Open English Translation ISA Chapter 22

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 Elam 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 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 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 Tnen 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.’

15 My master, Commander-in-chief Yahweh says:

Go to the administrator who’s in charge of Shevna.

16 Ask what right you have to come here to carve yourself a tomb—

chiselling a tomb to rest in, out of the tall cliff?

17 Listen man, Yahweh is about to take firm hold of you,

and he’s about to hurl you away.

18 He’ll swing you round and round like a ball,

tossed out into a wide open land where you’ll die.

Your impressive chariots will be there,

but what a terrible disgrace for your master’s household.

19 I will push you out of your official role,

≈ and he’ll pull you down from your position.

20 Then at that time, I’ll summon my servant Elyakim (Hilkiyah’s son) 21 and I’ll put your robe and sash on him, and give him the authority that you had. He’ll be like a father to those who live in Yerushalem (Jerusalem) and right across Yehudah (Judah). 22 Then I’ll place the key to David’s house on his shoulder and he’ll open the door that no one will be able to shut. Then he’ll shut it, and no one will be able to open it.[ref] 23 I’ll fasten him in, like a peg into something solid, and he’ll become a wonderful throne for his father’s house.

24 Then they’ll hang all the great things from his father’s house onto him—the offspring and descendants from the small containers and cups through to the largest jugs. 25 Commander-in-chief Yahweh declares that at that time, the peg driven into the firm place will give way, and break off and fall, and the burden that was relying on it will fail. Yahweh has spoken.