Isaiah 3
3
Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah
1#These verses suggest deportation, with resulting social upheaval, and thus may date to sometime after Ahaz submitted as vassal to Assyria. The deportation practiced by Assyria, as later by Babylon, exiled the leading elements of society, such as those named in vv. 2–3; cf. 2 Kgs 24:12, 14–16 for a similar list of those exiled by the Babylonians. Denuding society of its leaders opens the way to near anarchy and a situation in which leadership is seized by or thrust upon those unqualified for it (vv. 5–7). The situation has been provoked by sinfully inept leadership (vv. 4, 8–9, 12). Some suggest that vv. 4 and 12 refer to Ahaz, who may have come to the throne at an early age. Verses 10–11 form a wisdom couplet that was inserted later. The Lord, the Lord of hosts,
will take away from Jerusalem and from Judah
Support and staff—
all support of bread,
all support of water:#Lv 26:26; Ez 4:16.
2Hero and warrior,
judge and prophet, diviner and elder,
3The captain of fifty and the nobleman,
counselor, skilled magician, and expert charmer.
4I will place boys as their princes;
the fickle will govern them,#Eccl 10:16.
5And the people will oppress one another,
yes, each one the neighbor.
The child will be insolent toward the elder,
and the base toward the honorable.#Mi 7:5–6.
6When anyone seizes a brother
in their father’s house, saying,
“You have clothes! Be our ruler,
and take in hand this ruin!”—
7He will cry out in that day:
“I cannot be a healer,#Is 1:6.
when there is neither bread nor clothing in my own house!
You will not make me a ruler of the people!”
8Jerusalem has stumbled, Judah has fallen;
for their speech and deeds affront the Lord,
a provocation in the sight of his majesty.
9Their very look bears witness against them;#Jer 3:3.
they boast of their sin like Sodom,#Is 1:10.
They do not hide it.
Woe to them!
They deal out evil to themselves.
10Happy the just, for it will go well with them,
the fruit of their works they will eat.
11Woe to the wicked! It will go ill with them,
with the work of their hands they will be repaid.
12My people—infants oppress them,
women rule over them!
My people, your leaders deceive you,#Mi 3:5.
they confuse the paths you should follow.
13#The princes and the elders, here accused of despoiling the poor, are the very ones who should be their defenders. Loot: by the Hebrew term (gazela) Isaiah conveys the idea of violent seizure, though 10:1–4 suggests the poor could be plundered by legal means. The Lord rises to accuse,
stands to try his people.
14The Lord enters into judgment
with the people’s elders and princes:
You, you who have devoured the vineyard;
the loot wrested from the poor is in your houses.
15What do you mean by crushing my people,
and grinding down the faces of the poor?
says the Lord, the God of hosts.
The Haughty Women of Zion#3:16–4:1] Here and again in 32:9–14 Isaiah condemns the women of the ruling class for their part in Jerusalem’s plight.
16The Lord said:#Is 32:9–14; Ez 16:50; Am 4:1–3.
Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,
and walk with necks outstretched,
Ogling and mincing as they go,
their anklets tinkling with every step,
17The Lord shall cover the scalps of Zion’s daughters with scabs,
and the Lord shall lay bare their heads.#A shaven head is a mark of social disgrace; cf. Nm 5:18. #Jer 13:26; Ez 16:37.
18#The long list of women’s apparel in these verses suggests luxury and vanity; it contains a number of rare words, and the precise meaning of many of the terms is uncertain. On that day the Lord will do away with the finery of the anklets, sunbursts, and crescents; 19the pendants, bracelets, and veils; 20the headdresses, bangles, cinctures, perfume boxes, and amulets; 21the signet rings, and the nose rings; 22the court dresses, wraps, cloaks, and purses; 23the lace gowns, linen tunics, turbans, and shawls.
24Instead of perfume there will be stench,
instead of a girdle, a rope,
And instead of elaborate coiffure, baldness;
instead of a rich gown, a sackcloth skirt.
Then, instead of beauty, shame.
25Your men will fall by the sword,
and your champions,#Your men…your champions: the second person feminine singular pronoun here shows that the prophet has shifted his attention from the women of Zion to the personified city of Zion. in war;#Hos 14:1.
26Her gates will lament and mourn,
as the city sits desolate on the ground.#Is 47:1; Lam 2:10.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Isaiah 3
3
Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah
1For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts
is about to remove
from Jerusalem and Judah
both supply #3:1 Hebrew staff and support:
the whole supply of food and water,
2the mighty man and the warrior,
the judge and the prophet,
the soothsayer and the elder,
3the commander of fifty and the dignitary,
the counselor, the cunning magician, and the clever enchanter.
4“I will make mere lads their leaders,
and children will rule over them.”
5The people will oppress one another,
man against man, neighbor against neighbor;
the young will rise up against the old,
and the base against the honorable.
6A man will seize his brother
within his father’s house:
“You have a cloak—you be our leader!
Take charge of this heap of rubble.”
7On that day he will cry aloud:
“I am not a healer.#3:7 Or binder of wounds
I have no food or clothing in my house.
Do not make me leader of the people!”
8For Jerusalem has stumbled
and Judah has fallen
because they spoke and acted against the Lord,
defying His glorious presence.#3:8 Hebrew defying the eyes of His glory
9The expression on their faces testifies against them,
and like Sodom they flaunt their sin;
they do not conceal it.
Woe to them,
for they have brought disaster upon themselves.
10Tell the righteous it will be well with them,
for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
11Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them!
For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.
12Youths oppress My people,
and women rule over them.
O My people, your guides mislead you;
they turn you from your paths.
13The Lord arises to contend;
He stands to judge the people.
14The Lord brings this charge
against the elders and leaders of His people:
“You have devoured the vineyard;
the plunder of the poor is in your houses.
15Why do you crush My people
and grind the faces of the poor?”
declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.
A Warning to the Daughters of Zion
16The Lord also says:
“Because the daughters of Zion are haughty—
walking with heads held high
and wanton eyes,
prancing and skipping as they go,
jingling the bracelets on their ankles—
17the Lord will bring sores
on the heads of the daughters of Zion,
and the Lord will make their foreheads bare.#3:17 Or will uncover their secret parts”
18In that day the Lord will take away their finery:
their anklets and headbands and crescents;
19their pendants, bracelets, and veils;
20their headdresses, ankle chains, and sashes;
their perfume bottles and charms;
21their signet rings and nose rings;
22their festive robes, capes, cloaks, and purses;
23and their mirrors, linen garments, tiaras, and shawls.
24Instead of fragrance
there will be a stench;
instead of a belt, a rope;
instead of styled hair, baldness;
instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;
instead of beauty, shame.#3:24 DSS; MT branding
25Your men will fall by the sword,
and your warriors in battle.
26And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn;
destitute, she will sit on the ground.
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The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain.