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Selected Verse: Jeremiah 6:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Jer 6:1	Strong Concordance	O ye children [01121] of Benjamin [01144], gather yourselves to flee [05756] out of the midst [07130] of Jerusalem [03389], and blow [08628] the trumpet [07782] in Tekoa [08620], and set up [05375] a sign [04864] of fire in Bethhaccerem [01021]: for evil [07451] appeareth [08259] out of the north [06828], and great [01419] destruction [07667].
	King James	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.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
ZION'S FOES PREPARE WAR AGAINST HER: HER SINS ARE THE CAUSE. (Jer. 6:1-30) Benjamin--Jerusalem was situated in the tribe of Benjamin, which was here separated from that of Judah by the valley of Hinnom. Though it was inhabited partly by Benjamites, partly by men of Judah, he addresses the former as being his own countrymen. blow . . . trumpet . . . Tekoa--Tikehu, Tekoa form a play on sounds. The birthplace of Amos. Beth-haccerem--meaning in Hebrew, "vineyard-house." It and Tekoa were a few miles south of Jerusalem. As the enemy came from the north, the inhabitants of the surrounding country would naturally flee southwards. The fire-signal on the hills gave warning of danger approaching.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

ZION'S FOES PREPARE WAR AGAINST HER: HER SINS ARE THE CAUSE. (Jer. 6:1-30)

Benjamin--Jerusalem was situated in the tribe of Benjamin, which was here separated from that of Judah by the valley of Hinnom. Though it was inhabited partly by Benjamites, partly by men of Judah, he addresses the former as being his own countrymen.

blow . . . trumpet . . . Tekoa--Tikehu, Tekoa form a play on sounds. The birthplace of Amos.

