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Trouble from the North

“·Announce this message [Declare; Shout; L Let it be heard] in Judah and ·say [proclaim] it in Jerusalem:
    ‘Blow the ·trumpet [ram’s horn] throughout the ·country [land]!’
Shout out loud and say,
    ‘·Come [L Gather] together!
    Let’s all ·escape [L go] to the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities!’
Raise the ·signal flag [banner; C military insignia] toward ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]!
    ·Run for your lives [Take refuge/shelter], and don’t ·wait [delay],
because I am bringing ·disaster [trouble] from the north [C the Babylonians; 1:13–14]
    There will be terrible destruction.”

A lion has come out of his ·den [lair; thicket; 2:15];
    a destroyer of nations has begun to march.
He has left his ·home [L place]
    to ·destroy [L set destruction in] your land.
Your towns will be ·destroyed [devastated]
    with no one left to live in them.
So put on ·rough cloth [sackcloth; burlap; C mourning clothes],
    ·show how sad you are [lament; mourn], and ·cry loudly [wail].
The ·terrible [fierce] anger of the Lord
    has not turned away from us.

“·When this happens [L In that day],” says the Lord,
    “the ·king and officers will lose their courage [L heart of king and officers/princes will fail].
The priests will be ·terribly afraid [desolate],
    and the prophets will be ·shocked [stunned; appalled]!”

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Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say,
“Blow the trumpet in the land;
Cry aloud and say,
‘Assemble yourselves, and let us go
Into the fortified cities.’

“Raise a banner toward Zion [to mark the way for those seeking safety inside Jerusalem’s walls]!
Seek refuge, do not stand [immobile],
For I am bringing evil from the north (the army of Babylon),
And great destruction.

“A lion has left his lair,
And a destroyer of nations is on his way.
He has gone out from his place
To desolate your land;
Your cities will be in ruins
Without an inhabitant.

“For this reason, put on sackcloth [for mourning],
Lament (mourn with expressions of grief for the dead) and wail,
For the fierce anger of the Lord
Has not turned back from us.”

“It shall come about in that day,” says the Lord, “that the heart and courage of the king will fail (be paralyzed), and also the heart of the princes; the priests will be appalled and the prophets will be astounded and horrified.”

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