Definition: O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this passage from Jeremiah 6:1. It's a really serious warning from God about a coming disaster. Here’s what it means in simpler terms: The Basic Message: God is telling the people of Judah (which includes parts of modern-day Israel and Palestine) that he expects a terrible thing to happen in Jerusalem, and he wants them to take action immediately to stop it. He’s warning them about impending destruction. Let’s unpack the details: “Jeremiah 6:1 O ye children of Benjamin…” : This refers to a specific group of people – the tribe of Benjamin, who were considered responsible for leadership and a bit rebellious in ancient Israel. It's a direct address to them. “…gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem…” : This is a clear command to leave the city. God is telling them to leave their homes and the city itself. He doesn’t want them to be there. “…and blow the trumpet in Tekoa…” : “Tekoa” was a place in the north, and this refers to a specific trumpet blast – a signal that would be sounded. It's like a warning call. “…and set up a sign of fire in Bethbacccherem…” : “Bethbacccherem” is another location, likely near the border with Syria. This means God wants them to create a visible, burning sign – a large fire – to demonstrate the severity of what’s coming. “…for evil appeareth out of the north…” : This is the core of the warning. “Appear” means to show up or become visible. "Evil" refers to something bad happening, and it's saying that this evil will appear – show itself – in the north (or a specific area). “…and great destruction.” : This is the ultimate consequence of this evil appearing. It’s a catastrophic event that will cause widespread devastation. Overall Interpretation: Jeremiah 6:1 is essentially saying, “God sees something terrible coming for you, and he wants you to take action now to prevent it. This destruction will be devastating.” It's a dramatic warning about impending judgment and a call for repentance and preparation. Important Note: The context of this passage is within the larger prophetic book of Jeremiah. It’s part of a series of warnings delivered by God to Judah, leading up to a time of great suffering and exile. --- Do you want me to: Explain any particular aspect of the verse in more detail? Talk about the historical context of this passage? Discuss what it might mean for us today?