Isaiah 3
3
1Understand what I am telling you: The Lord GOD All-Powerful will take away everything Judah and Jerusalem depend on. He will take away all the food and water. 2He will take away all the heroes and soldiers. He will take away all the judges, the prophets, the fortunetellers, and the elders. 3He will take away the army officers and important officials. He will take away the skilled counselors, the magicians, and those who try to tell the future.
4He says, “I will put young boys in charge of you. They will be your leaders. 5The people will turn against each other. Young people will not respect those who are older. The common people will not respect important leaders.”
6At that time a man will grab one of his brothers from his own family and tell him, “You have a coat,#3:6 coat Or “robe.” This showed that a person was a leader of the people. so you will be our leader. You will be the leader over all these ruins.”
7But the brother will refuse and say, “I cannot help you. I don’t have enough food or clothes for my own family. You will not make me your leader.”
8This will happen because Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen. They turned against the Lord. They said and did things against him, right in front of his glorious eyes.
9The look on their faces shows that they are guilty. They are like the people of Sodom; they don’t care who sees their sin. But it will be very bad for them. They will get what they deserve.
10Tell the good people who do what is right that good things will happen to them. They will receive a reward for what they do. 11But it will be very bad for wicked people, because they, too, will get what they deserve. They will get what they did to others. 12Even children will defeat my people, and women will rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you the wrong way, and they destroy the path you should follow.
God’s Decision About His People
13Look, the Lord is standing to judge his people. 14The Lord is ready to present his case against the elders and leaders of his people.
He says, “You people have burned the vineyard,#3:14 vineyard A garden for growing grapes. Here, this probably means Judah. and what you stole from the poor is still in your houses. 15What gives you the right to hurt my people? What gives you the right to push the faces of the poor into the dirt?” The Lord GOD All-Powerful said this.
16The Lord says, “The women in Zion have become very proud. They walk around with their heads in the air, acting like they are better than other people. They flirt with their eyes and make tinkling sounds with their ankle bracelets as they take their quick little steps.”
17The Lord will put sores on the heads of those women in Zion. The Lord will make their heads bald. 18Then the Lord will take away everything they are proud of: the beautiful ankle bracelets, the necklaces that look like the sun and the moon, 19the earrings, bracelets, and veils, 20the scarves, the ankle chains, the cloth belts worn around their waists, the bottles of perfume, the charms,#3:20 charms Things people wore on bracelets and necklaces. People thought these things would protect them from evil or danger. 21the signet rings, and the nose rings, 22the fine dresses, robes, veils, and purses, 23the mirrors, linen dresses, turbans, and long shawls.
24Those women now have sweet-smelling perfume, but it will get moldy and stink. Now they wear belts, but then they will have only ropes to wear. Now they have their hair fixed in fancy ways, but then their heads will be shaved—they will have no hair.#3:24 they will have no hair This means that they will become slaves. Now they have party dresses, but then they will have only mourning clothes. They have beauty marks on their faces now, but then they will have another mark. It will be a mark burned into their skin to show that they are slaves.
25Your men will be killed with swords. Your heroes will die in war. 26There will be crying and sadness in the meeting places by the city gates. Jerusalem will sit there empty, like a woman who has lost everything to thieves and robbers and now just sits on the ground and cries.
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Isaiah 3: ERV
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Isaiah 3
3
A Coming Leadership Crisis
1 Look, the sovereign Lord who commands armies#tn Heb “the master, the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].” On the title “the Lord who commands armies,” see the note at 1:9.
is about to remove from Jerusalem#map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. and Judah
every source of security, including#tn Heb “support and support.” The masculine and feminine forms of the noun are placed side-by-side to emphasize completeness. See GKC 394 §122.v.
all the food and water,#tn Heb “all the support of food, and all the support of water.”
2 the mighty men and warriors,
judges and prophets,
omen readers and leaders,#tn Heb “elder” (so ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); NCV “older leaders.”
3 captains of groups of fifty,
the respected citizens,#tn Heb “the ones lifted up with respect to the face.” For another example of the Hebrew idiom, see 2 Kgs 5:1.
advisers and those skilled in magical arts,#tn Heb “and the wise with respect to magic.” On the meaning of חֲרָשִׁים (kharashim, “magic”), see HALOT 358 s.v. III חרשׁ. Some understand here a homonym, meaning “craftsmen.” In this case, one could translate, “skilled craftsmen” (cf. NIV, NASB).
and those who know incantations.
