Woe to David’s City

Isaiah pronounces woe on Ariel, the city where David camped, warning that though her yearly festivals continue, the LORD Himself will constrain and besiege her. Jerusalem will be brought so low that her voice seems to rise from the dust like a ghost, showing that familiar religious rhythm cannot shield her from the humbling God has appointed.

W¹oe to you, O Ariel, ²And I will constrain Ariel, ³I will camp in a circle around you; ⁴You will be brought low,

Yet the many nations that fight against Ariel will themselves become like fine dust and blown chaff when the LORD of Hosts visits with thunder, earthquake, storm, and consuming fire. Their hopes of devouring Jerusalem will evaporate like a dream in the night, leaving them unsatisfied and disoriented, so that the city's danger is real but her enemies' triumph is not final.

⁵But your many foes will be like fine dust, ⁶you will be visited by the LORD of Hosts ⁷All the many nations ⁸as when a hungry man dreams he is eating,

The oracle then turns inward, calling the people to stop and be astonished because the LORD has poured on them a spirit of deep sleep, closing the eyes of prophets and seers so that revelation lies before them like a sealed scroll no one can read. Their worship has become lip-service while their hearts stay far from God, so He resolves to perform another marvelous work that will confound their wisdom; and those who dig deep to hide counsel from Him are rebuked for turning everything upside down, as if the clay could deny the potter who formed it.

⁹Stop and be astonished; ¹⁰For the LORD has poured out on you ¹¹And the entire vision will be to you like the words sealed in a scroll. If it is handed to someone to read, he will say, “I cannot, because it is sealed.” ¹²Or if the scroll is handed to one unable to read, he will say, “I cannot read.” ¹³Therefore the Lord said: ¹⁴Therefore I will again confound these people ¹⁵Woe to those who dig deep ¹⁶You have turned things upside down,