WOE to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.
2 Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.
3 And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.
4 And 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.
5 Moreover 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.
6 Thou 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.
7 And 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.
8 It 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.
9 Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
10 For 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.
11 And 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:
12 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.
13 Wherefore 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:
14 Therefore, 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.
15 Woe 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?
16 Surely 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?
17 Is 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?
18 And 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.
19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
20 For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
21 That 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.
22 Therefore 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.
23 But 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.

1Woe to Ariel, to Ariel the citie where Dauid dwelt: adde yee yeere to yeere; let them kill sacrifices.

2Yet I will distresse Ariel, and there shalbe heauinesse and sorrow; and it shall be vnto mee as Ariel.

3And I will campe against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.

4And thou shalt bee brought downe, and shalt speake out of the ground, and thy speach shall be low out of the dust, and thy voyce shalbe as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speach shall whisper out of the dust.

5Moreouer the multitude of thy strangers shalbe like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shalbe as chaffe, that passeth away; yea it shalbe at an instant suddenly.

6Thou shalt bee visited of the Lord of hostes with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storme and tempest, and the flame of deuouring fire.

7 And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, euen all that fight against her and her munition, and that distresse her, shalbe as a dreame of a night vision.

8It shall euen be as when a hungry man dreameth, and behold he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soule is emptie: or as when a thirstie man dreameth, and behold he drinketh; but hee awaketh, and behold he is faint, and his soule hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations bee, that fight against mount Zion.

9 Stay your selues and wonder, cry yee out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine, they stagger, but not with strong drinke.

10For the Lord hath powred out vpon you the spirit of deepe sleepe, and hath closed your eyes: the Prophets and your rulers, the Seers hath hee couered.

11And the vsion of all is become vnto you, as the wordes of a booke that is sealed, which men deliuer to one that is learned, saying, Reade this, I pray thee: and hee saith, I cannot, for it is sealed.

12And the booke is deliuered to him that is not learned, saying, Reade this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.

13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw neere mee with their mouth, and with their lips doe honour me, but haue remoued their heart farre from me, and their feare towards mee is taught by the precept of men:

14Therefore behold, I will proceed to do a marueilous worke amongst this people, euen a marueilous worke and a wonder: for the wisedome of their wise men shall perish, and the vnderstanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

15Woe vnto them that seeke deepe to hide their counsell from the Lord, and their workes are in the darke, and they say, Who seeth vs? and who knoweth vs?

16Surely your turning of things vpside downe shall be esteemed as the potters clay: for shall the worke say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed, say of him that framed it, He had no vnderstanding?

17Is it not yet a very litle while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitfull field shall be esteemed as a forrest?

18 And in that day shall the deafe heare the words of the booke, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscuritie, and out of darkenesse.

19The meeke also shall increase their ioy in the Lord, and the poore among men shall reioice in the holy One of Israel.

20For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquitie are cut off:

21That make a man an offendour for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproueth in the gate, and turne aside the iust for a thing of nought.

22Therefore thus saith the Lord who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Iacob: Iacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now waxe pale.

23But when hee seeth his children the worke of mine hands in the midst of him, they shall sanctifie my Name, and sanctifie the Holy One of Iacob, and shall feare the God of Israel.

24They also that erred in spirit shall come to vnderstanding, and they that murmured, shall learne doctrine.

