The Oracle concerning the Valley of Vision

221 The burden of the valley of vision. What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops? 2 You that are full of shouting, a tumultuous city, a joyous town; your slain are not slain with the sword, neither are they dead in battle. 3 All your rulers fled away together. They were bound by the archers. All who were found by you were bound together. They fled far away. 4 Therefore I said, “Look away from me. I will weep bitterly. Don’t labor to comfort me for the destruction of the daughter of my people. 5 For it is a day of confusion, and of treading down, and of perplexity, from the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, in the valley of vision; a breaking down of the walls, and a crying to the mountains.” 6 Elam carried his quiver, with chariots of men and horsemen; and Kir uncovered the shield. 7 It happened that your choicest valleys were full of chariots, and the horsemen set themselves in array at the gate.

8 He took away the covering of Judah; and you looked in that day to the armor in the house of the forest. 9 You saw the breaches of the city of David, that they were many; and you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. 10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. 11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you didn’t look to him who had done this, neither did you have respect for him who purposed it long ago. 12 In that day, the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, called to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to dressing in sackcloth: 13 and behold, joy and gladness, killing cattle and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die.” 14 Yahweh of Armies revealed himself in my ears, “Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you until you die,” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.

Shebna to Be Replaced by Eliakim

15 Thus says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, “Go, get yourself to this treasurer, even to Shebna, who is over the house, and say, 16 ‘What are you doing here? Who has you here, that you have dug out a tomb here?’ Cutting himself out a tomb on high, chiseling a habitation for himself in the rock!” 17 Behold, Yahweh will overcome you and hurl you away violently. Yes, he will grasp you firmly. 18 He will surely wind you around and around, and throw you like a ball into a large country. There you will die, and there the chariots of your glory will be, you shame of your lord’s house. 19 I will thrust you from your office. You will be pulled down from your station. 20 It will happen in that day that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, 21 and I will clothe him with your robe, and strengthen him with your belt. I will commit your government into his hand; and he will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. 22 I will lay the key of the house of David on his shoulder. He will open, and no one will shut. He will shut, and no one will open. 23 I will fasten him like a nail in a sure place. He will be for a throne of glory to his father’s house. 24 They will hang on him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the issue, every small vessel, from the cups even to all the pitchers. 25 “In that day,” says Yahweh of Armies, “the nail that was fastened in a sure place will give way. It will be cut down, and fall. The burden that was on it will be cut off, for Yahweh has spoken it.”

The LORD's Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem

31 For, behold, the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah supply and support,
the whole supply of bread,
and the whole supply of water; 2 the mighty man,
the man of war,
the judge,
the prophet,
the diviner,
the elder, 3 the captain of fifty,
the honorable man,
the counselor,
the skilled craftsman,
and the clever enchanter. 4 I will give boys to be their princes,
and children shall rule over them. 5 The people will be oppressed,
everyone by another,
and everyone by his neighbor.
The child will behave himself proudly against the old man,
and the base against the honorable. 6 Indeed a man shall take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying,
“You have clothing, you be our ruler,
and let this ruin be under your hand.” 7 In that day he will cry out, saying, I will not be a healer;
for in my house is neither bread nor clothing.
You shall not make me ruler of the people. 8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen;
because their tongue and their doings are against Yahweh,
to provoke the eyes of his glory.

9 The look of their faces testify against them.
They parade their sin like Sodom.
They don’t hide it.
Woe to their soul!
For they have brought disaster upon themselves. 10 Tell the righteous “Good!”
For they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. 11 Woe to the wicked!
Disaster is upon them;
for the deeds of his hands will be paid back to him. 12 As for my people, children are their oppressors,
and women rule over them.
My people, those who lead you cause you to err,
and destroy the way of your paths. 13 Yahweh stands up to contend,
and stands to judge the peoples. 14 Yahweh will enter into judgment with the elders of his people,
and their leaders:
“It is you who have eaten up the vineyard.
The spoil of the poor is in your houses. 15 What do you mean that you crush my people,
and grind the face of the poor?” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.

Judgment on the Daughters of Zion

16 Moreover Yahweh said, “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,
and walk with outstretched necks and flirting eyes,
walking to trip as they go,
jingling ornaments on their feet; 17 therefore the Lord brings sores on the crown of the head of the women of Zion,
and Yahweh will make their scalps bald.” 18 In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, the headbands, the crescent necklaces, 19 the earrings, the bracelets, the veils, 20 the headdresses, the ankle chains, the sashes, the perfume bottles, the charms, 21 the signet rings, the nose rings, 22 the fine robes, the capes, the cloaks, the purses, 23 the hand mirrors, the fine linen garments, the tiaras, and the shawls. 24 It shall happen that instead of sweet spices, there shall be rottenness;
instead of a belt, a rope;
instead of well set hair, baldness;
instead of a robe, a girding of sackcloth;
and branding instead of beauty. 25 Your men shall fall by the sword,
and your mighty in the war. 26 Her gates shall lament and mourn;
and she shall be desolate and sit on the ground.