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1. "Run for your lives, you people of Benjamin! Get out of Jerusalem! Sound the alarm in Tekoa! Send up a signal at Beth-hakkerem! A powerful army is coming from the north, coming with disaster and destruction.
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1. O ye children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 , gather yourselves to flee H5756 out of the midst H4480 H7130 of Jerusalem H3389 , and blow H8628 the trumpet H7782 in Tekoa H8620 , and set up H5375 a sign of fire H4864 in H5921 Beth H1021 -haccerem: for H3588 evil H7451 appeareth H8259 out of the north H4480 H6828 , and great H1419 destruction H7667 .
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2. O Jerusalem, you are my beautiful and delicate daughter-- but I will destroy you!
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2. I have likened H1819 the daughter H1323 of Zion H6726 to a comely H5000 and delicate H6026 woman .
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3. Enemies will surround you, like shepherds camped around the city. Each chooses a place for his troops to devour.
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3. The shepherds H7462 with their flocks H5739 shall come H935 unto H413 her ; they shall pitch H8628 their tents H168 against H5921 her round about H5439 ; they shall feed H7462 every one H376 in H854 his place H3027 .
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4. They shout, 'Prepare for battle! Attack at noon!' 'No, it's too late; the day is fading, and the evening shadows are falling.'
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4. Prepare H6942 ye war H4421 against H5921 her; arise H6965 , and let us go up H5927 at noon H6672 . Woe H188 unto us! for H3588 the day H3117 goeth away H6437 , for H3588 the shadows H6752 of the evening H6153 are stretched out H5186 .
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5. 'Well then, let's attack at night and destroy her palaces!'"
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5. Arise H6965 , and let us go H5927 by night H3915 , and let us destroy H7843 her palaces H759 .
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6. This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says: "Cut down the trees for battering rams. Build siege ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, for she is wicked through and through.
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6. For H3588 thus H3541 hath the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 said H559 , Hew ye down H3772 trees H6097 , and cast H8210 a mount H5550 against H5921 Jerusalem H3389 : this H1931 is the city H5892 to be visited H6485 ; she is wholly H3605 oppression H6233 in the midst H7130 of her.
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7. She spouts evil like a fountain. Her streets echo with the sounds of violence and destruction. I always see her sickness and sores.
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7. As a fountain H953 casteth out H6979 her waters H4325 , so H3651 she casteth H6979 out her wickedness H7451 : violence H2555 and spoil H7701 is heard H8085 in her; before H5921 H6440 me continually H8548 is grief H2483 and wounds H4347 .
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8. Listen to this warning, Jerusalem, or I will turn from you in disgust. Listen, or I will turn you into a heap of ruins, a land where no one lives."
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8. Be thou instructed H3256 , O Jerusalem H3389 , lest H6435 my soul H5315 depart H3363 from H4480 thee; lest H6435 I make H7760 thee desolate H8077 , a land H776 not H3808 inhabited H3427 .
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9. This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says: "Even the few who remain in Israel will be picked over again, as when a harvester checks each vine a second time to pick the grapes that were missed."
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9. Thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , They shall throughly glean H5953 H5953 the remnant H7611 of Israel H3478 as a vine H1612 : turn back H7725 thine hand H3027 as a grape gatherer H1219 into H5921 the baskets H5552 .
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10. To whom can I give warning? Who will listen when I speak? Their ears are closed, and they cannot hear. They scorn the word of the LORD. They don't want to listen at all.
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10. To H5921 whom H4310 shall I speak H1696 , and give warning H5749 , that they may hear H8085 ? behold H2009 , their ear H241 is uncircumcised H6189 , and they cannot H3201 H3808 hearken H7181 : behold H2009 , the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 is H1961 unto them a reproach H2781 ; they have no H3808 delight H2654 in it.
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11. So now I am filled with the LORD's fury. Yes, I am tired of holding it in! "I will pour out my fury on children playing in the streets and on gatherings of young men, on husbands and wives and on those who are old and gray.
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11. Therefore I am full H4392 of H854 the fury H2534 of the LORD H3068 ; I am weary H3811 with holding H3557 in : I will pour it out H8210 upon H5921 the children H5768 abroad H2351 , and upon H5921 the assembly H5475 of young men H970 together H3162 : for H3588 even H1571 the husband H376 with H5973 the wife H802 shall be taken H3920 , the aged H2205 with H5973 him that is full H4390 of days H3117 .
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12. Their homes will be turned over to their enemies, as will their fields and their wives. For I will raise my powerful fist against the people of this land," says the LORD.
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12. And their houses H1004 shall be turned H5437 unto others H312 , with their fields H7704 and wives H802 together H3162 : for H3588 I will stretch out H5186 H853 my hand H3027 upon H5921 the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 , saith H5002 the LORD H3068 .
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13. "From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. From prophets to priests, they are all frauds.
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13. For H3588 from the least H4480 H6996 of them even unto H5704 the greatest H1419 of them every one H3605 is given to H1214 covetousness H1215 ; and from the prophet H4480 H5030 even unto H5704 the priest H3548 every one H3605 dealeth H6213 falsely H8267 .
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14. They offer superficial treatments for my people's mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when there is no peace.
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14. They have healed H7495 also H853 the hurt H7667 of the daughter of my people H5971 slightly H5921 H7043 , saying H559 , Peace H7965 , peace H7965 ; when there is no H369 peace H7965 .
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15. Are they ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all-- they don't even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them," says the LORD.
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15. Were they ashamed H954 when H3588 they had committed H6213 abomination H8441 ? nay H1571 , they were not H3808 at all ashamed H954 H954 , neither H3808 could H3045 they blush H3637 : therefore H3651 they shall fall H5307 among them that fall H5307 : at the time H6256 that I visit H6485 them they shall be cast down H3782 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 .
