Targum Isaiah

1Woe that He gave a crown to the proud and foolish prince of Israel, and that He gave a diadem to the wicked of the house of the sanctuary of His praise; they who are at the head of the valley of fatness are smitten with wine.

2Behold, plagues, strong and mighty, are coming from the Lord: like a storm of hail, like a whirlwind, like a storm of mighty waters, overflowing, thus the nations shall come upon them, and shall lead them into captivity to another land on account of the sins which are in their hands.

3The crown of the pride of the foolish prince of Israel shall be trodden down with feet.

4And the diadem, which He gave to the wicked of the house of the sanctuary of His praise, which is on the head of the valley of fatness, shall be as the first ripe fig before the summer, which, when one sees it, no sooner is it in the hand, than one devours it.

5At that time, the Messiah of the Lord of hosts shall be for a crown of rejoicing, and for a crown of praise to the remnant of His people:

6For a word of true judgments to them that sit in the house of justice, in order that they should judge according to truth; and to give victory to them that are going forth into battle, to bring them back in peace to their homes.

7But verily these are drunk with wine, they are swallowed up of old wine: the priest and the scribe are drunk, in old wine they are swallowed up: on account of wine they have erred; they are turned after sweet food; their judges have erred.

8Because all their tables are full of polluted and loathsome food: they have not a spot free from rapine.

9To whom was the law given? and to whom was the command given to understand wisdom? Was it not to the house of Israel, who were beloved above all nations, and beloved above all the kingdoms?

10Surely, they were commanded to do the law; but what they were commanded, they were not willing to do. The prophets prophesied unto them, that if they would repent, it should be forgiven them; but they did not obey the words of the prophets: they walked after the desire of their soul, neither did they desire to do my law. They hoped to have idolatrous worship established among them, and they did not consider the worship of the house of my sanctuary: to worship in the house of my sanctuary was as a little thing in their eyes, my Shekinah was as a little thing in their eyes.

11Because with feigned speech, and with mocking language, this people mocked the prophets, who prophesies unto them.

12The prophets said unto them, This is the house of the sanctuary, worship ye in it: and this is the possession in which there is rest; but they would not accept instructions.

13This shall be the cup of their punishment, because they have transgressed the word of the Lord, and because they were commanded to do my law, but would not do what they were commanded. Therefore they shall be delivered unto the nations, who do not know the law; because they walked after the desire of their soul, and had no delight to do my will. Therefore they shall hope for help at the time that I shall bring distress upon them; but they shall have no help or support. Because the house of my sanctuary was too little in their eyes to worship there, therefore they shall be left as a little thing in the eyes of the nations, among whom they shall go in captivity, in order that they may walk, and stumble backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

14Therefore, hear ye the word of the Lord, O wicked men, rulers of this people that are in Jerusalem:

15Because ye say, “We have made a covenant with death, and have made peace with the destroyer:” ye say, when the blow of the enemy shall come upon you like an overwhelming river, “It shall not come upon us, because we have placed our confidence in a lie, and have hidden ourselves under falsehood.”

16Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I appoint a king in Zion; a king mighty, powerful, and terrible: I will make him powerful, and I will strengthen Him, saith the prophet. But the righteous, who believe these things shall not be moved, when distress shall come.

17And I will make judgment straight as a line of a building, and justice as a plummet, because ye would hide yourselves. And my justice shall burn against the confidence of your lie; and because ye would hide yourselves from the coming distress, the nations shall lead you into captivity.

18And your covenant with death shall be destroyed, and your peace with the destroyer shall not stand. When the stroke of the enemy shall come upon you, it shall be like an overwhelming river, and ye shall be unto them for a treading under foot.

19At the time of its passing by, it shall lead you captive, because each morning it shall pass by, by day and by night: and it shall come to pass before the time of the curse shall have come, that ye shall consider the words of the prophets.

20For their strength shall be diminished by reason of mighty slavery; and the government of the oppressor shall increase their subjection.

21For as the mountains trembled when the glory of the Lord was revealed in the days of king Uzziah, and in the wonders which He performed for Joshua in the valley of Gibeon, taking vengeance on the wicked, who had transgressed against His Word: so shall He be revealed to take vengeance on them, who work works, strange works, and on those who worship with idolatrous worship.

22But now deal not wickedly, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord, the God of hosts, a consummation, and an end, upon all the inhabitants of the land.

23The prophet said, Listen to, and hear my voice, turn and hear my word.

24The prophets prophesied at all times in order to teach, if peradventure the ears of sinners might be opened, and receive instruction.

25Is it not so? If the house of Israel would set their faces to do the law, and repent, then behold, He would gather them from among the nations, amongst whom they were dispersed, like fitches and cumin that are scattered: and, behold, he would bring their offspring together according to their tribes, as seed of wheat in the uncultivated field, and barley in the appointed place, and spelt in the borders.

26All these things are instruction of judgment, that they may know, that our God shows them the right path, in which they ought to walk.

27For they do not tread out the fitches with an iron threshing instrument, nor do they turn the wheels of a cart upon the cumin; but they beat out the fitches with a staff, and the cumin with a rod.

28Corn they tread out, yet they will not continue to tread it out for ever; but he will throw it into confusion with the wheel of his wain, and would separate the corn, and blow away the chaff.

29This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, who in the vast knowledge of His mind hath established the world; He hath multiplied His works in the beginning by His great wisdom.