Beth-haccerem--meaning in Hebrew, "vineyard-house." It and Tekoa were a few miles south of Jerusalem. As the enemy came from the north, the inhabitants of the surrounding country would naturally flee southwards. The fire-signal on the hills gave warning of danger approaching.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Jeremiah addresses the men of Benjamin, either as being his own tribesmen, or as a name appropriate to the people of Jerusalem, which also was situate in the tribe of Benjamin. Gather yourselves to flee - Gather your goods together to remove them to a place of safety. Blow the trumpet in Tekoa - The name of Tekoa is almost identical with the verb "to blow": but it was not chosen merely for the alliteration, but because it was the last town in Judaea (about 11 miles south of Jerusalem), upon the very border of the desert, where the fugitives would halt. A sign - Rather, a signal. Beth-haccerem - Or, the "Vineyard-House," which was situated halfway between Jerusalem and Tekoa. Appeareth - "Is bending over;" is bending forward in eagerness to seize its prey.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The Judgment is Irrevocably Decreed. - A hostile army approaches from the north, and lays siege to Jerusalem, in order to storm the city (Jer 6:1-8). None is spared, since the people rejects all counsels to reform (Jer 6:9-15). Since it will not repent, it will fall by the hands of the enemy, in spite of the outward sacrificial service (Jer 6:16-21). The enemy will smite Zion without mercy, seeing that the trial of the people has brought about no change for the better in them (Jer 6:22-30). Jer 6:1-2 The judgment breaking over Jerusalem. - Jer 6:1. "Flee, ye sons of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and in Tekoa blow the trumpet, and over Beth-haccerem set up a sign; for evil approaCheth from the north, and great destruction. Jer 6:2. The comely and the delicate - I lay waste the daughter of Zion. Jer 6:3. To her come shepherds with their flocks, pitch their tents about her round about, and devour each his portion. Jer 6:4. Sanctify war against her; arise, let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day declineth; for the shadows of evening lengthen. Jer 6:5. Arise, let us go up by night, and destroy her palaces. Jer 6:6. For thus hath Jahveh of hosts spoken, Hew down wood, and pile up against Jerusalem a rampart; she is the city that is (to be) punished, she is all full of oppression in her midst. Jer 6:7. As a fountain pours forth its water, so pours she forth her wickedness: violence and spoiling is heard in her; before my face continually, wounds and smiting. Jer 6:8. Be warned, Jerusalem, lest my soul tear herself from thee, lest I make thee a waste, a land uninhabited." In graphic delineation of the enemy's approach against Jerusalem, the prophet calls on the people to flee. As regarded its situation, Jerusalem belonged to the tribe of Benjamin; the boundary between the tribal domain of Judah and Benjamin passed through the valley of Ben-hinnom on the south side of Jerusalem, and then ran northwards to the west of the city (Jos 15:8; Jos 18:16.). The city was inhabited by Judeans and Benjamites, Ch1 9:2. The summons is addressed to the Benjamites as the prophet's fellow-countrymen. Tekoa lay about two hours' journey southwards from Bethlehem, according to Jerome, on a hill twelve Roman miles south of Jerusalem; see on Jos 15:59. This town is mentioned because its name admits of a play on the word תּקעוּ. The alarm is given in the country south of Jerusalem, because the enemy is coming from the north, so that the flight will be directed southwards. Beth-haccerem, acc. to Jerome, was a hamlet (vicus) between Jerusalem and Tekoa, qui lingua Syra et Hebraic Bethacharma nominatur, et ipse in monte positus, apparently on what is now called the Frank's Hill, Jebel Fureidis; see on Neh 3:14. משׂאת, the lifting up, that which raises itself up, or is raised; here a lofty beacon or signal, the nature of which is not further made known. The meaning, fire-signal, or ascending column of smoke, cannot be made good from Jdg 20:38, Jdg 20:40, since there עשׁן is appended; nor from the statements of classical authors (in Ros.), that in time of war bodies of troops stationed in different places made their positions known to one another by masses of rising flame during the night, and by columns of smoke in the day time. As to the last clause, cf. Jer 1:14. "Great destruction," as in Jer 4:6. - In Jer 6:2 the impending judgment is further described. It falls on the daughter of Zion, the capital and its inhabitants, personified as a beautiful and delicately reared woman. נוה, defectively written for נאוה, contracted from נאוה, lovely, beautiful. The words are not vocatives, O fair and delicate, but accusatives made to precede their governing verb absolutely, and are explained by "the daughter of Zion," dependent on "I destroy:" the fair and the delicate, namely, the daughter of Zion, I destroy. דּמה as in Hos 4:5. The other meaning of this verb, to be like, to resemble, is wholly unsuitable here; and, besides, in this signification it is construed with אל or ל. Ew.'s translation, I mean the daughter of Zion, is not justifiable by the usage of the word, the Piel only, and not the Kal, being capable of this interpretation. Jer 6:3 The destruction comes about by means of shepherds with their flocks, who set up their tents round the city, and depasture each his portion. We need hardly observe that the shepherds and their flocks are a figure for princes, who with their peoples besiege and sack Jerusalem; with this cf. Jer 1:15. The figure does not point to a nomad swarm, or the Scythian people, as Ew. supposes. "Each his hand," i.e., what lies to his hand, or next him. Jer 6:4-7 The description passes from figure to reality, and the enemies appear before us as speaking, inciting one another to the combat, encouraging one another to storm the city. To sanctify a war, i.e., prepare themselves for the war by religious consecration, inasmuch as the war was undertaken under commission from God, and because the departure of the army, like the combat itself, was consecrated by sacrifice and other religious ceremonies; see on Joe 3:9. עלה, to go up against a place as an enemy, not, go up upon, in which case the object, them (the city or walls), could not be omitted. It is plainly the storming or capture of the town that is meant by the going up; hence we may understand what follows: and we will destroy her palaces. We have a rousing call to go up at noon or in clear daylight, joined with "woe to us," a cry of disappointment that they will not be able to gain their ends so soon, not indeed till night; in these we see the great eagerness with which they carry on the assault. יום פּנה, the day turns itself, declines towards its end; cf. Psa 90:9. The enemies act under a commission from God, who has imposed on them the labour of the siege, in order to punish Jerusalem for her sins. Jahveh is here most fittingly called the God of hosts; for as God of the world, obeyed by the armies of heaven, He commands the kings of the earth to chastise His people. Hew wood, i.e., fell trees for making the siege works, cf. Deu 20:20, both for raising the attacking ramparts, (Note: Agger ex terra lignisque attollitur contra murum, de quo tela jactantur. Veget. de re milit. iv. 15.) and for the entire apparatus necessary for storming the town. עצה is not a collective form from עץ, like דּגה from דּג; but the ה is a suffix in spite of the omission of the Mappik, which is given by but a few of the codd., eastern and western, for we know that Mappik is sometimes omitted, e.g., Num 15:28, Num 15:31; cf. Ew. 247, d. We are encouraged to take it so by Deu 20:19, where עצה are the trees in the vicinity of the town, of which only the fruit trees were to be spared in case of siege, while those which did not bear eatable fruit were to be made use of for the purposes of the siege. And thus we must here, too, read עצה, and refer the suffix to the next noun (Jerusalem). On "pile up a rampart," cf. Sa2 20:5; Eze 4:2, etc. הפקד is used as passive of Kal, and impersonally. The connection with העיר is to be taken like חנה in Isa 29:1 : the city where it is punished, or perhaps like Psa 59:6, the relative being supplied: that is punished. כּלּהּ is not to be joined, contrary to the accents, with הפקד (Ven., J. D. Mich.), a connection which, even if it were legitimate, would give but a feeble thought. It belongs to what follows, "she is wholly oppression in her midst," i.e., on all sides in her there is oppression. This is expanded in Jer 6:7. lxx and Jerome have taken הקיר from קרר, and translate: like as a cistern keeps its water cool (ψύχει, frigidam facit), so she keeps her wickedness cool. Hitz. has pronounced in favour of this interpretation, but changes "keep cool" into "keep fresh," and understands the metaphor thus: they take good care that their wickedness does not stagnate or become impaired by disuse. But it would be a strange metaphor to put "keep wickedness cool," for "maintain it in strength and vigour." We therefore, along with Luth. and most commentators, prefer the rabbinical interpretation: as a well makes its water to gush out, etc.; for there is no sufficient force in the objection that מקור from קוּר, dig, is not a spring but a well, that הקיר has still less the force of making to gush forth, and that בּור wholly excludes the idea of causing to spring out. The first assertion is refuted by Jer 2:13, מקור, fountain of living water; whence it is clear that the word does mean a well fed by a spring. It is true, indeed, that the word בּור, a later way of writing בּאר (cf. Ch1 11:17. 22 with Sa2 23:15. 20), means usually, a pit, a cistern dug out; but this form is not substantially different from בּאר, well, puteus, which is used for בּור in Ps. 55:24 and Psa 69:16. Accordingly, this latter form can undoubtedly stand with the force of בּאר, as has been admitted by the Masoretes when they substituted for it בּאר; cf. the Arab. bi'run. The noun מקור puts beyond doubt the legitimacy of giving to הקיר, from קוּר, to dig a well, the signification of making water to gush forth. The form הקרה is indeed referable to קרר, but only shows, as is otherwise well known, that no very strict line of demarcation can be drawn between the forms of verbs 'עע and 'הקיר ;עו, again, is formed regularly from קוּר. Violence and spoiling; cf. Jer 20:8, and Amo 3:10; Hab 1:3. "Before my face," before mine eyes, corresponds to "is heard," as wounds and smitings are the consequences of violence. On that head, cf. Psa 55:10-12. Jer 6:8 If Jerusalem cease not from these sins and crimes, the Lord must devote it to spoliation. Let thyself be corrected, warned; cf. Psa 2:10; Lev 26:23. תּקע from יקע, tear oneself loose, estrange oneself, as in Eze 23:17. "A land uninhabited" is an apposition giving greater expressiveness to "a waste," Jer 22:6.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The Judgment is Irrevocably Decreed. - A hostile army approaches from the north, and lays siege to Jerusalem, in order to storm the city (Jer 6:1-8). None is spared, since the people rejects all counsels to reform (Jer 6:9-15). Since it will not repent, it will fall by the hands of the enemy, in spite of the outward sacrificial service (Jer 6:16-21). The enemy will smite Zion without mercy, seeing that the trial of the people has brought about no change for the better in them (Jer 6:22-30).

