[7] “And thy children shall build up the ancient ruins.”—Cheyne.
[8] “So as not to do after thy word, nor pursue thy business, nor speak words.”—Cheyne. “Nor using idle talk.”—Jones, Birks.
second prophecy.—chap. lix.
The Existing Wall of Partition Broken Down at Last.
1. Behold, Jehovah’s hand is not too short to help, nor His ear too heavy to hear; 2. but your iniquities have become a party-wall between you and your God and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear. 3. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips speak lies, your tongue murmurs wickedness.
4. No one speaks with justice, and no one pleads with faithfulness; men trust in vanity, and speak with deception;[1] they conceive trouble, and bring forth ruin. 5. They hatch basilisks’ eggs, and weave spiders’ webs. He that eateth of their eggs must die; and if one is trodden upon, it splits into an adder. 6. Their webs do not suffice for clothing,[2] and men cannot cover themselves with their works: their works are works of ruin, and the practice of injustice is in their hands. 7. Their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of wickedness; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8. The way of peace they know not, and there is no right in their roads: they make their paths crooked: every one who treads upon them knows no peace.
9. Therefore right remains far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold darkness; for brightness—we walk in thick darkness. 10. We grope along the wall like the blind, and like eyeless men we grope: we stumble in the light of noon-day as in the darkness, and among the living like the dead.[3] 11. We roar all like bears, and moan deeply like doves; we hope for right, and it cometh not; for salvation—it remaineth far from us.
12. For our transgressions are many before Thee, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are known to us, and our evil deeds well known: 13. apostasy and denial of Jehovah, and turning back from following our God, oppressive and false speaking,[4] conceiving and giving out from the heart words of falsehood. 14. And right is forced back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the market-place,[5] and honesty finds no admission. 15. And truth became missing, and he who avoids evil is outlawed.
And Jehovah saw it, and it was displeasing in His eyes, that there was no right. 16. And He saw that there was not a man anywhere, and was astonished that there was nowhere an intercessor: then His arm brought Him help and His righteousness became His stay. 17. And He put on righteousness as a coat of mail, and the helmet of salvation upon His head; and put on garments of vengeance as armour, and clothed Himself in zeal as in a cloak. 18. According to the deeds, accordingly He will repay; burning wrath to His adversaries, punishment to His foes; the islands He will repay with chastisement.[6]
19. And they will fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun: for He will come like a stream dammed up, which a tempest of Jehovah drives away.[7] 20. And a Redeemer comes from Zion, and for those who turn from apostasy in Jacob, saith Jehovah.