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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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 3
3
Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah
1The mighty Lord All-Powerful
is going to take away
from Jerusalem and Judah
everything you need—
your bread and water,
* 2soldiers and heroes,
judges and prophets,
leaders and army officers,
3officials and advisors,
fortunetellers and others
who tell the future.
4He will let children and babies#3.4 babies: Or “worthless nobodies.”
become your rulers.
5You will each be cruel
to friends and neighbors.
Young people will insult
their elders;
no one will show respect
to those who deserve it.
6Some of you will grab hold
of a relative and say,
“You still have a coat.
Be our leader and rule
this pile of ruins.”
7But the answer will be,
“I can't do you any good.
Don't make me your leader.
There's no food or clothing
left in my house.”
8Jerusalem and Judah,
you rebelled against
your glorious Lord—
your words and your actions,
made you stumble and fall.
9The look on your faces shows
that you are sinful as Sodom,
and you don't try to hide it.
You are in for trouble,
and you have brought it all
on yourselves.
The Wrong Kind of Leaders
10Tell those who obey God,
“You're very fortunate—
you will be rewarded
for what you have done.”
11Tell those who disobey,
“You're in big trouble—
what you did to others
will come back to you.”
12Though you are God's people,
you are ruled and abused
by women and children.
You are confused by leaders
who guide you
down the wrong path.
13The Lord is ready to accuse
and judge all nations.
14He will even judge
you rulers and leaders
of his own nation.
You destroyed his vineyard#3.14 his vineyard: The nation Israel (see 5.1-7).
and filled your houses
by robbing the poor.
15The Lord All-Powerful says,
“You have crushed my people
and rubbed in the dirt
the faces of the poor.”
The Women of Jerusalem
16The Lord says:
The women of Jerusalem
are proud and strut around,
winking shamelessly.
They wear anklets that jingle
and call attention
to the way they walk.
17But I, the Lord, will cover
their heads with sores,
and I will uncover
their private parts.
18-23When that day comes, I will take away from those women all the fine jewelry they wear on their ankles, heads, necks, ears, arms, noses, fingers, and on their clothes. I will remove their veils, their belts, their perfume, their magic charms, their royal robes, and all their fancy dresses, hats, and purses.
24In place of perfume,
there will be a stink;
in place of belts,
there will be ropes;
in place of fancy hairdos,
they will have bald heads.
Instead of expensive clothes,
they will wear sackcloth;
instead of beauty,
they will have ugly scars.
25The fighting men of Jerusalem
will be killed in battle.
26The city will mourn
and sit in the dirt,
emptied of its people.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.