Jer 6:1-2

The judgment breaking over Jerusalem. - Jer 6:1. "Flee, ye sons of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and in Tekoa blow the trumpet, and over Beth-haccerem set up a sign; for evil approaCheth from the north, and great destruction. Jer 6:2. The comely and the delicate - I lay waste the daughter of Zion. Jer 6:3. To her come shepherds with their flocks, pitch their tents about her round about, and devour each his portion. Jer 6:4. Sanctify war against her; arise, let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day declineth; for the shadows of evening lengthen. Jer 6:5. Arise, let us go up by night, and destroy her palaces. Jer 6:6. For thus hath Jahveh of hosts spoken, Hew down wood, and pile up against Jerusalem a rampart; she is the city that is (to be) punished, she is all full of oppression in her midst. Jer 6:7. As a fountain pours forth its water, so pours she forth her wickedness: violence and spoiling is heard in her; before my face continually, wounds and smiting. Jer 6:8. Be warned, Jerusalem, lest my soul tear herself from thee, lest I make thee a waste, a land uninhabited."

In graphic delineation of the enemy's approach against Jerusalem, the prophet calls on the people to flee. As regarded its situation, Jerusalem belonged to the tribe of Benjamin; the boundary between the tribal domain of Judah and Benjamin passed through the valley of Ben-hinnom on the south side of Jerusalem, and then ran northwards to the west of the city (Jos 15:8; Jos 18:16.). The city was inhabited by Judeans and Benjamites, Ch1 9:2. The summons is addressed to the Benjamites as the prophet's fellow-countrymen. Tekoa lay about two hours' journey southwards from Bethlehem, according to Jerome, on a hill twelve Roman miles south of Jerusalem; see on Jos 15:59. This town is mentioned because its name admits of a play on the word תּקעוּ. The alarm is given in the country south of Jerusalem, because the enemy is coming from the north, so that the flight will be directed southwards. Beth-haccerem, acc. to Jerome, was a hamlet (vicus) between Jerusalem and Tekoa, qui lingua Syra et Hebraic Bethacharma nominatur, et ipse in monte positus, apparently on what is now called the Frank's Hill, Jebel Fureidis; see on Neh 3:14. משׂאת, the lifting up, that which raises itself up, or is raised; here a lofty beacon or signal, the nature of which is not further made known. The meaning, fire-signal, or ascending column of smoke, cannot be made good from Jdg 20:38, Jdg 20:40, since there עשׁן is appended; nor from the statements of classical authors (in Ros.), that in time of war bodies of troops stationed in different places made their positions known to one another by masses of rising flame during the night, and by columns of smoke in the day time. As to the last clause, cf. Jer 1:14. "Great destruction," as in Jer 4:6. - In Jer 6:2 the impending judgment is further described. It falls on the daughter of Zion, the capital and its inhabitants, personified as a beautiful and delicately reared woman. נוה, defectively written for נאוה, contracted from נאוה, lovely, beautiful. The words are not vocatives, O fair and delicate, but accusatives made to precede their governing verb absolutely, and are explained by "the daughter of Zion," dependent on "I destroy:" the fair and the delicate, namely, the daughter of Zion, I destroy. דּמה as in Hos 4:5. The other meaning of this verb, to be like, to resemble, is wholly unsuitable here; and, besides, in this signification it is construed with אל or ל. Ew.'s translation, I mean the daughter of Zion, is not justifiable by the usage of the word, the Piel only, and not the Kal, being capable of this interpretation.

