Isaiah 3
3
Chaos in Jerusalem
1Now the Lord, the Almighty LORD, is about to take away from Jerusalem and Judah everything and everyone that the people depend on. He is going to take away their food and their water, 2their heroes and their soldiers, their judges and their prophets, their fortune tellers and their statesmen, 3their military and civilian leaders, their politicians and everyone who uses magic to control events. 4The LORD will let the people be governed by immature boys. 5Everyone will take advantage of everyone else. Young people will not respect their elders, and worthless people will not respect their superiors.
6A time will come when the members of a clan will choose one of their number and say to him, “You at least have something to wear, so be our leader in this time of trouble.”
7But he will answer, “Not me! I can't help you. I haven't any food or clothes either. Don't make me your leader!”
8Yes, Jerusalem is doomed! Judah is collapsing! Everything they say and do is against the LORD; they openly insult God himself. 9Their prejudices will be held against them. They sin as openly as the people of Sodom did. They are doomed, and they have brought it on themselves.
10The righteous will be happy,#3.10 Probable text The righteous will be happy; Hebrew Say to the righteous. and things will go well for them. They will be able to enjoy what they have worked for. 11But evil people are doomed; what they have done to others will now be done to them.
12Moneylenders oppress my people, and their creditors cheat them.
My people, your leaders are misleading you, so that you do not know which way to turn.
The LORD Judges his People
13The LORD is ready to state his case; he is ready to judge his people.#3.13 Some ancient translations his people; Hebrew the peoples. 14The LORD is bringing the elders and leaders of his people to judgement. He makes this accusation: “You have plundered vineyards, and your houses are full of what you have taken from the poor. 15You have no right to crush my people and take advantage of the poor. I, the Sovereign LORD Almighty, have spoken.”
A Warning to the Women of Jerusalem
16The LORD said, “Look how proud the women of Jerusalem are! They walk along with their noses in the air. They are always flirting. They take dainty little steps, and the bracelets on their ankles jingle. 17But I will punish them — I will shave their heads and leave them bald.”
18A day is coming when the Lord will take away from the women of Jerusalem everything they are so proud of — the ornaments they wear on their ankles, on their heads, on their necks, 19and on their wrists. He will take away their veils 20and their hats; the magic charms they wear on their arms and at their waists; 21the rings they wear on their fingers and in their noses; 22all their fine robes, gowns, cloaks, and purses; 23their revealing garments, their linen handkerchiefs, and the scarves and long veils they wear on their heads.
24Instead of using perfumes, they will stink; instead of fine belts, they will wear coarse ropes; instead of having beautiful hair, they will be bald; instead of fine clothes, they will be dressed in rags; their beauty will be turned to shame!
25The men of the city, yes, even the strongest men, will be killed in war. 26The city gates will mourn and cry, and the city itself will be like a woman sitting on the ground, stripped naked.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Isaiah 3
3
Judah’s Leaders Judged
1Note this: The Lord God of Armies
is about to remove from Jerusalem and from Judah
every kind of security:
the entire supply of bread and water,
2heroes and warriors,#2Kg 24:14; Ezk 17:13–14
judges and prophets,
fortune-tellers and elders,
3commanders of fifty and dignitaries,
counselors, cunning magicians,#3:3 Or skilled craftsmen and necromancers.#3:3 Or mediums
4“I will make youths their leaders,#Ec 10:16
and unstable rulers#3:4 Or mischief-makers will govern them.”
5The people will oppress one another,#Mc 7:3–6
man against man, neighbor against neighbor;
the young will act arrogantly toward the old,
and the worthless toward the honorable.
6A man will even seize his brother
in his father’s house, saying,
“You have a cloak — you be our leader!
This heap of rubble will be under your control.”
7On that day he will cry out, saying,
“I’m not a healer.
I don’t even have food or clothing in my house.
Don’t make me the leader of the people!”
8For Jerusalem has stumbled
and Judah has fallen
because they have spoken and acted against the Lord,#Ps 73:9–11
defying his glorious presence.#Nm 14:22–23; Is 43:7; 48:11; 59:19
9The look on their faces testifies against them,
and like Sodom,#Is 1:9–10; 13:19 they flaunt their sin;
they do not conceal it.
Woe to them,
for they have brought disaster on themselves.#Rm 6:23
10Tell the righteous that it will go well for them,
for they will eat the fruit of their labor.
11Woe to the wicked — it will go badly for them,
for what they have done will be done to them.
12Youths oppress my people,#Is 3:4
and women rule over them.
My people, your leaders mislead you;
they confuse the direction of your paths.#Is 28:14–22
13The Lord rises to argue the case
and stands to judge the people.#Ps 7:6; Hs 4:1
14The Lord brings this charge
against the elders and leaders of his people:#Mc 3:1–3
“You have devastated the vineyard.
The plunder from the poor is in your houses.#Ezk 18:10–18; 33:15
15Why do you crush my people
and grind the faces of the poor?”
This is the declaration of the Lord God of Armies.
Jerusalem’s Women Judged
16The Lord also says:
Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,#Is 32:9–15; 1Pt 3:3–4
walking with heads held high
and seductive eyes,
prancing along,
jingling their ankle bracelets,
17the Lord will put scabs on the heads
of the daughters of Zion,
and the Lord will shave their foreheads bare.
18On that day#Is 27:12 the Lord will strip their finery: ankle bracelets, headbands, crescents,#Jdg 8:21,26 19pendants, bracelets, veils, 20headdresses, ankle jewelry, sashes, perfume bottles, amulets,#Ezk 24:17 21signet rings, nose rings,#Gn 24:47; Ezk 16:12 22festive robes, capes, cloaks, purses, 23garments, linen clothes, turbans, and shawls.
24Instead of perfume there will be a stench;
instead of a belt, a rope;
instead of beautifully styled hair,#1Pt 3:3 baldness;#Is 15:2; 22:12; Ezk 27:31; Am 8:10; Mc 1:16
instead of fine clothes, sackcloth;#Gn 37:34; Is 15:3; Jr 48:36–38; Lm 2:10
instead of beauty, branding.#3:24 DSS read shame
25Your men will fall by the sword,
your warriors in battle.
26Then her gates#Jr 14:2; Lm 1:4 will lament and mourn;
deserted, she will sit on the ground.#Jb 2:13; Is 47:1; Lm 2:10
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