Study Desk

"Flee to safety, you sons of Benjamin, From the midst of Jerusalem! Blow a trumpet in Tekoa And raise a warning signal over Beth-haccerem; For evil looks down from the north, Along with a great destruction.

O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

"The beautiful and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, I will destroy.

I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.

"Shepherds and their flocks will come to her, They will pitch their tents around her, They will pasture, each in his place.

The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.

'Prepare for war against her; Arise, and let's attack at noon. Woe to us, for the day declines, For the shadows of the evening lengthen!

Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

'Arise, and let's attack by night And destroy her palaces!'"

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

For this is what the LORD of armies says: "Cut down her trees And pile up an assault ramp against Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, In whose midst there is only oppression.

For thus hath the Lord of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.

"As a well keeps its waters fresh, So she keeps fresh her wickedness. Violence and destruction are heard in her; Sickness and wounds are constantly before Me.

As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.

"Be warned, Jerusalem, Or I shall be alienated from you, And make you a desolation, An uninhabited land."

Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.