Isaiah 2

1 This is the message that [Yahweh showed me in a vision], concerning Jerusalem and [the rest of] Judea:

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 [I saw that] in the future, the hill on which Yahweh’s temple is built will be the most important place on the earth; it will be [as though it is] the highest mountain, [as though] it has been raised up above all other hills; and people from all over the world will come there.

And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

3 People from many people-groups will say [to each other], “Come, let’s go up to the hill, to the temple of Yahweh, to worship the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. [There] Yahweh will teach us what he [desires us to know], in order that our behavior will [please] him. His teaching will be given [to us] in Jerusalem, and [we will take] his message from Jerusalem [to other places/nations].

And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.

4 Yahweh will listen to the disputes between nations and he will settle their arguments. [Then, instead of fighting against each other], they will hammer their swords into plow blades, and they will hammer their spears into pruning knives. [The armies of] nations will no longer fight against each other, and they will not [even] train men to fight in battles/wars.”

And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

5 You Israeli people, let’s walk in the light [MET] that comes from Yahweh!

O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of Jehovah.

6 [Yahweh, ] you have abandoned [us] your people who are descendants of Jacob, because everywhere your people practice the customs of people who live east [of Israel]. Your people also perform rituals to find out what will happen in the future, like the people in Philistia do. They make agreements/treaties with (pagans/people who do not know you).

For thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they are filled [with customs] from the east, and [are] soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners.

7 Israel is full of silver and gold; there are very many (treasures/valuable things) here. The land is full of war horses and war chariots.

And their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.

8 [But] the land is [also] full of idols; the people worship things that they have made with their own hands.

Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.

9 So now they will be humbled and they will be caused to become disgraced— Yahweh, do not forgive them!

And the mean man is bowed down, and the great man is brought low: therefore forgive them not.

10 All you people should crawl into [the caves in] the rock cliffs! You should hide [in pits/holes] in the ground because of being afraid of Yahweh and of his glorious and awesome power.

Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty.

11 Yahweh will cause you people to no longer be arrogant, and he will stop you from being proud. Only Yahweh will be praised/honored on that day.

The lofty looks of man shall be brought low, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day.

12 The Commander of the armies of angels has chosen a day when [he will judge] those who are proud, every one of them [DOU], and he will humble them.

For there shall be a day of Jehovah of hosts upon all that is proud and haughty, and upon all that is lifted up; and it shall be brought low;

13 [He will get rid of all those who think they should be admired like] [MET] the tall cedar trees in Lebanon, and [like] all the great oak trees in the Bashan [region].

and upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan,

14 He will [get rid of all those who think they are as great as] [MET] all the high hills and even the high mountains.

and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up,

15 He will [get rid of all those who think that they are] high towers and high strong walls [inside of or behind which they will be safe].

and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fortified wall,

16 He will destroy all [those who are rich because they own] big ships that carry goods [to other countries] and [they own other] beautiful ships.

and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant imagery.

17 He will cause people to no longer be arrogant and he will cause them to stop being proud. Only Yahweh will be praised/honored on that day.

And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day.

18 All idols will (disappear/be destroyed).

And the idols shall utterly pass away.

19 When Yahweh comes to shake/terrify the people on the earth, they will run to hide in caves in rock cliffs and in holes/pits in the ground, because of being afraid of Yahweh and of his glorious and awesome power.

And men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.

20 On that day, people will get rid of all their gold and silver idols that they made to worship, and they will throw them to the bats and rats.

In that day men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for them to worship, to the moles and to the bats;

21 Then they will crawl into caves and hide in the crags in the cliffs. [They will do that to escape from] the dreadful [punishments] that Yahweh will cause them to endure, from [what he will do because] he is glorious and awesome, when he comes to shake/terrify the people on the earth.

to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.

22 [So, ] do not trust that people [will save you], because people are [as powerless as] [MET] their own breath. People certainly cannot help you [RHQ]!

Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?