1Woe to Ariel , to Ariel , the city where David dwelt ! add ye year to year ; let them kill sacrifices . 2Yet I will distress Ariel , and there shall be heaviness and sorrow : and it shall be unto me as Ariel . 3And I will camp against thee round about , and will lay siege against thee with a mount , and I will raise forts against thee. 4And thou shalt be brought down , and shalt speak out of the ground , and thy speech shall be low out of the dust , and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit , out of the ground , and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust .
The Siege of Jerusalem
5Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust , and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away : yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly . 6Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder , and with earthquake , and great noise , with storm and tempest , and the flame of devouring fire . 7And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel , even all that fight against her and her munition , and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision . 8It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth , and, behold, he eateth ; but he awaketh , and his soul is empty : or as when a thirsty man dreameth , and, behold, he drinketh ; but he awaketh , and, behold, he is faint , and his soul hath appetite : so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion .
The Blindness of the People
9Stay yourselves, and wonder ; cry ye out , and cry : they are drunken , but not with wine ; they stagger , but not with strong drink . 10For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep , and hath closed your eyes : the prophets and your rulers , the seers hath he covered . 11And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed , which men deliver to one that is learned , saying , Read this, I pray thee: and he saith , I cannot ; for it is sealed : 12And the book is delivered to him that is not learned , saying , Read this, I pray thee: and he saith , I am not learned .
God's Promise of Restoration
13Wherefore the Lord said , Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth , and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men : 14Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people , even a marvellous work and a wonder : for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish , and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid . 15Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD , and their works are in the dark , and they say , Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? 16Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay : for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding ? 17Is it not yet a very little while , and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field , and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest ? 18And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book , and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity , and out of darkness . 19The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD , and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel . 20For the terrible one is brought to nought , and the scorner is consumed , and all that watch for iniquity are cut off : 21That make a man an offender for a word , and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate , and turn aside the just for a thing of nought . 22Therefore thus saith the LORD , who redeemed Abraham , concerning the house of Jacob , Jacob shall not now be ashamed , neither shall his face now wax pale . 23But when he seeth his children , the work of mine hands , in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name , and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob , and shall fear the God of Israel . 24They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding , and they that murmured shall learn doctrine .