Isaiah 3
3
Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah
1See now, the Lord,
the Lord Almighty,
is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah
both supply and support:
all supplies of food and all supplies of water,
2the hero and the warrior,
the judge and the prophet,
the diviner and the elder,
3the captain of fifty and the man of rank,
the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter.
4“I will make mere youths their officials;
children will rule over them.”
5People will oppress each other—
man against man, neighbor against neighbor.
The young will rise up against the old,
the nobody against the honored.
6A man will seize one of his brothers
in his father’s house, and say,
“You have a cloak, you be our leader;
take charge of this heap of ruins!”
7But in that day he will cry out,
“I have no remedy.
I have no food or clothing in my house;
do not make me the leader of the people.”
8Jerusalem staggers,
Judah is falling;
their words and deeds are against the Lord,
defying his glorious presence.
9The look on their faces testifies against them;
they parade their sin like Sodom;
they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
They have brought disaster upon themselves.
10Tell the righteous it will be well with them,
for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.
11Woe to the wicked!
Disaster is upon them!
They will be paid back
for what their hands have done.
12Youths oppress my people,
women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;
they turn you from the path.
13The Lord takes his place in court;
he rises to judge the people.
14The Lord enters into judgment
against the elders and leaders of his people:
“It is you who have ruined my vineyard;
the plunder from the poor is in your houses.
15What do you mean by crushing my people
and grinding the faces of the poor?”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
16The Lord says,
“The women of Zion are haughty,
walking along with outstretched necks,
flirting with their eyes,
strutting along with swaying hips,
with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
17Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion;
the Lord will make their scalps bald.”
18In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces, 19the earrings and bracelets and veils, 20the headdresses and anklets and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21the signet rings and nose rings, 22the fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses 23and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls.
24Instead of fragrance there will be a stench;
instead of a sash, a rope;
instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;
instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;
instead of beauty, branding.
25Your men will fall by the sword,
your warriors in battle.
26The gates of Zion will lament and mourn;
destitute, she will sit on the ground.
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
Isaiah 3
3
Judgment against Judah
1The Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
will take away from Jerusalem and Judah
everything they depend on:
every bit of bread
and every drop of water,
2all their heroes and soldiers,
judges and prophets,
fortune-tellers and elders,
3army officers and high officials,
advisers, skilled sorcerers, and astrologers.
4I will make boys their leaders,
and toddlers their rulers.
5People will oppress each other—
man against man,
neighbor against neighbor.
Young people will insult their elders,
and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable.
6In those days a man will say to his brother,
“Since you have a coat, you be our leader!
Take charge of this heap of ruins!”
7But he will reply,
“No! I can’t help.
I don’t have any extra food or clothes.
Don’t put me in charge!”
8For Jerusalem will stumble,
and Judah will fall,
because they speak out against the Lord and refuse to obey him.
They provoke him to his face.
9The very look on their faces gives them away.
They display their sin like the people of Sodom
and don’t even try to hide it.
They are doomed!
They have brought destruction upon themselves.
10Tell the godly that all will be well for them.
They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned!
11But the wicked are doomed,
for they will get exactly what they deserve.
12Childish leaders oppress my people,
and women rule over them.
O my people, your leaders mislead you;
they send you down the wrong road.
13The Lord takes his place in court
and presents his case against his people.#3:13 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads against the peoples.
14The Lord comes forward to pronounce judgment
on the elders and rulers of his people:
“You have ruined Israel, my vineyard.
Your houses are filled with things stolen from the poor.
15How dare you crush my people,
grinding the faces of the poor into the dust?”
demands the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
A Warning to Jerusalem
16The Lord says, “Beautiful Zion#3:16 Or The women of Zion (with corresponding changes to plural forms through verse 24); Hebrew reads The daughters of Zion; also in 3:17. is haughty:
craning her elegant neck,
flirting with her eyes,
walking with dainty steps,
tinkling her ankle bracelets.
17So the Lord will send scabs on her head;
the Lord will make beautiful Zion bald.”
18On that day of judgment
the Lord will strip away everything that makes her beautiful:
ornaments, headbands, crescent necklaces,
19earrings, bracelets, and veils;
20scarves, ankle bracelets, sashes,
perfumes, and charms;
21rings, jewels,
22party clothes, gowns, capes, and purses;
23mirrors, fine linen garments,
head ornaments, and shawls.
24Instead of smelling of sweet perfume, she will stink.
She will wear a rope for a sash,
and her elegant hair will fall out.
She will wear rough burlap instead of rich robes.
Shame will replace her beauty.#3:24 As in Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text reads robes / because instead of beauty.
25The men of the city will be killed with the sword,
and her warriors will die in battle.
26The gates of Zion will weep and mourn.
The city will be like a ravaged woman,
huddled on the ground.
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