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Isaiah 2
New Catholic Bible
Isaiah 2
New Catholic Bible
The Internal Decadence of a People
Chapter 2
Jerusalem, the Religious Center.[a] 1 This is the vision seen by Isaiah, the son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
will be established as the highest mountain
and raised high above the hills.
Then all the nations will stream toward it;
3 many peoples will come to it and say,
“Come, let us ascend the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
so that he may teach us his ways
and we may walk in his paths.”
For from Zion will go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He will judge between the nations
and serve as an arbiter for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
One nation will not lift up a sword against another,
nor will they ever again be trained for war.
The Lord’s Triumph Will Come[b]
5 Come, O house of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.
6 For you, O Lord, have abandoned your people,
the house of Jacob.
They are surrounded by fortune tellers
and by soothsayers like the Philistines,
and they are allying themselves with foreigners.[c]
7 Their land is full of silver and gold,
and their treasures are without limit.
Their land is filled with horses,
and there is no end to their chariots.[d]
8 Their land is full of idols;
they bow down before the work of their hands,
before what their own fingers have fashioned.
9 Therefore human nature has been humbled
and mankind has been brought low;
do not forgive them.
10 Let them conceal themselves among the rocks
and hide in the dust
in their terror of the Lord
and from the splendor of his majesty.
11 The haughty looks of men will be brought low
and human arrogance will be humbled;
the Lord alone will be exalted
on that day.
12 For the Lord of hosts has ordained a day
against all those who are proud and haughty,
against all those who have been exalted and raised high,
13 against all the lofty and proud cedars of Lebanon
and against all the oaks of Bashan,
14 against all the soaring mountains
and all the towering hills,
15 against every high tower
and every fortified wall,
16 against all the ships of Tarshish[e]
and every stately vessel.
17 Human pride will be humbled
and human arrogance will be brought low.
On that day,
the Lord alone will be exalted.
18 The idols will completely disappear;
19 they will crawl into the caves of the rocks
and the holes of the ground,
fleeing from the terror of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty
when he arises to strike the world with terror.
20 On that day people will throw away
to the moles and to the bats
their idols of silver and gold
that they had made for themselves to worship.
21 They will crawl into the crevices of the rocks
and the clefts in the cliffs
to hide from the terror of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty
when he arises to terrify the earth.
22 Have nothing more to do with men
who have only the breath in their nostrils.
Of what value are they?
Footnotes
- Isaiah 2:1 This theme, which returns often in the third part of the Book (Isa 56:6-8; 60:11-14) and in the Psalms of Zion, especially Ps 48, prepares the way for the expectation of a Messianic city in which all human beings are invited to share the joy of Christ (Heb 12:22; Rev 14:1; 21:10-26).
- Isaiah 2:5 Isaiah is probably referring here to the northern kingdom and its capital, Samaria, which were boasting of their prosperity at the very time when Assyrian invaders were already on the move (722 B.C.).
- Isaiah 2:6 Despite Israelite law and the preaching of the prophets, divination was widely practiced even in Palestine, as in the whole of the East.
- Isaiah 2:7 Chariots: war chariots, the use of which in Palestine went back to Solomon.
- Isaiah 2:16 Ships of Tarshish: Tarshish was perhaps Tartessos in Spain; the name was used for ships capable of lengthy voyages.
Isaiah 2
English Standard Version
Isaiah 2
English Standard Version
The Mountain of the Lord
2 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 (A)It shall come to pass in the latter days
that (B)the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and (C)all the nations shall flow to it,
3 and (D)many peoples shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For (E)out of Zion shall go forth the law,[a]
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
(F)and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
(G)nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.
5 O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in (H)the light of the Lord.
The Day of the Lord
6 For you have rejected your people,
the house of Jacob,
because they are full of things (I)from the east
and (J)of fortune-tellers (K)like the Philistines,
and they (L)strike hands with the children of foreigners.
7 Their land is (M)filled with silver and gold,
and there is no end to their treasures;
their land is (N)filled with horses,
and there is no end to their chariots.
8 Their land is (O)filled with idols;
they bow down to (P)the work of their hands,
to what their own fingers have made.
9 So man (Q)is humbled,
and each one (R)is brought low—
do not forgive them!
10 (S)Enter into the rock
and hide in the dust
(T)from before the terror of the Lord,
and from the splendor of his majesty.
11 (U)The haughty looks of man shall be brought low,
and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled,
and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
12 (V)For the Lord of hosts has a day
against all that is proud and lofty,
against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low;
13 against all the (W)cedars of Lebanon,
lofty and lifted up;
and against all the (X)oaks of Bashan;
14 against all (Y)the lofty mountains,
and against all the uplifted hills;
15 against every high tower,
and against every fortified wall;
16 against all (Z)the ships of Tarshish,
and against all the beautiful craft.
17 (AA)And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled,
and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low,
and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
18 (AB)And the idols shall utterly pass away.
19 (AC)And people shall enter the caves of the rocks
and the holes of the ground,[b]
from before the terror of the Lord,
and from the splendor of his majesty,
(AD)when he rises to terrify the earth.
20 In that day (AE)mankind will cast away
their idols of silver and their idols of gold,
which they made for themselves to worship,
to the moles and to the (AF)bats,
21 (AG)to enter the caverns of the rocks
and the clefts of the cliffs,
from before the terror of the Lord,
and from the splendor of his majesty,
(AH)when he rises to terrify the earth.
22 (AI)Stop regarding man
(AJ)in whose nostrils is breath,
for of what account is he?
