Isaiah 3

Berean Standard Bible

Chapter summary

The Lord GOD of Hosts announces the removal of all sustenance, support, and leadership from Jerusalem and Judah, leaving youths and children to rule. Mutual oppression breaks out among the people, and individuals refuse leadership roles because society has stumbled through rebellious speech and action against the Lord. The text notes that the wicked bring disaster upon themselves, while the righteous will fare well, as the Lord stands up to judge the elders and leaders for consuming the vineyard and exploiting the poor. Furthermore, because the haughty daughters of Zion walk with pride, the Lord declares that He will strip away their elaborate finery, replacing their beauty with shame, baldness, and sackcloth. Finally, the men of the city will fall by the sword, leaving the gates of Zion to lament and mourn while sitting destitute on the ground.

Summary automatically generated from the Bible text.

Words of Jesus in red

¹For 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, ²the mighty man and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the soothsayer and the elder, ³the commander of fifty and the dignitary, the counselor, the cunning magician, and the clever enchanter. ⁴“I will make mere lads their leaders, and children will rule over them.” ⁵The 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. ⁶A 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.” ⁷On 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!” ⁸For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen because they spoke and acted against the LORD, defying His glorious presence. ⁹The 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. ¹⁰Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor. ¹¹Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done. ¹²Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths. ¹³The LORD arises to contend; He stands to judge the people. ¹⁴The 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. ¹⁵Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts. ¹⁶The 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— ¹⁷the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will make their foreheads bare. ” ¹⁸In that day the Lord will take away their finery: their anklets and headbands and crescents; ¹⁹their pendants, bracelets, and veils; ²⁰their headdresses, ankle chains, and sashes; their perfume bottles and charms; ²¹their signet rings and nose rings; ²²their festive robes, capes, cloaks, and purses; ²³and their mirrors, linen garments, tiaras, and shawls. ²⁴Instead 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. ²⁵Your men will fall by the sword, and your warriors in battle. ²⁶And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

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Louis Segond 1910 and Berean Standard Bible: public domain. Cross references: open-cross-ref, Creative Commons BY 4.0.