Declare in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say, Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land. Cry out loudly and say, ‘Assemble yourselves, and let’s flee to the fortified cities.’
Why are we just sitting here? Gather together; let’s enter the fortified cities and perish there, for the Lord our God has destroyed us. He has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord.
‘Run for cover out of Jerusalem, Benjaminites. Sound the ram’s horn in Tekoa; raise a smoke signal over Beth-haccherem, for disaster threatens from the north, even a crushing blow.
So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities.
However, when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon marched into the land, we said, “Come, let’s go into Jerusalem to get away from the Chaldean and Aramean armies.” So we have been living in Jerusalem.’
Who is the person wise enough to understand this? Who has the Lord spoken to, that he may explain it? Why is the land destroyed and scorched like a wilderness, so that no one can pass through?
Blow the ram’s horn in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the residents of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming; in fact, it is near –
Every time it passes through, it will carry you away; it will pass through every morning – every day and every night. Only terror will cause you to understand the message.