“At that time,
I will search Jerusalem
With lamps.
I will punish
The people
Who rest complacently
On their dregs.
I will punish
Those who say
In their hearts,
‘Yahweh will not do good.
Nor will he do harm.’
Their wealth
Shall be plundered.
Their houses laid waste.
Though they build houses,
They shall not inhabit them.
Though they plant vineyards,
They shall not drink wine
From them.”
On the day of Yahweh, Yahweh was going to search through Jerusalem with lamps. He would punish the complacent people, those who had drunk too much of the dregs of their wine casks. Yahweh was going to punish those who said that they didn’t care about Yahweh, because he had no effect on their lives, either for good or bad. Yahweh was going to take the wealth of these rich people by plundering their belongings and destroying their homes. If they were planning to build a house, they would never live in it. If they were planting vineyards, they would never enjoy the wine from those vines. Wealth would not save them from the Day of Yahweh.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 