22 A message for the Valley of Vision (Yerushalem (Jerusalem) ):

What’s happening to you all that you’ve all gone up to your flat rooftops?

2 The city is full of noise and commotion.

≈ The town is so boisterous.

Those dead bodies weren’t killed in fighting.

≈ They didn’t die in battle.

3 All your leaders fled together but they were captured without an arrow being shot.

All the others were captured together, even though they had fled far away.

4 Therefore I said: Don’t look at me!

I’m weeping bitterly so don’t rush to comfort me

concerning the destruction of my people,

5 because it’s a day of panic and trampling and confusion

from the master, Commander-in-chief Yahweh—

breaking down a wall in the Valley of Vision and crying out to the mountain.

6 Eylam picked up the quiver with chariots and horseriders,

≈ and Kir uncovered their shields.

7 Our most productive valleys became full of chariots,

≈ and the horseriders took position at the city gates.

8 He uncovered Yehudah’s (Judah’s) defences,

and that day you looked for the weapons in the Forest House.

9 You all saw that there were many breaches on the David’s City,

and you fetched water from the lower pool.

10 You all counted Yerushalem’s (Jerusalem’s) houses,

and pulled some down to fortify the city wall.

11 You all made a reservoir between the two walls for the water from the old pool,

but you didn’t put your trust in the one who made it

and didn’t consider its designer from long ago.

12 Then my master, Commander-in-chief Yahweh called for weeping and wailing,

and for heads to be shaved and for sackcloth to be worn. 13 But look! There’s celebration and gladness.

They’re killing cattle and slaughtering sheep,

and eating meat and drinking wine,

saying, ‘Let’s eat and drink today because we’ll die tomorrow.’[ref]

14 So now, Commander-in-chief Yahweh has revealed to me: ‘You all won’t be forgiven for that wickedness until you die.’