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Isaiah 3
Wycliffe Bible
Isaiah 3
Wycliffe Bible
3 For lo! the lordly governor, the Lord of hosts, shall take away from Jerusalem and from Judah, a mighty man, and strong, and all the strength of bread, and all the strength of water; (For lo! the Lordly Governor, the Lord of hosts, shall take away from Jerusalem and from Judah, the mighty and the strong, and all the food and water;)
2 a strong man, and a man a warrior, and a doomsman, and a prophet, and a false diviner in altars, and an eld man, (yea, a strong man, and a warrior, a judge, and a prophet, a false diviner of altars, and an old man,)
3 a prince over fifty men, and a worshipful man in cheer (a leader of fifty men, and an honourable man), and a counsellor, and a wise man of principal craftsmen, and a prudent man of mystic, either ghostly, speech.
4 And I shall give children to be the princes of them, and men of women’s conditions shall be lords of them. (And I shall make children to be their leaders, and young boys to be their lords and masters.)
5 And the people shall fall down, a man to a man, each man to his neighbour; a child shall make noise against an eld man, and an unnoble man against a noble man. (And the people shall fall down, one by one, each by his neighbour; a child shall not respect an old man, and an ignoble man shall not respect a noble man.)
6 For a man shall take his brother, the menial of his father, and shall say, A cloth is to thee, be thou our prince; forsooth this falling be under thine hand. (And a man shall take hold of his brother, in the house of his father, and shall say, Thou hath a cloak, so thou be our leader; and then this time of trouble shall be under thy hand.)
7 And he shall answer in that day, and say, I am no leech, and neither bread, neither cloth is in mine house; do not ye make me prince of the people. (And he shall answer on that day, and say, I am no physician, and there is no bread, or cloak, in my house; do not ye make me to be the leader of the people.)
8 For why Jerusalem fell down, and Judah fell down (al)together; for the tongue of them, and the findings of them (for their words, and their deeds), were against the Lord, for to stir to wrath the eyes of his majesty.
9 The knowing of their cheer shall answer to them (The look on their faces shall witness against them); and they preached their sin, as Sodom did, and hid (it) not. Woe to the soul of them, for why evils be yielded to them.
10 Say ye to the just man, that it shall be to him well; for he shall eat the fruit of his findings. (Say ye to the righteous person, that it shall be well with him, for he shall eat the fruit of his deeds.)
11 Woe to the wicked man into evil; for why the yielding of his hands shall be made to him. (Woe to the wicked person unto evil; for the reward of his hands, or the fruit of his labour, shall be given to him.)
12 The wrongful askers of my people robbed it, and women were lords thereof. My people, they that say thee blessed, deceive thee, and destroy the way of thy steps. (The oppressors of my people rob them, and women be their lords. My people, those who say that thou art blessed, deceive thee, and destroy the way of thy steps.)
13 The Lord standeth for to deem, and he standeth for to deem [the] peoples; (The Lord cometh forth to judge, yea, he cometh forth to judge the people;)
14 the Lord shall come to doom, with the elder men of his people, and with his princes; for ye have wasted my vineyard, and the raven of a poor man is in your house. (the Lord shall come to judge the elders of his people, and their leaders; for ye have destroyed my vineyard, and the spoils of the poor be in your house.)
15 Why all-break ye my people, and grind together the faces of poor men? saith the Lord God of hosts. (Why altogether break ye my people, and altogether grind down the poor? saith the Lord God of hosts.)
16 And the Lord God said, For that that the daughters of Zion were raised (up), and went with neck stretched forth, and went by signs of eyes, and clapped with hands, and went, and with their feet went in well-arrayed going (and went with their feet in well-arrayed fashion, and with bangles on their ankles),
17 the Lord shall make bald the noll of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord shall make naked the hair of them. (the Lord shall make the daughters of Zion bald, yea, the Lord shall shave off all their hair.)
18 In that day the Lord shall take away the ornament of shoes, and golden little bells like the moon, (On that day the Lord shall take away all the ornaments for shoes, the little gold bells like the moon,)
19 and (also the) ribbons, and brooches, and (the) ornaments of arms nigh the shoulders,
20 and mitres, either chaplets, and combs, and ornaments of arms nigh the hands, and (the) golden ornaments like lampreys, and little vessels of ointments, and earrings,
21 and rings, and precious stones hanging in the forehead, (and rings, and precious stones that hang upon the forehead,)
22 and changing clothes, and mantles, and sheets, either smocks, and needles [and pins], (and changes of clothing, and cloaks, and smocks, and pins and needles,)
23 and mirrors, and small linen clothes about the shoulders, and kerchiefs, and rochets. (and mirrors, and capes, and handkerchiefs, and veils.)