Jer 6:3

The destruction comes about by means of shepherds with their flocks, who set up their tents round the city, and depasture each his portion. We need hardly observe that the shepherds and their flocks are a figure for princes, who with their peoples besiege and sack Jerusalem; with this cf. Jer 1:15. The figure does not point to a nomad swarm, or the Scythian people, as Ew. supposes. "Each his hand," i.e., what lies to his hand, or next him.

Jer 6:4-7

The description passes from figure to reality, and the enemies appear before us as speaking, inciting one another to the combat, encouraging one another to storm the city. To sanctify a war, i.e., prepare themselves for the war by religious consecration, inasmuch as the war was undertaken under commission from God, and because the departure of the army, like the combat itself, was consecrated by sacrifice and other religious ceremonies; see on Joe 3:9. עלה, to go up against a place as an enemy, not, go up upon, in which case the object, them (the city or walls), could not be omitted. It is plainly the storming or capture of the town that is meant by the going up; hence we may understand what follows: and we will destroy her palaces. We have a rousing call to go up at noon or in clear daylight, joined with "woe to us," a cry of disappointment that they will not be able to gain their ends so soon, not indeed till night; in these we see the great eagerness with which they carry on the assault. יום פּנה, the day turns itself, declines towards its end; cf. Psa 90:9. The enemies act under a commission from God, who has imposed on them the labour of the siege, in order to punish Jerusalem for her sins. Jahveh is here most fittingly called the God of hosts; for as God of the world, obeyed by the armies of heaven, He commands the kings of the earth to chastise His people. Hew wood, i.e., fell trees for making the siege works, cf. Deu 20:20, both for raising the attacking ramparts,

(Note: Agger ex terra lignisque attollitur contra murum, de quo tela jactantur. Veget. de re milit. iv. 15.)

and for the entire apparatus necessary for storming the town. עצה is not a collective form from עץ, like דּגה from דּג; but the ה is a suffix in spite of the omission of the Mappik, which is given by but a few of the codd., eastern and western, for we know that Mappik is sometimes omitted, e.g., Num 15:28, Num 15:31; cf. Ew. 247, d. We are encouraged to take it so by Deu 20:19, where עצה are the trees in the vicinity of the town, of which only the fruit trees were to be spared in case of siege, while those which did not bear eatable fruit were to be made use of for the purposes of the siege. And thus we must here, too, read עצה, and refer the suffix to the next noun (Jerusalem). On "pile up a rampart," cf. Sa2 20:5; Eze 4:2, etc. הפקד is used as passive of Kal, and impersonally. The connection with העיר is to be taken like חנה in Isa 29:1 : the city where it is punished, or perhaps like Psa 59:6, the relative being supplied: that is punished. כּלּהּ is not to be joined, contrary to the accents, with הפקד (Ven., J. D. Mich.), a connection which, even if it were legitimate, would give but a feeble thought. It belongs to what follows, "she is wholly oppression in her midst," i.e., on all sides in her there is oppression. This is expanded in Jer 6:7. lxx and Jerome have taken הקיר from קרר, and translate: like as a cistern keeps its water cool (ψύχει, frigidam facit), so she keeps her wickedness cool. Hitz. has pronounced in favour of this interpretation, but changes "keep cool" into "keep fresh," and understands the metaphor thus: they take good care that their wickedness does not stagnate or become impaired by disuse. But it would be a strange metaphor to put "keep wickedness cool," for "maintain it in strength and vigour." We therefore, along with Luth. and most commentators, prefer the rabbinical interpretation: as a well makes its water to gush out, etc.; for there is no sufficient force in the objection that מקור from קוּר, dig, is not a spring but a well, that הקיר has still less the force of making to gush forth, and that בּור wholly excludes the idea of causing to spring out. The first assertion is refuted by Jer 2:13, מקור, fountain of living water; whence it is clear that the word does mean a well fed by a spring. It is true, indeed, that the word בּור, a later way of writing בּאר (cf. Ch1 11:17. 22 with Sa2 23:15. 20), means usually, a pit, a cistern dug out; but this form is not substantially different from בּאר, well, puteus, which is used for בּור in Ps. 55:24 and Psa 69:16. Accordingly, this latter form can undoubtedly stand with the force of בּאר, as has been admitted by the Masoretes when they substituted for it בּאר; cf. the Arab. bi'run. The noun מקור puts beyond doubt the legitimacy of giving to הקיר, from קוּר, to dig a well, the signification of making water to gush forth.

