1:1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem ¹  that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah reigned over Judah. ² 

1:2 Listen, O heavens,

pay attention, O earth! ³ 

For the Lord speaks:

“I raised children, ⁴  I brought them up, ⁵ 

but ⁶  they have rebelled ⁷  against me!

1:3 An ox recognizes its owner,

a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; ⁸ 

but Israel does not recognize me, ⁹ 

my people do not understand.”

1:4 ¹⁰ 

The sinful nation is as good as dead, ¹¹ 

the people weighed down by evil deeds.

They are offspring who do wrong,

children ¹²  who do wicked things.

They have abandoned the Lord,

and rejected the Holy One of Israel. ¹³ 

They are alienated from him. ¹⁴ 

1:5 ¹⁵ 

Why do you insist on being battered?

Why do you continue to rebel? ¹⁶ 

Your head has a massive wound, ¹⁷ 

your whole body is weak. ¹⁸ 

1:6 From the soles of your feet to your head,

there is no spot that is unharmed. ¹⁹ 

There are only bruises, cuts,

and open wounds.

They have not been cleansed ²⁰  or bandaged,

nor have they been treated ²¹  with olive oil. ²² 

1:7 Your land is devastated,

your cities burned with fire.

Right before your eyes your crops

are being destroyed by foreign invaders. ²³ 

They leave behind devastation and destruction. ²⁴ 

1:8 Daughter Zion ²⁵  is left isolated,

like a hut in a vineyard,

or a shelter in a cucumber field;

she is a besieged city. ²⁶ 

1:9 If the Lord who commands armies ²⁷  had not left us a few survivors,

we would have quickly become like Sodom, ²⁸ 

we would have become like Gomorrah.

1:10 Listen to the Lord’s word,

you leaders of Sodom! ²⁹ 

Pay attention to our God’s rebuke, ³⁰ 

people of Gomorrah!

1:11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?” ³¹ 

says the Lord.

“I am stuffed with ³²  burnt sacrifices

of rams and the fat from steers.

The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats

I do not want. ³³ 

1:12 When you enter my presence,

do you actually think I want this –

animals trampling on my courtyards? ³⁴ 

1:13 Do not bring any more meaningless ³⁵  offerings;

I consider your incense detestable! ³⁶ 

You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations,

but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations! ³⁷ 

1:14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies;

they are a burden

that I am tired of carrying.

1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,

I look the other way; ³⁸ 

when you offer your many prayers,

I do not listen,

because your hands are covered with blood. ³⁹ 

1:16 ⁴⁰ 

Wash! Cleanse yourselves!

Remove your sinful deeds ⁴¹ 

from my sight.

Stop sinning!

1:17 Learn to do what is right!

Promote justice!

Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! ⁴² 

Take up the cause of the orphan!

Defend the rights of the widow! ⁴³ 

1:18 ⁴⁴ 

Come, let’s consider your options,” ⁴⁵  says the Lord.

“Though your sins have stained you like the color red,

you can become ⁴⁶  white like snow;

though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,

you can become ⁴⁷  white like wool. ⁴⁸ 

1:19 If you have a willing attitude and obey, ⁴⁹ 

then you will again eat the good crops of the land.

1:20 But if you refuse and rebel,

you will be devoured ⁵⁰  by the sword.”

Know for certain that the Lord has spoken. ⁵¹ 

1:21 How tragic that the once-faithful city

has become a prostitute! ⁵² 

She was once a center of ⁵³  justice,

fairness resided in her,

but now only murderers. ⁵⁴ 

1:22 Your ⁵⁵  silver has become scum, ⁵⁶ 

your beer is diluted with water. ⁵⁷ 

1:23 Your officials are rebels, ⁵⁸ 

they associate with ⁵⁹  thieves.

All of them love bribery,

and look for ⁶⁰  payoffs. ⁶¹ 

They do not take up the cause of the orphan, ⁶² 

or defend the rights of the widow. ⁶³ 

1:24 Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies, ⁶⁴ 

the powerful ruler of Israel, ⁶⁵  says this:

“Ah, I will seek vengeance ⁶⁶  against my adversaries,

I will take revenge against my enemies. ⁶⁷ 

1:25 I will attack you; ⁶⁸ 

I will purify your metal with flux. ⁶⁹ 

I will remove all your slag. ⁷⁰ 

1:26 I will reestablish honest judges as in former times,

wise advisers as in earlier days. ⁷¹ 

Then you will be called, ‘The Just City,

Faithful Town.’”

1:27 ⁷² 

Zion will be freed by justice, ⁷³ 

and her returnees by righteousness. ⁷⁴ 

1:28 All rebellious sinners will be shattered, ⁷⁵ 

those who abandon the Lord will perish.

1:29 Indeed, they ⁷⁶  will be ashamed of the sacred trees

you ⁷⁷  find so desirable;

you will be embarrassed because of the sacred orchards ⁷⁸ 

where you choose to worship.

1:30 For you will be like a tree whose leaves wither,

like an orchard ⁷⁹  that is unwatered.

1:31 The powerful will be like ⁸⁰  a thread of yarn,

their deeds like a spark;

both will burn together,

and no one will put out the fire.

