hiss

February 25, 2017

The derision of Jerusalem (Lam 2:15-2:15)

Samek

“All who pass

Along the way

Clap their hands

At you.

They hiss.

They wag their heads

At the daughters

Of Jerusalem.

‘Is this the city

That was called

The perfection

Of beauty?

Is this the city

That was called The joy

Of all the earth?’”

This author talks about the people passing by Jerusalem, the outsiders, who deride this once beautiful city. They clap their hands as a sign of derision. They hiss at this city. They shake their heads in astonishment at the daughters of Jerusalem. What happened to this beautiful city that was a joy to all people on earth? Destruction is what happened. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Samek. Each verse after this will use the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet in this acrostic poem.

February 4, 2017

The taunt against Babylon (Jer 50:11-50:13)

“‘Though you rejoice,

Though you exult,

O plunderers of my heritage,

Though you frisk about

Like a heifer

On the grass,

Though you neigh

Like stallions,

Your mother

Shall be utterly shamed.

She who bore you

Shall be disgraced.

O!

She shall be

The last of the nations,

A wilderness,

A dry land,

A desert.

Because of the wrath

Of Yahweh,

She shall not be inhabited.

But she shall be

An utter desolation.

Everyone who passes

By Babylon

Shall be appalled.

They will hiss

Because of all her wounds.”

Then Yahweh via Jeremiah taunted Babylon, by indicating how they thought that they were superior with their plundering and rejoicing. They were like young heifers and stallions doing whatever they wanted to do. Now their mothers will be shamed and disgraced. They will become the last of the countries, as their land will become a wilderness, a dry land, like a desert. The wrath of Yahweh will not be held back. Babylon will be deserted and become an utter desolation. Everyone who passes by her will be appalled. They will hiss at all the wounds that they would see.

February 1, 2017

The horror of Edom (Jer 49:17-49:18)

“‘Edom shall become

An object of horror.

Everyone who passes by it

Will be horrified.

They will hiss

Because of all its disasters.

As when Sodom,

With Gomorrah,

With their neighbors,

Were overthrown,

No one shall live there.

No one shall settle in it.’

Says Yahweh.”

Yahweh said that Edom would become an object to horror because everyone passing by it would be horrified. They will hiss at it because of the disasters there. Edom would become like the famous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis, chapter 19. Here there is also a mention of their neighboring towns. The same results will happen to Edom. No one would want to live or settle in Edom.

November 21, 2016

The horrible city (Jer 19:8-19:8)

“I will make this city

A horror,

A thing to be hissed at.

Everyone who passes by it

Will be horrified.

They will hiss

Because of all its disasters.”

This is somewhat reminiscent of chapter 18. Their city would become horrible. People would shake their heads and hiss, as they pass by, because of all the disasters there.

November 20, 2016

Israel forgot Yahweh (Jer 18:13-18:17)

“Therefore thus says Yahweh.

‘Ask among the nations?

Who has heard the like of this?

The virgin Israel has done

A very horrible thing.

Does the snow of Lebanon

Leave the crags of Sirion?

Do the mountain waters run dry?

Do the cold flowing streams stop?

But my people have forgotten me.

They burn incense to a delusion.

They have stumbled in their ways,

On the ancient roads.

They have gone into bypaths.

They have not gone on the highway.

They are making their land a horror.

This is a thing to be hissed at forever.

Everyone who passes by it

Is horrified.

They shake their heads.

Like the east wind,

I will scatter them

Before the enemy.

I will show them my back.

I will not show them my face,

In the day of their calamity.’”

Yahweh wants to know why the Israelites have forgotten him. This virgin Israel has done a horrible thing. He asks whether the snow leaves the mountains of Lebanon at Mount Hermon. Sirion is another name for Mount Hermon. Do the mountain waters dry up? Do the cold streams disappear? Do these sources for the Jordan River stop? Of course not, yet Yahweh’s people have forgotten him. They have turned to offering incense to false delusionary idol gods. They were stumbling along. They have gone off the main highways into the side roads. Their land has become horrible. People shake their heads and hiss as they pass by. Thus Yahweh was going to be like a wind from the east and scatter them to their enemies. When the day of troubles would begin, he would show them his back and not his face.