Isaiah 3
1 For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water,
The Commander of the armies of angels is about to take away from Jerusalem and [other places in] Judea everything that you depend on— all your food and water.
2 the mighty man and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the soothsayer and the elder,
He will take away your heroes and your [other] soldiers, your judges and your prophets, people who do rituals to find out what will happen in the future and the elders,
3 the commander of fifty and the dignitary, the counselor, the cunning magician, and the clever enchanter.
army officers and [other] officials, advisors and skilled craftsmen and those who perform rituals to predict the future.
4 “I will make mere lads their leaders, and children will rule over them.”
He will appoint boys to be your leaders; your children will rule you.
5 The people will oppress one another, man against man, neighbor against neighbor; the young will rise up against the old, and the base against the honorable.
People will treat each other cruelly: people will fight against their neighbors. Young people will insult older people, and vulgar/dishonorable people will sneer at people who should be honored.
6 A man will seize his brother within his father’s house: “You have a cloak—you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of rubble.”
At that time, someone will grab one of his brothers in his father’s house and say to him, “You have a coat, [which shows that you are respected]. [So] you be our leader! You rule this [city, which is now] a pile of ruins!”
7 On that day he will cry aloud: “I am not a healer. I have no food or clothing in my house. Do not make me leader of the people!”
[But] his brother will reply, “[No], I cannot help you, [because] I do not have [any extra] food or clothes in this house. [So] do not appoint me to be your leader!”
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen because they spoke and acted against the LORD, defying His glorious presence.
Jerusalem and [the other towns in] Judah will be destroyed, because [everything] that the people do and say there opposes Yahweh, who is powerful and glorious, and they refuse to obey him. They rebel against him.
9 The expression 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 disaster upon themselves.
They even show on their faces that [they oppose Yahweh]. They are proud of their sins, like [the people of] Sodom were [long ago]; they do not try to hide their sins. [Because of their sins], terrible things will happen to them, [but] they will bring those disasters on themselves.
10 Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
[Yahweh told me to] tell the righteous people that good things will happen to them; they will enjoy the blessings that they will receive for their good deeds.
11 Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.
[But] terrible things will happen to wicked people; they will be (paid back/punished) for [the evil things that] [MTY] they have done.
12 Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths.
[Now], youths [who have become leaders] treat my people cruelly, and women rule over my people. My people, your leaders are misleading you; they are causing you to go down the wrong road [MET].
13 The LORD arises to contend; He stands to judge the people.
[It is as though] Yahweh has sat in his place in a courtroom and is ready to judge his people.
14 The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.
He will stand up to declare why the elders and rulers of his people should be punished: [he says], “The people of Israel are [like] [MET] a vineyard that I planted, but you have ruined it! Your houses are full of things that you have stolen from poor people.
15 Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?”
You should stop [RHQ] crushing my people! [It is as though] you are pushing the faces of poor people into the dirt!” [That is what] the Commander of the armies of angels says.
16 The LORD also says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty— walking with heads held high and wanton eyes, prancing and skipping as they go, jingling the bracelets on their ankles—
Yahweh says this: “The women of Jerusalem are haughty/proud; they walk around sticking their chins out, and flirting [with men] with their eyes. They walk with tiny steps with bracelets on their ankles that jingle.
17 the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will make their foreheads bare.”
So I, Yahweh, will cause sores to be on their heads, and I will cause those beautiful women in Jerusalem to become bald.”
18 In that day the Lord will take away their finery: their anklets and headbands and crescents;
At the time [that Yahweh does that], he will strip away everything that the women of Jerusalem wear to make themselves beautiful—the ornaments on their ankles and their headbands, their crescent necklaces,
19 their pendants, bracelets, and veils;
their earrings and bracelets and veils,
20 their headdresses, ankle chains, and sashes; their perfume bottles and charms;
their scarves and ankle bracelets and sashes, their perfumes and (charms/little things that they wear thinking that those things will protect them from evil),
21 their signet rings and nose rings;
their signet rings and nose rings,
22 their festive robes, capes, cloaks, and purses;
their nice robes and capes and cloaks and purses,
23 and their mirrors, linen garments, tiaras, and shawls.
their mirrors and nice linen clothes and shawls.
24 Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a belt, a rope; instead of styled hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, shame.
Instead of their having a nice smell from perfume, they will stink; instead of nice sashes, they will have ropes [around their waists because they will be captives]. Instead of having fancy hairdos, they will be bald. Instead of fancy/beautiful robes, they will wear rough sackcloth, and instead of being beautiful, they will be branded.
25 Your men will fall by the sword, and your warriors in battle.
Their husbands will be killed by [their enemies’] swords, and their soldiers [will also die] in battles.
26 And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.
People [PRS] will mourn and cry at the gates [of the city]. The city will [be like] [MET] a woman who sits on the ground because everything that she owned is gone.
