Wednesday 27 June 2018

Isaiah 24

Should ארץ be land here or earth? Is this a generalized apocalypse or is the poem more localized as with Egypt (19), Babylon (21 and Jeremiah 51), Tyre and Sidon (23)?  The final verse is apocalyptic in tone. Note the white and the warmth as circumlocutions for other things in verse 24. There are hints in the images of faithfulness of those outside the land (verses 14-16) that this is not a generalized apocalypse about the wider earth. I would not expect 'earth' to be written by the prophet with our sense of the global community.

Music seems important for this poetic passage. I had looked at this 5 years ago. It was among the first parts of Isaiah I read before many of my techniques for reading and transcribing the music were done.


Isaiah 24 Fn Min Max Syll
הִנֵּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה בּוֹקֵ֥ק הָאָ֖רֶץ וּבֽוֹלְקָ֑הּ
וְעִוָּ֣ה פָנֶ֔יהָ וְהֵפִ֖יץ יֹשְׁבֶֽיהָ
1 Behold, Yahweh has evacuated the land, and depopulated her,
and made her face wretched, and dispersed her inhabitants.
3c 4B 12
12
וְהָיָ֤ה כָעָם֙ כַּכֹּהֵ֔ן כַּעֶ֙בֶד֙ כַּֽאדֹנָ֔יו כַּשִּׁפְחָ֖ה כַּגְּבִרְתָּ֑הּ
כַּקּוֹנֶה֙ כַּמּוֹכֵ֔ר כַּמַּלְוֶה֙ כַּלֹּוֶ֔ה כַּנֹּשֶׁ֕ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר נֹשֶׁ֥א בֽוֹ
2 And it will happen, as people, as priest, as servant, as his lord, as handmaid, as her mistress,
as buyer, as seller, as lender, as borrower, as the usurious, as those allured by it.
3e 4C 20
21
הִבּ֧וֹק ׀ תִּבּ֛וֹק הָאָ֖רֶץ וְהִבּ֣וֹז ׀ תִּבּ֑וֹז
כִּ֣י יְהוָ֔ה דִּבֶּ֖ר אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה
3 Evacuated, the land is evacuated, and looted, despoiled,
for Yahweh has spoken this word.
3c 4B 12
11
אָבְלָ֤ה נָֽבְלָה֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ אֻמְלְלָ֥ה נָבְלָ֖ה תֵּבֵ֑ל
אֻמְלָ֖לוּ מְר֥וֹם עַם־הָאָֽרֶץ
4 The land fades, lamenting, a world enfeebled, fades.
Enfeebled are the exalted people of the land.
3e 4C 14
9
וְהָאָ֥רֶץ חָנְפָ֖ה תַּ֣חַת יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ
כִּֽי־עָבְר֤וּ תוֹרֹת֙ חָ֣לְפוּ חֹ֔ק הֵפֵ֖רוּ בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם
5 And the land is polluted under her inhabitants,
for they passed beyond instruction, they adapted decree, they thwarted an everlasting covenant.
3e 4C 11
15
עַל־כֵּ֗ן אָלָה֙ אָ֣כְלָה אֶ֔רֶץ וַֽיֶּאְשְׁמ֖וּ יֹ֣שְׁבֵי בָ֑הּ
עַל־כֵּ֗ן חָרוּ֙ יֹ֣שְׁבֵי אֶ֔רֶץ וְנִשְׁאַ֥ר אֱנ֖וֹשׁ מִזְעָֽר
6 Therefore censure devoured earth, and her inhabitants were declared guilty.
Therefore scorched are the inhabitants of the land. Mortals were bereft and far between.
3e 4B 15
15
אָבַ֥ל תִּיר֖וֹשׁ אֻמְלְלָה־גָ֑פֶן
נֶאֶנְח֖וּ כָּל־שִׂמְחֵי־לֵֽב
7 New wine laments. Vine is enfeebled.
All who are glad in heart sigh.
3e 4A 9
7
שָׁבַת֙ מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ תֻּפִּ֔ים חָדַ֖ל שְׁא֣וֹן עַלִּיזִ֑ים
שָׁבַ֖ת מְשׂ֥וֹשׂ כִּנּֽוֹר
8 Ceased is the joy of timbrels, set aside the noise of exultation.
Ceased is the joy of harp.
3e 4B 13
6
בַּשִּׁ֖יר לֹ֣א יִשְׁתּוּ־יָ֑יִן
יֵמַ֥ר שֵׁכָ֖ר לְשֹׁתָֽיו
9 With a song, they will not imbibe wine.
Bitter is strong drink to one who imbibes.
3e 4B 6
7
נִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה קִרְיַת־תֹּ֑הוּ
סֻגַּ֥ר כָּל־בַּ֖יִת מִבּֽוֹא
10 Broken is the town of disorder.
Latched is every house to entry.
3e 4A 7
7
צְוָחָ֥ה עַל־הַיַּ֖יִן בַּֽחוּצ֑וֹת
עָֽרְבָה֙ כָּל־שִׂמְחָ֔ה גָּלָ֖ה מְשׂ֥וֹשׂ הָאָֽרֶץ
11 Complaint over the wine in the streets,
the evening of all gladness. Exiled is the joy of the land.
3e 4A 9
12
נִשְׁאַ֥ר בָּעִ֖יר שַׁמָּ֑ה
וּשְׁאִיָּ֖ה יֻכַּת־שָֽׁעַר
