Isaiah 22:1–14

An Oracle against Jerusalem

22An oracle ^dagainst the Valley of Vision: ^e

What’s the matter with you?

Why have all of you gone up to the rooftops? ^f

²The noisy city, the jubilant town, ^g

is filled with revelry.

Your dead did not die by the sword;

they were not killed in battle.

³All your rulers have fled together,

captured without a bow.

All your fugitives were captured together;

they had fled far away.

⁴Therefore I said,

“Look away from me! Let me weep bitterly! ^h

Do not try to comfort me

about the destruction of my dear ⁱpeople.”

⁵For the Lord God of Hosts

had a day of tumult, trampling, and confusion ^j

in the Valley of Vision—

people shouting ^kand crying to the mountains;

⁶Elam took up a quiver

with chariots and horsemen, ^l

and Kir ^muncovered the shield.

⁷Your best valleys were full of chariots,

and horsemen were positioned at the gates.

⁸He removed the defenses of Judah.

On that day you looked to the weapons in the House of the Forest. ⁿ⁹You saw that there were many breaches in the walls of the city of David. ^oYou collected water from the lower pool. ^p10You counted the houses of Jerusalem so that you could tear them down to fortify the wall. ¹¹You made a reservoir between the walls ^qfor the waters of the ancient pool, ^rbut you did not look to the One who made it, or consider the One who created it long ago.

¹²On that day the Lord God of Hosts

called for weeping, ^sfor wailing, for shaven heads,

and for the wearing of sackcloth.

¹³But look: joy and gladness,

butchering of cattle, slaughtering of sheep,

eating of meat, and drinking of wine—

“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” ^t

¹⁴The Lord of Hosts has directly revealed to me: ^u

“This sin of yours will never ^vbe wiped out.” ^w

The Lord God of Hosts has spoken.