Jerusalem is Rebuked

1A messagea concerning the Valley of Vision.b

“What troubles you,

now that you’ve all gone up

to the rooftops,

2you who are full of commotion,

you passionate city,

you rollicking town?

Your slain weren’t killed by the sword,

nor are they dead in battle.

3All your leaders have fled together;

she is capturedc without using bows.

All of you who were caught were captured together,

although they had fled

while the enemy was stilld far away.

4Therefore I said:

“Look away from me;

and let me weep bitter tears;

don’t try to consolee me

over the destruction of the daughter of my people.”f

5For to the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies

belongs the day of tumult, trampling, and confusion

in the Valley of Vision,g

and the pulling down of his Temple onh its mountain.

6Elam takes up the quiver

with chariots and cavalry,

while Kir unsheathes the shield.

7And it will come abouti

that your choicest valleys will be filled with chariots,

and horsemen will take their positions at the gates.

8He has uncovered the defenses of Judah.”

At that time,j you looked at the arsenal of the Palace of the Forest,k 9and saw that there were many breaches in the City of David. So you stored up water from the Lower Pool, 10counted the houses of Jerusalem, tore down certain houses to strengthen the wall, 11and built a reservoir between the walls to store water from the Old Pool. But you did not look atl the One who did it, nor did you see the One who planned it long ago.

12On that day the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies

called for weeping and mourning,

for shaving headsm and wearing sackcloth.

13But look!

There is joy and festivity,

slaughtering of cattle

and killing of sheep,

eating meat

and drinkingn wine.

“Let us eat and drink, you say,

because we die tomorrow.”

14“Nevertheless, the LORD of the Heavenly Armies has revealed himself to my hearing:

‘“Surely because of youo

this iniquity will not be forgiven

you until you die,’

says the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies.”

The LORD Rebukes Shebna

15This is what the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armiesp says:

“Come, go to this steward, to Shebna who is in charge of the household, and ask him: 16‘What are you doing here, and who are your relatives hereq that you could carve out a grave for yourself here—cutting out a tomb at the choicest location,r chiseling out a resting place for yourself out of solid rock? 17Look Out! The LORD is about to hurl you away violently, my strong fellow! Hes will fold you up completely, 18rolling you up tightly like a ball and throwing you into a large country. Theret you will die, and thereu your splendid chariots will lie. You’re a disgrace to your master’s house! 19I will depose you from your office, ousting youv from your position.

20“At that time,w I’ll call for my servant, Hilkiah’sx son Eliakim, 21and I’ll clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him. I’ll transfer your authority to him,y and he’ll be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

22“I’ll place on his shoulder the key to the house of David—what he opens, no one will shut, and what he shuts, no one will open. 23I’ll set him like a peg into a secure place; he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house. 24The entire reputation of his father’s house will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots—all its smaller vessels, from the cups to all the jars. 25At that time,”z declares the LORDaa of the Heavenly Armies, “the peg that was driven into a secure place will give way; it will be sheared and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down.”

The LORD has spoken.