Footnotes
- Isaiah 2:3 Or teaching
- Isaiah 2:19 Hebrew dust
Isaiah 2
New International Version
Isaiah 2
New International Version
The Mountain of the Lord(A)
2 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:(B)
2 In the last days(C)
the mountain(D) of the Lord’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;(E)
it will be exalted(F) above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.(G)
3 Many peoples(H) will come and say,
“Come, let us go(I) up to the mountain(J) of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law(K) will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.(L)
4 He will judge(M) between the nations
and will settle disputes(N) for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.(O)
Nation will not take up sword against nation,(P)
nor will they train for war anymore.
The Day of the Lord
6 You, Lord, have abandoned(S) your people,
the descendants of Jacob.(T)
They are full of superstitions from the East;
they practice divination(U) like the Philistines(V)
and embrace(W) pagan customs.(X)
7 Their land is full of silver and gold;(Y)
there is no end to their treasures.(Z)
Their land is full of horses;(AA)
there is no end to their chariots.(AB)
8 Their land is full of idols;(AC)
they bow down(AD) to the work of their hands,(AE)
to what their fingers(AF) have made.
9 So people will be brought low(AG)
and everyone humbled(AH)—
do not forgive them.[a](AI)
10 Go into the rocks, hide(AJ) in the ground
from the fearful presence of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty!(AK)
11 The eyes of the arrogant(AL) will be humbled(AM)
and human pride(AN) brought low;(AO)
the Lord alone will be exalted(AP) in that day.(AQ)
12 The Lord Almighty has a day(AR) in store
for all the proud(AS) and lofty,(AT)
for all that is exalted(AU)
(and they will be humbled),(AV)
13 for all the cedars of Lebanon,(AW) tall and lofty,(AX)
and all the oaks of Bashan,(AY)
14 for all the towering mountains
and all the high hills,(AZ)
15 for every lofty tower(BA)
and every fortified wall,(BB)
16 for every trading ship[b](BC)
and every stately vessel.
17 The arrogance of man will be brought low(BD)
and human pride humbled;(BE)
the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,(BF)
18 and the idols(BG) will totally disappear.(BH)
19 People will flee to caves(BI) in the rocks
and to holes in the ground(BJ)
from the fearful presence(BK) of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty,(BL)
when he rises to shake the earth.(BM)
20 In that day(BN) people will throw away
to the moles and bats(BO)
their idols of silver and idols of gold,(BP)
which they made to worship.(BQ)
21 They will flee to caverns in the rocks(BR)
and to the overhanging crags
from the fearful presence of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty,(BS)
when he rises(BT) to shake the earth.(BU)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 2:9 Or not raise them up
- Isaiah 2:16 Hebrew every ship of Tarshish
Isaiah 2
New American Standard Bible 1995
Isaiah 2
New American Standard Bible 1995
God’s Universal Reign
2 The word which (A)Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 Now it will come about that
(B)In the last days
The (C)mountain of the house of the Lord
Will be established [a]as the chief of the mountains,
And will be raised above the hills;
And (D)all the nations will stream to it.
3 And many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
That He may teach us [b]concerning His ways
And that we may walk in His paths.”
For the [c]law will go forth (E)from Zion
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 And He will judge between the nations,
And will [d]render decisions for many peoples;
And (F)they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
(G)Nation will not lift up sword against nation,
And never again will they learn war.
5 Come, (H)house of Jacob, and let us walk in the (I)light of the Lord.
6 For You have (J)abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob,
Because they are filled with influences from the east,
And they are soothsayers (K)like the Philistines,
And they (L)strike bargains with the children of foreigners.
7 Their land has also been filled with silver and gold
And there is no end to their treasures;
Their land has also been filled with (M)horses
And there is no end to their chariots.
8 Their land has also been (N)filled with idols;
They worship the (O)work of their hands,
That which their fingers have made.
9 So (P)the common man has been humbled
And the man of importance has been abased,
But (Q)do not forgive them.
10 (R)Enter the rock and hide in the dust
(S)From the terror of the Lord and from the splendor of His majesty.
11 The [e](T)proud look of man will be abased
And the (U)loftiness of man will be humbled,
And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
A Day of Reckoning Coming
12 For the Lord of hosts will have a day of reckoning
Against (V)everyone who is proud and lofty
And against everyone who is lifted up,
That he may be abased.
13 And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up,
Against all the (W)oaks of Bashan,
14 Against all the (X)lofty mountains,
Against all the hills that are lifted up,
15 Against every (Y)high tower,
Against every fortified wall,
16 Against all the (Z)ships of Tarshish
And against all the beautiful craft.
17 The pride of man will be humbled
And the loftiness of men will be abased;
And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
18 But the (AA)idols will completely vanish.
19 Men will (AB)go into caves of the rocks
And into holes of the [f]ground
Before the terror of the Lord
And the splendor of His majesty,
When He arises (AC)to make the earth tremble.
20 In that day men will (AD)cast away to the moles and the (AE)bats
Their idols of silver and their idols of gold,
Which they made for themselves to worship,
21 In order to (AF)go into the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs
Before the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty,
When He arises to make the earth tremble.
22 [g](AG)Stop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils;
For [h](AH)why should he be esteemed?
Footnotes
- Isaiah 2:2 Lit on
- Isaiah 2:3 Or some of
- Isaiah 2:3 Or instruction
- Isaiah 2:4 Or reprove many
- Isaiah 2:11 Lit eyes of the loftiness of men
- Isaiah 2:19 Lit dust
- Isaiah 2:22 Lit Cease from man
- Isaiah 2:22 Lit in what
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.