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1. "If you, Israel, want to come back," says the LORD, "if you want to come back to me you must get those disgusting idols out of my sight and must no longer go astray.
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1. If H518 thou wilt return H7725 , O Israel H3478 , saith H5002 the LORD H3068 , return H7725 unto H413 me : and if H518 thou wilt put away H5493 thine abominations H8251 out of my sight H4480 H6440 , then shalt thou not H3808 remove H5110 .
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2. You must be truthful, honest and upright when you take an oath saying, 'As surely as the LORD lives!' If you do, the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you are and will make him the object of their boasting."
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2. And thou shalt swear H7650 , The LORD H3068 liveth H2416 , in truth H571 , in judgment H4941 , and in righteousness H6666 ; and the nations H1471 shall bless themselves H1288 in him , and in him shall they glory H1984 .
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3. Yes, the LORD has this to say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: "Like a farmer breaking up hard unplowed ground, you must break your rebellious will and make a new beginning; just as a farmer must clear away thorns lest the seed is wasted, you must get rid of the sin that is ruining your lives.
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3. For H3588 thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 to the men H376 of Judah H3063 and Jerusalem H3389 , Break up H5214 your fallow ground H5215 , and sow H2232 not H408 among H413 thorns H6975 .
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4. Just as ritual circumcision cuts away the foreskin as an external symbol of dedicated covenant commitment, you must genuinely dedicate yourselves to the LORD and get rid of everything that hinders your commitment to me, people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. If you do not, my anger will blaze up like a flaming fire against you that no one will be able to extinguish. That will happen because of the evil you have done."
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4. Circumcise yourselves H4135 to the LORD H3068 , and take away H5493 the foreskins H6190 of your heart H3824 , ye men H376 of Judah H3063 and inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem H3389 : lest H6435 my fury H2534 come forth H3318 like fire H784 , and burn H1197 that none H369 can quench H3518 it , because H4480 H6440 of the evil H7455 of your doings H4611 .
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5. The LORD said, "Announce this in Judah and proclaim it in Jerusalem: 'Sound the trumpet throughout the land!' Shout out loudly, 'Gather together! Let us flee into the fortified cities!'
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5. Declare H5046 ye in Judah H3063 , and publish H8085 in Jerusalem H3389 ; and say H559 , Blow H8628 ye the trumpet H7782 in the land H776 : cry H7121 , gather together H4390 , and say H559 , Assemble yourselves H622 , and let us go H935 into H413 the defensed H4013 cities H5892 .
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6. Raise a signal flag that tells people to go to Zion. Run for safety! Do not delay! For I am about to bring disaster out of the north. It will bring great destruction.
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6. Set up H5375 the standard H5251 toward Zion H6726 : retire H5756 , stay H5975 not H408 : for H3588 I H595 will bring H935 evil H7451 from the north H4480 H6828 , and a great H1419 destruction H7667 .
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7. Like a lion that has come up from its lair the one who destroys nations has set out from his home base. He is coming out to lay your land waste. Your cities will become ruins and lie uninhabited.
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7. The lion H738 is come up H5927 from his thicket H4480 H5441 , and the destroyer H7843 of the Gentiles H1471 is on his way H5265 ; he is gone forth H3318 from his place H4480 H4725 to make H7760 thy land H776 desolate H8047 ; and thy cities H5892 shall be laid waste H5327 , without H4480 H369 an inhabitant H3427 .
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8. So put on sackcloth! Mourn and wail, saying, 'The fierce anger of the LORD has not turned away from us!'"
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8. For H5921 this H2063 gird H2296 you with sackcloth H8242 , lament H5594 and howl H3213 : for H3588 the fierce H2740 anger H639 of the LORD H3068 is not H3808 turned back H7725 from H4480 us.
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9. "When this happens," says the LORD, "the king and his officials will lose their courage. The priests will be struck with horror, and the prophets will be speechless in astonishment."
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9. And it shall come to pass H1961 at that H1931 day H3117 , saith H5002 the LORD H3068 , that the heart H3820 of the king H4428 shall perish H6 , and the heart H3820 of the princes H8269 ; and the priests H3548 shall be astonished H8074 , and the prophets H5030 shall wonder H8539 .
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10. In response to all this I said, "Ah, Lord GOD, you have surely allowed the people of Judah and Jerusalem to be deceived by those who say, 'You will be safe!' But in fact a sword is already at our throats."