24 And stink shall be for sweet odour, and a cord for the girdle; baldness shall be for the crisp hair, and an hair-shirt for a breast girdle.
25 Also thy fairest men shall fall by sword, and thy strong men shall fall in battle. (And thy best shall fall by the sword, and thy strong shall fall in battle.)
26 And the gates thereof shall wail, and mourn; and it shall sit desolate in [the] earth. (And her gates shall wail, and mourn; and she shall sit desolate upon the ground.)
Isaiah 3
New International Version
Isaiah 3
New International Version
Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah
3 See now, the Lord,
the Lord Almighty,
is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah
both supply and support:(A)
all supplies of food(B) and all supplies of water,(C)
2 the hero and the warrior,(D)
the judge and the prophet,
the diviner(E) and the elder,(F)
3 the captain of fifty(G) and the man of rank,(H)
the counselor, skilled craftsman(I) and clever enchanter.(J)
4 “I will make mere youths their officials;
children will rule over them.”(K)
5 People will oppress each other—
man against man, neighbor against neighbor.(L)
The young will rise up against the old,
the nobody against the honored.
6 A man will seize one of his brothers
in his father’s house, and say,
“You have a cloak, you be our leader;
take charge of this heap of ruins!”
7 But in that day(M) he will cry out,
“I have no remedy.(N)
I have no food(O) or clothing in my house;
do not make me the leader of the people.”(P)
8 Jerusalem staggers,
Judah is falling;(Q)
their words(R) and deeds(S) are against the Lord,
defying(T) his glorious presence.
9 The look on their faces testifies(U) against them;
they parade their sin like Sodom;(V)
they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
They have brought disaster(W) upon themselves.
10 Tell the righteous it will be well(X) with them,
for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.(Y)
11 Woe to the wicked!(Z)
Disaster(AA) is upon them!
They will be paid back(AB)
for what their hands have done.(AC)
12 Youths(AD) oppress my people,
women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;(AE)
they turn you from the path.
13 The Lord takes his place in court;(AF)
he rises to judge(AG) the people.
14 The Lord enters into judgment(AH)
against the elders and leaders of his people:
“It is you who have ruined my vineyard;
the plunder(AI) from the poor(AJ) is in your houses.
15 What do you mean by crushing my people(AK)
and grinding(AL) the faces of the poor?”(AM)
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.(AN)
16 The Lord says,
“The women of Zion(AO) are haughty,
walking along with outstretched necks,(AP)
flirting with their eyes,
strutting along with swaying hips,
with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
17 Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion;
the Lord will make their scalps bald.(AQ)”
18 In that day(AR) the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces,(AS) 19 the earrings and bracelets(AT) and veils,(AU) 20 the headdresses(AV) and anklets and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21 the signet rings and nose rings,(AW) 22 the fine robes and the capes and cloaks,(AX) the purses 23 and mirrors, and the linen garments(AY) and tiaras(AZ) and shawls.
24 Instead of fragrance(BA) there will be a stench;(BB)
instead of a sash,(BC) a rope;
instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;(BD)
instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;(BE)
instead of beauty,(BF) branding.(BG)
25 Your men will fall by the sword,(BH)
your warriors in battle.(BI)
26 The gates(BJ) of Zion will lament and mourn;(BK)
destitute,(BL) she will sit on the ground.(BM)
Isaiah 3
English Standard Version
Isaiah 3
English Standard Version
Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem
3 For behold, the (A)Lord God of hosts
is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah
support and supply,[a]
all (B)support of bread,
and all support of water;
2 (C)the mighty man and the soldier,
the judge and the prophet,
the diviner and the elder,
3 the captain of fifty
and the man of rank,
the counselor and the skillful magician
and the expert in charms.
4 (D)And I will make boys their princes,
and infants[b] shall rule over them.
5 (E)And the people will oppress one another,
every one his fellow
and every one his neighbor;
the youth will be insolent to the elder,
and the despised to the honorable.
6 For (F)a man will take hold of his brother
in the house of his father, saying:
“You have a cloak;
you shall be our leader,
and this heap of ruins
shall be under your rule”;
7 in that day he will speak out, saying:
“I will not be a (G)healer;[c]
in my house there is neither bread nor cloak;
you shall not make me
leader of the people.”
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled,
and Judah has fallen,
because their (H)speech and their deeds are against the Lord,
(I)defying his glorious presence.[d]
9 For the look on their faces bears witness against them;
they proclaim their sin (J)like Sodom;
they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
(K)For they have brought evil on themselves.
10 (L)Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them,
(M)for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
11 (N)Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him,
for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.
12 My people—(O)infants are their oppressors,
and women rule over them.
O my people, (P)your guides mislead you
and they have swallowed up[e] the course of your paths.