4 The Lord says,#tn The words “the Lord says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The prophet speaks in vv. 1-3 (note the third person reference to the Lord in v. 1), but here the Lord himself announces that he will intervene in judgment. It is unclear where the Lord’s words end and the prophet’s pick up again. The prophet is apparently speaking again by v. 8, where the Lord is referred to in the third person. Since vv. 4-7 comprise a thematic unity, the quotation probably extends through v. 7. “I will make youths their officials;
malicious young men#tn תַעֲלוּלִים (ta’alulim) is often understood as an abstract plural meaning “wantonness, cruelty” (cf. NLT). In this case the chief characteristic of these leaders is substituted for the leaders themselves. However, several translations make the parallelism tighter by emending the form to עוֹלְלִים (’olÿlim, “children”; cf. ESV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NKJV, NRSV). This emendation is unnecessary for at least two reasons. The word in the MT highlights the cruelty or malice of the “leaders” who are left behind in the wake of God’s judgment. The immediate context makes clear the fact that they are mere youths. The coming judgment will sweep away the leaders, leaving a vacuum which will be filled by incompetent, inexperienced youths. will rule over them.
5 The people will treat each other harshly;
men will oppose each other;
neighbors will fight.#tn Heb “man against man, and a man against his neighbor.”
Youths will proudly defy the elderly
and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected.#tn Heb “and those lightly esteemed those who are respected.” The verb רָהַב (rahav) does double duty in the parallelism.
6 Indeed, a man will grab his brother
right in his father’s house#tn Heb “[in] the house of his father” (so ASV); NIV “at his father’s home.” and say,#tn The words “and say” are supplied for stylistic reasons.
‘You own a coat –
you be our leader!
This heap of ruins will be under your control.’#tn Heb “your hand”; NASB “under your charge.”sn The man’s motives are selfish. He tells his brother to assume leadership because he thinks he has some wealth to give away.
7 At that time#tn Or “in that day” (KJV). the brother will shout,#tn Heb “he will lift up [his voice].”
‘I am no doctor,#tn Heb “wrapper [of wounds]”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “healer.”
I have no food or coat in my house;
don’t make me a leader of the people!’”
8 Jerusalem certainly stumbles,
Judah falls,
for their words and their actions offend the Lord;#tn Heb “for their tongue and their deeds [are] to the Lord.”
they rebel against his royal authority.#tn Heb “to rebel [against] the eyes of his majesty.” The word כָּבוֹד (kavod) frequently refers to the Lord’s royal splendor that is an outward manifestation of his authority as king.
9 The look on their faces#sn This refers to their proud, arrogant demeanor. testifies to their guilt;#tn Heb “answers against them”; NRSV “bears witness against them.”
like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin.#tn Heb “their sin, like Sodom, they declare, they do not conceal [it].”
Too bad for them!#tn Heb “woe to their soul.”
For they bring disaster on themselves.
10 Tell the innocent#tn Or “the righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, TEV); NLT “those who are godly.” it will go well with them,#tn Heb “that it is good.”
for they will be rewarded for what they have done.#tn Heb “for the fruit of their deeds they will eat.”
11 Too bad for the wicked sinners!
For they will get exactly what they deserve.#tn Heb “for the work of his hands will be done to him.”
12 Oppressors treat my#sn This may refer to the prophet or to the Lord. people cruelly;
creditors rule over them.#tc The Hebrew text appears to read literally, “My people, his oppressors, he deals severely, and women rule over them.” The correct text and precise meaning of the verse are debated. The translation above assumes (1) an emendation of נֹגְשָׂיו (nogÿsayv, “his oppressors”) to נֹגְשִׂים (nogÿshim, “oppressors”) by moving the mem (ם) on the following form to the end of the word and dropping the vav (ו) as virtually dittographic; (2) an emendation of מְעוֹלֵל (mÿ’olel, a singular participle that does not agree with the preceding plural subject) to עֹלְלוּ (’olÿlu), a third plural Poel perfect from עָלַל (’alal, “deal severely”; note that the following form begins with a vav [ו]; the text may be haplographic or misdivided); and (3) an emendation (with support from the LXX) of נָשִׁים (nashim, “women”) to נֹשִׁים (noshim, “creditors”; a participle from נָשַׁא, nasa’). Another option is to emend מְעוֹלֵל to עוֹלְלִים (’olÿlim, “children”) and read, “My people’s oppressors are children; women rule over them.” In this case the point is the same as in v. 4; the leadership void left by the judgment will be filled by those incompetent to lead the community – children and women. (The text reflects the ancient Israelite patriarchal mindset.)
My people’s leaders mislead them;
they give you confusing directions.#tn Heb “and the way of your paths they confuse.” The verb בָּלַע (bala’, “confuse”; HALOT 135 s.v. I בלע) is a homonym of the more common בָּלַע (“swallow”; see HALOT 134 s.v. בלע).
