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Isaiah 32
Lexham English Bible
Isaiah 32
Lexham English Bible
The Kingdom of Righteousness
32 See, a king will rule according to righteousness,
and princes will rule according to justice.
2 And each one will be like a hiding place from the wind
and a covering from the rainstorm,
like streams of water in a dry region,
like the shade of a large rock in a weary land.
3 And the eyes of those who see will not gaze,[a]
and the ears of those who hear will listen.
4 And the minds[b] of the rash will understand knowledge,[c]
and the tongues[d] of stammerers will hasten to speak clearly.
5 A fool will no longer be called noble,
and a scoundrel will not be said to be eminent.
6 For a fool speaks folly,
and his mind[e] does iniquity:
to behave wickedly,[f]
and to speak error concerning Yahweh,
to leave the throat of the hungry empty,
and he deprives the thirsty of drink.
7 And a scoundrel, his weapons are evil;
he plans evil devices
to ruin the poor with words of deception
even[g] when the speech of the needy is right.
8 But[h] the nobleman plans noble things,
and he stands upon noble things.
Against the Carefree Women
9 Women who are at ease, rise up; hear my voice!
Carefree daughters, listen to my word!
10 In a year[i] you will tremble, carefree ones,
for the vintage will come to an end;
the harvest will not come.
11 Tremble, you who are at ease;
tremble, carefree ones;
strip, and strip yourself,
and gird yourself on your loins,[j]
12 mourning over breasts,
over fields of delight,
over the fruitful vine,
13 over the soil of my people.
It goes up in thorns[k] and briers,[l]
indeed over all of the houses of joy in the jubilant city.
14 For the palace will be forsaken,
the crowded city[m] deserted;
the hill and the watchtower will become[n] a cave forever,
the joy of wild asses, a pasture for[o] flocks.
15 Until a spirit is poured out on us from on high,
and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field is reckoned as the forest.
16 Then[p] justice will dwell in the wilderness,
and righteousness will live in the fruitful field.
17 And the work of righteousness will be peace,
and the work of righteousness, quietness and security forever.
18 And my people will dwell in a settlement of peace
and in a dwelling place of security
and in undisturbed resting places.
19 And it hails when the forest comes down,[q]
and the city will become low in humiliation.
20 Happy are you who sow by all waters,
who let the foot of the ox and the donkey go free.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 32:3 The same consonants with different vowels would be translated “be blinded,” which fits the context better
- Isaiah 32:4 Literally “heart”
- Isaiah 32:4 Literally “to know”
- Isaiah 32:4 Hebrew “tongue”
- Isaiah 32:6 Literally “heart”
- Isaiah 32:6 Literally “do ungodliness”
- Isaiah 32:7 Or “and”
- Isaiah 32:8 Or “And”
- Isaiah 32:10 Literally “In days upon a year”
- Isaiah 32:11 Although the carefree and at ease addressees in this verse are feminine plural (“you women”), the commands are masculine singular in form
- Isaiah 32:13 Hebrew “thorn”
- Isaiah 32:13 Hebrew “brier”
- Isaiah 32:14 Literally “crowd of the city”
- Isaiah 32:14 The Hebrew text has “for the benefit of” following “become”
- Isaiah 32:14 Literally “of”
- Isaiah 32:16 Or “And”
- Isaiah 32:19 Literally “the coming down of the forest”
Isaiah 32
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Isaiah 32
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Righteous Kingdom Announced
32 Indeed, a king will reign righteously,
and rulers will rule justly.(A)
2 Each will be like a shelter from the wind,
a refuge from the rain,(B)
like streams of water(C) in a dry land
and the shade of a massive rock in an arid land.
3 Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed,
and the ears of those who hear will listen.(D)
4 The reckless mind will gain knowledge,
and the stammering tongue(E) will speak clearly and fluently.
5 A fool will no longer be called a noble,(F)
nor a scoundrel said to be important.
6 For a fool speaks foolishness
and his mind plots iniquity.
He lives in a godless way
and speaks falsely about the Lord.
He leaves the hungry empty
and deprives the thirsty of drink.(G)
7 The scoundrel’s weapons are destructive;
he hatches plots to destroy the needy with lies,
even when the poor says what is right.
8 But a noble person plans noble things;
he stands up for noble causes.
9 Stand up, you complacent women;(H)
listen to me.
Pay attention to what I say,
you overconfident daughters.
10 In a little more than a year
you overconfident ones will shudder,
for the vintage will fail
and the harvest will not come.
11 Shudder, you complacent ones;
tremble, you overconfident ones!
Strip yourselves bare(I)
and put sackcloth around your waists.
12 Beat your breasts in mourning(J)
for the delightful fields and the fruitful vines,(K)
13 for the ground of my people
growing thorns and briers,(L)
indeed, for every joyous house in the joyful city.
14 For the palace will be forsaken,
the busy city abandoned.
The hill and the watchtower will become
barren places forever,
the joy of wild donkeys,
and a pasture for flocks,
15 until the Spirit from heaven is poured out on us.(M)
Then the desert will become an orchard,
and the orchard will seem like a forest.(N)
16 Then justice will inhabit the wilderness,
and righteousness will dwell in the orchard.
