1. “If you will return, Israel,” says the Lord, “if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you will not be removed;
2. and you will swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in him, and they will glory in him.”
3. For the Lord says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow amongst 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 wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
5. Declare in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, ‘Blow the shofar in the land!’ Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves! Let’s go into the fortified cities!’
6. Set up a standard towards Zion. Flee for safety! Don’t wait; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.”
7. A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations. He is on his way. He has gone out from his place, to make your land desolate, that your cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.
8. For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of the Lord hasn’t turned back from us.
9. “It will happen at that day,” says the Lord, “that the heart of the king will perish, along with the heart of the princes. The priests will be astonished, and the prophets will wonder.”