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
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.