The form הקרה is indeed referable to קרר, but only shows, as is otherwise well known, that no very strict line of demarcation can be drawn between the forms of verbs 'עע and 'הקיר ;עו, again, is formed regularly from קוּר. Violence and spoiling; cf. Jer 20:8, and Amo 3:10; Hab 1:3. "Before my face," before mine eyes, corresponds to "is heard," as wounds and smitings are the consequences of violence. On that head, cf. Psa 55:10-12.

Jer 6:8

If Jerusalem cease not from these sins and crimes, the Lord must devote it to spoliation. Let thyself be corrected, warned; cf. Psa 2:10; Lev 26:23. תּקע from יקע, tear oneself loose, estrange oneself, as in Eze 23:17. "A land uninhabited" is an apposition giving greater expressiveness to "a waste," Jer 22:6.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Benjamin - Judah, when the ten tribes fell off, the tribe of Benjamin adhered to Judah, and was incorporated into them; if it be asked why the prophet rather speaks to Benjamin than to Judah, the reason probably may be, because he being of Anathoth was of that tribe, and therefore mentions them as his own countrymen. Gather - Gather yourselves together by the sound of the trumpet at Tekoa, one of those fenced cities twelve miles from Jerusalem that Rehoboam built. A sign - Fire a beacon. Beth - haccerem - Signifies the house of the vineyard, probably some high tower built among the vineyards for the keepers of them to watch them.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee - As the invading armies are fast approaching, the prophet calls on the inhabitants of Jerusalem to sound an alarm, and collect all the people to arm themselves and go against the invaders. They are called the children of Benjamin, because Jerusalem was in the tribe of Benjamin. Tekoa - Was a city about twelve miles to the south of Jerusalem. Beth-haccerem - Was the name of a small village situated on an eminence between Jerusalem and Tekoa. On this they were ordered to set up a beacon, or kindle a large fire, which might be seen at a distance, and give the people to understand that an enemy was entering the land. Out of the north - From Babylon. The Scythians. - Dahler.

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⁶ For thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] unto the king's [04428] house [01004] of Judah [03063]; Thou art Gilead [01568] unto me, and the head [07218] of Lebanon [03844]: yet surely I will make [07896] thee a wilderness [04057], and cities [05892] which are not inhabited [03427] [03427].

¹⁷ And the Babylonians [01121] [0894] came [0935] to her into the bed [04904] of love [01730], and they defiled [02930] her with their whoredom [08457], and she was polluted [02930] with them, and her mind [05315] was alienated [03363] from them.

²³ And if ye will not be reformed [03256] by me by these things, but will walk [01980] contrary [07147] unto me;

¹⁰ Be wise [07919] now therefore, O ye kings [04428]: be instructed [03256], ye judges [08199] of the earth [0776].

⁸ Be thou instructed [03256], O Jerusalem [03389], lest my soul [05315] depart [03363] from thee; lest I make [07760] thee desolate [08077], a land [0776] not inhabited [03427].

¹⁰ Day [03119] and night [03915] they go about [05437] it upon the walls [02346] thereof: mischief [0205] also and sorrow [05999] are in the midst [07130] of it.
¹¹ Wickedness [01942] is in the midst [07130] thereof: deceit [08496] and guile [04820] depart [04185] not from her streets [07339].
¹² For it was not an enemy [0341] that reproached [02778] me; then I could have borne [05375] it: neither was it he that hated [08130] me that did magnify [01431] himself against me; then I would have hid [05641] myself from him:

³ Why dost thou shew [07200] me iniquity [0205], and cause me to behold [05027] grievance [05999]? for spoiling [07701] and violence [02555] are before me: and there are that raise up [05375] strife [07379] and contention [04066].

¹⁰ For they know [03045] not to do [06213] right [05229], saith [05002] the LORD [03068], who store [0686] up violence [02555] and robbery [07701] in their palaces [0759].

⁸ For since [01767] I spake [01696], I cried out [02199], I cried [07121] violence [02555] and spoil [07701]; because the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] was made a reproach [02781] unto me, and a derision [07047], daily [03117].

¹⁶ Hear [06030] me, O LORD [03068]; for thy lovingkindness [02617] is good [02896]: turn [06437] unto me according to the multitude [07230] of thy tender mercies [07356].

