The Isaiah Wall and Stairs, Ralph Bunche Park, New York, opposite the United Nations
Built in 1948. The word "Isaiah" was added in 1975
By Jim.henderson - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16030236
(א) הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָזָ֔ה יְשַֽׁעְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־אָמ֑וֹץ עַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
(ב) וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֗ים נָכ֨וֹן יִֽהְיֶ֜ה הַ֤ר בֵּית־ה' בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הֶהָרִ֔ים וְנִשָּׂ֖א מִגְּבָע֑וֹת וְנָהֲר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו כָּל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ (ג) וְֽהָלְכ֞וּ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים וְאָמְרוּ֙ לְכ֣וּ ׀ וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶל־הַר־ה' אֶל־בֵּית֙ אֱלֹקֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ מִדְּרָכָ֔יו וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּאֹרְחֹתָ֑יו כִּ֤י מִצִּיּוֹן֙ תֵּצֵ֣א תוֹרָ֔ה וּדְבַר־ה' מִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (ד) וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃ (פ)
(ה) בֵּ֖ית יַעֲקֹ֑ב לְכ֥וּ וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּא֥וֹר ה'׃
(ו) כִּ֣י נָטַ֗שְׁתָּה עַמְּךָ֙ בֵּ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֔ב כִּ֤י מָלְאוּ֙ מִקֶּ֔דֶם וְעֹֽנְנִ֖ים כַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וּבְיַלְדֵ֥י נָכְרִ֖ים יַשְׂפִּֽיקוּ׃ (ז) וַתִּמָּלֵ֤א אַרְצוֹ֙ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב וְאֵ֥ין קֵ֖צֶה לְאֹצְרֹתָ֑יו וַתִּמָּלֵ֤א אַרְצוֹ֙ סוּסִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין קֵ֖צֶה לְמַרְכְּבֹתָֽיו׃ (ח) וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א אַרְצ֖וֹ אֱלִילִ֑ים לְמַעֲשֵׂ֤ה יָדָיו֙ יִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֔וּ לַאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשׂ֖וּ אֶצְבְּעֹתָֽיו׃ (ט) וַיִּשַּׁ֥ח אָדָ֖ם וַיִּשְׁפַּל־אִ֑ישׁ וְאַל־תִּשָּׂ֖א לָהֶֽם׃
(י) בּ֣וֹא בַצּ֔וּר וְהִטָּמֵ֖ן בֶּֽעָפָ֑ר מִפְּנֵי֙ פַּ֣חַד ה' וּמֵהֲדַ֖ר גְּאֹנֽוֹ׃ (יא) עֵינֵ֞י גַּבְה֤וּת אָדָם֙ שָׁפֵ֔ל וְשַׁ֖ח ר֣וּם אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וְנִשְׂגַּ֧ב ה' לְבַדּ֖וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ (ס)
(יב) כִּ֣י י֞וֹם לַה' צְבָא֛וֹת עַ֥ל כָּל־גֵּאֶ֖ה וָרָ֑ם וְעַ֖ל כָּל־נִשָּׂ֥א וְשָׁפֵֽל׃ (יג) וְעַל֙ כָּל־אַרְזֵ֣י הַלְּבָנ֔וֹן הָרָמִ֖ים וְהַנִּשָּׂאִ֑ים וְעַ֖ל כָּל־אַלּוֹנֵ֥י הַבָּשָֽׁן׃ (יד) וְעַ֖ל כָּל־הֶהָרִ֣ים הָרָמִ֑ים וְעַ֖ל כָּל־הַגְּבָע֥וֹת הַנִּשָּׂאֽוֹת׃ (טו) וְעַ֖ל כָּל־מִגְדָּ֣ל גָּבֹ֑הַ וְעַ֖ל כָּל־חוֹמָ֥ה בְצוּרָֽה׃ (טז) וְעַ֖ל כָּל־אֳנִיּ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֑ישׁ וְעַ֖ל כָּל־שְׂכִיּ֥וֹת הַחֶמְדָּֽה׃ (יז) וְשַׁח֙ גַּבְה֣וּת הָאָדָ֔ם וְשָׁפֵ֖ל ר֣וּם אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וְנִשְׂגַּ֧ב ה' לְבַדּ֖וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃
(1) The word that Isaiah son of Amoz prophesied concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
(2) In the days to come, The Mount of the LORD’s House Shall stand firm above the mountains And tower above the hills; And all the nations Shall gaze on it with joy. (3) And the many peoples shall go and say: “Come, Let us go up to the Mount of the LORD, To the House of the God of Jacob; That He may instruct us in His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (4) Thus He will judge among the nations And arbitrate for the many peoples, And they shall beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks: Nation shall not take up Sword against nation; They shall never again know war.
