3. For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: Break up your fallow ground,and do not sow among thorns.
4. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,and take away the foreskins of your heart,you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,lest My fury come forth like fire,and burn so that no one can quench it,because of the evil of your deeds.
5. Declare in Judah and publish in Jerusalem, and say:Blow the trumpet in the land.Cry aloud and say,“Assemble yourselves,and let us go into the fortified cities.”
6. Set up the standard toward Zion.Seek refuge, do not delay.For I will bring disaster from the north,and a great destruction.
7. The lion has come up from his thicket,and the destroyer of the nations is on his way.He has gone forth from his placeto make your land desolate.And your cities shall be laid wastewithout an inhabitant.
8. For this gird yourself with sackcloth,lament and howl.For the fierce anger of the Lordis not turned back from us.
9. It shall come to pass in that day, says the Lord,that the heart of the king will fail and the heart of the officials;and the priests will be astonishedand the prophets will wonder.
10. Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You shall have peace,’ whereas the sword reaches the throat.”
11. At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem: A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of My people, not to fan or to cleanse,
12. even a full wind from those places, will come to Me. Now also I will pronounce judgments against them.
13. Look! He shall come up as clouds,and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind.His horses are swifter than eagles.Woe to us, for we are ruined!
14. O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved.How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?