2:1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem ⁸¹  that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz. ⁸² 

2:2 In the future ⁸³ 

the mountain of the Lord’s temple will endure ⁸⁴ 

as the most important of mountains,

and will be the most prominent of hills. ⁸⁵ 

All the nations will stream to it,

2:3 many peoples will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain,

to the temple of the God of Jacob,

so ⁸⁶  he can teach us his requirements, ⁸⁷ 

and ⁸⁸  we can follow his standards.” ⁸⁹ 

For Zion will be the center for moral instruction; ⁹⁰ 

the Lord will issue edicts from Jerusalem. ⁹¹ 

2:4 He will judge disputes between nations;

he will settle cases for many peoples.

They will beat their swords into plowshares, ⁹² 

and their spears into pruning hooks. ⁹³ 

Nations will not take up the sword against other nations,

and they will no longer train for war.

2:5 O descendants ⁹⁴  of Jacob,

come, let us walk in the Lord’s guiding light. ⁹⁵ 

2:6 Indeed, O Lord, ⁹⁶  you have abandoned your people,

the descendants of Jacob.

For diviners from the east are everywhere; ⁹⁷ 

they consult omen readers like the Philistines do. ⁹⁸ 

Plenty of foreigners are around. ⁹⁹ 

2:7 Their land is full of gold and silver;

there is no end to their wealth. ¹⁰⁰ 

Their land is full of horses;

there is no end to their chariots. ¹⁰¹ 

2:8 Their land is full of worthless idols;

they worship ¹⁰²  the product of their own hands,

what their own fingers have fashioned.

2:9 Men bow down to them in homage,

they lie flat on the ground in worship. ¹⁰³ 

Don’t spare them! ¹⁰⁴ 

2:10 Go up into the rocky cliffs,

hide in the ground.

Get away from the dreadful judgment of the Lord, ¹⁰⁵ 

from his royal splendor!

2:11 Proud men will be brought low,

arrogant men will be humiliated; ¹⁰⁶ 

the Lord alone will be exalted ¹⁰⁷ 

in that day.

2:12 Indeed, the Lord who commands armies has planned a day of judgment, ¹⁰⁸ 

for ¹⁰⁹  all the high and mighty,

for all who are proud – they will be humiliated;

2:13 for all the cedars of Lebanon,

that are so high and mighty,

for all the oaks of Bashan; ¹¹⁰ 

2:14 for all the tall mountains,

for all the high hills, ¹¹¹ 

2:15 for every high tower,

for every fortified wall,

2:16 for all the large ships, ¹¹² 

for all the impressive ¹¹³  ships. ¹¹⁴ 

2:17 Proud men will be humiliated,

arrogant men will be brought low; ¹¹⁵ 

the Lord alone will be exalted ¹¹⁶ 

in that day.

2:18 The worthless idols will be completely eliminated. ¹¹⁷ 

2:19 They ¹¹⁸  will go into caves in the rocky cliffs

and into holes in the ground, ¹¹⁹ 

trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the Lord ¹²⁰ 

and his royal splendor,

when he rises up to terrify the earth. ¹²¹ 

2:20 At that time ¹²²  men will throw

their silver and gold idols,

which they made for themselves to worship, ¹²³ 

into the caves where rodents and bats live, ¹²⁴ 

2:21 so they themselves can go into the crevices of the rocky cliffs

and the openings under the rocky overhangs, ¹²⁵ 

trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the Lord ¹²⁶ 

and his royal splendor,

when he rises up to terrify the earth. ¹²⁷ 

2:22 Stop trusting in human beings,

whose life’s breath is in their nostrils.

For why should they be given special consideration?

3:1 Look, the sovereign Lord who commands armies ¹²⁸ 

is about to remove from Jerusalem ¹²⁹  and Judah

every source of security, including ¹³⁰ 

all the food and water, ¹³¹ 

3:2 the mighty men and warriors,

judges and prophets,

omen readers and leaders, ¹³² 

3:3 captains of groups of fifty,

the respected citizens, ¹³³ 

advisers and those skilled in magical arts, ¹³⁴ 

and those who know incantations.

3:4 The Lord says, ¹³⁵  “I will make youths their officials;

malicious young men ¹³⁶  will rule over them.

3:5 The people will treat each other harshly;

men will oppose each other;

neighbors will fight. ¹³⁷ 

Youths will proudly defy the elderly

and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected. ¹³⁸ 

3:6 Indeed, a man will grab his brother

right in his father’s house ¹³⁹  and say, ¹⁴⁰ 

‘You own a coat –

you be our leader!

This heap of ruins will be under your control.’ ¹⁴¹ 

3:7 At that time ¹⁴²  the brother will shout, ¹⁴³ 

‘I am no doctor, ¹⁴⁴ 

I have no food or coat in my house;

don’t make me a leader of the people!’”

3:8 Jerusalem certainly stumbles,

Judah falls,

for their words and their actions offend the Lord; ¹⁴⁵ 

they rebel against his royal authority. ¹⁴⁶ 

3:9 The look on their faces ¹⁴⁷  testifies to their guilt; ¹⁴⁸ 

like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin. ¹⁴⁹ 

Too bad for them! ¹⁵⁰ 

For they bring disaster on themselves.

3:10 Tell the innocent ¹⁵¹  it will go well with them, ¹⁵² 

for they will be rewarded for what they have done. ¹⁵³ 

3:11 Too bad for the wicked sinners!

For they will get exactly what they deserve. ¹⁵⁴ 

3:12 Oppressors treat my ¹⁵⁵  people cruelly;

creditors rule over them. ¹⁵⁶ 

My people’s leaders mislead them;

they give you confusing directions. ¹⁵⁷ 

3:13 The Lord takes his position to judge;

he stands up to pass sentence on his people. ¹⁵⁸ 

3:14 The Lord comes to pronounce judgment

on the leaders of his people and their officials.