¹⁵ And David [01732] longed [0183], and said [0559], Oh that one would give me drink [08248] of the water [04325] of the well [0953] of Bethlehem [01035], which is by the gate [08179]!

¹⁷ And David [01732] longed [0183], and said [0559], Oh that one would give me drink [08248] of the water [04325] of the well [0953] of Bethlehem [01035], that is at the gate [08179]!

¹³ For my people [05971] have committed [06213] two [08147] evils [07451]; they have forsaken [05800] me the fountain [04726] of living [02416] waters [04325], and hewed them out [02672] cisterns [0877], broken [07665] cisterns [0877], that can hold [03557] no water [04325].

⁷ As a fountain [0953] casteth out [06979] her waters [04325], so she casteth out [06979] her wickedness [07451]: violence [02555] and spoil [07701] is heard [08085] in her; before me [06440] continually [08548] is grief [02483] and wounds [04347].

⁶ They return [07725] at evening [06153]: they make a noise [01993] like a dog [03611], and go round about [05437] the city [05892].

¹ Woe [01945] to Ariel [0740], to Ariel [0740], the city [07151] where David [01732] dwelt [02583] ! add [05595] ye year [08141] to year [08141]; let them kill [05362] sacrifices [02282].

² And lay [05414] siege [04692] against it, and build [01129] a fort [01785] against it, and cast [08210] a mount [05550] against it; set [05414] the camp [04264] also against it, and set [07760] battering rams [03733] against it round about [05439].

⁵ So Amasa [06021] went [03212] to assemble [02199] the men of Judah [03063]: but he tarried longer [0309] [03186] than the set time [04150] which he had appointed [03259] him.

¹⁹ When thou shalt besiege [06696] a city [05892] a long [07227] time [03117], in making war [03898] against it to take [08610] it, thou shalt not destroy [07843] the trees [06086] thereof by forcing [05080] an axe [01631] against them: for thou mayest eat [0398] of them, and thou shalt not cut them down [03772] (for the tree [06086] of the field [07704] is man's [0120] life) to employ [0935] them in the siege [06440] [04692]:

³¹ Because he hath despised [0959] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], and hath broken [06565] his commandment [04687], that soul [05315] shall utterly [03772] be cut off [03772]; his iniquity [05771] shall be upon him.

²⁸ And the priest [03548] shall make an atonement [03722] for the soul [05315] that sinneth ignorantly [07683], when he sinneth [02398] by ignorance [07684] before [06440] the LORD [03068], to make an atonement [03722] for him; and it shall be forgiven [05545] him.

²⁰ Only the trees [06086] which thou knowest [03045] that they be not trees [06086] for meat [03978], thou shalt destroy [07843] and cut them down [03772]; and thou shalt build [01129] bulwarks [04692] against the city [05892] that maketh [06213] war [04421] with thee, until it be subdued [03381].

⁹ For all our days [03117] are passed away [06437] in thy wrath [05678]: we spend [03615] our years [08141] as a tale [01899] that is told.

⁹ Proclaim [07121] ye this among the Gentiles [01471]; Prepare [06942] war [04421], wake up [05782] the mighty men [01368], let all the men [0582] of war [04421] draw near [05066]; let them come up [05927]:

⁴ Prepare [06942] ye war [04421] against her; arise [06965], and let us go up [05927] at noon [06672]. Woe [0188] unto us! for the day [03117] goeth away [06437], for the shadows [06752] of the evening [06153] are stretched out [05186].
⁵ Arise [06965], and let us go [05927] by night [03915], and let us destroy [07843] her palaces [0759].
⁶ For thus hath the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] said [0559], Hew ye down [03772] trees [06097], and cast [08210] a mount [05550] against Jerusalem [03389]: this is the city [05892] to be visited [06485]; she is wholly oppression [06233] in the midst [07130] of her.
⁷ As a fountain [0953] casteth out [06979] her waters [04325], so she casteth out [06979] her wickedness [07451]: violence [02555] and spoil [07701] is heard [08085] in her; before me [06440] continually [08548] is grief [02483] and wounds [04347].

¹⁵ For, lo, I will call [07121] all the families [04940] of the kingdoms [04467] of the north [06828], saith [05002] the LORD [03068]; and they shall come [0935], and they shall set [05414] every one [0376] his throne [03678] at the entering [06607] of the gates [08179] of Jerusalem [03389], and against all the walls [02346] thereof round about [05439], and against all the cities [05892] of Judah [03063].

³ The shepherds [07462] with their flocks [05739] shall come [0935] unto her; they shall pitch [08628] their tents [0168] against her round about [05439]; they shall feed [07462] every one [0376] in his place [03027].

⁵ Therefore shalt thou fall [03782] in the day [03117], and the prophet [05030] also shall fall [03782] with thee in the night [03915], and I will destroy [01820] thy mother [0517].

² I have likened [01820] the daughter [01323] of Zion [06726] to a comely [05116] and delicate [06026] woman.

