Add parallel Print Page Options

22 The burden of the valley of vision.

What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops? You that are full of shouting, a tumultuous city, a joyous town; your slain are not slain with the sword, neither are they dead in battle. All your rulers fled away together. They were bound by the archers. All who were found by you were bound together. They fled far away. Therefore I said, “Look away from me. I will weep bitterly. Don’t labor to comfort me for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

For it is a day of confusion, and of treading down, and of perplexity, from the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, in the valley of vision, a breaking down of the walls, and a crying to the mountains.” Elam carried his quiver, with chariots of men and horsemen; and Kir uncovered the shield. Your choicest valleys were full of chariots, and the horsemen set themselves in array at the gate. He took away the covering of Judah; and you looked in that day to the armor in the house of the forest. You saw the breaches of David’s city, that they were many; and you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. 10 You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. 11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you didn’t look to him who had done this, neither did you have respect for him who planned it long ago.

12 In that day, the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, called to weeping, to mourning, to baldness, and to dressing in sackcloth; 13 and behold, joy and gladness, killing cattle and killing sheep, eating meat and drinking wine: “Let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die.” 14 Yahweh of Armies revealed himself in my ears, “Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you until you die,” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.

Read full chapter

A Warning of Destruction of Jerusalem

22 The oracle concerning the valley of vision.

What has happened that you have gone up,
    all of you, to the housetops,(A)
city full of shouting,
    tumultuous city, panic-stricken town?
Your slain are not slain by the sword,
    nor are they dead in battle.(B)
Your rulers have all fled together;
    they were captured without the use of a bow.[a]
All of your people who were found were captured,
    though they had fled far away.[b](C)
Therefore I said:
“Look away from me;
    let me weep bitter tears;
do not try to comfort me
    for the destruction of my beloved people.”(D)

For the Lord God of hosts has a day
    of tumult and trampling and confusion
    in the valley of vision,
a battering down of walls
    and a cry for help to the mountains.(E)
Elam bore the quiver
    with chariots and cavalry,[c]
    and Kir uncovered the shield.(F)
Your choicest valleys were full of chariots,
    and the cavalry took their stand at the gates.(G)
He has taken away the covering of Judah.

On that day you looked to the weapons of the House of the Forest,(H) and you saw that there were many breaches in the city of David, and you collected the waters of the lower pool.(I) 10 You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. 11 You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it or have regard for him who planned it long ago.(J)

12 On that day the Lord God of hosts
    called for weeping and mourning,
    for baldness and putting on sackcloth,(K)
13 but instead there was joy and festivity,
    killing oxen and slaughtering sheep,
    eating meat and drinking wine.
“Let us eat and drink,
    for tomorrow we die.”(L)
14 The Lord of hosts has revealed himself in my ears:
“Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you until you die,”
    says the Lord God of hosts.(M)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 22.3 Or without their bows
  2. 22.3 Gk Syr Vg: Heb fled from far away
  3. 22.6 Meaning of Heb uncertain