He says, ¹⁵⁹  “It is you ¹⁶⁰  who have ruined ¹⁶¹  the vineyard! ¹⁶² 

You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor. ¹⁶³ 

3:15 Why do you crush my people

and grind the faces of the poor?” ¹⁶⁴ 

The sovereign Lord who commands armies ¹⁶⁵  has spoken.

3:16 The Lord says,

“The women ¹⁶⁶  of Zion are proud.

They walk with their heads high ¹⁶⁷ 

and flirt with their eyes.

They skip along ¹⁶⁸ 

and the jewelry on their ankles jingles. ¹⁶⁹ 

3:17 So ¹⁷⁰  the sovereign master ¹⁷¹  will afflict the foreheads of Zion’s women ¹⁷²  with skin diseases, ¹⁷³ 

the Lord will make the front of their heads bald.” ¹⁷⁴ 

3:18 ¹⁷⁵ 

At that time ¹⁷⁶  the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, ¹⁷⁷  neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments, 3:19 earrings, bracelets, veils, 3:20 headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets, ¹⁷⁸  amulets, 3:21 rings, nose rings, 3:22 festive dresses, robes, shawls, purses, 3:23 garments, vests, head coverings, and gowns. ¹⁷⁹ 

3:24 A putrid stench will replace the smell of spices, ¹⁸⁰ 

a rope will replace a belt,

baldness will replace braided locks of hair,

a sackcloth garment will replace a fine robe,

and a prisoner’s brand will replace beauty.

3:25 Your ¹⁸¹  men will fall by the sword,

your strong men will die in battle. ¹⁸² 

3:26 Her gates will mourn and lament;

deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground. ¹⁸³ 

4:1 Seven women will grab hold of

one man at that time. ¹⁸⁴ 

They will say, “We will provide ¹⁸⁵  our own food,

we will provide ¹⁸⁶  our own clothes;

but let us belong to you ¹⁸⁷  –

take away our shame!” ¹⁸⁸ 

4:2 At that time ¹⁸⁹ 

the crops given by the Lord will bring admiration and honor; ¹⁹⁰ 

the produce of the land will be a source of pride and delight

to those who remain in Israel. ¹⁹¹ 

4:3 Those remaining in Zion, ¹⁹²  those left in Jerusalem, ¹⁹³ 

will be called “holy,” ¹⁹⁴ 

all in Jerusalem who are destined to live. ¹⁹⁵ 

4:4 At that time ¹⁹⁶  the sovereign master ¹⁹⁷  will wash the excrement ¹⁹⁸  from Zion’s women,

he will rinse the bloodstains from Jerusalem’s midst, ¹⁹⁹ 

as he comes to judge

and to bring devastation. ²⁰⁰ 

4:5 Then the Lord will create

over all of Mount Zion ²⁰¹ 

and over its convocations

a cloud and smoke by day

and a bright flame of fire by night; ²⁰² 

indeed a canopy will accompany the Lord’s glorious presence. ²⁰³ 

4:6 By day it will be a shelter to provide shade from the heat,

as well as safety and protection from the heavy downpour. ²⁰⁴ 

5:1 I ²⁰⁵  will sing to my love –

a song to my lover about his vineyard. ²⁰⁶ 

My love had a vineyard

on a fertile hill. ²⁰⁷ 

5:2 He built a hedge around it, ²⁰⁸  removed its stones,

and planted a vine.

He built a tower in the middle of it,

and constructed a winepress.

He waited for it to produce edible grapes,

but it produced sour ones instead. ²⁰⁹ 

5:3 So now, residents of Jerusalem, ²¹⁰ 

people ²¹¹  of Judah,

you decide between me and my vineyard!

5:4 What more can I do for my vineyard

beyond what I have already done?

When I waited for it to produce edible grapes,

why did it produce sour ones instead?

5:5 Now I will inform you

what I am about to do to my vineyard:

I will remove its hedge and turn it into pasture, ²¹² 

I will break its wall and allow animals to graze there. ²¹³ 

5:6 I will make it a wasteland;

no one will prune its vines or hoe its ground, ²¹⁴ 

and thorns and briers will grow there.

I will order the clouds

not to drop any rain on it.

5:7 Indeed ²¹⁵  Israel ²¹⁶  is the vineyard of the Lord who commands armies,

the people ²¹⁷  of Judah are the cultivated place in which he took delight.

He waited for justice, but look what he got – disobedience! ²¹⁸ 

He waited for fairness, but look what he got – cries for help! ²¹⁹ 

5:8 Those who accumulate houses are as good as dead, ²²⁰ 

those who also accumulate landed property ²²¹ 

until there is no land left, ²²² 

and you are the only landowners remaining within the land. ²²³ 

5:9 The Lord who commands armies told me this: ²²⁴ 

“Many houses will certainly become desolate,

large, impressive houses will have no one living in them. ²²⁵ 

5:10 Indeed, a large vineyard ²²⁶  will produce just a few gallons, ²²⁷ 

and enough seed to yield several bushels ²²⁸  will produce less than a bushel.” ²²⁹ 

5:11 Those who get up early to drink beer are as good as dead, ²³⁰ 

those who keep drinking long after dark

until they are intoxicated with wine. ²³¹ 

5:12 They have stringed instruments, ²³²  tambourines, flutes,

and wine at their parties.