(5) O House of Jacob! Come, let us walk By the light of the LORD.
(6) For you have forsaken [the ways of] your people, O House of Jacob! For they are full [of practices] from the East, And of soothsaying like the Philistines; They abound in customs of the aliens. (7) Their land is full of silver and gold, There is no limit to their treasures; Their land is full of horses, There is no limit to their chariots. (8) And their land is full of idols; They bow down to the work of their hands, To what their own fingers have wrought. (9) But man shall be humbled, And mortal brought low— Oh, do not forgive them!
(10) Go deep into the rock, Bury yourselves in the ground, Before the terror of the LORD And His dread majesty! (11) Man’s haughty look shall be brought low, And the pride of mortals shall be humbled. None but the LORD shall be Exalted in that day.
(12) For the LORD of Hosts has ready a day / Against all that is proud and arrogant, / Against all that is lofty—so that it is brought low:
(13) Against all the cedars of Lebanon, Tall and stately, / And all the oaks of Bashan;
(14) Against all the high mountains / And all the lofty hills;
(15) Against every soaring tower / And every mighty wall;
(16) Against all the ships of Tarshish / And all the gallant barks.
(17) Then man’s haughtiness shall be humbled And the pride of man brought low. None but the LORD shall be Exalted in that day.
Historical background: The Rise of Assyria
(יב) וְהָיָ֗ה כִּֽי־יְבַצַּ֤ע אדושם אֶת־כָּל־מַֽעֲשֵׂ֔הוּ בְּהַ֥ר צִיּ֖וֹן וּבִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם אֶפְקֹ֗ד עַל־פְּרִי־גֹ֙דֶל֙ לְבַ֣ב מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֔וּר וְעַל־תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת ר֥וּם עֵינָֽיו׃
(יג) כִּ֣י אָמַ֗ר בְּכֹ֤חַ יָדִי֙ עָשִׂ֔יתִי וּבְחָכְמָתִ֖י כִּ֣י נְבֻנ֑וֹתִי וְאָסִ֣יר ׀ גְּבוּלֹ֣ת עַמִּ֗ים ועתידתיהם [וַעֲתוּדֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙] שׁוֹשֵׂ֔תִי וְאוֹרִ֥יד כַּאבִּ֖יר יוֹשְׁבִֽים׃ (יד) וַתִּמְצָ֨א כַקֵּ֤ן ׀ יָדִי֙ לְחֵ֣יל הָֽעַמִּ֔ים וְכֶאֱסֹף֙ בֵּיצִ֣ים עֲזֻב֔וֹת כָּל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲנִ֣י אָסָ֑פְתִּי וְלֹ֤א הָיָה֙ נֹדֵ֣ד כָּנָ֔ף וּפֹצֶ֥ה פֶ֖ה וּמְצַפְצֵֽף׃
(12) But when my Lord has carried out all his purpose on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, He will punish the majestic pride and overbearing arrogance of the king of Assyria.
(13) For he thought, “By the might of my hand have I wrought it, By my skill, for I am clever: I have erased the borders of peoples; I have plundered their treasures, And exiled their vast populations. (14) I was able to seize, like a nest, The wealth of peoples; As one gathers abandoned eggs, So I gathered all the earth: Nothing so much as flapped a wing Or opened a mouth to peep.”
Exile of Judaean prisoners from the Sack of Lachish by Assyria in 701 BCE
By Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42128981
After the sack of Lachish, the Judaean prisoners were deported into exile within other parts of the Assyrian empire. People took their belongings and whatever animals they could. This relief depicts a man, 2 women, and 2 (male and female) children being deported with their household belongings. Wall relief from the South-West Palace at Nineveh (modern-day Ninawa Governorate, Iraq), Mesopotamia. Neo-Assyrian period, 700-692 BCE. The British Museum, London.
כשפותחין ארון הקודש אומרים:
וַיְהִי בִּנְסעַ הָאָרן וַיּאמֶר משֶׁה. קוּמָה ה' וְיָפֻצוּ איְבֶיךָ. וְיָנֻסוּ מְשנְאֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ:
כִּי מִצִּיּון תֵּצֵא תורָה. וּדְבַר ה' מִירוּשָׁלָיִם:
בָּרוּךְ שֶׁנָּתַן תּורָה לְעַמּו יִשרָאֵל בִּקְדֻשָּׁתו:
As the Ark is opened, one says:
When the Ark was to set out, Moses would say: Advance, O LORD! May Your enemies be scattered, And may Your foes flee before You! (Numbers 10:35)
For instruction/Torah shall come forth from Zion, The word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)
Blessed is the One Who in His holiness has granted Torah to His people Israel.
