into the field or walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and terror are on every side.
26 The Lord says to his people, "Put on sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter tears as you would for an only child, because the one who comes to destroy you will suddenly attack.
26
Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes! Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for the destroyer will suddenly come on us.
27 Jeremiah, test my people, as you would test metal, and find out what they are like.
27
“I have made you a tester of metals and a fortress among my people, that you may know and try their way.
28 They are all stubborn rebels, hard as bronze and iron. They are all corrupt, going around and spreading gossip.
28
They are all grievous rebels, going around to slander. They are bronze and iron. All of them deal corruptly.
29 The furnace burns fiercely, but the waste metals do not melt and run off. It is useless to go on refining my people, because those who are evil are not taken away.
29
The bellows blow fiercely. The lead is consumed in the fire. In vain they go on refining, for the wicked are not plucked away.
30 They will be called worthless dross, because I, the Lord, have rejected them."
30
Men will call them rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them.”
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.