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An Invasion from the North

22 This is what the Lord says:
“Look! A great army coming from the north!
    A great nation is rising against you from far-off lands.
23 They are armed with bows and spears.
    They are cruel and show no mercy.
They sound like a roaring sea
    as they ride forward on horses.
They are coming in battle formation,
    planning to destroy you, beautiful Jerusalem.[a]

24 We have heard reports about the enemy,
    and we wring our hands in fright.
Pangs of anguish have gripped us,
    like those of a woman in labor.
25 Don’t go out to the fields!
    Don’t travel on the roads!
The enemy’s sword is everywhere
    and terrorizes us at every turn!
26 Oh, my people, dress yourselves in burlap
    and sit among the ashes.
Mourn and weep bitterly, as for the loss of an only son.
    For suddenly the destroying armies will be upon you!

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Footnotes

  1. 6:23 Hebrew daughter of Zion.

22 Thus says the Lord:
See, a people is coming from the land of the north;
    a great nation is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth.(A)
23 They grasp the bow and the javelin;
    they are cruel and have no mercy;
    their sound is like the roaring sea;
they ride on horses,
    equipped like a warrior for battle,
    against you, O daughter Zion!(B)

24 “We have heard news of them;
    our hands fall helpless;
anguish has taken hold of us,
    pain as of a woman in labor.(C)
25 Do not go out into the field
    or walk on the road,
for the enemy has a sword;
    terror is on every side.”(D)

26 O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth
    and roll in ashes;
make mourning as for an only child,
    most bitter lamentation,
for suddenly the destroyer
    will come upon us.(E)

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22 This is what the Lord says:

“Look, an army is coming
    from the land of the north;(A)
a great nation is being stirred up
    from the ends of the earth.(B)
23 They are armed with bow and spear;
    they are cruel and show no mercy.(C)
They sound like the roaring sea(D)
    as they ride on their horses;(E)
they come like men in battle formation
    to attack you, Daughter Zion.(F)

24 We have heard reports about them,
    and our hands hang limp.(G)
Anguish(H) has gripped us,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.(I)
25 Do not go out to the fields
    or walk on the roads,
for the enemy has a sword,
    and there is terror on every side.(J)
26 Put on sackcloth,(K) my people,
    and roll in ashes;(L)
mourn with bitter wailing(M)
    as for an only son,(N)
for suddenly the destroyer(O)
    will come upon us.

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