Isaiah 3

Chapter 3

Judgment against Judah

1 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,2 all their heroes and soldiers,
judges and prophets,
fortune-tellers and elders,3 army officers and high officials,
advisers, skilled craftsmen, and astrologers.4 I will make boys their leaders,
and toddlers their rulers.5 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.6 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!”7 But he will reply,
“No! I can’t help.
I don’t have any extra food or clothes.
Don’t put me in charge!”8 For Jerusalem will stumble,
and Judah will fall,
because they speak out against the LORD and refuse to obey him.
They provoke him to his face.9 The very look on their faces gives them away.
They display their sin like the people of Sodom
and don’t even try to hide it.
They are doomed!
They have brought destruction upon themselves.10 Tell the godly that all will be well for them.
They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned!11 But the wicked are doomed,
for they will get exactly what they deserve.12 Childish leaders oppress my people,
and women rule over them.
O my people, your leaders mislead you;
they send you down the wrong road.13 The LORD takes his place in court
and presents his case against his people!14 The LORD comes forward to pronounce judgment
on the elders and rulers of his people:
“You have ruined Israel, my vineyard.
Your houses are filled with things stolen from the poor.15 How dare you crush my people,
grinding the faces of the poor into the dust?”
demands the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

A Warning to Jerusalem

16 The LORD says, “Beautiful Ziont is haughty:
craning her elegant neck,
flirting with her eyes,
walking with dainty steps,
tinkling her ankle bracelets.17 So the Lord will send scabs on her head;
the LORD will make beautiful Zion bald.”18 On that day of judgment
the Lord will strip away everything that makes her beautiful:
ornaments, headbands, crescent necklaces,19 earrings, bracelets, and veils;20 scarves, ankle bracelets, sashes,
perfumes, and charms;21 rings, jewels,22 party clothes, gowns, capes, and purses;23 mirrors, fine linen garments,
head ornaments, and shawls.24 Instead of smelling of sweet perfume, she will stink.
She will wear a rope for a sash,
and her elegant hair will fall out.
She will wear rough burlap instead of rich robes.
Shame will replace her beauty.t25 The men of the city will be killed with the sword,
and her warriors will die in battle.26 The gates of Zion will weep and mourn.
The city will be like a ravaged woman,
huddled 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