So they do not recognize what the Lord is doing,

they do not perceive what he is bringing about. ²³³ 

5:13 Therefore my ²³⁴  people will be deported ²³⁵ 

because of their lack of understanding.

Their ²³⁶  leaders will have nothing to eat, ²³⁷ 

their ²³⁸  masses will have nothing to drink. ²³⁹ 

5:14 So Death ²⁴⁰  will open up its throat,

and open wide its mouth; ²⁴¹ 

Zion’s dignitaries and masses will descend into it,

including those who revel and celebrate within her. ²⁴² 

5:15 Men will be humiliated,

they will be brought low;

the proud will be brought low. ²⁴³ 

5:16 The Lord who commands armies will be exalted ²⁴⁴  when he punishes, ²⁴⁵ 

the sovereign God’s authority will be recognized when he judges. ²⁴⁶ 

5:17 Lambs ²⁴⁷  will graze as if in their pastures,

amid the ruins the rich sojourners will graze. ²⁴⁸ 

5:18 Those who pull evil along using cords of emptiness are as good as dead, ²⁴⁹ 

who pull sin as with cart ropes. ²⁵⁰ 

5:19 They say, “Let him hurry, let him act quickly, ²⁵¹ 

so we can see;

let the plan of the Holy One of Israel ²⁵²  take shape ²⁵³  and come to pass,

then we will know it!”

5:20 Those who call evil good and good evil are as good as dead, ²⁵⁴ 

who turn darkness into light and light into darkness,

who turn bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter. ²⁵⁵ 

5:21 Those who think they are wise are as good as dead, ²⁵⁶ 

those who think they possess understanding. ²⁵⁷ 

5:22 Those who are champions ²⁵⁸  at drinking wine are as good as dead, ²⁵⁹ 

who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.

5:23 They pronounce the guilty innocent for a payoff,

they ignore the just cause of the innocent. ²⁶⁰ 

5:24 Therefore, as flaming fire ²⁶¹  devours straw,

and dry grass disintegrates in the flames,

so their root will rot,

and their flower will blow away like dust. ²⁶² 

For they have rejected the law of the Lord who commands armies,

they have spurned the commands ²⁶³  of the Holy One of Israel. ²⁶⁴ 

5:25 So the Lord is furious ²⁶⁵  with his people;

he lifts ²⁶⁶  his hand and strikes them.

The mountains shake,

and corpses lie like manure ²⁶⁷  in the middle of the streets.

Despite all this, his anger does not subside,

and his hand is ready to strike again. ²⁶⁸ 

5:26 He lifts a signal flag for a distant nation, ²⁶⁹ 

he whistles for it to come from the far regions of the earth.

Look, they ²⁷⁰  come quickly and swiftly.

5:27 None tire or stumble,

they don’t stop to nap or sleep.

They don’t loosen their belts,

or unstrap their sandals to rest. ²⁷¹ 

5:28 Their arrows are sharpened,

and all their bows are prepared. ²⁷² 

The hooves of their horses are hard as flint, ²⁷³ 

and their chariot wheels are like a windstorm. ²⁷⁴ 

5:29 Their roar is like a lion’s;

they roar like young lions.

They growl and seize their prey;

they drag it away and no one can come to the rescue.

5:30 At that time ²⁷⁵  they will growl over their prey, ²⁷⁶ 

it will sound like sea waves crashing against rocks. ²⁷⁷ 

One will look out over the land and see the darkness of disaster,

clouds will turn the light into darkness. ²⁷⁸ 

6:1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death, ²⁷⁹  I saw the sovereign master ²⁸⁰  seated on a high, elevated throne. The hem of his robe filled the temple. 6:2 Seraphs ²⁸¹  stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, ²⁸²  and they used the remaining two to fly. 6:3 They called out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy ²⁸³  is the Lord who commands armies! ²⁸⁴  His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!” 6:4 The sound of their voices shook the door frames, ²⁸⁵  and the temple was filled with smoke.

6:5 I said, “Too bad for me! I am destroyed, ²⁸⁶  for my lips are contaminated by sin, ²⁸⁷  and I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin. ²⁸⁸  My eyes have seen the king, the Lord who commands armies.” ²⁸⁹  6:6 But then one of the seraphs flew toward me. In his hand was a hot coal he had taken from the altar with tongs. 6:7 He touched my mouth with it and said, “Look, this coal has touched your lips. Your evil is removed; your sin is forgiven.” ²⁹⁰  6:8 I heard the voice of the sovereign master say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?” ²⁹¹  I answered, “Here I am, send me!” 6:9 He said, “Go and tell these people:

‘Listen continually, but don’t understand!

Look continually, but don’t perceive!’

6:10 Make the hearts of these people calloused;

make their ears deaf and their eyes blind!

Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears,

their hearts might understand and they might repent and be healed.” ²⁹² 

6:11 I replied, “How long, sovereign master?” He said,

“Until cities are in ruins and unpopulated,

and houses are uninhabited,

and the land is ruined and devastated,

6:12 and the Lord has sent the people off to a distant place,

and the very heart of the land is completely abandoned. ²⁹³ 

6:13 Even if only a tenth of the people remain in the land, it will again be destroyed, ²⁹⁴  like one of the large sacred trees ²⁹⁵  or an Asherah pole, when a sacred pillar on a high place is thrown down. ²⁹⁶  That sacred pillar symbolizes the special chosen family.” ²⁹⁷ 

7:1 During ²⁹⁸  the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel marched up to Jerusalem ²⁹⁹  to do battle, but they were unable to prevail against it. ³⁰⁰ 

7:2 It was reported to the family ³⁰¹  of David, “Syria has allied with ³⁰²  Ephraim.” They and their people were emotionally shaken, just as the trees of the forest shake before the wind. ³⁰³  7:3 So the Lord told Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub ³⁰⁴  and meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool which is located on the road to the field where they wash and dry cloth. ³⁰⁵  7:4 Tell him, ‘Make sure you stay calm! ³⁰⁶  Don’t be afraid! Don’t be intimidated ³⁰⁷  by these two stubs of smoking logs, ³⁰⁸  or by the raging anger of Rezin, Syria, and the son of Remaliah. 7:5 Syria has plotted with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah to bring about your demise. ³⁰⁹  7:6 They say, “Let’s attack Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it. ³¹⁰  Then we’ll set up the son of Tabeel as its king.” ³¹¹  7:7 For this reason the sovereign master, ³¹²  the Lord, says:

“It will not take place;

it will not happen.

7:8 For Syria’s leader is Damascus,

and the leader of Damascus is Rezin.

Within sixty-five years Ephraim will no longer exist as a nation. ³¹³ 

7:9 Ephraim’s leader is Samaria,

and Samaria’s leader is the son of Remaliah.

If your faith does not remain firm,

then you will not remain secure.” ³¹⁴ 

7:10 The Lord again spoke to Ahaz: 7:11 “Ask for a confirming sign from the Lord your God. You can even ask for something miraculous.” ³¹⁵  7:12 But Ahaz responded, “I don’t want to ask; I don’t want to put the Lord to a test.” ³¹⁶  7:13 So Isaiah replied, ³¹⁷  “Pay attention, ³¹⁸  family ³¹⁹  of David. ³²⁰  Do you consider it too insignificant to try the patience of men? Is that why you are also trying the patience of my God? 7:14 For this reason the sovereign master himself will give you a confirming sign. ³²¹  Look, this ³²²  young woman ³²³  is about to conceive ³²⁴  and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him ³²⁵  Immanuel. ³²⁶  7:15 He will eat sour milk ³²⁷  and honey, which will help him know how ³²⁸  to reject evil and choose what is right. 7:16 Here is why this will be so: ³²⁹  Before the child knows how to reject evil and choose what is right, the land ³³⁰  whose two kings you fear will be desolate. ³³¹  7:17 The Lord will bring on you, your people, and your father’s family a time ³³²  unlike any since Ephraim departed from Judah – the king of Assyria!” ³³³ 

7:18 At that time ³³⁴  the Lord will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. ³³⁵  7:19 All of them will come and make their home ³³⁶  in the ravines between the cliffs, and in the crevices of the cliffs, in all the thorn bushes, and in all the watering holes. ³³⁷  7:20 At that time ³³⁸  the sovereign master will use a razor hired from the banks of the Euphrates River, ³³⁹  the king of Assyria, to shave the head and the pubic hair; ³⁴⁰  it will also shave off the beard. 7:21 At that time ³⁴¹  a man will keep alive a young cow from the herd and a couple of goats. 7:22 From the abundance of milk they produce, ³⁴²  he will have sour milk for his meals. Indeed, everyone left in the heart of the land will eat sour milk and honey. 7:23 At that time ³⁴³  every place where there had been a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels will be overrun ³⁴⁴  with thorns and briers. 7:24 With bow and arrow ³⁴⁵  men will hunt ³⁴⁶  there, for the whole land will be covered ³⁴⁷  with thorns and briers. 7:25 They will stay away from all the hills that were cultivated, for fear of the thorns and briers. ³⁴⁸  Cattle will graze there and sheep will trample on them. ³⁴⁹ 

8:1 The Lord told me, “Take a large tablet ³⁵⁰  and inscribe these words ³⁵¹  on it with an ordinary stylus: ³⁵²  ‘Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.’ ³⁵³  8:2 Then I will summon ³⁵⁴  as my reliable witnesses Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.” 8:3 I then had sexual relations with the prophetess; she conceived and gave birth to a son. The Lord told me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, 8:4 for before the child knows how to cry out, ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria ³⁵⁵  will be carried off by the king of Assyria.” ³⁵⁶ 

8:5 The Lord spoke to me again: 8:6 “These people ³⁵⁷  have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah ³⁵⁸  and melt in fear over Rezin and the son of Remaliah. ³⁵⁹  8:7 So look, the sovereign master ³⁶⁰  is bringing up against them the turbulent and mighty waters of the Euphrates River ³⁶¹  – the king of Assyria and all his majestic power. It will reach flood stage and overflow its banks. ³⁶²  8:8 It will spill into Judah, flooding and engulfing, as it reaches to the necks of its victims. He will spread his wings out over your entire land, ³⁶³  O Immanuel.” ³⁶⁴ 

8:9 You will be broken, ³⁶⁵  O nations;

you will be shattered! ³⁶⁶ 

Pay attention, all you distant lands of the earth!

Get ready for battle, and you will be shattered!

Get ready for battle, and you will be shattered! ³⁶⁷ 

8:10 Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted!

Issue your orders, but they will not be executed! ³⁶⁸ 

For God is with us! ³⁶⁹ 

8:11 Indeed this is what the Lord told me. He took hold of me firmly and warned me not to act like these people: ³⁷⁰ 

8:12 “Do not say, ‘Conspiracy,’ every time these people say the word. ³⁷¹ 

Don’t be afraid of what scares them; don’t be terrified.

