מַשָּׂא גֵּיא חִזָּיוֹן מַה לָּךְ אֵפוֹא כִּי עָלִית כֻּלָּךְ לַגַּגּוֹת!

A prophecy of the Valley of Vision, a symbolic name for Jerusalem, which was a place of inspiration for visions, including ominous ones: What, indeed, is with you, that you all went up to the roofs, to spot approaching enemies? Alternatively, perhaps the prophet was criticizing those who ascended to the roofs in order to enjoy parties there, as there is usually more open space on roofs than inside houses.

תְּשֻׁאוֹת מְלֵאָה עִיר הוֹמִיָּה קִרְיָה עַלִּיזָה חֲלָלַיִךְ לֹא חַלְלֵי חֶרֶב וְלֹא מֵתֵי מִלְחָמָה

It is a boisterous city full of revelry, a merry, tumultuous town, bustling with excitement. Up to this point, your slain are not victims of the sword, and not dead from war; previous incidents of tragic deaths in Jerusalem had not been caused by external enemies. It is possible that this expression alludes to the destructive results of debauchery and drunkenness.

כָּל קְצִינַיִךְ נָדְדוּ יַחַד מִקֶּשֶׁת אֻסָּרוּ כָּל נִמְצָאַיִךְ אֻסְּרוּ יַחְדָּו מֵרָחוֹק בָּרָחוּ

All of your military officers wandered together, seeking to flee from the city; from the bow they were bound, as though they were tied up and unable to shoot with their bows. All those found among you were bound together, as if they had been handed over to the enemy, while the military officers, who were charged with leading the defense of the people, fled to a great distance to seek refuge (see also 23:7, 59:14).

עַל כֵּן אָמַרְתִּי שְׁעוּ מִנִּי אֲמָרֵר בַּבֶּכִי אַל תָּאִיצוּ לְנַחֲמֵנִי עַל שֹׁד בַּת עַמִּי

Therefore I said: Turn from me; I will weep bitterly. Do not rush to comfort me over the tragic depredation of the daughter of my people.

כִּי יוֹם מְהוּמָה וּמְבוּסָה וּמְבוּכָה לַה' אֱלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת בְּגֵי חִזָּיוֹן מְקַרְקַר קִר וְשׁוֹעַ אֶל הָהָר

For it is a day of panic, rout, and confusion, from the Lord, God of hosts, in the Valley of Vision. Over the course of the past few centuries, Jerusalem had been besieged on only a few rare occasions, and was therefore not accustomed to preparations for military conflict, and would be gripped with panic, chaos, and bewilderment as the enemy surrounded the city, undermining its walls [m’karkar kir], or making noise like that of falling walls, and turning to the mountain [v’shoa el hahar] in order to prepare for the attack.

ונָשָׂא אַשְׁפָּה בְּרֶכֶב אָדָם פָּרָשִׁים וְקִיר עֵרָה מָגֵן

The mighty Assyrian army incorporated other, smaller forces, including that of Elam, whose warriors were mainly archers who carried the quiver, among chariots of men and horsemen. And Kir, the name of a northern nation, bore a shield. Alternatively, this means: Kir built a siege wall opposite the city.

וַיְהִי מִבְחַר עֲמָקַיִךְ מָלְאוּ רָכֶב וְהַפָּרָשִׁים שֹׁת שָׁתוּ הַשָּׁעְרָה

Your choicest valleys, a reference to Jerusalem, were filled with chariots, and the horsemen directed themselves to the city’s gate in preparation for battle.

וַיְגַל אֵת מָסַךְ יְהוּדָה וַתַּבֵּט בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶל נֶשֶׁק בֵּית הַיָּעַר

He uncovered the proverbial screen of the Kingdom of Judah which had concealed its vulnerability. After many years during which Judah did not have to test its military capabilities, the time had arrived when they needed to be exposed and examined. And you looked on that day to inspect and assess the arms of the House of the Forest, the main weapons depot, elsewhere known as “The House of the Forest of Lebanon.”

