Isaiah

Prophecies about judgment and salvation, promising hope and a savior.

Chapter 22

1 The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?

*The message about the valley of vision: Why are you acting like this now, focusing only on the rooftops?

2 Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.

*You who are filled with activity, a chaotic city, a happy city: your killed people were not killed by swords or died in battles.

3 All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far.

*All your leaders have run away together; they are caught by the arrow shooters. Everyone found in you is tied up; those who ran away from far away are also caught.

4 Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people.

*So, I said, don't look at me; I'll cry a lot, and don't try to make me feel better, because of the destruction of my people's daughter.

5 For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.

*This is a difficult day with much confusion, caused by the Lord God of armies in the valley of vision. He breaks down walls and makes people cry out to the mountains.

6 And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.

*And Elam carried the bag with wheeled vehicles and riders, and Kir showed the protective cover.

7 And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

*Then, your best valleys will have chariots, and horsemen will line up at the entrance.

8 And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest.

*He saw Judah's protection, and on that day, you checked the forest house's armor.

9 Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool.

*You saw the broken parts of David's city, there are many. You collected the water from the lower pool.

10 And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall.

*You counted the houses in Jerusalem and then broke them down to strengthen the wall.

11 Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.

*You created a channel between the two walls for the water from the old pool, but you didn't consider the one who made it or think about the one who designed it a long time ago.

12 And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

*On that day, the Lord God declared a time for crying, sadness, shaving heads, and wearing rough cloth.

13 And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

*And look, happiness and celebration, slaughtering cows, and killing sheep, eating meat, and drinking wine: let's eat and drink; because tomorrow we will die.

14 And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

*The Lord of hosts told me that your sin will not be forgiven until you die, says the God of hosts.

15 Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say,

*So says the Lord God of armies, "Go to this treasurer named Shebna, who oversees the household, and tell him...

16 What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?

*What do you have here, and who are these people you have with you, that you've carved out a tomb for yourself like someone who carves a home in a mountain?

17 Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.

*Look, the Lord will take you away with a powerful capture, and will definitely hide you.

18 He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord’s house.

*He will forcefully throw you into a big country, where you will die. There, your honorable chariots will bring shame to your family's prestigious home.

19 And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.

*I will remove you from your position, and someone will bring you down from your status.

20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:

*In that day, I will call my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah.

21 And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

*I will give him your robe and make him strong with your belt. I'll let him lead and take care of the people in Jerusalem and the family of Judah. He'll be like a father to them.

22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

*I will put the key of David's house on his shoulder. He can open it and no one can close it. He can also close it and no one can open it.

23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.

*I will secure him firmly in a reliable spot, and he will be a magnificent throne for his father's family.

24 And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

*And they will attach to him all the honor of his father's household, including children and descendants, as well as small containers, from cup-sized containers to those of flasks.

25 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it.

*On that day, says the Lord of heavenly armies, the nail firmly placed will be taken out, cut down, and fall; and the load it supported will also be removed. The Lord has spoken this.

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