Isaiah 32
Modern English Version
The Kingdom of Righteousness
32 See, a king shall reign in righteousness,
and princes shall rule justly.
2 A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind,
and a shelter from the tempest,
as rivers of water in a dry place,
as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
3 The eyes of those who see shall not be blinded,
and the ears of those who hear shall listen.
4 The heart also of the hasty shall understand knowledge,
and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.
5 The vile person shall no more be called noble,
nor the rogue be spoken of as generous;
6 for the vile person will speak nonsense,
and his heart will work iniquity:
to practice hypocrisy
and to utter error against the Lord,
to keep the hungry unsatisfied
and to withhold drink from the thirsty.
7 The instruments also of the rogue are evil;
he devises wicked schemes
to destroy the poor with lying words,
even when the needy speaks right.
8 But the noble devises noble things,
and by noble things he stands.
The Women of Jerusalem
9 Rise up, you women who are at ease,
hear my voice;
you careless daughters,
give ear to my speech.
10 Within a year and a few days
you shall be troubled, you careless daughters;
for the vintage is ended
and the fruit gathering shall not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease;
be troubled, you careless daughters;
strip, undress,
and put sackcloth on your waist.
12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,
for the fruitful vine,
13 for the land of my people
in which thorns and briers shall come up,
yes, for all the joyful houses
and for the jubilant city;
14 because the palaces have been forsaken,
the populated city is forsaken.
The forts and towers shall be caves forever,
a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks,
15 until the Spirit is poured on us from on high,
and the wilderness is a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field is counted as a forest.
The Peace of God’s Reign
16 Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness,
and righteousness will abide in the fruitful field.
17 The work of righteousness shall be peace,
and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
18 My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation
and in secure dwellings
and in quiet resting places;
19 and it shall hail when the forest comes down,
and the city shall be utterly laid low.
20 How blessed are you
who sow beside all waters,
who send out freely the ox and the donkey.
Isaiah 32
American Standard Version
32 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice. 2 And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land. 3 And the eyes of them that see shall not be [a]dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken. 4 And the heart of the [b]rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly. 5 The fool shall be no more called noble, nor the [c]churl said to be bountiful. 6 For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise profaneness, and to utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. 7 And the instruments of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the [d]meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right. 8 But the noble deviseth noble things; and [e]in noble things shall he continue.
9 Rise up, ye women that are at ease, and hear my voice; ye [f]careless daughters, give ear unto my speech. 10 [g]For days beyond a year shall ye be troubled, ye careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the ingathering shall not come. 11 Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones; strip you, and make you bare, and [h]gird sackcloth upon your loins. 12 They shall smite upon the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. 13 Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city. 14 For the palace shall be forsaken; the populous city shall be deserted; [i]the hill and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; 15 until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest.
16 Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness shall abide in the fruitful field. 17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence for ever. 18 And my people shall abide in a peaceable habitation, and in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places. 19 But it shall hail in the downfall of the forest; and the city shall be utterly laid low. 20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth the feet of the ox and the ass.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 32:3 Or, closed
- Isaiah 32:4 Hebrew hasty.
- Isaiah 32:5 Or, crafty
- Isaiah 32:7 Or, poor
- Isaiah 32:8 Or, by liberal things shall he stand
- Isaiah 32:9 Hebrew confident.
- Isaiah 32:10 Or, After a year and days. Hebrew Days above a year.
- Isaiah 32:11 Or, put a girdle upon
- Isaiah 32:14 Or, Ophel
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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