Yahweh has become the enemy (Lam 2:4-2:4)

Daleth

“He has bent

His bow

Like an enemy.

His right hand

Is set

Like a foe.

He has killed all

In whom we took pride

In the tent

Of daughter Zion.

He has poured out

His fury

Like fire.”

Yahweh has become like an enemy of Israel. He bent his bow like an enemy archer about to release an arrow. His right hand was like an enemy warrior. He has killed all the important prideful people of Zion. He has poured out his fury like a raging fire. Yahweh was really mad. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Daleth. Each verse after this will use the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet in this acrostic poem.

The future defeat of the king of Assyria (Isa 10:12-10:12)

“When Yahweh

Has finished

All his work

On Mount Zion,

In Jerusalem,

He will punish

The arrogant boasting

Of the king of Assyria

With his haughty pride.”

Isaiah proclaims that Yahweh would punish the king of Assyria for his arrogant prideful boasting. However, Yahweh still had some work to do at Mount Zion in Jerusalem. When he finished that, he would take care of things.

Against human pride (Isa 2:12-2:17)

“Yahweh of hosts has a day.

He is against all that is proud.

He is against all this is lofty.

He is against all that is lifted up.

He is against all that is high.

He is against all the cedars of Lebanon.

He is against all that is lofty.

He is against all that is lifted up.

He is against all the oaks of Bashan.

He is against all the high mountains.

He is against all the lofty hills.

He is against every high tower.

He is against every fortified wall.

He is against all the ships of Tarshish.

He is against all the beautiful crafts.

The haughtiness of people

Shall be humbled.

The pride of everyone

Shall be brought low.

Yahweh alone

Will be exalted

On that day.”

Once again, there will come a day when Yahweh, the Lord, alone will be exalted as in the preceding section. Here Isaiah points out that Yahweh is against the prideful people. In fact, he turns out to be against practically anything that is tall, lofty, or lifted up. He is against the tall cedars of northern Lebanon and the tall oaks of eastern Bashan. Of course, Yahweh was against all the tall places, like high mountains, lofty hills, high towers, and fortified walls. He also was against the ships of Tarshish, the fleet that brought gold and metals to the coastal cities. Yahweh was also against beautiful craft work and haughty people. Everyone would be brought low when Yahweh alone would be exalted on that day to come.

Pride (Sir 3:26-3:28)

“A stubborn mind will fare badly at the end.

Whoever loves danger will perish in it.

A stubborn mind will be burdened by troubles.

The sinner adds sin to sins.

When calamity befalls the proud,

There is no healing.

An evil plant has taken root in him.”

A stubborn prideful mind will not do well at the end. If you love danger, you will perish in danger. A stubborn prideful mind is always troubled. The sinner only adds to his sins. Bad things will happen to the proud. There is no healing the proud people, because they are like an evil plant that has bad roots.