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
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)
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