8:13 You must recognize the authority of the Lord who commands armies. ³⁷² 

He is the one you must respect;

he is the one you must fear. ³⁷³ 

8:14 He will become a sanctuary, ³⁷⁴ 

but a stone that makes a person trip,

and a rock that makes one stumble –

to the two houses of Israel. ³⁷⁵ 

He will become ³⁷⁶  a trap and a snare

to the residents of Jerusalem. ³⁷⁷ 

8:15 Many will stumble over the stone and the rock, ³⁷⁸ 

and will fall and be seriously injured,

and will be ensnared and captured.”

8:16 Tie up the scroll as legal evidence, ³⁷⁹ 

seal the official record of God’s instructions and give it to my followers. ³⁸⁰ 

8:17 I will wait patiently for the Lord,

who has rejected the family of Jacob; ³⁸¹ 

I will wait for him.

8:18 Look, I and the sons whom the Lord has given me ³⁸²  are reminders and object lessons ³⁸³  in Israel, sent from the Lord who commands armies, who lives on Mount Zion.

8:19 ³⁸⁴ 

They will say to you, “Seek oracles at the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, from the magicians who chirp and mutter incantations. ³⁸⁵  Should people not seek oracles from their gods, by asking the dead about the destiny of the living?” ³⁸⁶  8:20 Then you must recall the Lord’s instructions and the prophetic testimony of what would happen. ³⁸⁷  Certainly they say such things because their minds are spiritually darkened. ³⁸⁸  8:21 They will pass through the land ³⁸⁹  destitute and starving. Their hunger will make them angry, ³⁹⁰  and they will curse their king and their God ³⁹¹  as they look upward. 8:22 When one looks out over the land, he sees ³⁹²  distress and darkness, gloom ³⁹³  and anxiety, darkness and people forced from the land. ³⁹⁴  9:1 ³⁹⁵  The gloom will be dispelled for those who were anxious. ³⁹⁶ 

In earlier times he ³⁹⁷  humiliated

the land of Zebulun,

and the land of Naphtali; ³⁹⁸ 

but now he brings honor ³⁹⁹ 

to the way of the sea,

the region beyond the Jordan,

and Galilee of the nations. ⁴⁰⁰ 

9:2 The people walking in darkness

see a bright light; ⁴⁰¹ 

light shines

on those who live in a land of deep darkness. ⁴⁰² 

9:3 You ⁴⁰³  have enlarged the nation;

you give them great joy. ⁴⁰⁴ 

They rejoice in your presence

as harvesters rejoice;

as warriors celebrate ⁴⁰⁵  when they divide up the plunder.

9:4 For their oppressive yoke

and the club that strikes their shoulders,

the cudgel the oppressor uses on them, ⁴⁰⁶ 

you have shattered, as in the day of Midian’s defeat. ⁴⁰⁷ 

9:5 Indeed every boot that marches and shakes the earth ⁴⁰⁸ 

and every garment dragged through blood

is used as fuel for the fire.

9:6 For a child has been ⁴⁰⁹  born to us,

a son has been given to us.

He shoulders responsibility

and is called: ⁴¹⁰ 

Extraordinary Strategist, ⁴¹¹ 

Mighty God, ⁴¹² 

Everlasting Father, ⁴¹³ 

Prince of Peace. ⁴¹⁴ 

9:7 His dominion will be vast ⁴¹⁵ 

and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. ⁴¹⁶ 

He will rule on David’s throne

and over David’s kingdom, ⁴¹⁷ 

establishing it ⁴¹⁸  and strengthening it

by promoting justice and fairness, ⁴¹⁹ 

from this time forward and forevermore.

The Lord’s intense devotion to his people ⁴²⁰  will accomplish this.

9:8 ⁴²¹ 

The sovereign master ⁴²²  decreed judgment ⁴²³  on Jacob,

and it fell on Israel. ⁴²⁴ 

9:9 All the people were aware ⁴²⁵  of it,

the people of Ephraim and those living in Samaria. ⁴²⁶ 

Yet with pride and an arrogant attitude, they said, ⁴²⁷ 

9:10 “The bricks have fallen,

but we will rebuild with chiseled stone;

the sycamore fig trees have been cut down,

but we will replace them with cedars.” ⁴²⁸ 

9:11 Then the Lord provoked ⁴²⁹  their adversaries to attack them, ⁴³⁰ 

he stirred up ⁴³¹  their enemies –

9:12 Syria from the east,

and the Philistines from the west,

they gobbled up Israelite territory. ⁴³² 

Despite all this, his anger does not subside,

and his hand is ready to strike again. ⁴³³ 

9:13 The people did not return to the one who struck them,

they did not seek reconciliation ⁴³⁴  with the Lord who commands armies.

9:14 So the Lord cut off Israel’s head and tail,

both the shoots and stalk ⁴³⁵  in one day.

9:15 The leaders and the highly respected people ⁴³⁶  are the head,

the prophets who teach lies are the tail.

9:16 The leaders of this nation were misleading people,

and the people being led were destroyed. ⁴³⁷ 

9:17 So the sovereign master was not pleased ⁴³⁸  with their young men,

he took no pity ⁴³⁹  on their orphans and widows;

for the whole nation was godless ⁴⁴⁰  and did wicked things, ⁴⁴¹ 

every mouth was speaking disgraceful words. ⁴⁴² 

Despite all this, his anger does not subside,

and his hand is ready to strike again. ⁴⁴³ 

9:18 For ⁴⁴⁴  evil burned like a fire, ⁴⁴⁵ 

it consumed thorns and briers;

it burned up the thickets of the forest,

and they went up in smoke. ⁴⁴⁶ 

9:19 Because of the anger of the Lord who commands armies, the land was scorched, ⁴⁴⁷ 

and the people became fuel for the fire. ⁴⁴⁸ 

People had no compassion on one another. ⁴⁴⁹ 

9:20 They devoured ⁴⁵⁰  on the right, but were still hungry,

they ate on the left, but were not satisfied.

