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Isaiah 3
New English Translation
Isaiah 3
New English Translation
A Coming Leadership Crisis
3 Look, the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies[a]
is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah
every source of security, including[b]
all the food and water,[c]
2 the mighty men and warriors,
judges and prophets,
omen readers and leaders,[d]
3 captains of groups of fifty,
the respected citizens,[e]
advisers and those skilled in magical arts,[f]
and those who know incantations.
4 The Lord says,[g] “I will make youths their officials;
malicious young men[h] will rule over them.
5 The people will treat each other harshly;
men will oppose each other;
neighbors will fight.[i]
Youths will proudly defy the elderly
and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected.[j]
6 Indeed, a man will grab his brother
right in his father’s house[k] and say,[l]
‘You own a coat—
you be our leader!
This heap of ruins will be under your control.’[m]
7 At that time[n] the brother will shout,[o]
‘I am no doctor,[p]
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;[q]
they rebel against his royal authority.[r]
9 The look on their faces[s] testifies to their guilt;[t]
like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin.[u]
Woe to them![v]
For they bring disaster on themselves.
10 Tell the innocent[w] it will go well with them,[x]
for they will be rewarded for what they have done.[y]
11 Woe to the wicked sinners!
For they will get exactly what they deserve.[z]
12 Oppressors treat my[aa] people cruelly;
creditors rule over them.[ab]
My people, your leaders mislead you;
they give you confusing directions.[ac]
13 The Lord takes his position to judge;
he stands up to pass sentence on his people.[ad]
14 The Lord comes to pronounce judgment
on the leaders of his people and their officials.
He says,[ae] “It is you[af] who have ruined[ag] the vineyard![ah]
You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor.[ai]
15 Why do you crush my people
and grind the faces of the poor?”[aj]
The Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies[ak] has spoken.
Washing Away Impurity
16 The Lord says,
“The women[al] of Zion are proud.
They walk with their heads high[am]
and flirt with their eyes.
They skip along[an]
and the jewelry on their ankles jingles.[ao]
17 So[ap] the Lord[aq] will afflict the foreheads of Zion’s women[ar] with skin diseases;[as]
the Lord will make the front of their heads bald.”[at]
18 [au] At that time[av] the Lord will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry,[aw] neck ornaments, crescent-shaped ornaments, 19 earrings, bracelets, veils, 20 headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets,[ax] amulets, 21 rings, nose rings, 22 festive dresses, robes, shawls, purses, 23 garments, vests, head coverings, and gowns.[ay]
24 A putrid stench will replace the smell of spices,[az]
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[ba] men will fall by the sword,
your strong men will die in battle.[bb]
26 Her gates will mourn and lament;
deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground.[bc]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 3:1 tn Heb “the master, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies [traditionally, the “Lord of hosts”].” On the title “the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,” see the note at 1:9.
- Isaiah 3:1 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.
- Isaiah 3:1 tn Heb “all the support of food, and all the support of water.”
- Isaiah 3:2 tn Heb “elder” (so ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); NCV “older leaders.”
- Isaiah 3:3 tn Heb “the ones lifted up with respect to the face.” For another example of the Hebrew idiom, see 2 Kgs 5:1.
- Isaiah 3:3 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).
- Isaiah 3:4 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.
- Isaiah 3:4 tn תַעֲלוּלִים (taʿalulim) 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 (ʿolelim, “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.
- Isaiah 3:5 tn Heb “man against man, and a man against his neighbor.”
- Isaiah 3:5 tn Heb “and those lightly esteemed those who are respected.” The verb רָהַב (rahav) does double duty in the parallelism.
- Isaiah 3:6 tn Heb “[in] the house of his father” (so ASV); NIV “at his father’s home.”
- Isaiah 3:6 tn The words “and say” are supplied for stylistic reasons.
- Isaiah 3:6 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.
- Isaiah 3:7 tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
- Isaiah 3:7 tn Heb “he will lift up [his voice].”