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16. This is what the LORD says: "Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, 'No, that's not the road we want!'
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16. Thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 , Stand H5975 ye in H5921 the ways H1870 , and see H7200 , and ask H7592 for the old H5769 paths H5410 , where H335 H2088 is the good H2896 way H1870 , and walk H1980 therein , and ye shall find H4672 rest H4771 for your souls H5315 . But they said H559 , We will not H3808 walk H1980 therein .
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17. I posted watchmen over you who said, 'Listen for the sound of the alarm.' But you replied, 'No! We won't pay attention!'
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17. Also I set H6965 watchmen H6822 over H5921 you, saying , Hearken H7181 to the sound H6963 of the trumpet H7782 . But they said H559 , We will not H3808 hearken H7181 .
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18. "Therefore, listen to this, all you nations. Take note of my people's situation.
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18. Therefore H3651 hear H8085 , ye nations H1471 , and know H3045 , O congregation H5712 , H853 what H834 is among them.
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19. Listen, all the earth! I will bring disaster on my people. It is the fruit of their own schemes, because they refuse to listen to me. They have rejected my word.
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19. Hear H8085 , O earth H776 : behold H2009 , I H595 will bring H935 evil H7451 upon H413 this H2088 people H5971 , even the fruit H6529 of their thoughts H4284 , because H3588 they have not H3808 hearkened H7181 unto H5921 my words H1697 , nor to my law H8451 , but rejected H3988 it.
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20. There's no use offering me sweet frankincense from Sheba. Keep your fragrant calamus imported from distant lands! I will not accept your burnt offerings. Your sacrifices have no pleasing aroma for me."
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20. To what H4100 purpose H2088 cometh H935 there to me incense H3828 from Sheba H4480 H7614 , and the sweet H2896 cane H7070 from a far H4801 country H4480 H776 ? your burnt offerings H5930 are not H3808 acceptable H7522 , nor H3808 your sacrifices H2077 sweet H6149 unto me.
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21. Therefore, this is what the LORD says: "I will put obstacles in my people's path. Fathers and sons will both fall over them. Neighbors and friends will die together."
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21. Therefore H3651 thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 , Behold H2009 , I will lay H5414 stumblingblocks H4383 before H413 this H2088 people H5971 , and the fathers H1 and the sons H1121 together H3162 shall fall H3782 upon them ; the neighbor H7934 and his friend H7453 shall perish H6 .
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22. This is what the LORD says: "Look! A great army coming from the north! A great nation is rising against you from far-off lands.
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22. Thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 , Behold H2009 , a people H5971 cometh H935 from the north H6828 country H4480 H776 , and a great H1419 nation H1471 shall be raised H5782 from the sides H4480 H3411 of the earth H776 .
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23. They are armed with bows and spears. They are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like a roaring sea as they ride forward on horses. They are coming in battle formation, planning to destroy you, beautiful Jerusalem. "
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23. They shall lay hold H2388 on bow H7198 and spear H3591 ; they H1931 are cruel H394 , and have no H3808 mercy H7355 ; their voice H6963 roareth H1993 like the sea H3220 ; and they ride H7392 upon H5921 horses H5483 , set in array H6186 as men H376 for war H4421 against H5921 thee , O daughter H1323 of Zion H6726 .
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24. We have heard reports about the enemy, and we wring our hands in fright. Pangs of anguish have gripped us, like those of a woman in labor.
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24. We have heard H8085 H853 the fame H8089 thereof : our hands H3027 wax feeble H7503 : anguish H6869 hath taken hold H2388 of us, and pain H2427 , as of a woman in travail H3205 .
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25. Don't go out to the fields! Don't travel on the roads! The enemy's sword is everywhere and terrorizes us at every turn!
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25. Go not forth H408 H3318 into the field H7704 , nor H408 walk H1980 by the way H1870 ; for H3588 the sword H2719 of the enemy H341 and fear H4032 is on every side H4480 H5439 .
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26. Oh, my people, dress yourselves in burlap and sit among the ashes. Mourn and weep bitterly, as for the loss of an only son. For suddenly the destroying armies will be upon you!
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26. O daughter H1323 of my people H5971 , gird H2296 thee with sackcloth H8242 , and wallow thyself H6428 in ashes H665 : make H6213 thee mourning H60 , as for an only son H3173 , most bitter H8563 lamentation H4553 : for H3588 the spoiler H7703 shall suddenly H6597 come H935 upon H5921 us.
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27. "Jeremiah, I have made you a tester of metals, that you may determine the quality of my people.
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27. I have set H5414 thee for a tower H969 and a fortress H4013 among my people H5971 , that thou mayest know H3045 and try H974 H853 their way H1870 .
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28. They are the worst kind of rebel, full of slander. They are as hard as bronze and iron, and they lead others into corruption.
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28. They are all H3605 grievous H5493 revolters H5637 , walking H1980 with slanders H7400 : they are brass H5178 and iron H1270 ; they H1992 are all H3605 corrupters H7843 .
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29. The bellows fiercely fan the flames to burn out the corruption. But it does not purify them, for the wickedness remains.
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29. The bellows H4647 are burned H2787 , the lead H5777 is consumed H8552 of the fire H4480 H784 ; the founder H6884 melteth H6884 in vain H7723 : for the wicked H7451 are not H3808 plucked away H5423 .
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30. I will label them 'Rejected Silver,' for I, the LORD, am discarding them."
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30. Reprobate H3988 silver H3701 shall men call H7121 them, because H3588 the LORD H3068 hath rejected H3988 them.
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