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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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
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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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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