- Isaiah 3:7 tn Heb “wrapper [of wounds]”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “healer.”
- Isaiah 3:8 tn Heb “for their tongue and their deeds [are] to the Lord.”
- Isaiah 3:8 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.
- Isaiah 3:9 sn This refers to their proud, arrogant demeanor.
- Isaiah 3:9 tn Heb “answers against them”; NRSV “bears witness against them.”
- Isaiah 3:9 tn Heb “their sin, like Sodom, they declare, they do not conceal [it].”
- Isaiah 3:9 tn Heb “woe to their soul.”
- Isaiah 3:10 tn Or “the righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, TEV); NLT “those who are godly.”
- Isaiah 3:10 tn Heb “that it is good.”
- Isaiah 3:10 tn Heb “for the fruit of their deeds they will eat.”
- Isaiah 3:11 tn Heb “for the work of his hands will be done to him.”
- Isaiah 3:12 sn This may refer to the prophet or to the Lord.
- Isaiah 3:12 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 (nogesayv, “his oppressors”) to נֹגְשִׂים (nogeshim, “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 (meʿolel, a singular participle that does not agree with the preceding plural subject) to עֹלְלוּ (ʿolelu), a third plural Poel perfect from עָלַל (ʿalal, “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, nashaʾ). Another option is to emend מְעוֹלֵל to עוֹלְלִים (ʿolelim, “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.
- Isaiah 3:12 tn Heb “and the way of your paths they confuse.” The verb בָּלַע (balaʿ, “confuse”; HALOT 135 s.v. I בלע) is a homonym of the more common בָּלַע (“swallow”; see HALOT 134 s.v. בלע).
- Isaiah 3:13 tc The Hebrew text has עַמִּים (ʿammim, “nations”) but the context makes it clear that the Lord is judging his covenant people. As indicated by the LXX the text should read עַמּוֹ (ʿammo, “his people”). 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).
- Isaiah 3:14 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Isaiah 3:14 tn The pronominal element is masculine plural; the leaders are addressed.
- Isaiah 3:14 tn The verb בָּעַר (baʿar, “graze, ruin”; HALOT 146 s.v. II בער) is a homonym of the more common בָּעַר (baʿar, “burn”; see HALOT 145 s.v. I בער).
- Isaiah 3:14 sn The vineyard is a metaphor for the nation here. See 5:1-7.
- Isaiah 3:14 tn Heb “the plunder of the poor [is] in your houses” (so NASB).
- Isaiah 3:15 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.
- Isaiah 3:15 tn Heb Traditionally, the “Lord of hosts.” On the title “the Lord of Heaven’s 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 Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
- Isaiah 3:16 tn Heb “daughters” (so KJV, NAB, NRSV).
- Isaiah 3:16 tn Heb “with an outstretched neck.” They proudly hold their heads high so that others can see the jewelry around their necks.
- Isaiah 3:16 tn Heb “walking and skipping, they walk.”
- Isaiah 3:16 tn Heb “and with their feet they jingle.”
- Isaiah 3:17 tn In the Hebrew text vv. 16-17 are one long sentence, “Because the daughters of Zion are proud and walk…, the Lord will afflict….” In v. 17 the Lord refers to himself in the third person.
- Isaiah 3:17 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in v. 18 is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay).
- Isaiah 3:17 tn Heb “the daughters of Zion.”
- Isaiah 3:17 tn Or “a scab” (KJV, ASV); NIV, NCV, CEV “sores.”
- Isaiah 3:17 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.”
- Isaiah 3:18 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.
- Isaiah 3:18 tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
- Isaiah 3:18 tn Or “the beauty of [their] ankle jewelry.”
- Isaiah 3:20 tn Heb “houses of breath.” HALOT 124 s.v. בַּיִת defines them as “scent-bottles”; cf. NAB, NRSV “perfume boxes.”
- Isaiah 3:23 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.
- Isaiah 3:24 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.
- Isaiah 3:25 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.
- Isaiah 3:25 tn Heb “your strength in battle.” The verb in the first clause provides the verbal idea for the second clause.
