⁵ “Shout to Judah, and broadcast to Jerusalem!
    Tell them to sound the alarm throughout the land:
‘Run for your lives!
    Flee to the fortified cities!’
⁶ Raise a signal flag as a warning for Jerusalem^[a]:
    ‘Flee now! Do not delay!’
For I am bringing terrible destruction upon you
    from the north.”

⁷ A lion stalks from its den,
    a destroyer of nations.
It has left its lair and is headed your way.
    It’s going to devastate your land!
Your towns will lie in ruins,
    with no one living in them anymore.
⁸ So put on clothes of mourning
    and weep with broken hearts,
for the fierce anger of the Lord
    is still upon us.

⁹ “In that day,” says the Lord,
    “the king and the officials will tremble in fear.
The priests will be struck with horror,
    and the prophets will be appalled.”