Cover Art for Encyclopedia Judaica, https://images.app.goo.gl/Aow5bRoP3veq833A7 , Jerusalem: Keter, New York: Macmillan, 1971-2, featuring Isaiah 2:3 in Hebrew and English
Isaiah 2:5 O House of Jacob! Come, let us walk [By the light of the LORD.]
Beit Yaakov! L'chu V'neilcha = BILU
בית יעקב לכו ונלכה = ב י ל ״ ו
https://www.historycentral.com/Israel/1882Bilu.html, visited Jan. 23, 2021
The prime author of Historycentral is Marc Schulman. He has taught history in Middle School, High School and College, and is the author of books on JFK and the History of American Presidential Elections. Marc is a regular contributor to Newsweek.
The name Bilu stood for "Bet Ya'akov L'chu V'Nelcha"(O House of Jacob , come ye and let us go," quoted from Isaiah. The movement was founded in Kharkov, Russia in 1882, by Jewish students reacting to the pogroms taking place in Russia at the time. Their goal was to resettle the Land of Israel. The first 14 member of Bilu arrived in Palestine in July 1882. The initial 'Biluim' settled in Mikve Israel and Rishon L'Tzion as farm hands. Some members of Bilu learned a trade and settled in Jerusalem. In 1884, members of Bilu formed the settlement of Gedera. In 1890 a second influx of settlers arrived in Palestine from Russia. A number of new settlements were established in that period including Rechovot and Hadera. While the Rothchilds had not initially supported the Bill, they began supporting the farming efforts of the new arrivals including helping them establish vineyards and wine production.
By the end of the period that as the First Aliya in 1903, 350,000 dunams of land had been purchased, 20 agricultural settlements were built and 720 families comprising 6,000 people lived in the new settlements. Of the 50,000 Jews living in Palestine at the time 10,000 were part of what became known as the new Yishuv.
The BILU Charter, 1882. Image found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilu (visited Jan. 23, 2021)
See also at http://www.zionistarchives.org.il/events/Exhibitions/Pages/Bilu.aspx
Related Universalistic Visions
(א) וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֗ים יִ֠הְיֶה הַ֣ר בֵּית־ה' נָכוֹן֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הֶהָרִ֔ים וְנִשָּׂ֥א ה֖וּא מִגְּבָע֑וֹת וְנָהֲר֥וּ עָלָ֖יו עַמִּֽים׃ (ב) וְֽהָלְכ֞וּ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֗ים וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ לְכ֣וּ ׀ וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶל־הַר־ה' וְאֶל־בֵּית֙ אֱלֹקֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיוֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ מִדְּרָכָ֔יו וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּאֹֽרְחֹתָ֑יו כִּ֤י מִצִּיּוֹן֙ תֵּצֵ֣א תוֹרָ֔ה וּדְבַר־ה' מִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (ג) וְשָׁפַ֗ט בֵּ֚ין עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וְהוֹכִ֛יחַ לְגוֹיִ֥ם עֲצֻמִ֖ים עַד־רָח֑וֹק וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבֹתֵיהֶ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹֽא־יִשְׂא֞וּ גּ֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְד֥וּן ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃
(ד) וְיָשְׁב֗וּ אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֧חַת גַּפְנ֛וֹ וְתַ֥חַת תְּאֵנָת֖וֹ וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד כִּי־פִ֛י ה' צְבָא֖וֹת דִּבֵּֽר׃
(ה) כִּ֚י כָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים יֵלְכ֕וּ אִ֖ישׁ בְּשֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹקָ֑יו וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ נֵלֵ֛ךְ בְּשֵׁם־ה' אֱלֹקֵ֖ינוּ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ (פ)
(1) In the days to come, The Mount of the LORD’s House shall stand Firm above the mountains; And it shall tower above the hills. The peoples shall gaze on it with joy, (2) And the many nations shall go and shall say: “Come, Let us go up to the Mount of the LORD, To the House of the God of Jacob; That He may instruct us in His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (3) Thus He will judge among the many peoples, And arbitrate for the multitude of nations, However distant; And they shall beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not take up Sword against nation; They shall never again know war;
(4) But every man shall sit
Under his grapevine or fig tree
With no one to disturb him.