12 Bereft in the city is desolation,
and the noise of the beating of a gate.
3e 4A 6
7
כִּ֣י כֹ֥ה יִהְיֶ֛ה בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָ֖רֶץ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָֽעַמִּ֑ים
כְּנֹ֣קֶף זַ֔יִת כְּעוֹלֵלֹ֖ת אִם־כָּלָ֥ה בָצִֽיר
13 B For thus it will be within the land in the midst of the peoples,
like the strikings off of an olive tree, as the grape-gleanings when the vintage is finished.
3d 4B 15
14
הֵ֛מָּה יִשְׂא֥וּ קוֹלָ֖ם יָרֹ֑נּוּ
בִּגְא֣וֹן יְהוָ֔ה צָהֲל֖וּ מִיָּֽם
14 d They themselves will lift up their voice. Let them shout for joy.
In the pride of Yahweh, they will neigh from the sea.
3d 4B 9
9
עַל־כֵּ֥ן בָּאֻרִ֖ים כַּבְּד֣וּ יְהוָ֑ה
בְּאִיֵּ֣י הַיָּ֔ם שֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
15 Therefore, in the lights, glorify Yahweh.
In the islands of the sea, the name of Yahweh the God of Israel.
3e 4B 9
14
מִכְּנַ֨ף הָאָ֜רֶץ זְמִרֹ֤ת שָׁמַ֙עְנוּ֙ צְבִ֣י לַצַּדִּ֔יק וָאֹמַ֛ר רָזִי־לִ֥י רָֽזִי־לִ֖י א֣וֹי לִ֑י
בֹּגְדִ֣ים בָּגָ֔דוּ וּבֶ֥גֶד בּוֹגְדִ֖ים בָּגָֽדוּ
16 From the hem of the land, we have heard a psalm, the estate of a righteous one. And I said, My leanness is mine. My leanness is mine. Woe is mine.
The treacherous have been treacherous, and the treachery of the treacherous is treacherous.
3d 4C 28
13
פַּ֥חַד וָפַ֖חַת וָפָ֑ח
עָלֶ֖יךָ יוֹשֵׁ֥ב הָאָֽרֶץ
17 f Dread and crater and snare,
are upon you, O inhabitant of the land.
3e 4A 7
8
וְֽ֠הָיָה הַנָּ֞ס מִקּ֤וֹל הַפַּ֙חַד֙ יִפֹּ֣ל אֶל־הַפַּ֔חַת וְהָֽעוֹלֶה֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַפַּ֔חַת יִלָּכֵ֖ד בַּפָּ֑ח
כִּֽי־אֲרֻבּ֤וֹת מִמָּרוֹם֙ נִפְתָּ֔חוּ וַֽיִּרְעֲשׁ֖וּ מ֥וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ
18 And it will happen that who withdraws from the voice of dread, will fall into the crater, and who comes up from the midst of the crater, will be caught in the snare,
for the slits from on high are set wide open, and the foundations of earth will quake.
3e 4C 30
17
רֹ֥עָה הִֽתְרֹעֲעָ֖ה הָאָ֑רֶץ
פּ֤וֹר הִֽתְפּוֹרְרָה֙ אֶ֔רֶץ מ֥וֹט הִֽתְמוֹטְטָ֖ה אָֽרֶץ
19 f Evil, the land is evil. Annulled, earth is annulled.
Moved, earth is moved.
3e 4C 9
12
נ֣וֹעַ תָּנ֤וּעַ אֶ֙רֶץ֙ כַּשִּׁכּ֔וֹר וְהִֽתְנוֹדְדָ֖ה כַּמְּלוּנָ֑ה
וְכָבַ֤ד עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ פִּשְׁעָ֔הּ וְנָפְלָ֖ה וְלֹא־תֹסִ֥יף קֽוּם
20 B Tottering, earth is tottering as if intoxicated, and will be a heap as a lodge.
And heavy over her is her transgression. And she will fall and not again arise.
3e 4C 17
15
וְהָיָה֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא יִפְקֹ֧ד יְהוָ֛ה עַל־צְבָ֥א הַמָּר֖וֹם בַּמָּר֑וֹם
וְעַל־מַלְכֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָ֖ה עַל־הָאֲדָמָֽה
21 And it will happen in that day, Yahweh will visit the host of the exalted on high,
and the sovereigns of humanity on the ground.
3c 4B 20
13
וְאֻסְּפ֨וּ אֲסֵפָ֤ה אַסִּיר֙ עַל־בּ֔וֹר וְסֻגְּר֖וּ עַל־מַסְגֵּ֑ר
וּמֵרֹ֥ב יָמִ֖ים יִפָּקֵֽדוּ
22 And they will be gathered as prisoners are gathered over a pit, and are imprisoned in prison.
And after many days they will be visited.
3e 4C 16
9
וְחָֽפְרָה֙ הַלְּבָנָ֔ה וּבוֹשָׁ֖ה הַֽחַמָּ֑ה
כִּֽי־מָלַ֞ךְ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת בְּהַ֤ר צִיּוֹן֙ וּבִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְנֶ֥גֶד זְקֵנָ֖יו כָּבֽוֹד
23 And the white will be confounded and the warmth will be ashamed,
for Yahweh of hosts will reign on the hill of Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his elders in glory.
3e 4C 12
24


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