chaldee-paraphraseapocrypha
Targum Isaiah 24
The Targum's rendering of Isaiah 24 sharpens every stroke: the land's desolation is explicitly legal — transgression of the Law, cessation of the festivals (the Moedim), and breach of the everlasting covenant — making the judgment covenantal rather than merely political. The leveling of every social rank, from priest to laity, buyer to seller, signals no exemption from covenant consequence. Amid the ruin, a scattered remnant of the righteous — gleaned like olives after harvest — lifts praise for the WORD of the Lord, a targumist identification of the redemptive agent. The prophet then declares a sealed double-secret: reward hidden for the righteous, punishment sealed for the wicked. The chapter closes with celestial and royal powers imprisoned and the glory of Jehovah revealed in Zion before His elders.
1
Behold, the Lord shall spoil the land and deliver it over to the enemy; and confusion shall cover the faces of the princes, because they have transgressed the law, and scattered its inhabitants.
2
And it shall be, as with the laity, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the handmaid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the borrower, so with the lender: as with the giver of usury, so with the usurer.
3
The land shall be utterly destroyed, it shall be utterly trampled under foot; for the Lord hath spoken this word.
4
The land mourneth, it is laid desolate; the world is laid waste, it is laid desolate: the strength of the people of the land hath come to an end.
5
The land hath become guilty beneath her inhabitants, because they have transgressed the law, and they have made the festivals to cease, they have changed the everlasting covenant.
6
Because of perjury the land hath become a desert, and all the inhabitants in it are laid desolate: therefore are the inhabitants of the land destroyed, and the men that are left are but few.
7
All that drink wine mourn, because the vines are broken down, all the merry-hearted sigh.
8
The mirth of tabrets ceaseth; the tumultuous assembly of the mighty is restrained, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
9
They shall no more drink wine with songs; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
10
Their city is broken down, and laid desolate: all their houses are shut up, so that no one can enter.
11
They cry for wine in the streets; all joy is ended: all gladness is removed from the land.
12
Desolation is left in the city, and there is a tumult in the destruction of the gates.
13
When thus the righteous shall be left alone in the midst of the earth, among the kingdoms, as the shaking of olives, as the gleaning of grapes after the vintage.
14
They shall lift up their voice, they shall praise on account of the WORD of the Lord: they shall rejoice as they rejoiced on account of the mighty works which were done for them by the sea.
15
When light shall come to the righteous, they shall glorify the Lord: in the islands of the sea they shall laud and bless the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
16
From the house of the sanctuary, yea, from thence joy shall go forth to all the inhabitants of the earth, for we have heard the praise of the righteous! The prophet said, a secret! A reward to the righteous is shown to me, a secret! A punishment for the wicked is revealed to me. Woe to the oppressors, for they shall be oppressed; and to those who spoil, for, behold, they shall be spoiled.
17
The terror, the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the land.
18
And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from before the terror, he shall fall into the midst of the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for mighty works are done in the heavens, therefore the foundations of the earth quake.
19
The land is terribly shaken, the land terribly reeleth to and fro, the land is utterly broken.
20
The land is utterly cast down like a drunkard, she is totterings like a couch: and her sins are heavy upon her: she shall fall, and rise no more.
21
And it shall come to pass at that time, that the Lord shall punish the mighty host that is dwelling in power, and the kings, the sons of men, who are dwelling upon the earth.
22
And they shall be utterly gathered for the prison, and they shall be shut up in the dungeon, and after many days they shall be remembered.
23
And they shall be confounded that worship the moon, and they shall be ashamed that worship the sun; because the power of the Lord of hosts shall be revealed in mount Sion, and before the elders of his people in glory.