- Isaiah 3:26 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.
Isaías 3
La Biblia de las Américas
Isaías 3
La Biblia de las Américas
Juicio contra Jerusalén y Judá
3 Porque he aquí, el Señor, Dios[a] de los ejércitos, quitará de Jerusalén y de Judá
el sustento y el apoyo: todo sustento de pan
y todo sustento de agua(A);
2 al poderoso y al guerrero,
al juez y al profeta,
al adivino y al anciano(B),
3 al capitán de cincuenta y al hombre respetable,
al consejero, al diestro artífice y al hábil encantador.
4 Les daré muchachos por príncipes,
y niños caprichosos gobernarán[b] sobre ellos(C).
5 Y el pueblo será oprimido,
el uno por el otro(D) y cada cual por su prójimo(E);
el joven se alzará contra el anciano,
y el indigno contra el honorable.
6 Cuando un hombre eche mano a su hermano(F) en la casa de su padre, diciendo:
Tú tienes manto, serás nuestro jefe,
y estas ruinas estarán bajo tu mando[c],
7 ese día el otro se indignará[d], diciendo:
No seré vuestro sanador[e](G),
porque en mi casa no hay ni pan ni manto;
no debéis nombrarme jefe del pueblo.
8 Pues Jerusalén ha tropezado y Judá ha caído(H),
porque su lengua y sus obras están contra el Señor(I),
rebelándose contra su gloriosa presencia[f](J).
9 La expresión de su rostro[g] testifica contra ellos,
y como Sodoma(K) publican su pecado;
no lo encubren.
¡Ay de ellos[h]!,
porque han traído mal sobre sí mismos(L).
10 Decid a los justos que les irá bien(M),
porque el fruto de sus obras comerán.
11 ¡Ay del impío! Le irá mal,
porque lo que él merece[i] se le hará(N).
12 ¡Oh pueblo mío! Sus opresores son muchachos[j](O),
y mujeres lo dominan.
Pueblo mío, los que te guían te hacen desviar(P)
y confunden el curso de tus sendas.
13 El Señor se levanta para contender,
está en pie para juzgar a los pueblos(Q).
14 El Señor entra en juicio(R) con los ancianos de su pueblo y con sus príncipes:
Pues vosotros habéis devorado la viña(S),
el despojo del pobre(T) está en vuestras casas.
15 ¿Qué pensáis al aplastar a mi pueblo(U)
y al moler la cara de los pobres?
—declara el Señor, Dios[k] de los ejércitos.
16 Además, dijo el Señor: Puesto que las hijas de Sión son orgullosas,
andan con el cuello erguido y con ojos seductores,
y caminan con paso menudo
haciendo tintinear las ajorcas en sus pies(V),
17 el Señor herirá con tiña el cráneo de las hijas de Sión,
y el Señor desnudará sus frentes.
18 Aquel día el Señor les quitará el adorno de las ajorcas, los tocados y las lunetas(W),
19 los pendientes, los brazaletes y los velos,
20 las redecillas(X), las cadenillas de los pies, las cintas, las cajitas de perfume y los amuletos,
21 los anillos[l] y aretes de nariz(Y),
22 las ropas de gala, las túnicas, los mantos y las bolsas,
23 los espejos, la ropa interior, los turbantes y los velos.
24 Y sucederá que en vez de perfume aromático[m](Z) habrá podredumbre;
en vez de cinturón, cuerda;
en vez de peinado artificioso(AA), calvicie(AB);
en vez de ropa fina, ceñidor de cilicio(AC);
cicatriz[n] en vez de hermosura.
25 Tus hombres caerán a espada(AD),
y tus poderosos[o] en batalla.
26 Sus puertas[p] se lamentarán y estarán de luto(AE);
y ella, desolada, se sentará en tierra(AF).