I == 2nd Sam 5:9 ; Ezek 43:15-16

IV == Isa 8:19

V == Job 21:18 ; Isa 17:13 ; 25:5 ; 30:13

VI == Isa 28:2 ; 30:30

VII == Job 20:8 ; Isa 37:36

VIII == Ps 73:20

IX == Isa 28:7-8 ; 51:21

X == 1st Sam 9:9 ; Ps 69:23 ; Isa 6:10 ; Rom 11:8

XI == Isa 8:16 ; Dan 12:4 , 9 ; Rev 5:1-5 , 9 ; 6:1

XIII == Ezek 33:31 ; Matt 15:8-9 ; Mark 7:6-7

XIV == Jer 49:7 ; Obad 1:8 ; Hab 1:5 ; 1st Cor 1:19

XV == Ps 94:7 ; Isa 30:1

XVI == Isa 45:9 ; Rom 9:20

XVII == Isa 32:15

XVIII == Isa 35:5

IX == Isa 61:1 ; James 2:5

XX == Isa 28:14 , 22 ; Mic 2:1

XXI == Prov 28:21 ; Amos 5:10 , 12

XXII == Josh 24:3

XXIII == Isa 19:25 ; 45:11 ; 60:21 ; Eph 2:10

XXIV == Isa 28:7

1 Woe to Ariel, Ariel, the city where David encamped! Add year to year, let the feasts come round.

2 But I will bring distress upon Ariel, with mourning and grief. You shall be to me like Ariel,

3 I will encamp like David against you; I will encircle you with outposts and set up siege works against you.

4 Prostrate you shall speak from the earth, and from the base dust your words shall come. Your voice shall be like a ghost's from the earth, and your words like chirping from the dust.

5 The horde of your arrogant shall be like fine dust, the horde of the tyrants like flying chaff. Then suddenly, in an instant,

6 you shall be visited by the LORD of hosts, With thunder, earthquake, and great noise, whirlwind, storm, and the flame of consuming fire.

7 Then like a dream, a vision in the night, Shall be the horde of all the nations who war against Ariel with all the earthworks of her besiegers.

8 As when a hungry man dreams he is eating and awakens with an empty stomach, Or when a thirsty man dreams he is drinking and awakens faint and dry, So shall the horde of all the nations be, who make war against Zion.

9 Be irresolute, stupefied; blind yourselves and stay blind! Be drunk, but not from wine, stagger, but not from strong drink!

10 For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes (the prophets) and covered your heads (the seers).

11 For you the revelation of all this has become like the words of a sealed scroll. When it is handed to one who can read, with the request, "Read this," he replies, "I cannot; it is sealed."

12 When it is handed to one who cannot read, with the request, "Read this," he replies, "I cannot read."

13 The Lord said: Since this people draws near with words only and honors me with their lips alone, though their hearts are far from me, And their reverence for me has become routine observance of the precepts of men,

14 Therefore I will again deal with this people in surprising and wondrous fashion: The wisdom of its wise men shall perish and the understanding of its prudent men be hid.

15 Woe to those who would hide their plans too deep for the LORD! Who work in the dark, saying, "Who sees us, or who knows us?"

16 Your perversity is as though the potter were taken to be the clay: As though what is made should say of its maker, "He made me not!" Or the vessel should say of the potter, "He does not understand."

17 But a very little while, and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard, and the orchard be regarded as a forest!

18 On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see.

19 The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

20 For the tyrant will be no more and the arrogant will have gone; All who are alert to do evil will be cut off,

21 those whose mere word condemns a man, Who ensnare his defender at the gate, and leave the just man with an empty claim.

22 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham: Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of, nor shall his face grow pale.

23 When his children see the work of my hands in his midst, They shall keep my name holy; they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob, and be in awe of the God of Israel.

24 Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding, and those who find fault shall receive instruction.

v 1-4. Ariel obviously refers to Jerusalem, the place where David dwelt and the place of the altar. Woe to that city because it would be made like an altar of blood, and in the siege the people would speak softly instead of proud boasting.

v 5-8. Jerusalem’s enemies, though numerous, would be destroyed like chaff, when Sennacherib lost 185,000 in one night by the Lord. Her enemies would not be satisfied any more than in a dream. This looks forward to Christ’s Second Coming.

v 9-12. Judah had a problem with alcoholism, but this drunkenness was from materialism and secularism which made them insensitive and blind to God’s truth. Their blindness was a part of God’s judgment on their actions.

v 13,14. To honor God with the lips but not the heart will bring judgment.

v 15,16. God pronounces woe on those who are trying to hide their actions from the Lord. It was as though they were clay and thought they knew more than the potter. “He made me not” is like the evolutionists of today. Likewise regarding understanding, Neo-orthodoxy says the Bible merely “contains” the Word of God so we can select.

v 17-21. This looks ahead to the Millennium when the needy will rejoice in God.

v 22-24. The attitude of the people will change. They will be no longer blind but will accept the instruction of the Lord.