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Chapter 6
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1
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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. |
2
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I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and
delicate woman. |
3
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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. |
4
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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. |
5
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Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her
palaces. |
6
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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. |
7
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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. |
8
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Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart
from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited. |
9
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Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly
glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine
hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets. |
10
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To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they
may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they
cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto
them a reproach; they have no delight in it. |
11
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Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary
with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children
abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together:
for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the
aged with him that is full of days. |
12
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And their houses shall be turned unto others, with
their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out
my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD. |
13
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For from the least of them even unto the greatest of
them every one is given to covetousness; and from the
prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. |
14
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They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my
people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is
no peace. |
15
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Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they
blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall:
at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down,
saith the LORD. |
16
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Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see,
and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and
walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.
But they said, We will not walk therein. |
17
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Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the
sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. |
18
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Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation,
what is among them. |
19
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Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this
people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they
have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but
rejected it. |
20
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To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba,
and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings
are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. |
21
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Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks
before this people, and the fathers and the sons together
shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall
perish. |
22
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Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the
north country, and a great nation shall be raised from
the sides of the earth. |
23
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They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel,
and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea;
and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war
against thee, O daughter of Zion. |
24
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We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble:
anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman
in travail. |
25
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Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for
the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side. |
26
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O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth,
and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for
an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler
shall suddenly come upon us. |
27
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I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my
people, that thou mayest know and try their way. |
28
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They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders:
they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. |
29
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The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the
fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are
not plucked away. |
30
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Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD
hath rejected them. |
