Isaiah 2

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

The word which came to Esaias the son of Amos concerning Judea, and concerning 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.

For in the last days the mountain of the Lord shall be glorious, and the house of God [shall be] on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall 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 many nations shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will tell us his way, and we will walk in it: for out of Sion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord out of 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 shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into sickles: and nation shall not take up sword against nation, neither shall they learn to war any more.

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

And now, O house of Jacob, come, [and] let us walk 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 he has forsaken his people the house of Israel, because their land is filled as at the beginning with divinations, as the [land] of the Philistines, and many strange children were born to them.

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.

For their land is filled with silver and gold, and there was no number of their treasures; their land also is filled with horses, and there was no number of chariots.

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

And the land is filled with abominations, [even] the works of their hands; and they have worshipped [the works] which their fingers 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 bowed down, and the great man was humbled: and I will not pardon them.

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.

Now therefore enter you into the rocks, and hide yourselves in the earth, for fear of the Lord, and by reason of the glory of his might, when he shall arise to strike terribly the earth.

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.

For the eyes of the Lord are high, but man is low; and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low, and the Lord 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 the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and haughty, and upon every one that is high and towering, and they shall be brought down;

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 every cedar of Libanus, of them that are high and towering, and upon every oak of Basan,

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 every high mountain, and upon every high hill,

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 high tower, and upon every high 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 every ship of the sea, and upon every display of fine ships.

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 every man shall be brought low, and the pride of men shall fall: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

18 All idols will (disappear/be destroyed).

And they shall hide all [idols] made with hands,

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.

having carried [them] into the caves, and into the clefts of the rocks, and into the caverns of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and by reason of the glory of his might, when he shall arise to strike terribly 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.

For in that day a man shall cast forth his silver and gold abominations, which they made [in order] to worship vanities and 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 enter into the caverns of the solid rock, and into the clefts of the rocks, for fear of the Lord, and by reason of the glory of his might, when he shall arise to strike terribly 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]!