People even ate ⁴⁵¹  the flesh of their own arm! ⁴⁵² 

9:21 Manasseh fought against ⁴⁵³  Ephraim,

and Ephraim against Manasseh;

together they fought against Judah.

Despite all this, his anger does not subside,

and his hand is ready to strike again. ⁴⁵⁴ 

10:1 Those who enact unjust policies are as good as dead, ⁴⁵⁵ 

those who are always instituting unfair regulations, ⁴⁵⁶ 

10:2 to keep the poor from getting fair treatment,

and to deprive ⁴⁵⁷  the oppressed among my people of justice,

so they can steal what widows own,

and loot what belongs to orphans. ⁴⁵⁸ 

10:3 What will you do on judgment day, ⁴⁵⁹ 

when destruction arrives from a distant place?

To whom will you run for help?

Where will you leave your wealth?

10:4 You will have no place to go, except to kneel with the prisoners,

or to fall among those who have been killed. ⁴⁶⁰ 

Despite all this, his anger does not subside,

and his hand is ready to strike again. ⁴⁶¹ 

10:5 Assyria, the club I use to vent my anger, is as good as dead, ⁴⁶² 

a cudgel with which I angrily punish. ⁴⁶³ 

10:6 I sent him ⁴⁶⁴  against a godless ⁴⁶⁵  nation,

I ordered him to attack the people with whom I was angry, ⁴⁶⁶ 

to take plunder and to carry away loot,

to trample them down ⁴⁶⁷  like dirt in the streets.

10:7 But he does not agree with this,

his mind does not reason this way, ⁴⁶⁸ 

for his goal is to destroy,

and to eliminate many nations. ⁴⁶⁹ 

10:8 Indeed, ⁴⁷⁰  he says:

“Are not my officials all kings?

10:9 Is not Calneh like Carchemish?

Hamath like Arpad?

Samaria like Damascus? ⁴⁷¹ 

10:10 I overpowered kingdoms ruled by idols, ⁴⁷² 

whose carved images were more impressive than Jerusalem’s ⁴⁷³  or Samaria’s.

10:11 As I have done to Samaria and its idols,

so I will do to Jerusalem and its idols.” ⁴⁷⁴ 

10:12 But when ⁴⁷⁵  the sovereign master ⁴⁷⁶  finishes judging ⁴⁷⁷  Mount Zion and Jerusalem, then I ⁴⁷⁸  will punish the king of Assyria for what he has proudly planned and for the arrogant attitude he displays. ⁴⁷⁹  10:13 For he says:

“By my strong hand I have accomplished this,

by my strategy that I devised.

I invaded the territory of nations, ⁴⁸⁰ 

and looted their storehouses.

Like a mighty conqueror, ⁴⁸¹  I brought down rulers. ⁴⁸² 

10:14 My hand discovered the wealth of the nations, as if it were in a nest,

as one gathers up abandoned eggs,

I gathered up the whole earth.

There was no wing flapping,

or open mouth chirping.” ⁴⁸³ 

10:15 Does an ax exalt itself over the one who wields it,

or a saw magnify itself over the one who cuts with it? ⁴⁸⁴ 

As if a scepter should brandish the one who raises it,

or a staff should lift up what is not made of wood!

10:16 For this reason ⁴⁸⁵  the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, will make his healthy ones emaciated. ⁴⁸⁶  His majestic glory will go up in smoke. ⁴⁸⁷ 

10:17 The light of Israel ⁴⁸⁸  will become a fire,

their Holy One ⁴⁸⁹  will become a flame;

it will burn and consume the Assyrian king’s ⁴⁹⁰  briers

and his thorns in one day.

10:18 The splendor of his forest and his orchard

will be completely destroyed, ⁴⁹¹ 

as when a sick man’s life ebbs away. ⁴⁹² 

10:19 There will be so few trees left in his forest,

a child will be able to count them. ⁴⁹³ 

10:20 At that time ⁴⁹⁴  those left in Israel, those who remain of the family ⁴⁹⁵  of Jacob, will no longer rely on a foreign leader that abuses them. ⁴⁹⁶  Instead they will truly ⁴⁹⁷  rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. ⁴⁹⁸  10:21 A remnant will come back, a remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. ⁴⁹⁹  10:22 For though your people, Israel, are as numerous as ⁵⁰⁰  the sand on the seashore, only a remnant will come back. ⁵⁰¹  Destruction has been decreed; ⁵⁰²  just punishment ⁵⁰³  is about to engulf you. ⁵⁰⁴  10:23 The sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, is certainly ready to carry out the decreed destruction throughout the land. ⁵⁰⁵ 

10:24 So ⁵⁰⁶  here is what the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, says: “My people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of Assyria, even though they beat you with a club and lift their cudgel against you as Egypt did. ⁵⁰⁷  10:25 For very soon my fury ⁵⁰⁸  will subside, and my anger will be directed toward their destruction.” 10:26 The Lord who commands armies is about to beat them ⁵⁰⁹  with a whip, similar to the way he struck down Midian at the rock of Oreb. ⁵¹⁰  He will use his staff against the sea, lifting it up as he did in Egypt. ⁵¹¹ 

10:27 At that time ⁵¹² 

the Lord will remove their burden from your shoulders, ⁵¹³ 

and their yoke from your neck;

the yoke will be taken off because your neck will be too large. ⁵¹⁴ 

10:28 ⁵¹⁵ 

They ⁵¹⁶  attacked ⁵¹⁷  Aiath,

moved through Migron,

depositing their supplies at Micmash.

