Isaiah 3
3
Your leaders mislead you
1Now the LORD God of heavenly forces is removing from Jerusalem and from Judah every form of support:
all rations of food and water;
2soldier and warrior;
judge and prophet;
fortune-teller and elder;
3commander and celebrity;
counselor, clever craftsman, and cunning charmer.
4I will make youths their commanders;
mischief makers will rule over them.
5The people will oppress each other,
each one against the other, neighbor against neighbor.
The young will bully the old,
the rogue, and the respectable.
6Someone will seize a family member, saying, “You have clothing! You be our leader!
This mess will be your responsibility!”
7Someone else will cry out on that day,
“I’m no healer!
I have neither food nor clothing in my house!
Don’t make me the leader of the people!”
8Yes, Jerusalem has stumbled
and Judah has fallen,
because the way they talk and act in word and deed insults the LORD,
defying his brilliant glory.
9Their bias in judgment gives them away;
like Sodom, they display their sins in public.
Doom to them, for they have done themselves in!
10Tell the righteous how blessed they are;
they will eat the fruit of their labors.
11Doom to the wicked; they are evil.
What they have done will be done to them.
12As for my people—oppressors strip them
and swindlers#3.12 LXX; MT women rule them.
My people—your leaders mislead you and confuse your paths.
13The LORD arises to accuse;
he stands to judge the peoples.
14The LORD will enter into judgment
with the elders and princes of his people:
You yourselves have devoured the vineyard;
the goods stolen from the poor are in your houses.
15How dare you crush my people
and grind the faces of the poor?
says the LORD God of heavenly forces.
16The LORD says:
Because Zion’s daughters applaud themselves,
walking with their chins in the air,
flirting with their eyes,
tiptoeing as they walk, feet jingling—
17the Lord will shave the heads of Zion’s daughters,
and will expose their scalps.
18On that day, the LORD will remove:
the splendid ankle chains; headbands and moon-shaped pendants;
19the earrings, bracelets, and veils;
20the hats, bangles, and sashes;
the amulets and charms;
21the signet rings and nose rings;
22the robes and capes;
the shawls and handbags;
23the mirrors and linen garments;
the turbans and the veils.
24Instead of perfume there will be a disgusting odor;
instead of a sash, a rope;
instead of styled hair, shaved heads;
instead of expensive clothes, rags as mourning clothes;
instead of beauty, shame.#3.24 DSS (1QIsaa); MT lacks shame.
25Your men will fall by the sword,
your warriors in battle!
26Her gates will lament and mourn;
desolate, she will sit on the ground.
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Isaiah 3: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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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