Isaiah 3:1-12

Contemporary English Version

Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah

3 The 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^[a]
    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.