Isaiah 3

Judah's Leaders Judged

1 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,
2 the hero and warrior,
the judge and prophet,
the fortune-teller and elder,
3 the commander of 50 and the dignitary,
the counselor, cunning magician, and necromancer.
4 "I will make youths their leaders,
and the unstable will govern them."
5 The people will oppress one another,
man against man, neighbor against neighbor;
the youth will act arrogantly toward the elder,
and the worthless toward the honorable.
6 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."
7 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!"
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled
and Judah has fallen
because they have spoken and acted against the Lord,
defying His glorious presence.
9 The look on their faces testifies against them,
and like Sodom, they flaunt their sin.
They do not conceal it.
Woe to them,
for they have brought evil on themselves.
10 Tell the righteous that it will go well [for them],
for they will eat the fruit of their labor.
11 Woe to the wicked-[it will go] badly [for them],
for what they have done will be done to them.

12 Youths oppress My people,
and women rule over them.
My people, your leaders mislead you;
they confuse the direction of your paths.

13 The Lord rises to argue the case
and stands to judge the people.
14 The Lord brings [this] charge
against the elders and leaders of His people:
"You have devastated the vineyard.
The plunder from the poor is in your houses.

15 Why do you crush My people
and grind the faces of the poor?"
[This is] the declaration
of the Lord God of Hosts.

Jerusalem's Women Judged

16 The Lord also says:

Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,
walking with heads held high
and seductive eyes,
going along with prancing steps,
jingling their ankle bracelets,

17 the Lord will put scabs on the heads
of the daughters of Zion,
and the Lord will shave their foreheads bare.
18 On that day the Lord will strip their finery: ankle bracelets, headbands, crescents, 19 pendants, bracelets, veils, 20 headdresses, ankle jewelry, sashes, perfume bottles, amulets, 21 signet rings, nose rings, 22 festive robes, capes, cloaks, purses,

23 garments, linen clothes, turbans, and veils.

24 Instead of perfume there will be a stench;
instead of a belt, a rope;
instead of beautifully styled hair, baldness;
instead of fine clothes, sackcloth;
instead of beauty, branding.
25 Your men will fall by the sword,
your warriors in battle.
26 Then her gates will lament and mourn;
deserted, she will sit on the ground.

Isaiah 3

A Coming Leadership Crisis

1 Look, the sovereign Lord who commands armiest
is about to remove from Jerusalems and Judah
every source of security, includingt
all the food and water,t

2 the mighty men and warriors,
judges and prophets,
omen readers and leaders,t

3 captains of groups of fifty,
the respected citizens,t
advisers and those skilled in magical arts,t
and those who know incantations.

4 The Lord says,t “I will make youths their officials;
malicious young ment will rule over them.

5 The people will treat each other harshly;
men will oppose each other;
neighbors will fight.t
Youths will proudly defy the elderly
and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected.t

6 Indeed, a man will grab his brother
right in his father’s houset and say,t
‘You own a coat –
you be our leader!
This heap of ruins will be under your control.’ts

7 At that timet the brother will shout,t
‘I am no doctor,t
I have no food or coat in my house;
don’t make me a leader of the people!’”

8 Jerusalem certainly stumbles,
Judah falls,
for their words and their actions offend the Lord;t
they rebel against his royal authority.t

9 The look on their facess testifies to their guilt;t
like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin.t
Too bad for them!t
For they bring disaster on themselves.

10 Tell the innocentt it will go well with them,t
for they will be rewarded for what they have done.t

11 Too bad for the wicked sinners!
For they will get exactly what they deserve.t

12 Oppressors treat mys people cruelly;
creditors rule over them.s
My people’s leaders mislead them;
they give you confusing directions.t

13 The Lord takes his position to judge;
he stands up to pass sentence on his people.s

14 The Lord comes to pronounce judgment
on the leaders of his people and their officials.
He says,t “It is yout who have ruinedt the vineyard!s
You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor.t

15 Why do you crush my people
and grind the faces of the poor?”s
The sovereign Lord who commands armiests has spoken.

Washing Away Impurity

16 The Lord says,
“The woment of Zion are proud.
They walk with their heads hight
and flirt with their eyes.
They skip alongt
and the jewelry on their ankles jingles.t

17 Sot the sovereign mastert will afflict the foreheads of Zion’s woment with skin diseases,t
the Lord will make the front of their heads bald.”t
18 s At that timet the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry,t neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments,19 earrings, bracelets, veils,20 headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets,t amulets,21 rings, nose rings,22 festive dresses, robes, shawls, purses,

23 garments, vests, head coverings, and gowns.ts

24 A putrid stench will replace the smell of spices,t
a rope will replace a belt,
baldness will replace braided locks of hair,
a sackcloth garment will replace a fine robe,
and a prisoner’s brand will replace beauty.

25 Yourt men will fall by the sword,
your strong men will die in battle.t

26 Her gates will mourn and lament;
deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground.t