Isaiah 3
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
3 For now the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts,
is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah
support and staff—
all support of bread
and all support of water—(A)
2 warrior and soldier,
judge and prophet,
diviner and elder,(B)
3 captain of fifty
and dignitary,
counselor and skillful magician
and expert enchanter.
4 And I will make youths their princes,
and children shall rule over them.(C)
5 The people will be oppressed,
everyone by another
and everyone by a neighbor;
the youth will be insolent to the elder
and the base to the honorable.(D)
6 Someone will seize a relative,
a member of the clan, saying,
“You have a cloak;
you shall be our leader,
and this heap of ruins
shall be under your rule.”(E)
7 But the other will cry out on that day, saying,
“I will not be a healer;
in my house there is neither bread nor cloak;
you shall not make me
leader of the people.”(F)
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled,
and Judah has fallen,
because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord,
defying his glorious presence.(G)
9 The look on their faces bears witness against them;
they proclaim their sin like Sodom;
they do not hide it.
Woe to them,
for they have brought evil on themselves.(H)
10 Tell the innocent how fortunate they are,
for they shall eat the fruit of their labors.(I)
11 Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are,
for what their hands have done shall be done to them.(J)
12 My people—their oppressors extort them,
and creditors[a] rule over them.
O my people, your leaders mislead you
and confuse the course of your paths.(K)
13 The Lord rises to argue his case;
he stands to judge the peoples.(L)
14 The Lord enters into judgment
with the elders and princes of his people:
It is you who have devoured the vineyard;
the spoil of the poor is in your houses.(M)
15 What do you mean by crushing my people,
by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord God of hosts.(N)
16 The Lord said:
Because the daughters of Zion are haughty
and walk with outstretched necks,
glancing wantonly with their eyes,
mincing along as they go,
tinkling with their feet;(O)
17 the Lord will afflict with scabs
the heads of the daughters of Zion,
and the Lord will lay bare their scalps and heads.
18 On that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents;(P) 19 the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarfs; 20 the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets;(Q) 21 the signet rings and nose rings;(R) 22 the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; 23 the garments of gauze, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.
24 Instead of perfume there will be a stench;
and instead of a sash, a rope;
and instead of well-styled hair, baldness;
and instead of a rich robe, a binding of sackcloth;
instead of beauty, shame.[b](S)
25 Your men shall fall by the sword
and your warriors in battle.(T)
26 And her gates shall lament and mourn;
desolate, she shall sit upon the ground.(U)
Isaiah 3
Common English Bible
Your leaders mislead you
3 Now the Lord God of heavenly forces is removing from Jerusalem and from Judah every form of support:
all rations of food and water;
2 soldier and warrior;
judge and prophet;
fortune-teller and elder;
3 commander and celebrity;
counselor, clever craftsman, and cunning charmer.
4 I will make youths their commanders;
mischief makers will rule over them.
5 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.
6 Someone will seize a family member, saying, “You have clothing! You be our leader!
This mess will be your responsibility!”
7 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!”
8 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.
9 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
- Isaiah 3:12 LXX; MT women
- Isaiah 3:24 DSS (1QIsaa); MT lacks shame.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible