31THE PROPHETS THEY HAVE PROPHESIED WITH <THE> FALSEHOOD AND THE PRIESTS THEY ARE RULING ON HANDS THEIR AND PEOPLE MY THEY HAVE LOVED THUS AND WHAT? WILL YOU DO TO END ITS 31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end? [’’]
1FLEE FOR REFUGE O PEOPLE OF BENJAMIN FROM [THE] MIDST OF JERUSALEM AND IN TEKOA BLOW A TRUMPET AND AT BETH HAKKEREM RAISE A SIGNAL FOR CALAMITY IT HAS LOOKED DOWN FROM [THE] NORTH AND DESTRUCTION GREAT Jerusalem’s Final Warning 1“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.
2THE BEAUTIFUL [ONE] AND THE DAINTY [ONE] I RESEMBLE [THE] DAUGHTER OF ZION 2Though she is beautiful and delicate, I will destroy the Daughter of Zion.*NoteCloseOr To a lovely and delicate woman I have likened the Daughter of Zion
3TO IT THEY WILL COME SHEPHERDS AND FLOCKS THEIR THEY WILL PITCH AT IT TENTS ALL AROUND THEY WILL GRAZE EVERYONE <OBJ.> HAND HIS 3Shepherds and their flocks will come against her; they will pitch their tents all around her, each tending his own portion:
4CONSECRATE ON IT BATTLE ARISE SO WE MAY GO UP AT <THE> NOON<S> WOE! TO <THE> US FOR IT HAS TURNED THE DAY FOR THEY ARE STRETCHED OUT [THE] SHADOWS OF EVENING 4‘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.
5ARISE SO WE MAY GO UP IN THE NIGHT AND LET US DESTROY FORTRESSES ITS 5Rise up, let us attack by night and destroy her fortresses!’”
6FOR THUS HE SAYS YAHWEH OF HOSTS CUT DOWN WOOD AND POUR OUT ON JERUSALEM A MOUND THAT <THE> CITY IT WILL BE VISITED ALL OF IT [IS] OPPRESSION IN MIDST ITS 6For 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.
7AS KEEPS COOL A WELL WATER ITS SO IT HAS KEPT COOL EVIL ITS VIOLENCE AND HAVOC IT IS HEARD IN <THE> IT [ARE] ON FACE MY CONTINUALLY SICKNESS AND WOUND[S] 7As a well gushes its water, so she pours out her evil. Violence and destruction resound in her; sickness and wounds are ever before Me.
8LET YOURSELF BE INSTRUCTED O JERUSALEM LEST IT SHOULD BE ALIENATED SELF MY FROM YOU LEST I SHOULD MAKE YOU A DESOLATION A LAND [WHICH] NOT IT IS INHABITED 8Be forewarned, O Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you; I will make you a desolation, a land without inhabitant.”
9THUS HE SAYS YAHWEH OF HOSTS THOROUGHLY <GLEAN> PEOPLE WILL GLEAN LIKE <THE> VINE [THE] REMNANT OF ISRAEL RETURN HAND YOUR LIKE A GRAPE GATHERER OVER BRANCHES 9This 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.”
10TO WHOM? WILL I SPEAK AND WILL I WARN? AND THEY MAY LISTEN THERE! [IS] UNCIRCUMCISED EAR THEIR AND NOT THEY ARE ABLE TO PAY ATTENTION THERE! [THE] WORD OF YAHWEH IT HAS BECOME FOR <THE> THEM <INTO> A REPROACH NOT THEY DELIGHT IN <THE> IT 10To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed,*NoteCloseHebrew uncircumcised so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.
11AND <OBJ.> [THE] RAGE OF YAHWEH I AM FULL I AM WEARY TO HOLD [IT] IN POUR [IT] OUT ON CHILD[REN] IN THE STREET AND ON [THE] GATHERING OF YOUNG MEN ALIKE FOR ALSO A HUSBAND WITH A WIFE THEY WILL BE CAUGHT [THE] OLD WITH [THE] FULL OF DAYS 11But 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.
12AND THEY WILL BE TURNED OVER HOUSES THEIR TO OTHERS FIELDS AND WIVES ALIKE FOR I WILL STRETCH OUT <OBJ.> HAND MY ON [THE] INHABITANTS OF THE LAND [THE] UTTERANCE OF YAHWEH 12Their 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.
13THAT FROM LITTLE THEIR AND UNTO GREAT THEIR ALL OF IT [IS] GAINING UNJUST GAIN AND FROM PROPHET AND UNTO PRIEST ALL OF HIM [IS] DOING FALSEHOOD 13“For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit.
14AND THEY HAVE HEALED <OBJ.> [THE] FRACTURE OF PEOPLE MY ON A TRIFLING [THING] <TO> SAYING PEACE PEACE AND THERE NOT [IS] PEACE 14They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.
15ARE THEY ASHAMED? THAT AN ABOMINATION THEY HAVE DONE NEITHER AT ALL <ASHAMED> NOT THEY ARE ASHAMED NOR TO EXHIBIT SHAME NOT THEY KNOW <TO> THEREFORE THEY WILL FALL AMONG <THE> [THOSE WHO] FALL AT [THE] TIME [WHEN] I HAVE VISITED THEM THEY WILL STUMBLE HE SAYS YAHWEH 15Are 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.
