1
If thou wilt return[H7725], O Israel[H3478], saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068], return[H7725] unto me: and if thou wilt put away[H5493] thine abominations[H8251] out of my sight[H6440], then shalt thou not remove[H5110].
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[H1288] themselves in him, and in him shall they glory[H1984].
3
For thus 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 among thorns[H6975].
4Circumcise[H4135] yourselves 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 my fury[H2534] come forth[H3318] like fire[H784], and burn[H1197] that none can quench[H3518] it, because[H6440] of the evil[H7455] of your doings[H4611].
5Declare[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[H622] yourselves, and let us go[H935] into the defenced[H4013]cities[H5892].
6
Set up[H5375] the standard[H5251] toward Zion[H6726]: retire[H5756], stay[H5975] not: for I will bring[H935]evil[H7451] from the north[H6828], and a great[H1419]destruction[H7667].
7
The lion[H738] is come up[H5927] from his thicket[H5441], and the destroyer[H7843] of the Gentiles[H1471] is on his way[H5265]; he is gone forth[H3318] from his place[H4725] to make[H7760] thy land[H776]desolate[H8047]; and thy cities[H5892] shall be laid waste[H5327], without an inhabitant[H3427].
8
For this gird[H2296] you with sackcloth[H8242], lament[H5594] and howl[H3213]: for the fierce[H2740]anger[H639] of the LORD[H3068] is not turned back[H7725] from us.
9
And it shall come to pass at that 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].
10
Then said[H559] I, Ah[H162], Lord[H136]GOD[H3069]! surely[H403] thou hast greatly[H5377]deceived[H5377] this people[H5971] and Jerusalem[H3389], saying[H559], Ye shall have peace[H7965]; whereas the sword[H2719]reacheth[H5060] unto the soul[H5315].
11
At that time[H6256] shall it be said[H559] to this people[H5971] and to Jerusalem[H3389], A dry[H6703]wind[H7307] of the high places[H8205] in the wilderness[H4057]toward[H1870] the daughter[H1323] of my people[H5971], not to fan[H2219], nor to cleanse[H1305],
12
Even a full[H4392]wind[H7307] from those places shall come[H935] unto me: now also will I give[H1696]sentence[H4941] against them.
13
Behold, 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[H5404]. Woe[H188] unto us! for we are spoiled[H7703].
14
O Jerusalem[H3389], wash[H3526] thine heart[H3820] from wickedness[H7451], that thou mayest be saved[H3467]. How long shall thy vain[H205]thoughts[H4284]lodge[H3885]within[H7130] thee?
15
For a voice[H6963]declareth[H5046] from Dan[H1835], and publisheth[H8085]affliction[H205] from mount[H2022]Ephraim[H669].
16
Make ye mention[H2142] to the nations[H1471]; behold, publish[H8085] against Jerusalem[H3389], that watchers[H5341]come[H935] from a far[H4801]country[H776], and give out[H5414] their voice[H6963] against the cities[H5892] of Judah[H3063].
17
As keepers[H8104] of a field[H7704], are they against her round about[H5439]; because she hath been rebellious[H4784] against me, saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068].
18
Thy way[H1870] and thy doings[H4611] have procured[H6213] these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness[H7451], because it is bitter[H4751], because it reacheth[H5060] unto thine heart[H3820].
19
My bowels[H4578], my bowels[H4578]! I am pained[H2342] at my very[H7023]heart[H3820]; my heart[H3820] maketh a noise[H1993] in me; I cannot hold my peace[H2790], because thou hast heard[H8085], O my soul[H5315], the sound[H6963] of the trumpet[H7782], the alarm[H8643] of war[H4421].
20Destruction[H7667] upon destruction[H7667] is cried[H7121]; for the whole land[H776] is spoiled[H7703]: suddenly[H6597] are my tents[H168]spoiled[H7703], and my curtains[H3407] in a moment[H7281].
21
How long shall I see[H7200] the standard[H5251], and hear[H8085] the sound[H6963] of the trumpet?[H7782]
22
For my people[H5971] is foolish[H191], they have not known[H3045] me; they are sottish[H5530]children[H1121], and they have none understanding[H995]: they are wise[H2450] to do evil[H7489], but to do good[H3190] they have no knowledge[H3045].
23
I beheld[H7200] the earth[H776], and, lo, it was without form[H8414], and void[H922]; and the heavens[H8064], and they had no light[H216].
24
I beheld[H7200] the mountains[H2022], and, lo, they trembled[H7493], and all the hills[H1389] moved lightly[H7043].
25
I beheld[H7200], and, lo, there was no man[H120], and all the birds[H5775] of the heavens[H8064] were fled[H5074].
26
I beheld[H7200], and, lo, the fruitful place[H3759] was a wilderness[H4057], and all the cities[H5892] thereof were broken down[H5422] at the presence[H6440] of the LORD[H3068], and by his fierce[H2740]anger[H639].
27
For thus hath the LORD[H3068]said[H559], The whole land[H776] shall be desolate[H8077]; yet will I not make[H6213] a full end[H3617].
28
For this shall the earth[H776]mourn[H56], and the heavens[H8064]above[H4605] be black[H6937]: because I have spoken[H1696] it, I have purposed[H2161] it, and will not repent[H5162], neither will I turn back[H7725] from it.
29
The whole city[H5892] shall flee[H1272] for the noise[H6963] of the horsemen[H6571] and bowmen[H7198]; they shall go[H935] into thickets[H5645], and climb up[H5927] upon the rocks[H3710]: every city[H5892] shall be forsaken[H5800], and not a man[H376]dwell[H3427]therein[H2004].
30
And when thou art spoiled[H7703], what wilt thou do?[H6213] Though thou clothest[H3847] thyself with crimson[H8144], though thou deckest[H5710] thee with ornaments[H5716] of gold[H2091], though 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].
31
For 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[H3306] herself, that spreadeth[H6566] her hands[H3709], saying, Woe[H188] is me now! for my soul[H5315] is wearied[H5888] because of murderers[H2026].