Isaiah 3 Expanded Bible
God Will Punish Judah and Jerusalem
3 ·Understand this [L Look/T Behold now]:
The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]
·will [or is about to] take away ·everything [L every support and supply] Judah and Jerusalem need—
all [L supplies of] the food and water,
2 the ·heroes [mighty ones] and ·great soldiers [men of war],
the judges and prophets,
·people who do magic [diviners; fortune-tellers] and elders,
3 the ·military leaders [L captain/ruler of fifty] and ·government leaders [people of influence/high standing],
the ·counselors [advisers], the skilled ·craftsmen [or magicians], and ·those who try to tell the future [skillful enchanters/astrologers].
4 The Lord says, “I will cause ·young boys [youths] to be your ·leaders [rulers; princes],
and ·foolish children [or capricious youths] will rule over you [Eccl. 10:5–7, 17].
5 People will ·be against [oppress] each other; everyone will be against his neighbor.
Young people will ·not respect [arrogantly defy] older people,
and ·common people [the despised/dishonorable] will not respect ·important people [the honorable].”
6 At that time a man will grab one of his brothers
·from his own family [L in his father’s house] and say,
“You have a ·coat [cloak; C a sign of a little wealth], so you will be our leader.
These ruins will be under your ·control [charge; rule; L hand].”
7 ·But [L In that day] that brother will ·stand up [or cry out] and say,
“I ·cannot help you [L am no binder (of wounds)],
because I do not have food or ·clothes [cloak] in my house.
You will not make me ·your leader [L leader of the people/nation].”
8 This will happen because Jerusalem has stumbled,
and Judah has fallen.
The things they say and do are against the Lord;
they ·turn against [rebel against; defy] ·him [L his glory/glorious presence].
9 The look on their faces ·shows they are guilty [testifies against them];
like the people of Sodom [Gen. 18–19], they ·are proud of [flaunt; parade; declare] their sin.
They don’t ·care who sees [conceal; hide] it.
·How terrible it will be for them [L Woe to their soul],
because they have brought ·much trouble [disaster; evil] on themselves.
10 Tell ·those who do what is right [the righteous] that things will go well for them,
because they will ·receive a reward for what they do [L eat the fruit of their actions].
11 ·But how terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the wicked!
·They will be punished for all the wrong they have done [L Because the reward/recompense of his hands will be done to him].
12 Children ·treat my people cruelly [oppress my people],
and ·women [or creditors; usurers] rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you ·in the wrong way [astray]
and ·turn you away [mislead you; or confuse you] from ·what is right [the right road; L your paths].
13 The Lord takes his place ·in court [to judge/contend]
and stands to judge the people.
14 The Lord ·presents his case [or comes forward to pronounce judgment]
against the elders and other ·leaders [rulers; princes] of his people:
“You have ·burned [ruined; ravaged] the vineyard.
·Your houses are full of [L In your houses are] what you ·took [stole; plundered] from the poor.
15 What gives you the right to crush my people
and grind the faces of the ·poor into the dirt [L poor]?”
The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says this.
A Warning to Women of Jerusalem
16 The Lord says,
“The ·women of Jerusalem [L daughters of Zion] are ·proud [haughty; arrogant].
They walk around with ·their heads held high [L an outstretched neck],
and they flirt with their eyes.
·They take quick, short steps […prancing/mincing along],
·making noise with their ankle bracelets [L jingling with their feet].”
17 So the Lord will put ·sores [scabs; skin lesions] on the heads of those ·women in Jerusalem [L daughters of Zion],
and he will ·make them lose their hair [lay bare/make bald their forehead].
18 ·At that time [L In that day] the Lord will take away ·everything that makes them proud [their beauty/glory]: their beautiful ankle bracelets, their headbands, their ·necklaces shaped like the moon [L crescents], 19 their ·earrings [or pendants], bracelets, and veils, 20 their ·scarves [headdresses], ·ankle chains [or armlets], the ·cloth belts worn around their waists [sashes], their ·bottles of perfume [sachets], and ·charms [amulets], 21 their signet rings, nose rings, 22 their ·fine robes [festal robes; fine gowns], capes, ·shawls [cloaks], and purses, 23 their mirrors, linen ·dresses [garments; undergarments], ·turbans [or tiaras], and ·long shawls [or flowing veils].
24 Instead of ·wearing sweet-smelling perfume [spice; fragrance], ·they will stink [there will be stench/decay].
Instead of ·fine cloth belts [a sash], ·they will wear the ropes of captives [L a rope].
Instead of ·having their hair fixed in fancy ways [an elegant coiffure], ·they will be bald [baldness].
Instead of ·fine clothes [an expensive robe], ·they will wear clothes of sadness [burlap; sackcloth].
·Instead of being beautiful, they will wear the brand of a captive [L Branding instead of beauty].
25 At that time your men will ·be killed with swords [L fall by the sword],
and your ·heroes [mighty/strong ones] will die in war.
26 ·There will be crying and sadness near the city gates [L Her gates will lament and mourn].
·Jerusalem will be like a woman who has lost everything and sits on the ground [L Deserted/Destitute, she will sit on the ground].
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
