5 Announce in Yerushalem and declare in Yehudah to blow the horn in the land.

Call out loudly to gather together and enter the fortified cities.

6 Lift up a banner towards Tsiyyon (Zion) and get to safety.

Don’t stand still because I’m about to bring calamity from the north with horrific destruction.

7 A lion has come up from its thicket,

≈ and a destroyer of nations has set out.

He’s come out from his place to make your country into a wasteland.

Your cities will be reduced to ruins with no inhabitants.

8 So put on sackcloth—mourn and wail

because Yahweh’s burning anger hasn’t turned away from us.

9 Yahweh says that at that time,

the king and his officials will lose heart

and the priests and prophets will be astonished.

10 Then I replied, “Oh now! My master Yahweh,

you’ve certainly completely deceived Yerushalem and also this people,

saying, ‘It will be well for you all.’ Yet the sword will come for our throats.”

11 When that happens, Yerushalem and this people will be told:

A scorching wind will come from the bare hills in the wilderness.

It won’t be coming just to winnow the grain and blow away the chaff—

12 it’ll be a strong blast from me.

Then I’ll speak judgements against them.

13 Listen, he goes up like the clouds,

and his chariots are like the storm wind.

≈ His horses are faster than eagles.

→ We won’t end well because we’ll be devastated.

14 Yerushalem, wash the evil from your heart so that you can be saved.

How much longer will you hold onto your wicked thoughts for,

15 because a voice from Dan declares trouble

and disaster is proclaimed from Efrayim’s hill?

16 Remind the nations—

≈ listen, announce to Yerushalem:

They’re coming from a distant land to lay seige against you,

and they raise their voice against Yehudah’s cities.

17 They’ll surround Yerushalem like the watchmen around a field because it rebelled against me.

That’s Yahweh’s declaration.

18 Your conduct and your actions have brought that to you, Yerushalem.

That’s your punishment—it’s bitter and it’ll pierce to your heart.