⁶ Set up [05375] the standard [05251] toward Zion [06726]: retire [05756], stay [05975] not: for I will bring [0935] evil [07451] from the north [06828], and a great [01419] destruction [07667].

¹⁴ Then the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto me, Out of the north [06828] an evil [07451] shall break forth [06605] upon all the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776].

⁴⁰ But when the flame [04864] began [02490] to arise up [05927] out of the city [05892] with a pillar [05982] of smoke [06227], the Benjamites [01145] looked [06437] behind [0310] them, and, behold, the flame [03632] of the city [05892] ascended up [05927] to heaven [08064].

³⁸ Now there was an appointed sign [04150] between the men [0376] of Israel [03478] and [05973] the liers in wait [0693], that they should make a great [07235] flame [04864] with smoke [06227] rise up [05927] out of the city [05892].

¹⁴ But the dung [0830] gate [08179] repaired [02388] Malchiah [04441] the son [01121] of Rechab [07394], the ruler [08269] of part [06418] of Bethhaccerem [01021]; he built [01129] it, and set up [05975] the doors [01817] thereof, the locks [04514] thereof, and the bars [01280] thereof.

⁵⁹ And Maarath [04638], and Bethanoth [01042], and Eltekon [0515]; six [08337] cities [05892] with their villages [02691]:

² Now the first [07223] inhabitants [03427] that dwelt in their possessions [0272] in their cities [05892] were, the Israelites [03478], the priests [03548], Levites [03881], and the Nethinims [05411].

¹⁶ And the border [01366] came down [03381] to the end [07097] of the mountain [02022] that lieth before [06440] the valley [01516] of the son [01121] of Hinnom [02011], and which is in the valley [06010] of the giants [07497] on the north [06828], and descended [03381] to the valley [01516] of Hinnom [02011], to the side [03802] of Jebusi [02983] on the south [05045], and descended [03381] to Enrogel [05883],

⁸ And the border [01366] went up [05927] by the valley [01516] of the son [01121] of Hinnom [02011] unto the south [05045] side [03802] of the Jebusite [02983]; the same is Jerusalem [03389]: and the border [01366] went up [05927] to the top [07218] of the mountain [02022] that lieth before [06440] the valley [01516] of Hinnom [02011] westward [03220], which is at the end [07097] of the valley [06010] of the giants [07497] northward [06828]:

⁸ Be thou instructed [03256], O Jerusalem [03389], lest my soul [05315] depart [03363] from thee; lest I make [07760] thee desolate [08077], a land [0776] not inhabited [03427].

⁶ For thus hath the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] said [0559], Hew ye down [03772] trees [06097], and cast [08210] a mount [05550] against Jerusalem [03389]: this is the city [05892] to be visited [06485]; she is wholly oppression [06233] in the midst [07130] of her.

⁵ Arise [06965], and let us go [05927] by night [03915], and let us destroy [07843] her palaces [0759].

² I have likened [01820] the daughter [01323] of Zion [06726] to a comely [05116] and delicate [06026] woman.

²² Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], Behold, a people [05971] cometh [0935] from the north [06828] country [0776], and a great [01419] nation [01471] shall be raised [05782] from the sides [03411] of the earth [0776].
²³ They shall lay hold [02388] on bow [07198] and spear [03591]; they are cruel [0394], and have no mercy [07355]; their voice [06963] roareth [01993] like the sea [03220]; and they ride [07392] upon horses [05483], set in array [06186] as men [0376] for war [04421] against thee, O daughter [01323] of Zion [06726].
²⁴ We have heard [08085] the fame [08089] thereof: our hands [03027] wax feeble [07503]: anguish [06869] hath taken hold [02388] of us, and pain [02427], as of a woman in travail [03205].
²⁵ Go not forth [03318] into the field [07704], nor walk [03212] by the way [01870]; for the sword [02719] of the enemy [0341] and fear [04032] is on every side [05439].
²⁶ O daughter [01323] of my people [05971], gird [02296] thee with sackcloth [08242], and wallow [06428] thyself in ashes [0665]: make [06213] thee mourning [060], as for an only son [03173], most bitter [08563] lamentation [04553]: for the spoiler [07703] shall suddenly [06597] come [0935] upon us.
²⁷ I have set [05414] thee for a tower [0969] and a fortress [04013] among my people [05971], that thou mayest know [03045] and try [0974] their way [01870].
²⁸ They are all grievous [05493] revolters [05637], walking [01980] with slanders [07400]: they are brass [05178] and iron [01270]; they are all corrupters [07843].
²⁹ The bellows [04647] are burned [02787], the lead [05777] is consumed [08552] of the fire [0800] [0784]; the founder [06884] melteth [06884] in vain [07723]: for the wicked [07451] are not plucked away [05423].
³⁰ Reprobate [03988] silver [03701] shall men call [07121] them, because the LORD [03068] hath rejected [03988] them.

