对耶路撒冷和犹大的审判

主——万军之耶和华要从耶路撒冷和犹大拿去众人倚靠的一切:粮食、水、

英雄、战士、审判官、先知、
占卜者、长老、
五十夫长、显贵、谋士、巧匠和巫师。
主必使少儿做他们的首领,
让孩童治理他们。
百姓将彼此欺凌,
邻居互相争斗,
少年目无尊长,
卑贱者欺尊犯上。
那时,人会拉住一位同族的弟兄说:
“你至少还有件像样的衣服,
你就做我们的首领吧,
这废墟之地就交给你了!”
但那人必高声说:
“我救不了你们。
我家中无衣无食,
不要让我做首领。”
耶路撒冷必崩溃,
犹大必败落,
因为他们的言行冒犯耶和华,
蔑视荣耀的主。
他们的表情显出他们心术不正,
他们跟所多玛人一样对自己的罪恶津津乐道,
毫不隐瞒。
他们必大祸临头,自招毁灭。
10 要告诉义人:他们有福了,
必得善报。
11 恶人有祸了!他们必大祸临头,
受到报应。
12 耶和华说:“我的子民啊!
孩童欺压你们,
妇女管辖你们。
你们的首领领你们入迷途,
带你们走歧路。”
13 耶和华准备就绪,
要审判祂的子民。
14 祂必审问祂子民中的长老和首领,对他们说:
“你们毁坏了我的葡萄园——我的子民,
家里堆满了从穷人那里掠夺的东西。
15 你们为何压榨我的子民,
虐待贫穷人?”
这是主——万军之耶和华说的。
16 耶和华又说:
“锡安的女子狂傲,
昂首走路,卖弄媚眼,
俏步徐行,脚镯叮当。
17 所以,我要使她们头上长疮,
露出头皮。”

18 到那日,主必拿去她们美丽的脚镯、发饰、项链、 19 耳环、手镯、面纱、 20 头饰、脚链、彩带、香盒、护身符、 21 戒指、鼻环、 22 礼服、外袍、披肩、钱包、 23 镜子、内衣、头巾和围巾。

24 她们的香气将变成臭味,
腰带将变成绳子,
美发将变成秃头,
华服将变成麻衣,
美丽的容颜将布满羞辱的烙印。
25 城中的男子将丧身刀下,
勇士将战死沙场。
26 锡安的城门必悲伤、哀哭,
锡安必空空地坐在地上。

耶路撒冷的混亂狀態

看哪!主萬軍之耶和華,快要從耶路撒冷和猶大,

除掉人所倚靠的和所倚賴的,就是眾人所倚靠的糧,

眾人所倚賴的水;

除掉勇士和戰士、

審判官和先知、

占卜的和長老、

五十夫長和尊貴的人、

謀士和有技藝的工人,

以及精通法術的。

我必使孩童作他們的領袖,

使嬰孩管轄他們。

人民必互相壓迫,

人欺壓人,也欺壓自己的鄰舍;

年輕人要欺凌老年人,

卑賤人必欺凌尊貴人。

人若在父家裡,拉住自己一個兄弟,說:

“你有一件外衣,你就作我們的官長吧!

這敗落的事就歸你的手處理。”

那時,那人必高聲說:

“我不作醫治你們的人(“醫治你們的人”直譯是“包紮創傷的”),

因為我家裡沒有糧食,也沒有外衣,

你們不要立我作人民的官長。”

耶路撒冷敗落,猶大傾倒,

是因為他們的舌頭和行為都敵對耶和華,

惹怒了他那充滿榮光的眼目。

他們面上的表情指證他們的不對;

他們像所多瑪一般宣揚自己的罪惡,

並不隱瞞;

他們有禍了,

因為他們自招禍害。

10 你們要告訴義人,他們必得福樂,

因為他們必享自己行為所結的果子。

11 惡人卻有禍了,他們必遭災難,

因為他們必按自己手所作的得報應。

12 至於我的子民,孩童欺壓他們,

婦女管轄他們;

我的子民啊!那引導你們的,使你們走錯了路,

並且混亂了你們所走的方向。

耶和華的審判

13 耶和華起來辯論,

站著審判人民。

14 耶和華必審問他子民中的長老和領袖,說:

“那吞盡葡萄園的,就是你們;

從貧窮人那裡掠奪的,都在你們家中。”

15 主萬軍之耶和華說:

“你們為甚麼壓迫我的子民,

搓磨貧窮人的臉呢?”

錫安女子的命運

16 耶和華又說:

“因為錫安的女子高傲,

走路挺直頸項,媚眼看人,

俏步徐行,

用腳發出叮噹聲。

17 因此,主必使錫安的女子頭頂長出禿瘡;

耶和華又使她們露出前額。”

18 到那日,主必除掉她們華美的腳釧、髮網、月牙圈、 19 耳墜、手鐲、蒙臉的帕子、 20 頭飾、腳環、華帶、香盒、符囊、 21 戒指、鼻環、 22 美服、外衣、錢袋、 23 鏡子、細麻襯衣、頭巾、蒙身帕子。

24 必有腐臭代替馨香,

繩子代替腰帶,

光禿代替美髮,

麻衣繫腰代替美服,

烙痕代替美貌。

25 你的男丁要倒在刀下,

你的勇士必死在戰場。

26 錫安的城門必悲哀哭號,

錫安被掠奪,成了一片荒涼後,必坐在地上。

Your leaders mislead you

Now the Lord God of heavenly forces is removing from Jerusalem and from Judah every form of support:

    all rations of food and water;
    soldier and warrior;
    judge and prophet;
    fortune-teller and elder;
    commander and celebrity;
    counselor, clever craftsman, and cunning charmer.
I will make youths their commanders;
    mischief makers will rule over them.
The people will oppress each other,
    each one against the other, neighbor against neighbor.
    The young will bully the old,
    the rogue, and the respectable.