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10. Then said H559 I, Ah H162 , Lord H136 GOD H3069 ! surely H403 thou hast greatly deceived H5377 H5377 this H2088 people H5971 and Jerusalem H3389 , saying H559 , Ye shall have H1961 peace H7965 ; whereas the sword H2719 reacheth H5060 unto H5704 the soul H5315 .
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11. "At that time the people of Judah and Jerusalem will be told, 'A scorching wind will sweep down from the hilltops in the desert on my dear people. It will not be a gentle breeze for winnowing the grain and blowing away the chaff.
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11. At that H1931 time H6256 shall it be said H559 to this H2088 people H5971 and to Jerusalem H3389 , A dry H6703 wind H7307 of the high places H8205 in the wilderness H4057 toward the daughter H1323 of my people H5971 , not H3808 to fan H2219 , nor H3808 to cleanse H1305 ,
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12. No, a wind too strong for that will come at my bidding. Yes, even now I, myself, am calling down judgment on them.'
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12. Even a full H4392 wind H7307 from those H4480 H428 places shall come H935 unto me: now H6258 also H1571 will I H589 give H1696 sentence H4941 against them.
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13. Look! The enemy is approaching like gathering clouds. The roar of his chariots is like that of a whirlwind. His horses move more swiftly than eagles." I cry out, "We are doomed, for we will be destroyed!"
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13. Behold H2009 , he shall come up H5927 as clouds H6051 , and his chariots H4818 shall be as a whirlwind H5492 : his horses H5483 are swifter H7043 than eagles H4480 H5404 . Woe H188 unto us! for H3588 we are spoiled H7703 .
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14. "Oh people of Jerusalem, purify your hearts from evil so that you may yet be delivered. How long will you continue to harbor up wicked schemes within you?
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14. O Jerusalem H3389 , wash H3526 thine heart H3820 from wickedness H4480 H7451 , that H4616 thou mayest be saved H3467 . How long H5704 H4970 shall thy vain H205 thoughts H4284 lodge H3885 within H7130 thee?
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15. For messengers are coming, heralding disaster, from the city of Dan and from the hills of Ephraim.
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15. For H3588 a voice H6963 declareth H5046 from Dan H4480 H1835 , and publisheth H8085 affliction H205 from mount H4480 H2022 Ephraim H669 .
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16. They are saying, 'Announce to the surrounding nations, "The enemy is coming!" Proclaim this message to Jerusalem: "Those who besiege cities are coming from a distant land. They are ready to raise the battle cry against the towns in Judah."'
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16. Make ye mention H2142 to the nations H1471 ; behold H2009 , publish H8085 against H5921 Jerusalem H3389 , that watchers H5341 come H935 from a far H4801 country H4480 H776 , and give out H5414 their voice H6963 against H5921 the cities H5892 of Judah H3063 .
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17. They will surround Jerusalem like men guarding a field because they have rebelled against me," says the LORD.
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17. As keepers H8104 of a field H7704 , are H1961 they against H5921 her round about H4480 H5439 ; because H3588 she hath been rebellious H4784 against me, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 .
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18. "The way you have lived and the things you have done will bring this on you. This is the punishment you deserve, and it will be painful indeed. The pain will be so bad it will pierce your heart."
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18. Thy way H1870 and thy doings H4611 have procured H6213 these H428 things unto thee; this H2063 is thy wickedness H7451 , because H3588 it is bitter H4751 , because H3588 it reacheth H5060 unto H5704 thine heart H3820 .
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19. I said, "Oh, the feeling in the pit of my stomach! I writhe in anguish. Oh, the pain in my heart! My heart pounds within me. I cannot keep silent. For I hear the sound of the trumpet; the sound of the battle cry pierces my soul!
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19. My bowels H4578 , my bowels H4578 ! I am pained H3176 at my very H7023 heart H3820 ; my heart H3820 maketh a noise H1993 in me ; I cannot H3808 hold my peace H2790 , because H3588 thou hast heard H8085 , O my soul H5315 , the sound H6963 of the trumpet H7782 , the alarm H8643 of war H4421 .
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20. I see one destruction after another taking place, so that the whole land lies in ruins. I see our tents suddenly destroyed, their curtains torn down in a mere instant.
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20. Destruction H7667 upon H5921 destruction H7667 is cried H7121 ; for H3588 the whole H3605 land H776 is spoiled H7703 : suddenly H6597 are my tents H168 spoiled H7703 , and my curtains H3407 in a moment H7281 .