13 The Lord (Q)has taken his place to contend;
he stands to judge peoples.
14 The Lord will enter into judgment
with the (R)elders and princes of his people:
“It is you who (S)have devoured[f] the vineyard,
(T)the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
15 What do you mean by (U)crushing my people,
by grinding the face of the poor?”
declares the Lord God of hosts.
16 The Lord said:
(V)Because (W)the daughters of Zion are haughty
and walk with outstretched necks,
glancing wantonly with their eyes,
mincing along as they go,
(X)tinkling with their feet,
17 therefore the Lord (Y)will strike with a scab
the heads of (Z)the daughters of Zion,
and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts.
18 In that day the Lord will take away (AA)the finery of the anklets, the (AB)headbands, and the (AC)crescents; 19 the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves; 20 the (AD)headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; 21 the signet rings and (AE)nose rings; 22 the (AF)festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; 23 the mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.
24 Instead of (AG)perfume there will be rottenness;
and instead of a (AH)belt, a rope;
and instead of (AI)well-set hair, (AJ)baldness;
and instead of a rich robe, a (AK)skirt of sackcloth;
and (AL)branding instead of beauty.
25 Your men shall fall by the sword
and your mighty men in battle.
26 And (AM)her gates shall lament and mourn;
empty, she shall (AN)sit on the ground.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 3:1 Hebrew staff
- Isaiah 3:4 Or caprice
- Isaiah 3:7 Hebrew binder of wounds
- Isaiah 3:8 Hebrew the eyes of his glory
- Isaiah 3:12 Or they have confused
- Isaiah 3:14 Or grazed over; compare Exodus 22:5
Isaiah 3
The Message
Isaiah 3
The Message
Jerusalem on Its Last Legs
3 1-7 The Master, God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
is emptying Jerusalem and Judah
Of all the basic necessities,
plain bread and water to begin with.
He’s withdrawing police and protection,
judges and courts,
pastors and teachers,
captains and generals,
doctors and nurses,
and, yes, even the repairmen and jacks-of-all-trades.
He says, “I’ll put little kids in charge of the city.
Schoolboys and schoolgirls will order everyone around.
People will be at each other’s throats,
stabbing one another in the back:
Neighbor against neighbor, young against old,
the no-account against the well-respected.
One brother will grab another and say,
‘You look like you’ve got a head on your shoulders.
Do something!
Get us out of this mess.’
And he’ll say, ‘Me? Not me! I don’t have a clue.
Don’t put me in charge of anything.’
8-9 “Jerusalem’s on its last legs.
Judah is soon down for the count.
Everything people say and do
is at cross-purposes with God,
a slap in my face.
Brazen in their depravity,
they flaunt their sins like degenerate Sodom.
Doom to their eternal souls! They’ve made their bed;
now they’ll sleep in it.
10-11 “Reassure the righteous
that their good living will pay off.
But doom to the wicked! Disaster!
Everything they did will be done to them.
12 “Skinny kids terrorize my people.
Silly girls bully them around.
My dear people! Your leaders are taking you down a blind alley.
They’re sending you off on a wild-goose chase.”
A City Brought to Her Knees by Her Sorrows
13-15 God enters the courtroom.
He takes his place at the bench to judge his people.
God calls for order in the court,
hauls the leaders of his people into the dock:
“You’ve played havoc with this country.
Your houses are stuffed with what you’ve stolen from the poor.
What is this anyway? Stomping on my people,
grinding the faces of the poor into the dirt?”
That’s what the Master,
God-of-the-Angel-Armies, says.
16-17 God says, “Zion women are stuck-up,
prancing around in their high heels,
Making eyes at all the men in the street,
swinging their hips,
Tossing their hair,
gaudy and garish in cheap jewelry.”
The Master will fix it so those Zion women
will all turn bald—
Scabby, bald-headed women.
The Master will do it.
18-23 The time is coming when the Master will strip them of their fancy baubles—the dangling earrings, anklets and bracelets, combs and mirrors and silk scarves, diamond brooches and pearl necklaces, the rings on their fingers and the rings on their toes, the latest fashions in hats, exotic perfumes and aphrodisiacs, gowns and capes, all the world’s finest in fabrics and design.
24 Instead of wearing seductive scents,
these women are going to smell like rotting cabbages;
Instead of modeling flowing gowns,
they’ll be sporting rags;
Instead of their stylish hairdos,
scruffy heads;
Instead of beauty marks,
scabs and scars.
25-26 Your finest fighting men will be killed,
your soldiers left dead on the battlefield.
The entrance gate to Zion will be clotted
with people mourning their dead—
A city stooped under the weight of her loss,
brought to her knees by her sorrows.
* * *
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
2001 by Terence P. Noble
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.
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.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson