A Message about Jerusalem
1 This is a message about the Valley of Vision.
What is happening? Why are all the people of the city celebrating on the roofs of the houses? 2 The whole city is in an uproar, filled with noise and excitement.
Your people who died in this war did not die fighting. 3 All your leaders ran away and were captured before they shot a single arrow. 4 Now leave me alone to weep bitterly over all those of my people who have died. Don't try to comfort me. 5 This is a time of panic, defeat, and confusion in the Valley of Vision, and the Sovereign Lord Almighty has sent it on us. The walls of our city have been battered down, and cries for help have echoed among the hills.
6 The soldiers from the land of Elam came riding on horseback, armed with bows and arrows. Soldiers from the land of Kir had their shields ready. 7 The fertile valleys of Judah were filled with chariots; soldiers on horseback stood in front of Jerusalem's gates. 8 All of Judah's defenses crumbled.
When that happened, you brought weapons out of the arsenal. 9-10 You found the places where the walls of Jerusalem needed repair. You inspected all the houses in Jerusalem and tore some of them down to get stones to repair the city walls. In order to store water, 11 you built a reservoir inside the city to hold the water flowing down from the old pool. But you paid no attention to God, who planned all this long ago and who caused it to happen.
12 The Sovereign Lord Almighty was calling you then to weep and mourn, to shave your heads and wear sackcloth. 13 Instead, you laughed and celebrated. You killed sheep and cattle to eat, and you drank wine. You said, “We might as well eat and drink! Tomorrow we'll be dead.”
14 The Sovereign Lord Almighty himself spoke to me and said, “This evil will never be forgiven them as long as they live. I, the Sovereign Lord Almighty, have spoken.”
A Warning to Shebna
15 The Sovereign Lord Almighty told me to go to Shebna, the manager of the royal household, and say to him, 16 “Who do you think you are? What right do you have to carve a tomb for yourself out of the rocky hillside? 17 You may be important, but the Lord will pick you up and throw you away. 18 He will pick you up like a ball and throw you into a much larger country. You will die there beside the chariots you were so proud of. You are a disgrace to your master's household. 19 The Lord will remove you from office and bring you down from your high position.”
20 The Lord said to Shebna, “When that happens, I will send for my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah. 21 I will put your official robe and belt on him and give him all the authority you have had. He will be like a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah. 22 I will give him complete authority under the king, the descendant of David. He will have the keys of office; what he opens, no one will shut, and what he shuts, no one will open. 23 I will fasten him firmly in place like a peg, and he will be a source of honor to his whole family.
24 “But all his relatives and dependents will become a burden to him. They will hang on him like pots and bowls hanging from a peg! 25 When that happens, the peg that was firmly fastened will pull loose and fall. And that will be the end of everything that was hanging on it.” The Lord has spoken.
Redzējumu ieleja – vēstījums par Jeruzālemi
1 Vēstījums par Redzējumu ieleju.
Kas tad jums –
ka visi uz jumtiem sakāpuši?!
2 Pilsēta, kas bija trokšņu un dārdu pilna,
pilsēta, kas bija līksma, –
tavi apkautie nav zobena kauti,
tie nav krituši karā!
3 Visi tavi vadoņi aizbēguši,
pat loku nevajadzēja, lai tos saņemtu ciet,
saņemti ciet visi, kas tev bija,
kaut tie jau iztālēm bēga!
4 Tādēļ es saku:
“Novērsieties no manis,
es raudāšu rūgti,
nenāciet mierināt mani
par manas tautas postu!”
5 Juku, spaidu un nemiera diena –
Kungs, Pulku Kungs, ir Redzējumu ielejā!
Tad brucinās mūrus un brēks līdz kalnu galiem!
6 Ēlāms, apjozis bultmaku,
nāk ar kararatiem un jātniekiem
un Kīrs ar vairogu rokā!
7 Tavas leknākās ielejas pilnas ar kararatiem –
jātnieki vārtos sastājuši!
8 Tad Jūdas pārsegu norāva,
todien tu raudzījies
pēc biezokņa nama ieročiem,
9 Dāvida pilsēta plaisās,
jūs redzējāt, cik to daudz,
un palejas dīķa ūdeni vācāt!
10 Jeruzālemes namus jūs skaitījāt –
kuru namu vēl noplēst,
lai nocietinātu mūri!
11 Jūs ierīkojāt tvertni starp diviem mūriem
vecajam dīķa ūdenim –
bet uz to, kas tā darījis, jūs nelūkojāties,
kas jau izsenis tā bija nolicis, uz to neskatījāties!
12 Kungs, Pulku Kungs, todien sasauca
uz raudām un sērām,
uz skūtiem pauriem un apjoztiem maisiem!
13 Redzi, līksme un prieks –
kauj vēršus, slaktē avis,
ēd gaļu un dzer vīnu!
Ēdīsim un dzersim, jo rīt mēs mirsim!
14 Pulku Kungs man atdarīja ausis:
“Šī vaina jums netiks piedota līdz pat nāvei!”
teica Kungs, Pulku Kungs.
15 Tā teica Kungs, Pulku Kungs:
“Ej, dodies pie galminieka,
pie Šebnas, kas pārzina namu:
16 kas tev še darāms, kas te ir tavs,
ka tu sev kapu tur izcirti –
sev augstumos kapu izcirti,
sev klintī mājokli iegrebi!?
17 Redzi, Kungs tevi mestin izmetīs, varoni!
Blusināt tevi atblusos!
18 Kamolā viņš tevi ritināt saritinās
kā rituli! –
tad tiksi plašākā zemē:
tur tu mirsi, tur tavi goda rati,
tu, sava kunga nama āksts!
19 Es tevi padzīšu no tavas vietas,
no tava amata viņš tevi aizraus!
20 Tā būs tajā dienā –
es saukšu savu kalpu,
Eljākīmu, Hilkijas dēlu,
21 ieģērbšu viņu tavās drānās,
apjozīšu viņam tavu jostu,
viņam es došu tavu valdīšanu,
un viņš būs tēvs tiem,
kas mīt Jeruzālemē un Jūdas namā!
22 Es likšu Dāvida nama atslēgu viņam plecos –
ko viņš atslēgs, to neviens neaizslēgs,
ko viņš aizslēgs, to neviens neatslēgs!
23 Es iedzīšu viņu stingri kā vadzi,
un viņš būs goda tronis sava tēva namam!
24 Un tie kārs uz viņa visu sava tēva nama smagumu: gan zaļoksnu, gan briedušu, gan visus traukus – no mazām krūkām līdz māla podiem! 25 Tajā dienā, saka Pulku Kungs, izļodzīsies tas vadzis, kas bija iedzīts drošā vietā, nolūzīs un nokritīs, tad būs nost nasta, kas uz tā!” – jo Kungs ir runājis.
