Isaiah 22:1-14

The ¹oracle concerning the ^avalley of vision.

What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the ^bhousetops?

You who were full of noise,

You roaring city, you ^aexultant town;

Your slain were ^bnot slain with the sword,

Nor ¹did they die in battle.

^aAll your rulers have fled together,

And have been captured ¹without the bow;

All of you who were found were captured together,

²Though they had fled far away.

Therefore I say, “Turn your gaze away from me,

Let me ^aweep bitterly,

Do not insist on comforting me concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people.”

^aFor Lord Yahweh of hosts has a ^bday of confusion, ^coppression, and panic

^dIn the valley of vision,

A breaking down of walls

And a crying ¹to the mountain.

^aNow Elam took up the quiver

With the chariots, ¹infantry, and horsemen;

And ^bKir uncovered the shield.

Then your choicest valleys were full of chariots,

And the horsemen took up fixed positions at the gate.

And He revealed the ¹defense of Judah.

In that day you looked to the weapons of the ^ahouse of the forest,

And you saw that the breaches

In the wall of the city of David were many;

And you ^acollected the waters of the lower pool.

Then you counted the houses of Jerusalem

And tore down houses to fortify the wall.

And you made a reservoir ^abetween the two walls

For the waters of the ^bold pool.

But you did not look to Him who made it,

Nor did you see Him who formed it long ago.

Therefore in that day Lord Yahweh of hosts called you to ^aweeping, to wailing,

To ^bshaving the head, and to wearing sackcloth.

Instead, behold, there is ^ajoy and gladness,

Killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep,

Eating of meat and drinking of wine:

“^bLet us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.”

But Yahweh of hosts revealed Himself in my ears,

“Surely this ^ainiquity ^bshall not be atoned for you

^cUntil you die,” says Lord Yahweh of hosts.