10:29 They went through the pass,

spent the night at Geba.

Ramah trembled,

Gibeah of Saul ran away.

10:30 Shout out, daughter of Gallim!

Pay attention, Laishah!

Answer her, Anathoth! ⁵¹⁸ 

10:31 Madmenah flees,

the residents of Gebim have hidden.

10:32 This very day, standing in Nob,

they shake their fist at Daughter Zion’s mountain ⁵¹⁹  –

at the hill of Jerusalem.

10:33 Look, the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies,

is ready to cut off the branches with terrifying power. ⁵²⁰ 

The tallest trees ⁵²¹  will be cut down,

the loftiest ones will be brought low.

10:34 The thickets of the forest will be chopped down with an ax,

and mighty Lebanon will fall. ⁵²² 

11:1 A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s ⁵²³  root stock,

a bud will sprout ⁵²⁴  from his roots.

11:2 The Lord’s spirit will rest on him ⁵²⁵  –

a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, ⁵²⁶ 

a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, ⁵²⁷ 

a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord. ⁵²⁸ 

11:3 He will take delight in obeying the Lord. ⁵²⁹ 

He will not judge by mere appearances, ⁵³⁰ 

or make decisions on the basis of hearsay. ⁵³¹ 

11:4 He will treat the poor fairly, ⁵³² 

and make right decisions ⁵³³  for the downtrodden of the earth. ⁵³⁴ 

He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, ⁵³⁵ 

and order the wicked to be executed. ⁵³⁶ 

11:5 Justice will be like a belt around his waist,

integrity will be like a belt around his hips. ⁵³⁷ 

11:6 A wolf will reside ⁵³⁸  with a lamb,

and a leopard will lie down with a young goat;

an ox and a young lion will graze together, ⁵³⁹ 

as a small child leads them along.

11:7 A cow and a bear will graze together,

their young will lie down together. ⁵⁴⁰ 

A lion, like an ox, will eat straw.

11:8 A baby ⁵⁴¹  will play

over the hole of a snake; ⁵⁴² 

over the nest ⁵⁴³  of a serpent

an infant ⁵⁴⁴  will put his hand. ⁵⁴⁵ 

11:9 They will no longer injure or destroy

on my entire royal mountain. ⁵⁴⁶ 

For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty,

just as the waters completely cover the sea. ⁵⁴⁷ 

11:10 At that time ⁵⁴⁸  a root from Jesse ⁵⁴⁹  will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, ⁵⁵⁰  and his residence will be majestic. 11:11 At that time ⁵⁵¹  the sovereign master ⁵⁵²  will again lift his hand ⁵⁵³  to reclaim ⁵⁵⁴  the remnant of his people ⁵⁵⁵  from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, ⁵⁵⁶  Cush, ⁵⁵⁷  Elam, Shinar, ⁵⁵⁸  Hamath, and the seacoasts. ⁵⁵⁹ 

11:12 He will lift a signal flag for the nations;

he will gather Israel’s dispersed people ⁵⁶⁰ 

and assemble Judah’s scattered people

from the four corners of the earth.

11:13 Ephraim’s jealousy will end, ⁵⁶¹ 

and Judah’s hostility ⁵⁶²  will be eliminated.

Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah,

and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim.

11:14 They will swoop down ⁵⁶³  on the Philistine hills to the west; ⁵⁶⁴ 

together they will loot the people of the east.

They will take over Edom and Moab, ⁵⁶⁵ 

and the Ammonites will be their subjects.

11:15 The Lord will divide ⁵⁶⁶  the gulf ⁵⁶⁷  of the Egyptian Sea; ⁵⁶⁸ 

he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River ⁵⁶⁹  and send a strong wind, ⁵⁷⁰ 

he will turn it into seven dried-up streams, ⁵⁷¹ 

and enable them to walk across in their sandals.

11:16 There will be a highway leading out of Assyria

for the remnant of his people, ⁵⁷² 

just as there was for Israel,

when ⁵⁷³  they went up from the land of Egypt.

12:1 At that time ⁵⁷⁴  you will say:

“I praise you, O Lord,

for even though you were angry with me,

your anger subsided, and you consoled me.

12:2 Look, God is my deliverer! ⁵⁷⁵ 

I will trust in him ⁵⁷⁶  and not fear.

For the Lord gives me strength and protects me; ⁵⁷⁷ 

he has become my deliverer.” ⁵⁷⁸ 

12:3 Joyfully you will draw water

from the springs of deliverance. ⁵⁷⁹ 

12:4 At that time ⁵⁸⁰  you will say:

“Praise the Lord!

Ask him for help! ⁵⁸¹ 

Publicize his mighty acts among the nations!

Make it known that he is unique! ⁵⁸² 

12:5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done magnificent things,

let this be known ⁵⁸³  throughout the earth!

12:6 Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion,

for the Holy One of Israel ⁵⁸⁴  acts mightily ⁵⁸⁵  among you!”