וְאֵת בְּקִיעֵי עִיר דָּוִד רְאִיתֶם כִּי רָבּוּ וַתְּקַבְּצוּ אֶת מֵי הַבְּרֵכָה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה

Those of you who examined the walls saw that the breaches in the walls of the City of David were many, and you also collected the water of the lower pool to bring it into the city.

וְאֶת בָּתֵּי יְרוּשָׁלִַם סְפַרְתֶּם וַתִּתְצוּ הַבָּתִּים לְבַצֵּר הַחוֹמָה

You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you demolished some of the houses in order to use their stones to fortify the wall and fill in the breaches you had found.

וּמִקְוָה עֲשִׂיתֶם בֵּין הַחֹמֹתַיִם לְמֵי הַבְּרֵכָה הַיְשָׁנָה וְלֹא הִבַּטְתֶּם אֶל עֹשֶׂיהָ וְיֹצְרָהּ מֵרָחוֹק לֹא רְאִיתֶם

You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. Like other cities, Jerusalem was protected by a double wall in some sections. You performed all these preparations for the siege, but despite the flurry of activity to fortify the city, you did not look to its Maker, and you did not look to its Fashioner in the distant past.

וַיִּקְרָא ה'אֳלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לִבְכִי וּלְמִסְפֵּד וּלְקָרְחָה וְלַחֲגֹר שָׂק

The Lord, God of hosts, called, on that day, for weeping, for lamentation, for making a bald patch, and for donning sackcloth, all expressions of mourning. A great danger hung over Jerusalem, and it appeared that the end of the kingdom was approaching.

וְהִנֵּה שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה הָרֹג בָּקָר וְשָׁחֹט צֹאן אָכֹל בָּשָׂר וְשָׁתוֹת יָיִן אָכוֹל וְשָׁתוֹ כִּי מָחָר נָמוּת

And behold, the people’s reaction was the opposite of what was necessary: Gladness and joy in the city, and killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, and eating meat and drinking wine. The prevailing attitude in these dire circumstances was: Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die!

וְנִגְלָה בְאָזְנָי ה' צְבָאוֹת אִם יְכֻפַּר הֶעָוֹן הַזֶּה לָכֶם עַד תְּמֻתוּן אָמַר ה'אֳלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת

Thus says the Lord of hosts: This matter was revealed in my ears. This iniquity of your apathy and obtuseness shall not be atoned for until you die, said the Lord, God of hosts.

כֹּה אָמַר ה'אֳלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת לֶךְ בֹּא אֶל הַסֹּכֵן הַזֶּה עַל שֶׁבְנָא אֲשֶׁר עַל הַבָּיִת

So said the Lord God of hosts: Go, come to this official, to Shevna, who is over the house. This title refers to a position that also existed under other kings of Judah and Israel. He was not only in charge of all the requirements of the king’s household, but also over the various other government officials; he functioned as a kind of prime minister. In the medieval Carolingian Empire there was a similar title: The most powerful person in the state was called the majordomus, head of the house.

מַה לְּךָ פֹה וּמִי לְךָ פֹה כִּי חָצַבְתָּ לְּךָ פֹּה קָבֶר! חֹצְבִי מָרוֹם קִבְרוֹ חֹקְקִי בַסֶּלַע מִשְׁכָּן לוֹ

Say to him: What do you have here and whom do you have here, that you have hewn a grave here for yourself? Amongst his other dealings, Shevna had exerted efforts to prepare a burial place that would fit his exalted status. The prophet elaborates: He who hews his grave on high, he who carves in rock to make an abode for himself. By selecting a grand burial spot for himself, Shevna was signaling that although he was not the king, he was actually the one who wielded power in the kingdom.

הִנֵּה ה' מְטַלְטֶלְךָ טַלְטֵלָה גָּבֶר וְעֹטְךָ עָטֹה

Behold, the Lord will hurl you violently, and He will wrap you up, like a mourner or a leper.

