Isaiah 32
A King with Integrity
1 Some day there will be a king who rules with integrity, and national leaders who govern with justice. 2 Each of them will be like a shelter from the wind and a place to hide from storms. They will be like streams flowing in a desert, like the shadow of a giant rock in a barren land. 3 Their eyes and ears will be open to the needs of the people. 4 They will not be impatient any longer, but they will act with understanding and will say what they mean. 5 No one will think that a fool is honorable or say that a scoundrel is honest. 6 A fool speaks foolishly and thinks up evil things to do. What he does and what he says are an insult to the LORD, and he never feeds the hungry or gives thirsty people anything to drink. 7 A stupid person is evil and does evil things; he plots to ruin the poor with lies and to keep them from getting their rights.
8 But an honorable person acts honestly and stands firm for what is right.
Judgment and Restoration
9 You women who live an easy life, free from worries, listen to what I am saying. 10 You may be satisfied now, but this time next year you will be in despair because there will be no grapes for you to gather. 11 You have been living an easy life, free from worries; but now, tremble with fear! Strip off your clothes and tie rags around your waist. 12 Beat your breasts in grief because the fertile fields and the vineyards have been destroyed, 13 and thorn bushes and briers are growing on my people's land. Weep for all the houses where people were happy and for the city that was full of life.
14 Even the palace will be abandoned and the capital city totally deserted. Homes and the forts that guarded them will be in ruins forever. Wild donkeys will roam there, and sheep will find pasture there.
15 But once more God will send us his spirit. The wasteland will become fertile, and fields will produce rich crops. 16 Everywhere in the land righteousness and justice will be done. 17 Because everyone will do what is right, there will be peace and security forever. 18 God's people will be free from worries, and their homes peaceful and safe. 19 (But hail will fall on the forests, and the city will be torn down.)
20 How happy everyone will be with plenty of water for the crops and safe pasture everywhere for the donkeys and cattle.
Isaiah 32
1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.2 And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land.3 And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.4 And the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.5 The fool shall be no more called noble, nor the churl said to be bountiful.6 For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise profaneness, and to utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.7 And the instruments of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.8 But the noble deviseth noble things; and in noble things shall he continue.9 Rise up, ye women that are at ease, and hear my voice; ye careless daughters, give ear unto my speech.10 For days beyond a year shall ye be troubled, ye careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the ingathering shall not come.11 Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones; strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.12 They shall smite upon the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.13 Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city.14 For the palace shall be forsaken; the populous city shall be deserted; the hill and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;15 until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest.16 Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness shall abide in the fruitful field.17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence for ever.18 And my people shall abide in a peaceable habitation, and in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.19 But it shall hail in the downfall of the forest; and the city shall be utterly laid low.20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth the feet of the ox and the ass.