Isaiah 32
Living Bible
32 Look, a righteous King is coming, with honest princes! 2 He will shelter Israel from the storm and wind. He will refresh her as a river in the desert and as the cooling shadow of a mighty rock within a hot and weary land. 3 Then at last the eyes of Israel will open wide to God; his people will listen to his voice. 4 Even the hotheads among them will be full of sense and understanding, and those who stammer in uncertainty will speak out plainly.
5 In those days the ungodly, the atheists, will not be heroes! Wealthy cheaters will not be spoken of as generous, outstanding men! 6 Everyone will recognize an evil man when he sees him, and hypocrites will fool no one at all. Their lies about God and their cheating of the hungry will be plain for all to see. 7 The smooth tricks of evil men will be exposed, as will all the lies they use to oppress the poor in the courts. 8 But good men will be generous to others and will be blessed of God for all they do.
9 Listen, you women who loll around in lazy ease; listen to me and I will tell you your reward: 10 In a short time—in just a little more than a year—suddenly you’ll care, O careless ones. For the crops of fruit will fail; the harvest will not take place. 11 Tremble, O women of ease; throw off your unconcern. Strip off your pretty clothes—wear sackcloth for your grief. 12 Beat your breasts in sorrow for those bountiful farms of yours that will soon be gone, and for those fruitful vines of other years. 13 For your lands will thrive with thorns and briars; your joyous homes and happy cities will be gone. 14 Palaces and mansions will all be deserted, the crowded cities empty. Wild herds of donkeys and goats will graze upon the mountains where the watchtowers are, 15 until at last the Spirit is poured down on us from heaven. Then once again enormous crops will come. 16 Then justice will rule through all the land, 17 and out of justice, peace. Quietness and confidence will reign forever more.
18 My people will live in safety, quietly at home, 19 but the Assyrians[a] will be destroyed and their cities laid low. 20 And God will greatly bless his people. Wherever they plant, bountiful crops will spring up, and their flocks and herds will graze in green pastures.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 32:19 but the Assyrians, implied.
Isaiah 32
International Children’s Bible
A Good Kingdom Is Coming
32 A king will rule in a way that brings justice.
Leaders will make fair decisions.
2 Then each ruler will be like a shelter from the wind.
He will be like a safe place in a storm.
He will be like streams of water in a dry land.
He will be like a cool shadow from a large rock in a hot land.
3 People will look to the king for help.
And they will truly listen to what he says.
4 People who are now worried will be able to understand.
Those who cannot speak clearly now will then be able to speak clearly and quickly.
5 Fools will not be called great men.
People will not respect wicked men.
6 A fool says foolish things.
And in his mind he plans to do evil things.
A fool wants to do things that are wrong.
He says wrong things about the Lord.
A fool does not feed the hungry.
He does not let thirsty people drink water.
7 The wicked man uses evil like a tool.
He plans ways to take everything from poor people.
He destroys the poor with lies,
even when the poor man is in the right.
8 But a good leader plans good things to do.
And those good things make him a good leader.
Hard Times Are Coming
9 You women who are calm now,
stand up and listen to me.
You women who feel safe now,
hear what I say.
10 You women feel safe now,
but after one year you will be afraid.
There will be no grape harvest.
There will not be any summer fruit to gather.
11 Women, you are calm now, but you should shake with fear.
Women, you feel safe now, but you should tremble.
Take off your nice clothes.
Then put rough cloth around your waist to show your sadness.
12 Beat your breasts in grief because the fields that were pleasant are now empty.
Cry because the vines that once had fruit now have no more grapes.
13 Cry for the land of my people.
Cry because only thorns and weeds grow there now.
Cry for the city that once was happy.
And cry for all the houses that once were filled with joy.
14 The palace will be empty.
People will leave the noisy city.
Strong cities and towers will be empty.
Wild donkeys will love to live there. Sheep will go there to eat.
Things Will Get Better
15 This will continue until God puts his Spirit from above into us.
Then the desert will be like a fertile field.
And the fertile field will be like a forest.
16 Justice will be found even in the desert.
And fairness will be found in the fertile fields.
17 That fairness will bring peace.
And fairness will bring calm and safety forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful places.
They will have safe homes.
They will live in calm places of rest.
19 Hail will destroy the forest.
And the city will be completely destroyed.
20 But you will be happy as you plant seeds near every stream.
You will let your cattle and donkeys wander freely.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
