Isaiah 2

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

The word which Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw about 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 will come about in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord will be placed on the top of the mountains, and be lifted up over the hills; and all nations will come to 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 the peoples will say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob: and he will give us knowledge of his ways, and we will be guided by his word; for out of Zion the law will go out, and the word of the Lord 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 be the judge between the nations, and the peoples will be ruled by his decisions: and their swords will be turned into plough-blades, and their spears into vine-knives: no longer will the nations be turning their swords against one another, and the knowledge of war will be gone for ever.

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

O family of Jacob, come, and let us go in the light of the Lord.

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 you, O Lord, have given up your people, the family of Jacob, because they are full of the evil ways of the east, and make use of secret arts like the Philistines, and are friends with the children of strange countries.

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, and there is no end to their stores; their land is full of horses, and there is no end to their carriages.

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

Their land is full of images; they give worship to the work of their hands, even to that which their 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 poor man's head is bent, and the great man goes down on his face: for this cause there will be no forgiveness for their sin.

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.

Go into a hole in the rock, covering yourselves with dust, in fear of the Lord, before the glory of his power.

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 high looks of man will be put to shame, and the pride of men will be made low, and only the Lord will be lifted up 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 the day of the Lord of armies is coming on all the pride of men, and on all who are high and lifted up;

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 on all the high trees of Lebanon, and on all the strong trees 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 on all the high mountains, and on all the hills which 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 on every high tower, and on every strong 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 on all the ships of Tarshish, and on all the fair boats.

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 high looks of man will be put to shame, and the pride of men will be made low: and only the Lord will be lifted up in that day.

18 All idols will (disappear/be destroyed).

And the images will never be seen again.

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 will go into cracks of the rocks, and into holes of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and before the glory of his power, when he comes out of his place, shaking the earth with his strength.

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 will put their images of silver and of gold, which they made for worship, in the keeping of the beasts of the dark places;

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 take cover in the cracks of the rocks, and in the holes of the hills, for fear of the Lord, and before the glory of his power, when he comes out of his place, shaking the earth with his strength.

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]!

Have no more to do with man, whose life is only a breath, for he is of no value.