Woe to Jerusalem
1
2
3
I will camp in a circle around you;
I will besiege you with earth ramps,
and I will set up my siege towers against you.
4 I will besiege you with earth ramps,
and I will set up my siege towers against you.
You will be brought down;
you will speak from the ground,
and your words will come from low in the dust.
Your voice will be like that of a spirit from the ground;(B)
your speech will whisper from the dust.
you will speak from the ground,
and your words will come from low in the dust.
Your voice will be like that of a spirit from the ground;(B)
your speech will whisper from the dust.
5
6
you will be visited by the Lord of Hosts
with thunder, earthquake, and loud noise,
storm, tempest, and a flame of consuming fire.(E)
7
8 with thunder, earthquake, and loud noise,
storm, tempest, and a flame of consuming fire.(E)
It will be like a hungry one who dreams he is eating,
then wakes and is still hungry;
and like a thirsty one who dreams he is drinking,
then wakes and is still thirsty, longing for water.
So it will be for all the many nations
who go to battle against Mount Zion.
then wakes and is still hungry;
and like a thirsty one who dreams he is drinking,
then wakes and is still thirsty, longing for water.
So it will be for all the many nations
who go to battle against Mount Zion.
11 For you the entire vision will be like the words of a sealed document.(K) If it is given to one who can read and he is asked to read it,(g) he will say, “I can’t read it, because it is sealed.”
12 And if the document is given to one who cannot read and he is asked to read it,(h) he will say, “I can’t read.”
13 The Lord said:
14
14
therefore I will again confound these people
with wonder after wonder.(M)
The wisdom of their wise men will vanish,(N)
and the understanding of the perceptive will be hidden.
with wonder after wonder.(M)
The wisdom of their wise men will vanish,(N)
and the understanding of the perceptive will be hidden.
15
16
You have turned things around,
as if the potter were the same as the clay.
How can what is made say about its maker,
“He didn’t make me”?(Q)
How can what is formed
say about the one who formed it,
“He doesn’t understand what he’s doing”?
as if the potter were the same as the clay.
How can what is made say about its maker,
“He didn’t make me”?(Q)
How can what is formed
say about the one who formed it,
“He doesn’t understand what he’s doing”?
17
Isn’t it true that in just a little while
Lebanon will become an orchard,
and the orchard will seem like a forest?(R)
18 Lebanon will become an orchard,
and the orchard will seem like a forest?(R)
On that day the deaf will hear(S)
the words of a document,
and out of a deep darkness
the eyes of the blind will see.
19
20 the words of a document,
and out of a deep darkness
the eyes of the blind will see.
For the ruthless one will vanish,
the scorner will disappear,(V)
and all those who lie in wait with evil intent
will be killed—
21 the scorner will disappear,(V)
and all those who lie in wait with evil intent
will be killed—
those who, with their speech,
accuse a person of wrongdoing,
who set a trap at the gate for the mediator,
and without cause deprive the righteous of justice.(W)
accuse a person of wrongdoing,
who set a trap at the gate for the mediator,
and without cause deprive the righteous of justice.(W)
Footnotes:
a.
Isaiah 29:1: Or Altar Hearth, or Lion of God; Hb obscure
b.
Isaiah 29:2: Or Altar Hearth, or Lion of God; Hb obscure
c.
Isaiah 29:5: Lit foreigners
d.
Isaiah 29:9: LXX, Tg, Vg read Be drunk
e.
Isaiah 29:9: Tg, Vg read wine; stagger
f.
Isaiah 29:10: Lit you a spirit of
g.
Isaiah 29:11: Lit If one gives it to one who knows the document, saying, “Read this, please”
h.
Isaiah 29:12: Lit who does not know the document, saying, “Read this, please”
i.
Isaiah 29:13: Lit their mouth and honor Me with its lips
Cross references:
E.
Isaiah 29:6:
Exodus 9:23; Exodus 19:16; Exodus 19:19; Exodus 20:18; Exodus 12:18; Job 40:9; Psalm 77:18
H.
Isaiah 29:9:
Luke 1:15