17 The result of righteousness will be peace;(O)
the effect of righteousness
will be quiet confidence forever.
18 Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place,
in safe and secure dwellings.
19 But hail will level the forest,[a](P)
and the city will sink into the depths.(Q)
20 Those who sow seed are happy
beside abundant waters;(R)
they let ox and donkey range freely.(S)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 32:19 Hb obscure
Isaiah 32
New International Version
Isaiah 32
New International Version
The Kingdom of Righteousness
32 See, a king(A) will reign in righteousness
and rulers will rule with justice.(B)
2 Each one will be like a shelter(C) from the wind
and a refuge from the storm,(D)
like streams of water(E) in the desert(F)
and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.
3 Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,(G)
and the ears(H) of those who hear will listen.
4 The fearful heart will know and understand,(I)
and the stammering tongue(J) will be fluent and clear.
5 No longer will the fool(K) be called noble
nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
6 For fools speak folly,(L)
their hearts are bent on evil:(M)
They practice ungodliness(N)
and spread error(O) concerning the Lord;
the hungry they leave empty(P)
and from the thirsty they withhold water.
7 Scoundrels use wicked methods,(Q)
they make up evil schemes(R)
to destroy the poor with lies,
even when the plea of the needy(S) is just.(T)
8 But the noble make noble plans,
and by noble deeds(U) they stand.(V)
The Women of Jerusalem
9 You women(W) who are so complacent,
rise up and listen(X) to me;
you daughters who feel secure,(Y)
hear what I have to say!
10 In little more than a year(Z)
you who feel secure will tremble;
the grape harvest will fail,(AA)
and the harvest of fruit will not come.
11 Tremble,(AB) you complacent women;
shudder, you daughters who feel secure!(AC)
Strip off your fine clothes(AD)
and wrap yourselves in rags.(AE)
12 Beat your breasts(AF) for the pleasant fields,
for the fruitful vines(AG)
13 and for the land of my people,
a land overgrown with thorns and briers(AH)—
yes, mourn(AI) for all houses of merriment
and for this city of revelry.(AJ)
14 The fortress(AK) will be abandoned,
the noisy city deserted;(AL)
citadel and watchtower(AM) will become a wasteland forever,
the delight of donkeys,(AN) a pasture for flocks,(AO)
15 till the Spirit(AP) is poured on us from on high,
and the desert becomes a fertile field,(AQ)
and the fertile field seems like a forest.(AR)
16 The Lord’s justice(AS) will dwell in the desert,(AT)
his righteousness(AU) live in the fertile field.
17 The fruit of that righteousness(AV) will be peace;(AW)
its effect will be quietness and confidence(AX) forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful(AY) dwelling places,
in secure homes,(AZ)
in undisturbed places of rest.(BA)
19 Though hail(BB) flattens the forest(BC)
and the city is leveled(BD) completely,
20 how blessed you will be,
sowing(BE) your seed by every stream,(BF)
and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.(BG)
Isaiah 32
New King James Version
Isaiah 32
New King James Version
A Reign of Righteousness
32 Behold, (A)a king will reign in righteousness,
And princes will rule with justice.
2 A man will be as a hiding place from the wind,
And (B)a [a]cover from the tempest,
As rivers of water in a dry place,
As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
3 (C)The eyes of those who see will not be dim,
And the ears of those who hear will listen.
4 Also the heart of the [b]rash will (D)understand knowledge,
And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.
5 The foolish person will no longer be called [c]generous,
Nor the miser said to be bountiful;
6 For the foolish person will speak foolishness,
And his heart will work (E)iniquity:
To practice ungodliness,
To utter error against the Lord,
To keep the hungry unsatisfied,
And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
7 Also the schemes of the schemer are evil;
He devises wicked plans
To destroy the poor with (F)lying words,
Even when the needy speaks justice.
8 But a [d]generous man devises generous things,
And by generosity he shall stand.
Consequences of Complacency
9 Rise up, you women (G)who are at ease,
Hear my voice;
You complacent daughters,
Give ear to my speech.
10 In a year and some days
You will be troubled, you complacent women;
For the vintage will fail,
The gathering will not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease;
Be troubled, you complacent ones;
Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare,
And gird sackcloth on your waists.
12 People shall mourn upon their breasts
For the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
13 (H)On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers,
Yes, on all the happy homes in (I)the joyous city;
14 (J)Because the palaces will be forsaken,
The bustling city will be deserted.
The forts and towers will become lairs forever,
A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks—
15 Until (K)the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
And (L)the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.
The Peace of God’s Reign
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
17 (M)The work of righteousness will be peace,
And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation,
In secure dwellings, and in quiet (N)resting places,
19 (O)Though hail comes down (P)on the forest,
And the city is brought low in humiliation.
20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters,
Who send out freely the feet of (Q)the ox and the donkey.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 32:2 shelter
- Isaiah 32:4 hasty
- Isaiah 32:5 noble
- Isaiah 32:8 noble
Lexham English Bible (LEB)
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Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.