13 The Lord takes his position to judge;
he stands up to pass sentence on his people.#tc The Hebrew text has “nations,” but the preceding and following contexts make it clear that the Lord is judging his covenant people. עָמִים (’amim) should be changed (with support from the LXX) to עמו. The final mem (ם) on the form in the Hebrew is either dittographic or enclitic. When the mem was added or read as a plural ending, the vav (ו) was then misread as a yod (י).
14 The Lord comes to pronounce judgment
on the leaders of his people and their officials.
He says,#tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. “It is you#tn The pronominal element is masculine plural; the leaders are addressed. who have ruined#tn The verb בָּעַר (ba’ar, “graze, ruin”; HALOT 146 s.v. II בער) is a homonym of the more common בָּעַר (ba’ar, “burn”; see HALOT 145 s.v. I בער). the vineyard!#sn The vineyard is a metaphor for the nation here. See 5:1-7.
You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor.#tn Heb “the plunder of the poor [is] in your houses” (so NASB).
15 Why do you crush my people
and grind the faces of the poor?”#sn The rhetorical question expresses the Lord’s outrage at what the leaders have done to the poor. He finds it almost unbelievable that they would have the audacity to treat his people in this manner.
The sovereign Lord who commands armies#tn Heb “the master, the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].” On the title “the Lord who commands armies,” see the note at 1:9.sn The use of this title, which also appears in v. 1, forms an inclusio around vv. 1-15. The speech begins and ends with a reference to “the master, the Lord who commands armies.” has spoken.
Washing Away Impurity
16 The Lord says,
“The women#tn Heb “daughters” (so KJV, NAB, NRSV). of Zion are proud.
They walk with their heads high#tn Heb “with an outstretched neck.” They proudly hold their heads high so that others can see the jewelry around their necks.
and flirt with their eyes.
They skip along#tn Heb “walking and skipping, they walk.”
and the jewelry on their ankles jingles.#tn Heb “and with their feet they jingle.”
17 So#tn In the Hebrew text vv. 16-17 and one long sentence, “Because the daughters of Zion are proud and walk…, the sovereign master will afflict….” In v. 17 the Lord refers to himself in the third person. the sovereign master#tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here and in v. 18 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay). will afflict the foreheads of Zion’s women#tn Heb “the daughters of Zion.” with skin diseases,#tn Or “a scab” (KJV, ASV); NIV, NCV, CEV “sores.”
the Lord will make the front of their heads bald.”#tn The precise meaning of this line is unclear because of the presence of the rare word פֹּת (pot). Since the verb in the line means “lay bare, make naked,” some take פֹּת as a reference to the genitals (cf. KJV, ASV, NRSV, CEV). (In 1 Kgs 7:50 a noun פֹּת appears, with the apparent meaning “socket.”) J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 1:139, n. 2), basing his argument on alleged Akkadian evidence and the parallelism of the verse, takes פֹּת as “forehead.”
18#sn The translation assumes that the direct quotation ends with v. 17. The introductory formula “in that day” and the shift from a poetic to prosaic style indicate that a new speech unit begins in v. 18. At that time#tn Or “in that day” (KJV). the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry,#tn Or “the beauty of [their] ankle jewelry.” neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments, 19 earrings, bracelets, veils, 20 headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets,#tn Heb “houses of breath.” HALOT 124 s.v. בַּיִת defines them as “scent-bottles”; cf. NAB, NRSV “perfume boxes.” amulets, 21 rings, nose rings, 22 festive dresses, robes, shawls, purses, 23 garments, vests, head coverings, and gowns.#tn The precise meaning of many of the words in this list is uncertain.sn The rhetorical purpose for such a lengthy list is to impress on the audience the guilt of these women with their proud, materialistic attitude, whose husbands and fathers have profited at the expense of the poor.
24 A putrid stench will replace the smell of spices,#tn Heb “and it will be in place of spices there will be a stench.” The nouns for “spices” and “stench” are right next to each other in the MT for emphatic contrast. The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
a rope will replace a belt,
baldness will replace braided locks of hair,
a sackcloth garment will replace a fine robe,
and a prisoner’s brand will replace beauty.
25 Your#tn The pronoun is feminine singular, suggesting personified Zion, as representative of its women, is the addressee. The reference to “her gates’ in v. 26 makes this identification almost certain. men will fall by the sword,
your strong men will die in battle.#tn Heb “your strength in battle.” The verb in the first clause provides the verbal idea for the second clause.
26 Her gates will mourn and lament;
deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground.#tn Heb “she will be empty, on the ground she will sit.” Jerusalem is personified as a destitute woman who sits mourning the empty city.
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