16THUS HE SAYS YAHWEH STAND AT [THE] ROADS AND LOOK AND ASK OF PATHS OF ANCIENT TIME WHERE? THIS [IS] [THE] WAY OF THE GOOD AND WALK IN <THE> IT AND FIND REST FOR SELF YOUR AND THEY SAID NOT WE WILL WALK 16This 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!’
17AND I RAISED UP OVER YOU WATCHMEN PAY ATTENTION TO [THE] SOUND OF A TRUMPET AND THEY SAID NOT WE WILL PAY ATTENTION 17I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen for the sound of the ram’s horn.’ But they answered, ‘We will not listen!’
18<TO> THEREFORE LISTEN O NATIONS AND KNOW O CONGREGATION <OBJ.> [THAT] WHICH [IS] IN <THE> THEM 18Therefore hear, O nations, and learn, O congregations, what will happen to them.
19HEAR O EARTH HERE! I [AM] ABOUT TO BRING CALAMITY TO THE PEOPLE <THE> THIS [THE] FRUIT OF OWN SCHEMES THEIR FOR ON WORDS MY NOT THEY HAVE PAID ATTENTION AND LAW MY AND THEY HAVE REJECTED <IN> <THE> IT 19Hear, 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<TO> WHY? THIS TO <THE> ME FRANKINCENSE [WHICH] FROM SHEBA IT COMES AND [THE] CANE <THE> GOOD FROM A LAND OF DISTANCE BURNT OFFERINGS YOUR NOT [ARE] FOR ACCEPTANCE AND SACRIFICES YOUR NOT THEY ARE PLEASING TO <THE> ME 20What 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<TO> THEREFORE THUS HE SAYS YAHWEH HERE I [AM] ABOUT TO GIVE TO THE PEOPLE <THE> THIS STUMBLING BLOCKS AND THEY WILL STUMBLE OVER <THE> THEM FATHERS AND SONS ALIKE A NEIGHBOR AND FRIEND HIS AND THEY WILL PERISH 21Therefore 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.”
22THUS HE SAYS YAHWEH THERE! A PEOPLE [IS] ABOUT TO COME FROM A LAND OF [THE] NORTH AND A NATION GREAT IT WILL BE ROUSED FROM [THE] REMOTEST PARTS OF [THE] EARTH An Invasion from the North 22This 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.
23BOW AND JAVELIN THEY TAKE HOLD OF [IS] CRUEL IT AND NOT THEY HAVE MERCY SOUND THEIR [IS] LIKE THE SEA [WHICH] IT ROARS AND ON HORSES THEY RIDE ARRANGED LIKE A MAN FOR <THE> BATTLE ON YOU O DAUGHTER OF ZION 23They grasp the bow and spear;*NoteCloseOr javelin 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.”
24WE HEARD <OBJ.> [THE] REPORT OF IT THEY HUNG LIMP HANDS OUR DISTRESS IT TOOK HOLD OF US ANGUISH LIKE <THE> [WOMAN] GIVING BIRTH 24We have heard the report; our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor.
25MAY NOT YOU GO OUT THE FIELD AND ON THE ROAD MAU NOT YOU WALK FOR A SWORD [BELONGS] TO [THE] ENEMY TERROR [IS] FROM ROUND ABOUT 25Do not go out to the fields; do not walk the road. For the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side.
26O DAUGHTER OF PEOPLE MY GIRD YOURSELF SACKCLOTH AND ROLL IN <THE> ASH[ES] [THE] MOURNING OF AN ONLY [CHILD] OBSERVE FOR <THE> YOURSELF WAILING OF BITTERNESS<ES> FOR SUDDENLY IT WILL COME THE DESTROYER ON US 26O 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.
27AN ASSAYER I HAVE MADE YOU AMONG PEOPLE MY FORTIFICATION SO YOU MAY OBSERVE AND YOU WILL TEST <OBJ.> CONDUCT THEIR 27“I have appointed you to examine My people like ore,*NoteCloseOr to examine My people, a fortress so you may know and try their ways.
28ALL OF THEM [ARE THOSE WHO] TURN ASIDE OF REBELS [THOSE WHO] GO ABOUT OF SLANDER BRONZE AND IRON ALL OF THEM [ARE] DESTROYERS THEY 28All are hardened rebels, walking around as slanderers. They are bronze and iron; all of them are corrupt.
29IT PUFFS [THE] BELLOW[S] FROM A FIRE IT IS COMPLETE LEAD FOR <THE> VANITY SOMEONE HAS REFINED STEADFASTLY <TO REFINE> AND EVIL [PEOPLE] NOT THEY HAVE BEEN SEPARATED 29The bellows blow fiercely, blasting away the lead with fire. The refining proceeds in vain, for the wicked are not purged.
30SILVER REJECTED PEOPLE CALLED <TO> THEM FOR HE HAS REJECTED YAHWEH <IN> <THE> THEM 30They are called rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them.”