Someone will seize a family member, saying, “You have clothing! You be our leader!
This mess will be your responsibility!”
Someone else will cry out on that day,
    “I’m no healer!
    I have neither food nor clothing in my house!
    Don’t make me the leader of the people!”

Yes, Jerusalem has stumbled
    and Judah has fallen,
        because the way they talk and act in word and deed insults the Lord,
        defying his brilliant glory.
Their bias in judgment gives them away;
    like Sodom, they display their sins in public.
    Doom to them, for they have done themselves in!
10 Tell the righteous how blessed they are;
    they will eat the fruit of their labors.
11 Doom to the wicked; they are evil.
    What they have done will be done to them.
12 As for my people—oppressors strip them
    and swindlers[a] rule them.
My people—your leaders mislead you and confuse your paths.

13 The Lord arises to accuse;
    he stands to judge the peoples.
14 The Lord will enter into judgment
    with the elders and princes of his people:
You yourselves have devoured the vineyard;
    the goods stolen from the poor are in your houses.
15 How dare you crush my people
    and grind the faces of the poor?
    says the Lord God of heavenly forces.

16 The Lord says:
Because Zion’s daughters applaud themselves,
    walking with their chins in the air,
    flirting with their eyes,
    tiptoeing as they walk, feet jingling—
17     the Lord will shave the heads of Zion’s daughters,
    and will expose their scalps.
18 On that day, the Lord will remove:
    the splendid ankle chains; headbands and moon-shaped pendants;
19     the earrings, bracelets, and veils;
20     the hats, bangles, and sashes;
    the amulets and charms;
21     the signet rings and nose rings;
22     the robes and capes;
    the shawls and handbags;
23     the mirrors and linen garments;
    the turbans and the veils.
24 Instead of perfume there will be a disgusting odor;
    instead of a sash, a rope;
    instead of styled hair, shaved heads;
    instead of expensive clothes, rags as mourning clothes;
    instead of beauty, shame.[b]

25 Your men will fall by the sword,
    your warriors in battle!
26 Her gates will lament and mourn;
    desolate, she will sit on the ground.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 3:12 LXX; MT women
  2. Isaiah 3:24 DSS (1QIsaa); MT lacks shame.

Chapter 3

Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah

[a]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:(A)
Hero and warrior,
    judge and prophet, diviner and elder,
The captain of fifty and the nobleman,
    counselor, skilled magician, and expert charmer.
I will place boys as their princes;
    the fickle will govern them,(B)
And 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.(C)
When anyone seizes a brother
    in their father’s house, saying,
“You have clothes! Be our ruler,
    and take in hand this ruin!”—
    He will cry out in that day:
“I cannot be a healer,(D)
    when there is neither bread nor clothing in my own house!
    You will not make me a ruler of the people!”
Jerusalem has stumbled, Judah has fallen;
    for their speech and deeds affront the Lord,
    a provocation in the sight of his majesty.
Their very look bears witness against them;(E)
    they boast of their sin like Sodom,(F)
They do not hide it.
    Woe to them!
    They deal out evil to themselves.
10 Happy the just, for it will go well with them,
    the fruit of their works they will eat.
11 Woe to the wicked! It will go ill with them,
    with the work of their hands they will be repaid.
12 My people—infants oppress them,
    women rule over them!
My people, your leaders deceive you,(G)
    they confuse the paths you should follow.

13 [b]The Lord rises to accuse,
    stands to try his people.
14 The 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.
15 What 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[c]

16 The Lord said:(H)
    Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,
    and walk with necks outstretched,
Ogling and mincing as they go,
    their anklets tinkling with every step,
17 The Lord shall cover the scalps of Zion’s daughters with scabs,
    and the Lord shall lay bare their heads.[d](I)

18 [e]On that day the Lord will do away with the finery of the anklets, sunbursts, and crescents; 19 the pendants, bracelets, and veils; 20 the headdresses, bangles, cinctures, perfume boxes, and amulets; 21 the signet rings, and the nose rings; 22 the court dresses, wraps, cloaks, and purses; 23 the lace gowns, linen tunics, turbans, and shawls.

24 Instead 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.
25 Your men will fall by the sword,
    and your champions,[f] in war;(J)
26 Her gates will lament and mourn,
    as the city sits desolate on the ground.(K)

Footnotes

  1. 3:1–12 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.
  2. 3:13–15 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 3:17 A shaven head is a mark of social disgrace; cf. Nm 5:18.
  5. 3:18–23 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.
  6. 3:25 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.

Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah

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)
    the hero and the warrior,(D)
the judge and the prophet,
    the diviner(E) and the elder,(F)
the captain of fifty(G) and the man of rank,(H)
    the counselor, skilled craftsman(I) and clever enchanter.(J)

“I will make mere youths their officials;
    children will rule over them.”(K)

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.

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!”
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)

Jerusalem staggers,
    Judah is falling;(Q)
their words(R) and deeds(S) are against the Lord,
    defying(T) his glorious presence.
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)