צָנוֹף יִצְנָפְךָ צְנֵפָה כַּדּוּר אֶל אֶרֶץ רַחֲבַת יָדָיִם שָׁמָּה תָמוּת וְשָׁמָּה מַרְכְּבוֹת כְּבוֹדֶךָ קְלוֹן בֵּית אֲדֹנֶיךָ

For He will wind you, wrap you up, and roll you like a toy ball kicked away (see also 29:3) to an expansive land, the great kingdom of Assyria. There you will die, and there your chariots of glory will be thrown down, as they are the shame of your master’s house.

וַהֲדַפְתִּיךָ מִמַּצָּבֶךָ וּמִמַּעֲמָדְךָ יֶהֶרְסֶךָ

I will expel you from your current position, and from your lofty status will you fall and meet disaster.

וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְקָרָאתִי לְעַבְדִּי לְאֶלְיָקִים בֶּן חִלְקִיָּהוּ

It will be on that day that I will call upon My servant Elyakim son of Hilkiyahu, to take over your position. Later on, Elyakim is mentioned with the title: Who is over the house (36:3), indicating that he did indeed replace Shevna.

וְהִלְבַּשְׁתִּיו כֻּתָּנְתֶּךָ וְאַבְנֵטְךָ אֲחַזְּקֶנּוּ וּמֶמְשַׁלְתְּךָ אֶתֵּן בְּיָדוֹ וְהָיָה לְאָב לְיוֹשֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלִַם וּלְבֵית יְהוּדָה

I will clothe him with your tunic and gird him with your sash, as your ceremonial garments will be transferred to him, and I will deliver your government into his hand, and he will be a father, a guide and head of the community, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. As opposed to you, he will be faithful and dedicated to the people, and he will not betray them by seeking his own personal benefit.

וְנָתַתִּי מַפְתֵּחַ בֵּית דָּוִד עַל שִׁכְמוֹ וּפָתַח וְאֵין סֹגֵר וְסָגַר וְאֵין פֹּתֵחַ

I will place the key of the house of David on his shoulder, as ministers in charge of the king’s house would typically carry large keys as a symbol of their authority. In general, keys and locks in those times were far bigger than they are today. He will open and no one will close; he will close and no one will open. He will be exclusively responsible for the matters of government.

וּתְקַעְתִּיו יָתֵד בְּמָקוֹם נֶאֱמָן וְהָיָה לְכִסֵּא כָבוֹד לְבֵית אָבִיו

I will affix him as a peg in a secure place, where it will hold strong, and he will become a throne of honor for the house of his father. His family will take pride in him.

וְתָלוּ עָלָיו כֹּל כְּבוֹד בֵּית אָבִיו וְהַצְּפִעוֹת כֹּל כְּלֵי הַקָּטָן מִכְּלֵי הָאַגָּנוֹת וְעַד כָּל כְּלֵי הַנְּבָלִים

Continuing with the image of a peg affixed securely in the wall: They will hang upon him all the honor of the house of his father, the sons and the daughters, as he will be like a father to the house of Judah, and all the small vessels, from the earthenware cups or mugs to all the earthenware flasks, or musical instruments. Everyone will rely on Elyakim, the secure peg, and even small matters will depend on him.

בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא נְאֻם ה' צְבָאוֹת תָּמוּשׁ הַיָּתֵד הַתְּקוּעָה בְּמָקוֹם נֶאֱמָן וְנִגְדְּעָה וְנָפְלָה וְנִכְרַת הַמַּשָּׂא אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ כִּי ה' דִּבֵּר

However, even Shevna’s replacement, who will feel secure in his role, will eventually fall. On that day – the utterance of the Lord of hosts – the peg that is affixed in a secure place will give way. It will be severed and it will fall, and the burden that was on it, all the earthenware vessels that were hung upon the peg, will be entirely eliminated, for the Lord has spoken.