Isaiah 3-4

New International Version

Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah

3 See now, the Lord,
    the Lord Almighty,
is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah
    both supply and support:^(A)
all supplies of food^(B) and all supplies of water,^(C)
²    the hero and the warrior,^(D)
the judge and the prophet,
    the diviner^(E) and the elder,^(F)
³the captain of fifty^(G) and the man of rank,^(H)
    the counselor, skilled craftsman^(I) and clever enchanter.^(J)

⁴“I will make mere youths their officials;
children will rule over them.”^(K)

⁵People will oppress each other—
man against man, neighbor against neighbor.^(L)
The young will rise up against the old,
the nobody against the honored.

⁶A man will seize one of his brothers
    in his father’s house, and say,
“You have a cloak, you be our leader;
    take charge of this heap of ruins!”
⁷But in that day^(M) he will cry out,
    “I have no remedy.^(N)
I have no food^(O) or clothing in my house;
    do not make me the leader of the people.”^(P)

⁸Jerusalem staggers,
    Judah is falling;^(Q)
their words^(R) and deeds^(S) are against the Lord,
    defying^(T) his glorious presence.
⁹The look on their faces testifies^(U) against them;
    they parade their sin like Sodom;^(V)
    they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
    They have brought disaster^(W) upon themselves.

¹⁰Tell the righteous it will be well^(X) with them,
    for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.^(Y)
¹¹Woe to the wicked!^(Z)
    Disaster^(AA) is upon them!
They will be paid back^(AB)
    for what their hands have done.^(AC)

¹²Youths^(AD) oppress my people,
women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;^(AE)
they turn you from the path.

¹³The Lord takes his place in court;^(AF)
    he rises to judge^(AG) the people.
¹⁴The Lord enters into judgment^(AH)
    against the elders and leaders of his people:
“It is you who have ruined my vineyard;
    the plunder^(AI) from the poor^(AJ) is in your houses.
¹⁵What do you mean by crushing my people^(AK)
    and grinding^(AL) the faces of the poor?”^(AM)
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.^(AN)

¹⁶The Lord says,
    “The women of Zion^(AO) are haughty,
walking along with outstretched necks,^(AP)
    flirting with their eyes,
strutting along with swaying hips,
    with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
¹⁷Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion;
    the Lord will make their scalps bald.^(AQ)”

¹⁸In that day^(AR) the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces,^(AS) ¹⁹the earrings and bracelets^(AT) and veils,^(AU) ²⁰the headdresses^(AV) and anklets and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, ²¹the signet rings and nose rings,^(AW) ²²the fine robes and the capes and cloaks,^(AX) the purses ²³and mirrors, and the linen garments^(AY) and tiaras^(AZ) and shawls.

²⁴Instead of fragrance^(BA) there will be a stench;^(BB)
    instead of a sash,^(BC) a rope;
instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;^(BD)
    instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;^(BE)
    instead of beauty,^(BF) branding.^(BG)
²⁵Your men will fall by the sword,^(BH)
    your warriors in battle.^(BI)
²⁶The gates^(BJ) of Zion will lament and mourn;^(BK)
    destitute,^(BL) she will sit on the ground.^(BM)

4 ¹In that day^(BN) seven women
    will take hold of one man^(BO)
and say, “We will eat our own food^(BP)
    and provide our own clothes;
only let us be called by your name.
    Take away our disgrace!”^(BQ)

The Branch of the Lord

²In that day^(BR) the Branch of the Lord^(BS) will be beautiful^(BT) and glorious, and the fruit^(BU) of the land will be the pride and glory^(BV) of the survivors^(BW) in Israel. ³Those who are left in Zion,^(BX) who remain^(BY) in Jerusalem, will be called holy,^(BZ) all who are recorded^(CA) among the living in Jerusalem. ⁴The Lord will wash away the filth^(CB) of the women of Zion;^(CC) he will cleanse^(CD) the bloodstains^(CE) from Jerusalem by a spirit^[a] of judgment^(CF) and a spirit^[b] of fire.^(CG) ⁵Then the Lord will create^(CH) over all of Mount Zion^(CI) and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night;^(CJ) over everything the glory^[c]^(CK) will be a canopy.^(CL) ⁶It will be a shelter^(CM) and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge^(CN) and hiding place from the storm^(CO) and rain.