¹⁶ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], Stand [05975] ye in the ways [01870], and see [07200], and ask [07592] for the old [05769] paths [05410], where is the good [02896] way [01870], and walk [03212] therein, and ye shall find [04672] rest [04771] for your souls [05315]. But they said [0559], We will not walk [03212] therein.
¹⁷ Also I set [06965] watchmen [06822] over you, saying, Hearken [07181] to the sound [06963] of the trumpet [07782]. But they said [0559], We will not hearken [07181].
¹⁸ Therefore hear [08085], ye nations [01471], and know [03045], O congregation [05712], what is among them.
¹⁹ Hear [08085], O earth [0776]: behold, I will bring [0935] evil [07451] upon this people [05971], even the fruit [06529] of their thoughts [04284], because they have not hearkened [07181] unto my words [01697], nor to my law [08451], but rejected [03988] it.
²⁰ To what purpose cometh [0935] there to me incense [03828] from Sheba [07614], and the sweet [02896] cane [07070] from a far [04801] country [0776]? your burnt offerings [05930] are not acceptable [07522], nor your sacrifices [02077] sweet [06149] unto me.
²¹ Therefore thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], Behold, I will lay [05414] stumblingblocks [04383] before this people [05971], and the fathers [01] and the sons [01121] together [03162] shall fall [03782] upon them; the neighbour [07934] and his friend [07453] shall perish [06].

⁹ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], They shall throughly [05953] glean [05953] the remnant [07611] of Israel [03478] as a vine [01612]: turn back [07725] thine hand [03027] as a grapegatherer [01219] into the baskets [05552].
¹⁰ To whom shall I speak [01696], and give warning [05749], that they may hear [08085]? behold, their ear [0241] is uncircumcised [06189], and they cannot [03201] hearken [07181]: behold, the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] is unto them a reproach [02781]; they have no delight [02654] in it.
¹¹ Therefore I am full [04392] of the fury [02534] of the LORD [03068]; I am weary [03811] with holding in [03557]: I will pour it out [08210] upon the children [05768] abroad [02351], and upon the assembly [05475] of young men [0970] together [03162]: for even the husband [0376] with the wife [0802] shall be taken [03920], the aged [02205] with him that is full [04390] of days [03117].
¹² And their houses [01004] shall be turned [05437] unto others [0312], with their fields [07704] and wives [0802] together [03162]: for I will stretch out [05186] my hand [03027] upon the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776], saith [05002] the LORD [03068].
¹³ For from the least [06996] of them even unto the greatest [01419] of them every one is given [01214] to covetousness [01215]; and from the prophet [05030] even unto the priest [03548] every one dealeth [06213] falsely [08267].
¹⁴ They have healed [07495] also the hurt [07667] of the daughter [01323] of my people [05971] slightly [07043], saying [0559], Peace [07965], peace [07965]; when there is no peace [07965].
¹⁵ Were they ashamed [03001] when they had committed [06213] abomination [08441]? nay [01571], they were not at all [0954] ashamed [0954], neither [01571] could [03045] they blush [03637]: therefore they shall fall [05307] among them that fall [05307]: at the time [06256] that I visit [06485] them they shall be cast down [03782], saith [0559] the LORD [03068].

¹ O ye children [01121] of Benjamin [01144], gather yourselves to flee [05756] out of the midst [07130] of Jerusalem [03389], and blow [08628] the trumpet [07782] in Tekoa [08620], and set up [05375] a sign [04864] of fire in Bethhaccerem [01021]: for evil [07451] appeareth [08259] out of the north [06828], and great [01419] destruction [07667].
² I have likened [01820] the daughter [01323] of Zion [06726] to a comely [05116] and delicate [06026] woman.
³ The shepherds [07462] with their flocks [05739] shall come [0935] unto her; they shall pitch [08628] their tents [0168] against her round about [05439]; they shall feed [07462] every one [0376] in his place [03027].
⁴ Prepare [06942] ye war [04421] against her; arise [06965], and let us go up [05927] at noon [06672]. Woe [0188] unto us! for the day [03117] goeth away [06437], for the shadows [06752] of the evening [06153] are stretched out [05186].
⁵ Arise [06965], and let us go [05927] by night [03915], and let us destroy [07843] her palaces [0759].
⁶ For thus hath the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] said [0559], Hew ye down [03772] trees [06097], and cast [08210] a mount [05550] against Jerusalem [03389]: this is the city [05892] to be visited [06485]; she is wholly oppression [06233] in the midst [07130] of her.
⁷ As a fountain [0953] casteth out [06979] her waters [04325], so she casteth out [06979] her wickedness [07451]: violence [02555] and spoil [07701] is heard [08085] in her; before me [06440] continually [08548] is grief [02483] and wounds [04347].
⁸ Be thou instructed [03256], O Jerusalem [03389], lest my soul [05315] depart [03363] from thee; lest I make [07760] thee desolate [08077], a land [0776] not inhabited [03427].