Isaiah 32
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 flowing streams(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 person 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 grapes 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 jubilant city.
14 For the palace will be deserted,
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[a] from on high 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,[b](P)
and the city will sink into the depths.(Q)
20 You will be happy as you sow seed
beside abundant water,(R)
and as you let oxen and donkeys range freely.(S)
Isaiah 32
English Standard Version
A King Will Reign in Righteousness
32 Behold, (A)a king will reign in righteousness,
and princes will rule in justice.
2 (B)Each will be like a hiding place from the wind,
a shelter from the storm,
(C)like streams of water in a dry place,
like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
3 (D)Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed,
and the ears of those who hear will give attention.
4 The heart of the hasty will understand and know,
(E)and the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak distinctly.
5 (F)The fool will no more be called noble,
nor the scoundrel said to be honorable.
6 For (G)the fool speaks folly,
and his heart is busy with iniquity,
to practice ungodliness,
to utter error concerning the Lord,
(H)to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied,
and to deprive the thirsty of drink.
7 As for the scoundrel—(I)his devices are evil;
he plans wicked schemes
to ruin the poor with lying words,
even when the plea of the needy is right.
8 But he who is noble plans noble things,
and on noble things he stands.
Complacent Women Warned of Disaster
9 (J)Rise up, you women (K)who are at ease, hear my voice;
you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech.
10 In little more than a year
you will shudder, you complacent women;
for the grape harvest fails,
the fruit harvest will not come.
11 Tremble, you women (L)who are at ease,
shudder, you complacent ones;
(M)strip, and make yourselves bare,
(N)and tie sackcloth around your waist.
12 (O)Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,
for the fruitful vine,
13 (P)for the soil of my people
growing up in thorns and briers,
(Q)yes, for all the joyous houses
in the exultant city.
14 For the palace is forsaken,
the populous city deserted;
the hill and the watchtower
will become dens forever,
(R)a joy of wild donkeys,
a pasture of flocks;
15 until (S)the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
and (T)the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.
17 (U)And the effect of righteousness will be peace,
and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust[a] forever.
18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,
in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
19 (V)And it will hail when the forest falls down,
(W)and the city will be utterly laid low.
20 (X)Happy are you who sow beside all waters,
who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range free.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 32:17 Or security
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
