“1 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 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and
delicate [woman]. 3 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 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 Arise, and let us go by night, and let
us destroy her palaces. 6 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 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 Be
thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make
thee desolate, a land not inhabited.”
“9 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 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 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 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 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 They have
healed also the hurt [of the daughter] of my people slightly, saying,
Peace, peace; when [there is] no peace. 15 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
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 Also I set
watchmen over you, [saying], Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But
they said, We will not hearken.”
“18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what [is]
among them. 19 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 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 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 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 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 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 Go not forth into the
field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy [and] fear [is]
on every side. 26 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
I have set thee [for] a tower [and] a fortress among my people, that
thou mayest know and try their way. 28 They [are] all grievous revolters,
walking with slanders: [they are] brass and iron; they [are] all
corrupters. 29 The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire;
the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. 30
Reprobate silver shall [men] call them, because the LORD hath rejected
them.” (Jeremiah 6:1-30 AV)