Proclaim it in Judah, in Jerusalem announce it; Blow the trumpet throughout the land, call out, “Fill the ranks!” Say, “Assemble, let us march to the fortified cities.”
But when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, invaded this land, we said, ‘Come, let us go into Jerusalem to escape the army of the Chaldeans and the army of the Arameans.’ That is why we are now living in Jerusalem.”
Seek refuge, Benjaminites, from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, raise a signal over Beth-haccherem; For disaster threatens from the north, and mighty destruction.
Why do we remain here? Let us assemble and flee to the fortified cities, where we will meet our doom; For the Lord our God has doomed us, he has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord.
Blow the horn in Zion, sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming! Yes, it approaches,
Once Joshua and the Israelites had finally inflicted the last blows in this very great slaughter, and the survivors had escaped from them into the fortified cities,