For it was the LORD of Hosts who spoke.
(5) Though all the peoples walk Each in the names of its gods, We will walk In the name of the LORD our God Forever and ever.
(כ) כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר ה' צְבָא֑וֹת עֹ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָבֹ֣אוּ עַמִּ֔ים וְיֹשְׁבֵ֖י עָרִ֥ים רַבּֽוֹת׃ (כא) וְֽהָלְכ֡וּ יֹשְׁבֵי֩ אַחַ֨ת אֶל־אַחַ֜ת לֵאמֹ֗ר נֵלְכָ֤ה הָלוֹךְ֙ לְחַלּוֹת֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י ה' וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־ה' צְבָא֑וֹת אֵלְכָ֖ה גַּם־אָֽנִי׃ (כב) וּבָ֨אוּ עַמִּ֤ים רַבִּים֙ וְגוֹיִ֣ם עֲצוּמִ֔ים לְבַקֵּ֛שׁ אֶת־ה' צְבָא֖וֹת בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וּלְחַלּ֖וֹת אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י ה'׃ (ס)
(כג) כֹּ֥ה אָמַר֮ ה' צְבָאוֹת֒ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔מָּה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַחֲזִ֙יקוּ֙ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל לְשֹׁנ֣וֹת הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וְֽהֶחֱזִ֡יקוּ בִּכְנַף֩ אִ֨ישׁ יְהוּדִ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר נֵֽלְכָה֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם כִּ֥י שָׁמַ֖עְנוּ אֱלֹקִ֥ים עִמָּכֶֽם׃ (ס)
(20) Thus said the LORD of Hosts: Peoples and the inhabitants of many cities shall yet come— (21) the inhabitants of one shall go to the other and say, “Let us go and entreat the favor of the LORD, let us seek the LORD of Hosts; I will go, too.” (22) The many peoples and the multitude of nations shall come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.
(23) Thus said the LORD of Hosts: In those days, ten men from nations of every tongue will take hold—they will take hold of every Jew by a corner of his cloak and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
Senior Program Officer at the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University
...if [President-elect Joe Biden is] looking for a passage that best speaks to the current American moment — a shaken American polity and still threatening pandemic — he should look no further than George Washington’s favorite biblical verse.
“They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid,” Micah 4:4. says. It’s the eighth-century BCE prophet’s vision of a serene, safe and unified Jerusalem. And it was an image beloved by America’s first president, who long aspired to its realization.
Scripture tells us to envision that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid.
Like the Scripture says,
Everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree
and no one shall make them afraid.
They'll be safe in the nation we've made.
May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid. May the father of all mercies scatter light and not darkness in our paths, and make us all in our several vocations useful here, and in his own due time and way everlastingly happy.
Go: Washington
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
Apocalypticism Explained: The Puritans, PBS Frontline,
Paul Boyer is the Merle Curti Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
What was this idea of a New Jerusalem about?
The idea of the New Jerusalem arises from ... very powerful and moving descriptions in the Book of Revelation that in the last days, literally a New Jerusalem, a new heaven and a new earth, shall be created. The old earth shall pass away and shall be no more. These are tremendously powerful images. And New England Puritans--at least some of their leaders--were convinced that this moment had come; that God was preparing the way for the creation of this New Jerusalem in New England.
Is there a legacy of this idea of the New Jerusalem as a beacon for other countries, that exists even today?
I think the vision of the New Jerusalem that in the 17th century is a quite profoundly theological vision, rooted in scripture, with the passage of time becomes increasingly generalized and secularized, and becomes transformed into a kind of vision of America having a redemptive role in world history, simply by being America, simply by being the kind of nation it is, without the explicit apocalyptic theological foundation.
So at the time of the Civil War, we see Julia Ward Howe writing the great anthem of the Civil War, which is really an apocalypse: Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. At the time of the First World War, we see Woodrow Wilson offering a vision of American democracy redeeming the world, making the world safe for democracy. And even in our own day, one of Ronald Reagan's favorite themes was the "city on a hill." He referred to it frequently in the context of the Cold War. So this theme, which has a theological and apocalyptic source, really becomes a part of American civil religion, and I think, remains very strong even today.
Michael White is Professor of Classics and Christian Origins at the University of Texas at Austin
What about the real Jerusalem? Is this an abstract concept they're talking about, or what?
In their view, the real Jerusalem, the historical Jerusalem, is a long way away. They don't worry about that. God can do it here. God will bring it now. It's the perfect spiritual city that they're looking for. But in reality, they think it's going to be their own backyard, in the Americas.