The LORD says, "Tell the descendants of Jacob, tell the people of Judah:

I asked, " LORD, why is the land devastated and dry as a desert, so that no one travels through it? Who is wise enough to understand this? To whom have you explained it so that they can tell others?"

"Listen to the terms of the covenant. Tell the people of Judah and of Jerusalem

People of Benjamin, run for safety! Escape from Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa and build a signal fire in Beth Haccherem. Disaster and destruction are about to come from the north.

"Mortal man," he said, "tell your people what happens when I bring war to a land. The people of that country choose one of their number to be a lookout.

If someone hears it but pays no attention and the enemy comes and kills him, then he is to blame for his own death.

If, however, the lookout sees the enemy coming and does not sound the alarm, the enemy will come and kill those sinners, but I will hold the lookout responsible for their death.

The LORD says, "Sound the alarm! Enemies are swooping down on my land like eagles! My people have broken the covenant I made with them and have rebelled against my teaching.

Does the war trumpet sound in a city without making the people afraid? Does disaster strike a city unless the LORD sends it?

When a lion roars, who can keep from being afraid? When the Sovereign LORD speaks, who can keep from proclaiming his message?

"Why are we sitting still?" God's people ask. "Come on, we will run to the fortified cities and die there. The LORD our God has condemned us to die; he has given us poison to drink, because we have sinned against him.

But when King Nebuchadnezzar invaded the country, we decided to come to Jerusalem to get away from the Babylonian and Syrian armies. That is why we are living in Jerusalem."

Joshua and the men of Israel slaughtered them, although some managed to find safety inside their city walls and were not killed.