Judah’s Leaders Judged

Observe this: The Lord God of Hosts
is about to remove from Jerusalem and from Judah
every kind of security:
the entire supply of bread and water,
the hero and warrior,(A)
the judge and prophet,
the fortune-teller and elder,
the commander of 50 and the dignitary,
the counselor, cunning magician,[a] and necromancer.[b]
“I will make youths their leaders,(B)
and the unstable[c] will govern them.”
The people will oppress one another,(C)
man against man, neighbor against neighbor;
the youth will act arrogantly toward the elder,
and the worthless toward the honorable.
A man will even seize his brother
in his father’s house, saying:
“You have a cloak—you be our leader!
This heap of rubble will be under your control.”
On that day he will cry out, saying:
“I’m not a healer.
I don’t even have food or clothing in my house.
Don’t make me the leader of the people!”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 3:3 Or skilled craftsman
  2. Isaiah 3:3 Or medium
  3. Isaiah 3:4 Or mischief-makers

Judgment against Judah

The Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
    will take away from Jerusalem and Judah
everything they depend on:
    every bit of bread
    and every drop of water,
all their heroes and soldiers,
    judges and prophets,
    fortune-tellers and elders,
army officers and high officials,
    advisers, skilled sorcerers, and astrologers.

I will make boys their leaders,
    and toddlers their rulers.
People will oppress each other—
    man against man,
    neighbor against neighbor.
Young people will insult their elders,
    and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable.

In those days a man will say to his brother,
“Since you have a coat, you be our leader!
    Take charge of this heap of ruins!”
But he will reply,
    “No! I can’t help.
I don’t have any extra food or clothes.
    Don’t put me in charge!”

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