5. But your many enemies will be like fine dust,the terrible horde like passing chaff.Suddenly, in an instant,
6. the Lord of heavenly forces will come to you with thunder, earthquake, and a mighty voice,with whirlwind, tempest, and flames of devouring fire.
7. The horde of nations fighting against Ariel,and all who make war on her and her fortress and besiege her,will be like a dream, a vision of the night.
8. It will be like when a hungry person dreams of eatingbut wakes up and the mouth is empty.Or when a thirsty person dreams of drinkingbut wakes up and has a dry throat.So will it be for all the horde of nationswho fight against Mount Zion.
9. Be shocked and stunned;blind yourselves; be blind!Be drunk, but not on wine;stagger, but not on account of beer!
10. The Lord has poured on you a spirit of deep sleep,and has shut your eyes, you prophets,and covered your heads, you seers.
11. This entire vision has become for you like the words of a sealed scroll. When they give it to one who can read, saying, "Read this," that one will say, "I can’t, because it’s sealed."
12. And when the scroll is given to one who can’t read, saying, "Read this," that one will say, "I can’t read."
13. The Lord says:Since these people turn toward me with their mouths,and honor me with lip servicewhile their heart is distant from me,and their fear of me is just a human command that has been memorized,
14. I will go on doing amazing things to these people,shocking and startling things.The wisdom of their wise will perish,and the discernment of their discerning will be hidden.
15. Doom to those who hide their plan deep, away from the Lord, whose deeds are in the dark,who say, "Who sees us? Who knows us?"
16. You have everything backward!Should the potter be thought of as clay?Should what is made say of its maker,"He didn’t make me"?Should what is shaped say of the one who shaped it,"He doesn’t understand"?