For my Lord Adonai-Tzva’ot has a day of panic, trampling and confusion— in the Valley of Vision— of tearing down a wall, a catastrophe on the mountain.
Then they said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah: This day is a day of distress, rebuke and contempt. For children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength for giving birth.
The couriers went out hurriedly with the king’s command and the edict was issued in the palace in Shushan. The king and Haman then sat down to drink. But the city of Shushan was dumbfounded.
I am sending it against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My fury I am commissioning it, to take spoil and plunder, to trample them down like mud in the streets.
Then they said to him: “Thus says Hezekiah: This day is a day of distress, rebuke and contempt. For children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength for giving birth.
So now, I will make known to you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge, and it will be eaten up. I will break down the fence, and it will be trodden down.
“I have trodden the winepress alone— from the peoples, no man was with Me. I trod them in My anger, and trampled them in My wrath. Their lifeblood spattered My garments, so I stained all My robes.
Her foes have become her masters. Her enemies are at ease. For Adonai has afflicted her, because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the adversary.
My Lord has mercilessly swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob. He threw down the strongholds of the daughter of Judah in His fury. He knocked to the ground and humiliated the kingdom and its princes.
Adonai resolved to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion. He stretched out a measuring line. He did not withdraw His hand from destroying. He caused rampart and wall to lament— together they languished away.
The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel will be destroyed. Thorns and thistles will come up on their altars. And they will say to the mountains: “Cover us!” And to the hills: “Fall on us!”
The best of them is like a prickly bush, the most upright like a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen— of your visitation—is coming. Then their confusion will occur.
That day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distress, a day of devastating storm and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,