A Prophecy Against Jerusalem
1Here is a prophecy against Jerusalem that the Lord gave me. Jerusalem is also known as the Valley of Vision.
People of Jerusalem, what’s the matter with you?
Why have all of you gone up on the roofs of your houses?
2Why is your town so full of noise?
Why is your city so full of the sound of wild parties?
Those among you who died weren’t killed by swords.
They didn’t die in battle.
3All your leaders have run away.
They’ve been captured without a single arrow being shot.
All you who were caught were taken away as prisoners.
You ran off while your enemies were still far away.
4So I said, “Leave me alone.
Let me weep bitter tears.
Don’t try to comfort me.
My people have been destroyed.”
5The Lord who rules over all sent the noise of battle against you.
The Lord brought disorder and terror
to the Valley of Vision.
The walls of the city were knocked down.
Cries for help were heard in the mountains.
6Soldiers from Elam came armed with bows and arrows.
They came with their chariots and horses.
Soldiers from Kir got their shields ready.
7Your rich valleys filled up with chariots.
Horsemen took up their battle positions at your city gates.
8The Lord made Judah a place where it wasn’t safe to live anymore.
At that time, you depended
on the weapons in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
9You saw that the walls of the City of David
were broken through in many places.
You stored up water
in the Lower Pool.
10You picked out the weaker buildings in Jerusalem.
You tore them down and used their stones
to strengthen the city walls against attack.
11You built a pool between the two walls.
You used it to save the water
that was running down from the Old Pool.
But you didn’t look to the God who made it all possible.
You didn’t pay any attention to the God
who planned everything long ago.
12The Lord who rules over all
called out to you at that time.
The Lord told you to weep and cry.
He told you to tear your hair out.
And he told you to put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad.
13Instead, you are enjoying yourselves at wild parties!
You are killing cattle and sheep.
You are eating their meat and drinking wine.
You are saying, “Let’s eat and drink,
because tomorrow we’ll die.”
14I heard the Lord who rules over all speaking. “Your sin can never be paid for as long as you live,” says the Lord.
15The Lord who rules over all speaks. The Lord says,
“Go and speak to Shebna, the head servant.
He is in charge of the palace. Tell him,
16‘What are you doing here outside the city?
Who allowed you to cut out a tomb for yourself here?
Who said you could carve out your grave on the hillside?
Who allowed you to cut out your resting place in the rock?
17“ ‘Watch out, you mighty man!
The Lord is about to grab you.
He is about to throw you away.
18He will roll you up tightly like a ball.
He will throw you into a very large country.
There you will die.
And that’s where the chariots you were so proud of will be.
Those chariots will then bring nothing but shame on your master’s family!
19The Lord will remove you from your job.
You will be brought down from your high position.
20“ ‘At that time he will send for his servant Eliakim. He is the son of Hilkiah. 21The Lord will put your robe on Eliakim. He will tie your belt around him. He will hand your authority over to him. Eliakim will be like a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah. 22The Lord will give Eliakim the key of authority in David’s royal house. No one can shut what he opens. And no one can open what he shuts. 23The Lord will set him firmly in place like a peg driven into a wall. He will hold a position of honor in his family. 24The good name of his whole family will depend on him. They will be like bowls and jars hanging on a peg.
25“ ‘But a new day is coming,’ ” announces the Lord who rules over all. “ ‘At that time the peg that was driven into the wall will give way. It will break off and fall down. And the heavy load hanging on it will also fall.’ ” The Lord has spoken.
Profecía contra Jerusalén
1Profecía contra el valle de la visión:
¿Qué te pasa ahora,
que has subido a las azoteas,
2ciudad llena de disturbios,
de tumultos y parrandas?
Tus muertos no cayeron a filo de espada
ni murieron en batalla.
3Todos tus jefes huyeron juntos,
pero fueron capturados sin haber disparado una flecha.
Todos tus líderes fueron capturados
mientras trataban de huir lejos.
4Por eso dije: «Aparten su mirada de mí;
voy a llorar amargamente.
No insistan en consolarme:
¡mi pueblo ha sido destruido!».
5El Señor, el Señor de los Ejércitos,
ha decretado un día de pánico,
un día de humillación y desconcierto
en el valle de la visión,
un día para derribar muros
y para levantar gritos de socorro a la montaña.
6Montado en sus carros de combate y en caballos,
Elam toma la aljaba;
Quir saca el escudo a relucir.
7Llenos de carros de combate están tus valles preferidos;
apostados a la puerta están los jinetes.
8¡Judá se ha quedado sin defensa!
Aquel día ustedes se fijaron
en el arsenal del Palacio del Bosque.
9Vieron que en la Ciudad de David
había muchas brechas;
en el estanque inferior
guardaron agua.
10Contaron las casas de Jerusalén
y derribaron algunas para reforzar el muro.
11Entre los dos muros construyeron un depósito
para las aguas del estanque antiguo
pero no se fijaron en quien lo hizo
ni consideraron al que hace tiempo lo planeó.
12En aquel día el Señor,
el Señor de los Ejércitos,
los llamó a llorar y a lamentarse,
a raparse la cabeza y a usar ropa de luto.
13¡Pero miren, hay gozo y alegría!
¡Se sacrifican vacas, se matan ovejas,
se come carne y se bebe vino!
«¡Comamos y bebamos,
que mañana moriremos!».
14El Señor de los Ejércitos me reveló al oído: «No se te perdonará este pecado hasta el día de tu muerte. Lo digo yo, el Señor, el Señor de los Ejércitos».
15Así dice el Señor, el Señor de los Ejércitos:
«Ve a encontrarte con Sebna,
el mayordomo, que está a cargo del palacio y dile:
16¿Qué haces aquí?
¿Quién te dio permiso para cavarte aquí un sepulcro?
¿Por qué tallas en lo alto tu lugar de reposo
y lo esculpes en la roca?
17»Mira, hombre poderoso, el Señor está a punto de agarrarte
y arrojarte con violencia.
18Te hará rodar como pelota
y te lanzará a una tierra inmensa.
Allí morirás; allí quedarán
tus gloriosos carros de combate.
¡Serás la vergüenza de la casa de tu señor!
19Te destituiré de tu cargo
y serás expulsado de tu puesto.
20»En aquel día llamaré a mi siervo Eliaquín, hijo de Jilquías. 21Le pondré tu túnica, le colocaré tu faja y le daré tu autoridad. Será como un padre para los habitantes de Jerusalén y para la tribu de Judá. 22Sobre sus hombros pondré la llave de la casa de David; lo que él abra, nadie podrá cerrarlo; lo que él cierre, nadie podrá abrirlo. 23Como a una estaca, lo clavaré en un lugar firme y será como un trono de honor para la descendencia de su padre. 24De él dependerá toda la gloria de su familia: sus descendientes, sus vástagos y toda la vajilla pequeña, desde los cántaros hasta las tazas.
25»En aquel día —afirma el Señor de los Ejércitos—, cederá la estaca clavada en el lugar firme; será arrancada de raíz y se vendrá abajo con la carga que colgaba de ella». El Señor mismo lo ha dicho.