Footnotes
- Isaías 3:1 Heb., YHWH, generalmente traducido Señor
- Isaías 3:4 Lit., poder arbitrario gobernará
- Isaías 3:6 Lit., mano
- Isaías 3:7 Lit., alzará su voz
- Isaías 3:7 Lit., atador de heridas
- Isaías 3:8 Lit., los ojos de su gloria
- Isaías 3:9 O, Su parcialidad
- Isaías 3:9 Lit., su alma
- Isaías 3:11 Lit., el obrar de sus manos
- Isaías 3:12 U, obran con severidad
- Isaías 3:15 Heb., YHWH, generalmente traducido Señor
- Isaías 3:21 O, anillos de sellar
- Isaías 3:24 O, aceite de bálsamo
- Isaías 3:24 O, quemadura
- Isaías 3:25 Lit., tu fuerza
- Isaías 3:26 Lit., entradas
Isaiah 3
New International Version
Isaiah 3
New International Version
Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah
3 See now, the Lord,
the Lord Almighty,
is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah
both supply and support:(A)
all supplies of food(B) and all supplies of water,(C)
2 the hero and the warrior,(D)
the judge and the prophet,
the diviner(E) and the elder,(F)
3 the captain of fifty(G) and the man of rank,(H)
the counselor, skilled craftsman(I) and clever enchanter.(J)
4 “I will make mere youths their officials;
children will rule over them.”(K)
5 People will oppress each other—
man against man, neighbor against neighbor.(L)
The young will rise up against the old,
the nobody against the honored.
6 A man will seize one of his brothers
in his father’s house, and say,
“You have a cloak, you be our leader;
take charge of this heap of ruins!”
7 But in that day(M) he will cry out,
“I have no remedy.(N)
I have no food(O) or clothing in my house;
do not make me the leader of the people.”(P)
8 Jerusalem staggers,
Judah is falling;(Q)
their words(R) and deeds(S) are against the Lord,
defying(T) his glorious presence.
9 The look on their faces testifies(U) against them;
they parade their sin like Sodom;(V)
they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
They have brought disaster(W) upon themselves.
10 Tell the righteous it will be well(X) with them,
for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.(Y)
11 Woe to the wicked!(Z)
Disaster(AA) is upon them!
They will be paid back(AB)
for what their hands have done.(AC)
12 Youths(AD) oppress my people,
women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;(AE)
they turn you from the path.
13 The Lord takes his place in court;(AF)
he rises to judge(AG) the people.
14 The Lord enters into judgment(AH)
against the elders and leaders of his people:
“It is you who have ruined my vineyard;
the plunder(AI) from the poor(AJ) is in your houses.
15 What do you mean by crushing my people(AK)
and grinding(AL) the faces of the poor?”(AM)
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.(AN)
16 The Lord says,
“The women of Zion(AO) are haughty,
walking along with outstretched necks,(AP)
flirting with their eyes,
strutting along with swaying hips,
with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
17 Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion;
the Lord will make their scalps bald.(AQ)”
18 In that day(AR) the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces,(AS) 19 the earrings and bracelets(AT) and veils,(AU) 20 the headdresses(AV) and anklets and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21 the signet rings and nose rings,(AW) 22 the fine robes and the capes and cloaks,(AX) the purses 23 and mirrors, and the linen garments(AY) and tiaras(AZ) and shawls.
24 Instead of fragrance(BA) there will be a stench;(BB)
instead of a sash,(BC) a rope;
instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;(BD)
instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;(BE)
instead of beauty,(BF) branding.(BG)
25 Your men will fall by the sword,(BH)
your warriors in battle.(BI)
26 The gates(BJ) of Zion will lament and mourn;(BK)
destitute,(BL) she will sit on the ground.(BM)
Isaiah 3
King James Version
Isaiah 3
King James Version
3 For, behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water.
2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,
3 The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.
6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand:
7 In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.
8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
12 As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
13 The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.
14 The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
15 What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord God of hosts.
16 Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:
17 Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts.
18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,
19 The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,
20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,
21 The rings, and nose jewels,
22 The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,
23 The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.
24 And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.
25 Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.
New English Translation (NET)
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