1 WOE to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! Add year to year; let them keep festivals.

2 Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and lamentations; and it shall be to me as Ariel.

3 And I will encamp against you round about, and I will lay a siege against you with ramparts, and I will raise forts against you.

4 And you shall be brought down, and shall speak from the earth, and your words shall be low out of the dust, and your voice shall be heard from the ground like that of a diviner, and your speech shall whisper out of the dust.

5 Moreover the multitude of your oppressors shall be like fine dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as the chaff that passes away; yea, it shall be in an instant, suddenly.

6 You shall be visited by the LORD of hosts with earthquakes, thunder, and great noise, with storm and tempest and the flame of devouring fire.

7 And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Zion, even all the armies and multitudes that distress her, shall be as a vision in the night.

8 And it shall even be as when a hungry man dreams that he is eating, and when he awakes he is weary and famished; or as when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but when he awakes, he is faint, with his thirst not quenched; so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against mount Zion.

9 They are dumbfounded and amazed; they are troubled and stagger; they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

10 For the LORD has poured out upon them a spirit of deep sleep, and it has closed their eyes, and also the eyes of the prophets and rulers, and the seers, who see the hidden things.

11 And the vision of all is become to them as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is learned, saying, Read this, and he says, I cannot; for it is sealed:

12 And the book is given to him who is not learned, saying, Read this, and he says, I am not learned.

13 Therefore the LORD said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their reverence toward me is taught by the precepts and doctrine of men;

14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to set apart this people by a great wonder, and in a marvelous manner, and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be taken away.

15 Woe to them who act perversely to hide their counsel from the LORD; and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who sees us? And, Who knows what we do corruptly?

16 Surely you are esteemed as the potter's clay; for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing formed say of him that formed it, He has not fashioned me wisely?

17 Behold, a little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be reared as a forest.

18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of darkness and obscurity.

19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the needy shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

20 For the oppressor is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that incite to iniquity are cut off,

21 Those who cause men to sin by the word, and lay a snare for him that reproves, and turn aside the righteous into darkness.

22 Therefore thus says the LORD, who saved Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now grow pale.

23 But when his children see the work of my hands in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and shall glorify the God of Israel.

24 The foolish ones also whose spirit erred shall come to understanding, and fools shall learn to be obedient.