O ye children of Benjamin, gatheryourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evilappeareth out of the north, and greatdestruction.
For thushath the LORD of hostssaid, Hew ye downtrees, and cast a mountagainstJerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is whollyoppression in the midst of her.
To whomshall I speak, and givewarning, thatthey may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and theycannothearken: behold, the word of the LORD is untothem a reproach; theyhave no delight in it.
Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am wearywithholding in: I willpour it out upon the childrenabroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husbandwith the wifeshall be taken, the agedwith him that is full of days.
And theirhousesshall be turneduntoothers, withtheirfields and wivestogether: for I willstretch out my handupon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.
For from the least of themevenunto the greatest of themevery one is given to covetousness; and from the prophetevenunto the priestevery one dealethfalsely.
Weretheyashamedwhenthey had committedabomination? nay, theywere not at all ashamed, neithercouldtheyblush: thereforetheyshallfallamongthemthatfall: at the timethat I visitthemtheyshall be castdown, saith the LORD.
Thussaith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walktherein, and ye shallfindrest for yoursouls. But theysaid, We will not walktherein.
Hear, O earth: behold, I willbringeviluponthispeople, even the fruit of theirthoughts, becausetheyhave not hearkenedunto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
To whatpurposecomeththere to me incensefromSheba, and the sweetcanefrom a far country? yourburntofferings are not acceptable, nor yoursacrificessweetunto me.
Thereforethussaith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocksbeforethispeople, and the fathers and the sonstogethershallfalluponthem; the neighbour and his friendshallperish.
Theyshall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; theirvoiceroarethlike the sea; and theyrideuponhorses, set in array as men for war againstthee, O daughter of Zion.
O daughter of my people, girdtheewithsackcloth, and wallowthyself in ashes: maketheemourning, as for an only son, mostbitterlamentation: for the spoilershallsuddenlycomeupon us.