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21. "How long must I see the enemy's battle flags and hear the military signals of their bugles?"
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21. How long H5704 H4970 shall I see H7200 the standard H5251 , and hear H8085 the sound H6963 of the trumpet H7782 ?
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22. The LORD answered, "This will happen because my people are foolish. They do not know me. They are like children who have no sense. They have no understanding. They are skilled at doing evil. They do not know how to do good."
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22. For H3588 my people H5971 is foolish H191 , they have not H3808 known H3045 me; they H1992 are sottish H5530 children H1121 , and they H1992 have none H3808 understanding H995 : they H1992 are wise H2450 to do evil H7489 , but to do good H3190 they have no H3808 knowledge H3045 .
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23. "I looked at the land and saw that it was an empty wasteland. I looked up at the sky, and its light had vanished.
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23. I beheld H7200 H853 the earth H776 , and, lo H2009 , it was without form H8414 , and void H922 ; and the heavens H8064 , and they had no H369 light H216 .
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24. I looked at the mountains and saw that they were shaking. All the hills were swaying back and forth!
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24. I beheld H7200 the mountains H2022 , and, lo H2009 , they trembled H7493 , and all H3605 the hills H1389 moved lightly H7043 .
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25. I looked and saw that there were no more people, and that all the birds in the sky had flown away.
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25. I beheld H7200 , and, lo H2009 , there was no H369 man H120 , and all H3605 the birds H5775 of the heavens H8064 were fled H5074 .
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26. I looked and saw that the fruitful land had become a desert and that all of the cities had been laid in ruins. The LORD had brought this all about because of his blazing anger.
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26. I beheld H7200 , and, lo H2009 , the fruitful place H3759 was a wilderness H4057 , and all H3605 the cities H5892 thereof were broken down H5422 at the presence H4480 H6440 of the LORD H3068 , and by H4480 H6440 his fierce H2740 anger H639 .
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27. All this will happen because the LORD said, "The whole land will be desolate; however, I will not completely destroy it.
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27. For H3588 thus H3541 hath the LORD H3068 said H559 , The whole H3605 land H776 shall be H1961 desolate H8077 ; yet will I not H3808 make H6213 a full end H3617 .
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28. Because of this the land will mourn and the sky above will grow black. For I have made my purpose known and I will not relent or turn back from carrying it out."
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28. For H5921 this H2063 shall the earth H776 mourn H56 , and the heavens H8064 above H4480 H4605 be black H6937 : because H5921 H3588 I have spoken H1696 it , I have purposed H2161 it , and will not H3808 repent H5162 , neither H3808 will I turn back H7725 from H4480 it.
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29. At the sound of the approaching horsemen and archers the people of every town will flee. Some of them will hide in the thickets. Others will climb up among the rocks. All the cities will be deserted. No one will remain in them.
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29. The whole H3605 city H5892 shall flee H1272 for the noise H4480 H6963 of the horsemen H6571 and bowmen H7411 H7198 ; they shall go H935 into thickets H5645 , and climb up H5927 upon the rocks H3710 : every H3605 city H5892 shall be forsaken H5800 , and not H369 a man H376 dwell H3427 therein H2004 .
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30. And you, Zion, city doomed to destruction, you accomplish nothing by wearing a beautiful dress, decking yourself out in jewels of gold, and putting on eye shadow! You are making yourself beautiful for nothing. Your lovers spurn you. They want to kill you.
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30. And when thou H859 art spoiled H7703 , what H4100 wilt thou do H6213 ? Though H3588 thou clothest H3847 thyself with crimson H8144 , though H3588 thou deckest H5710 thee with ornaments H5716 of gold H2091 , though H3588 thou rentest H7167 thy face H5869 with painting H6320 , in vain H7723 shalt thou make thyself fair H3302 ; thy lovers H5689 will despise H3988 thee , they will seek H1245 thy life H5315 .
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31. In fact, I hear a cry like that of a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like that of a woman giving birth to her first baby. It is the cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, reaching out for help, saying, "I am done in! My life is ebbing away before these murderers!"
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31. For H3588 I have heard H8085 a voice H6963 as of a woman in travail H2470 , and the anguish H6869 as of her that bringeth forth her first child H1069 , the voice H6963 of the daughter H1323 of Zion H6726 , that bewaileth herself H3306 , that spreadeth H6566 her hands H3709 , saying , Woe H188 is me now H4994 ! for H3588 my soul H5315 is wearied H5888 because of murderers H2026 .
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