Isaiah 3
World English Bible
3 For, behold,[a] the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah supply and support,
the whole supply of bread,
and the whole supply of water;
2 the mighty man,
the man of war,
the judge,
the prophet,
the diviner,
the elder,
3 the captain of fifty,
the honorable man,
the counselor,
the skilled craftsman,
and the clever enchanter.
4 I will give boys to be their princes,
and children shall rule over them.
5 The people will be oppressed,
everyone by another,
and everyone by his neighbor.
The child will behave himself proudly against the old man,
and the wicked against the honorable.
6 Indeed a man shall take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying,
“You have clothing, you be our ruler,
and let this ruin be under your hand.”
7 In that day he will cry out, saying, “I will not be a healer;
for in my house is neither bread nor clothing.
You shall not make me ruler of the people.”
8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen;
because their tongue and their doings are against Yahweh,
to provoke the eyes of his glory.
9 The look of their faces testify against them.
They parade their sin like Sodom.
They don’t hide it.
Woe to their soul!
For they have brought disaster upon themselves.
10 Tell the righteous “Good!”
For they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
11 Woe to the wicked!
Disaster is upon them;
for the deeds of his hands will be paid back to him.
12 As for my people, children are their oppressors,
and women rule over them.
My people, those who lead you cause you to err,
and destroy the way of your paths.
13 Yahweh stands up to contend,
and stands to judge the peoples.
14 Yahweh will enter into judgment with the elders of his people
and their leaders:
“It is you who have eaten up the vineyard.
The plunder of the poor is in your houses.
15 What do you mean that you crush my people,
and grind the face of the poor?” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.
16 Moreover Yahweh said, “Because the daughters of Zion are arrogant,
and walk with outstretched necks and flirting eyes,
walking to trip as they go,
jingling ornaments on their feet;
17 therefore the Lord brings sores on the crown of the head of the women of Zion,
and Yahweh will make their scalps bald.”
18 In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, the headbands, the crescent necklaces, 19 the earrings, the bracelets, the veils, 20 the headdresses, the ankle chains, the sashes, the perfume containers, the charms, 21 the signet rings, the nose rings, 22 the fine robes, the capes, the cloaks, the purses, 23 the hand mirrors, the fine linen garments, the tiaras, and the shawls.
24 It shall happen that instead of sweet spices, there shall be rottenness;
instead of a belt, a rope;
instead of well set hair, baldness;
instead of a robe, a wearing of sackcloth;
and branding instead of beauty.
25 Your men shall fall by the sword,
and your mighty in the war.
26 Her gates shall lament and mourn.
She shall be desolate and sit on the ground.
Footnotes
- 3:1 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
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.
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