Chapter 6

  Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth-haccherem; for evil looks forth from the north, and a great destruction.  

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  The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off.  

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  Shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed everyone in his place.  

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  Prepare you war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! for the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.  

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  Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.  

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  For thus has Yahweh of Hosts said, Hew you down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.  

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  As a well casts forth its waters, so she casts forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds.  

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  Be you instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you; lest I make you a desolation, a land not inhabited.  

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  Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn again your hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets.  

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  To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can't listen: behold, the word of Yahweh is become to them a reproach; they have no delight in it.  

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  Therefore I am full of the wrath of Yahweh; I am weary with holding 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 shall be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.  

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  Their houses shall be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says Yahweh.  

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  For from the least of them even to the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.  

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  They have healed also the hurt of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.  

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  Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, says Yahweh.  

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  Thus says Yahweh, Stand you in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk [therein].  

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  I set watchmen over you, [saying], Listen to the sound of the trumpet; but they said, We will not listen.  

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  Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them.  

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  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.  

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  To what purpose comes there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.  

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  Therefore thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people; and the fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them; the neighbor and his friend shall perish.  

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  Thus says Yahweh, Behold, a people comes from the north country; and a great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.  

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  They lay hold on 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.  

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  We have heard the report of it; our hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.  

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  Don't go forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy, [and] terror, are on every side.  

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  Daughter of my people, gird you with sackcloth, and wallow yourself in ashes: make you mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come on us.  

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  I have made you a tester of metals [and] a fortress among my people; that you may know and try their way.  

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  They are all grievous rebels, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.  

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  The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away.  

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  Refuse silver shall men them, because Yahweh has rejected them.  

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