The prophets
The Judgment on the Valley of Vision
Isaiah proclaims a message about the Valley of Vision: A day of confusion and trampling from the Lord strikes Jerusalem. The leaders flee and are captured without a fight, while Elam and Kir advance with chariots and shields. The people strengthen the walls and gather water, but do not look to the One who planned it. When the Lord calls for weeping and mourning, they respond with a feast: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!" Therefore the Lord declares that this wickedness will not be forgiven until they die. Isaiah 22:1-14
Isaiah 22,1-14
1An oracle concerning the Valley of Vision: What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the rooftops,
מַשָּׂ֖א גֵּ֣יא חִזָּי֑וֹן מַה־לָּ֣ךְ אֵפ֔וֹא כִּֽי־עָלִ֥ית כֻּלָּ֖ךְ לַגַּגּֽוֹת׃
2you town full of uproar, city of tumult, exultant town? Your slain were not slain by the sword, nor did they die in battle.
תְּשֻׁא֣וֹת ׀ מְלֵאָ֗ה עִ֚יר הֽוֹמִיָּ֔ה קִרְיָ֖ה עַלִּיזָ֑ה חֲלָלַ֙יִךְ֙ לֹ֣א חַלְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹ֖א מֵתֵ֥י מִלְחָמָֽה׃
3All your commanders fled together; without a bow they were captured. All who were found in you were taken prisoner together, though they had fled far away.
כָּל־קְצִינַ֥יִךְ נָֽדְדוּ־יַ֖חַד מִקֶּ֣שֶׁת אֻסָּ֑רוּ כָּל־נִמְצָאַ֙יִךְ֙ אֻסְּר֣וּ יַחְדָּ֔ו מֵרָח֖וֹק בָּרָֽחוּ׃
4Therefore I said: Look away from me; let me weep bitterly. Do not press to comfort me over the ruin of the daughter of my people.
עַל־כֵּ֥ן אָמַ֛רְתִּי שְׁע֥וּ מִנִּ֖י אֲמָרֵ֣ר בַּבֶּ֑כִי אַל־תָּאִ֣יצוּ לְנַֽחֲמֵ֔נִי עַל־שֹׁ֖ד בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃
5For the Lord GOD of hosts has a day of panic, of trampling and confusion in the Valley of Vision—walls broken down and a cry for help echoing to the mountain.
כִּ֣י יוֹם֩ מְהוּמָ֨ה וּמְבוּסָ֜ה וּמְבוּכָ֗ה לַֽאדֹנָ֧י יְהוִ֛ה צְבָא֖וֹת בְּגֵ֣יא חִזָּי֑וֹן מְקַרְקַ֥ר קִ֖ר וְשׁ֥וֹעַ אֶל־הָהָֽר׃
6Elam took up the quiver with chariots and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.
וְעֵילָם֙ נָשָׂ֣א אַשְׁפָּ֔ה בְּרֶ֥כֶב אָדָ֖ם פָּֽרָשִׁ֑ים וְקִ֥יר עֵרָ֖ה מָגֵֽן׃
7Your choicest valleys were filled with chariots, and the horsemen took their stand at the gate.
וַיְהִ֥י מִבְחַר־עֲמָקַ֖יִךְ מָ֣לְאוּ רָ֑כֶב וְהַפָּ֣רָשִׁ֔ים שֹׁ֖ת שָׁ֥תוּ הַשָּֽׁעְרָה׃
8He stripped away the defenses of Judah. On that day you looked to the weapons in the House of the Forest.
וַיְגַ֕ל אֵ֖ת מָסַ֣ךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַתַּבֵּט֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא אֶל־נֶ֖שֶׁק בֵּ֥ית הַיָּֽעַר׃
9You saw that the breaches in the city of David were many, and you collected the water of the lower pool.
וְאֵ֨ת בְּקִיעֵ֧י עִיר־דָּוִ֛ד רְאִיתֶ֖ם כִּי־רָ֑בּוּ וַֽתְּקַבְּצ֔וּ אֶת־מֵ֥י הַבְּרֵכָ֖ה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָֽה׃
10You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you tore houses down to fortify the wall.
וְאֶת־בָּתֵּ֥י יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם סְפַרְתֶּ֑ם וַתִּתְֿצוּ֙ הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים לְבַצֵּ֖ר הַחוֹמָֽה׃
11You built a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who made it, nor did you see the one who shaped it long ago.
וּמִקְוָ֣ה ׀ עֲשִׂיתֶ֗ם בֵּ֚ין הַחֹ֣מֹתַ֔יִם לְמֵ֖י הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה הַיְשָׁנָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א הִבַּטְתֶּם֙ אֶל־עֹשֶׂ֔יהָ וְיֹצְרָ֥הּ מֵֽרָח֖וֹק לֹ֥א רְאִיתֶֽם׃
12On that day the Lord GOD of hosts called you to weeping and mourning, to shaving your heads and putting on sackcloth.
וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֲדֹנָ֧י יְהוִ֛ה צְבָא֖וֹת בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא לִבְכִי֙ וּלְמִסְפֵּ֔ד וּלְקָרְחָ֖ה וְלַחֲגֹ֥ר שָֽׂק׃
13But look—joy and celebration! Killing cattle, slaughtering sheep, eating meat and drinking wine: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"
וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ שָׂשׂ֣וֹן וְשִׂמְחָ֗ה הָרֹ֤ג ׀ בָּקָר֙ וְשָׁחֹ֣ט צֹ֔אן אָכֹ֥ל בָּשָׂ֖ר וְשָׁת֣וֹת יָ֑יִן אָכ֣וֹל וְשָׁת֔וֹ כִּ֥י מָחָ֖ר נָמֽוּת׃
14The LORD of hosts has revealed this in my hearing: "Surely this sin will not be atoned for you until you die," says the Lord GOD of hosts.
וְנִגְלָ֥ה בְאָזְנָ֖י יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת אִם־יְ֠כֻפַּר הֶעָוֺ֨ן הַזֶּ֤ה לָכֶם֙ עַד־תְּמֻת֔וּן אָמַ֛ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ פ