An Invasion from the North

5 Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say,

“Blow a horn through the land,

⌊call with a loud voice⌋h and say,

‘Be gathered and let us go into the fortified cities.’

6 Lift up a signal toward Zion,

bring yourselves to safety; you must not remain standing,

for I am bringing evil from the north,

and a great destruction.

7 A lion has gone up from his thicket,

and a destroyer of nations has set out.

He has gone out from his place to make your land as a horror,

your cities will go to ruin ⌊without⌋i inhabitant.

8 Because of this gird yourselves with sackcloth,j lament and wail,

for ⌊the burning anger⌋k of Yahweh has not turned back from us.

9 And then on that day,” ⌊declares⌋l Yahweh,

“the heart of the king and the heart of the officials will be destroyed,

and the priests will be appalled,

and the prophets will be astonished.”

10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh, surely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘It will be peace for you,’ while the sword reaches up to the throat.”

11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem,

“⌊A hot wind from the barren heights⌋m in the desert,n

⌊in the direction of⌋o the daughter of my people,

not to winnow and not to cleanse,

12 ⌊a wind too strong for⌋p these will come for me,

now also I speak judgments against them.”

13 Look, he comes up like the clouds,

and his chariots are like the whirlwind,

his horses are swifter than eagles,

woe to us, for we are devastated.

14 Cleanse your heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem,

so that you may be saved.

⌊How long⌋q will your thoughts of mischief

dwell in your inner part?

15 For a voice is declaring from Dan,

and is proclaiming disaster from the mountain of Ephraim.

16 “Report to the nations, ‘Here they are!’

Proclaim against Jerusalem,

‘Besiegers are coming ⌊from a distant land⌋,r

and they raise their voice against the cities of Judah.’

17 Like watchers of a field they were against her from all around,

because she has rebelled against me,” ⌊declares⌋s Yahweh.

18 “You obtained this for yourself

because of your way and your deeds.

This is your doom, for it is bitter,

yes, it has reached up to your heart.”

19 My bowels, my bowels! I writhe!

The walls of my heart!

My heart is restless within me, I cannot keep silent,

for I hear in my inner self the sound of a horn, the alarm of war.

20 Destruction on destruction is proclaimed,

for all of the land is devastated.

Suddenly my tents are devastated,

my tent curtains in a moment.

21 How long must I see the banner,

and hear the sound of a horn?