Isaiah 29:2
New International Version
Yet I will besiege Ariel; she will mourn and lament, she will be to me like an altar hearth.

New Living Translation
Yet I will bring disaster upon you, and there will be much weeping and sorrow. For Jerusalem will become what her name Ariel means— an altar covered with blood.

English Standard Version
Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be moaning and lamentation, and she shall be to me like an Ariel.

Berean Standard Bible
And I will constrain Ariel, and there will be mourning and lamentation; she will be like an altar hearth before Me.

King James Bible
Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.

New King James Version
Yet I will distress Ariel; There shall be heaviness and sorrow, And it shall be to Me as Ariel.

New American Standard Bible
I will bring distress to Ariel, And she will be a city of grieving and mourning; And she will be like an Ariel to me.

NASB 1995
I will bring distress to Ariel, And she will be a city of lamenting and mourning; And she will be like an Ariel to me.

NASB 1977
And I will bring distress to Ariel, And she shall be a city of lamenting and mourning; And she shall be like an Ariel to me.

Legacy Standard Bible
I will bring distress to Ariel, And she will be a city of mourning and moaning; And she will be like an Ariel to me.

Amplified Bible
Then I will harass Ariel, And she will be a city of mourning and lamenting (crying out in grief) Yet she will be like an Ariel [an altar hearth] to Me.

Christian Standard Bible
I will oppress Ariel, and there will be mourning and crying, and she will be to me like an Ariel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will oppress Ariel, and there will be mourning and crying, and she will be to Me like an Ariel.

American Standard Version
then will I distress Ariel, and there shall be mourning and lamentation; and she shall be unto me as Ariel.

Contemporary English Version
I will still make you suffer, and your people will cry when I make an altar of you.

English Revised Version
then will I distress Ariel, and there shall be mourning and lamentation: and she shall be unto me as Ariel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I will torment Ariel, and the city will be filled with people grieving and mourning. The city will become like Ariel.

Good News Translation
and then God will bring disaster on the city that is called "God's altar." There will be weeping and wailing, and the whole city will be like an altar covered with blood.

International Standard Version
Then I'll besiege Aruel, and there will be sorrow and mourning; she will become to me like an altar fireplace.

Majority Standard Bible
And I will constrain Ariel, and there will be mourning and lamentation; she will be like an altar hearth before Me.

NET Bible
I will threaten Ariel, and she will mourn intensely and become like an altar hearth before me.

New Heart English Bible
then I will distress Ariel, and there will be mourning and lamentation. She shall be to me as an altar hearth.

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow; and it shall be to me as Ariel.

World English Bible
then I will distress Ariel, and there will be mourning and lamentation. She shall be to me as an altar hearth.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And I have sent distress to Ariel, "" And it has been lamentation and mourning, "" And it has been to me as Ariel.

Young's Literal Translation
And I have sent distress to Ariel, And it hath been lamentation and mourning, And it hath been to me as Ariel.

Smith's Literal Translation
And I pressed upon Ariel, and there was sorrow and sighing, and it was to me as Ariel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will make a trench about Ariel, and it shall be in sorrow and mourning, and it shall be to me as Ariel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I will surround Ariel with siege works, and it will be in sorrow and mourning, and it will be like Ariel to me.

New American Bible
But I will bring distress upon Ariel, and there will be mourning and moaning. You shall be to me like Ariel:

New Revised Standard Version
Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be moaning and lamentation, and Jerusalem shall be to me like an Ariel.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and lamentations; and it shall be to me as Ariel.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I shall distress Ariel, and there shall be moaning and wailing, and you shall be as Ariel
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then will I distress Ariel, And there shall be mourning and moaning; and she shall be unto Me as a hearth of God.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For I will grievously afflict Ariel: and her strength and her wealth shall be mine.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woe to the City of David
1Woe to you, O Ariel, the city of Ariel where David camped! Year upon year let your festivals recur. 2And I will constrain Ariel, and there will be mourning and lamentation; she will be like an altar hearth before Me. 3I will camp in a circle around you; I will besiege you with towers and set up siege works against you.…

Cross References
Matthew 15:8-9
‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”

Mark 7:6-7
Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’

Isaiah 1:11-15
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. / When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts? / Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly. ...

Amos 5:21-23
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. / Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. / Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.

Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Micah 6:6-8
With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? / Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? / He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Jeremiah 6:20
What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please Me.”

Psalm 51:16-17
For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings. / The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

Isaiah 58:1-5
“Cry aloud, do not hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins. / For day after day they seek Me and delight to know My ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not forsake the justice of their God. They ask Me for righteous judgments; they delight in the nearness of God.” / “Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers. ...

Ezekiel 33:31-32
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain. / Indeed, you are to them like a singer of love songs with a beautiful voice, who skillfully plays an instrument. They hear your words but do not put them into practice.

Matthew 23:27-28
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. / In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Romans 2:28-29
A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. / No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

2 Timothy 3:5
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!

Isaiah 66:3-4
Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations. / So I will choose their punishment and I will bring terror upon them, because I called and no one answered, I spoke and no one listened. But they did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.”


Treasury of Scripture

Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be to me as Ariel.

I will

Isaiah 5:25-30
Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still…

Isaiah 10:5,6,32
O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation…

Isaiah 17:14
And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.

and it shall.

Isaiah 43:15
I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.

Isaiah 34:6
The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.

Ezekiel 22:31
Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

Jump to Previous
Altar Ariel Besiege City Cries Distress Grief Hearth Heaviness Lamentation Moaning Mourn Mourning Sadness Sorrow Trouble Weeping
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Altar Ariel Besiege City Cries Distress Grief Hearth Heaviness Lamentation Moaning Mourn Mourning Sadness Sorrow Trouble Weeping
Isaiah 29
1. God's heavy judgment upon Jerusalem
7. The insatiableness of her enemies
9. The senselessness
13. And deep hypocrisy of the people
17. A promise of sanctification to the godly














I will distress Ariel
The name "Ariel" is often understood to refer to Jerusalem, with "Ariel" meaning "lion of God" or "altar hearth" in Hebrew. This dual meaning is significant, as it reflects both the strength and the sacrificial role of the city. The phrase "I will distress" indicates God's intention to bring judgment upon Jerusalem. Historically, this can be seen as a reference to the Assyrian siege or the Babylonian captivity, where God allowed foreign nations to bring distress upon His people as a consequence of their disobedience. This serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and His willingness to discipline those He loves to bring them back to righteousness.

and there will be mourning and sorrow
The words "mourning and sorrow" convey the deep emotional and spiritual anguish that will befall Jerusalem. In the Hebrew context, mourning often involved wearing sackcloth, ashes, and public lamentation. This phrase underscores the severity of the judgment and the profound impact it would have on the people. It serves as a call to repentance, urging the inhabitants of Jerusalem to turn back to God amidst their suffering. Theologically, it reflects the consequences of sin and the need for genuine contrition and return to God.

she will be like an altar hearth before Me
The term "altar hearth" refers to the place where sacrifices were burned in the temple, known as the "Ariel" in Hebrew. This imagery is powerful, as it suggests that Jerusalem itself will become a place of sacrifice and judgment. The altar hearth was central to the worship practices of Israel, symbolizing atonement and reconciliation with God. By likening Jerusalem to an altar hearth, the verse highlights the city's role in God's redemptive plan, even through judgment. It points to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who would later fulfill the sacrificial system, offering Himself as the atonement for sin. This phrase invites reflection on the themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the transformative power of God's judgment leading to restoration.

(2) And it shall be unto me as Ariel.--Better, But she (the city) shall be unto me as Ariel. That name would not falsify itself. In the midst of all her "heaviness and sorrow," Jerusalem should still be as "the lion of God," or, taking the other meaning, as the "altar-hearth" of God. (Comp. Ezekiel 43:15.)

Verse 2. - Yet will I distress Ariel; rather, and then will I distress Ariel. The sense runs on from the preceding verse. There shall be heaviness and sorrow. Mr. Cheyne's "moaning and bemoaning" represents the Hebrew play upon words better. The natural consequence of the siege would be a constant cry of woe. And it shall be unto me as Ariel. It would be better to translate, "Yet she shall be unto me as Ariel." The meaning is that, though distressed and straitened, Jerusalem shall still through all be able by God's help to answer to her name of "Ariel" - to behave as a lien when attacked by the hunters.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And I will constrain
וַהֲצִיק֖וֹתִי (wa·hă·ṣî·qō·w·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6693: To constrain, bring into straits, press upon

Ariel,
לַֽאֲרִיאֵ֑ל (la·’ă·rî·’êl)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 740: Ariel -- 'lioness of El', a symbolic name for Jerusalem

and there will be
וְהָיְתָ֤ה (wə·hā·yə·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

mourning
תַֽאֲנִיָּה֙ (ṯa·’ă·nî·yāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8386: Lamentation

and sorrow;
וַֽאֲנִיָּ֔ה (wa·’ă·nî·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 592: Groaning

she will be
וְהָ֥יְתָה (wə·hā·yə·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

like an altar hearth
כַּאֲרִיאֵֽל׃ (ka·’ă·rî·’êl)
Preposition-k | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 740: Ariel -- 'lioness of El', a symbolic name for Jerusalem

before me.
לִּ֖י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 29:2 Then I will distress Ariel and there (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 29:1
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