Old/New Testament
Assyria Will Defeat Egypt and Cush
20 [L In the year that; C about 712 bc] Sargon king of Assyria sent ·a military commander [or his commander-in-chief] to Ashdod [C a Philistine city] to attack that city. So the commander attacked and captured it. 2 ·Then [L At that time] the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Take the ·rough cloth [burlap; sackcloth; C a sign of mourning] off your body, and take your sandals off your feet.” So Isaiah obeyed and walked around ·naked [stripped] and barefoot.
3 Then the Lord said, “[L Just as] Isaiah my servant has walked around naked and barefoot for three years as a ·sign [L sign and omen/portent] against Egypt and Cush [18:1]. 4 [L So; Thus] The king of Assyria will carry away prisoners from Egypt and ·captives [exiles] from Cush. Old people and young people will be led away ·naked [stripped] and barefoot, with their buttocks bare. So the Egyptians will be shamed. 5 People who ·looked to Cush for help [trusted/put hope in Cush] will be ·afraid [dismayed; disillusioned], and those who ·were amazed by [boasted/took pride in] Egypt’s glory will be shamed. 6 People who live ·near the sea [in this coastland] will say, ‘Look at what happened to those ·we trusted in for help [in whom we hoped]. We ·ran [fled] to them so they would ·save [rescue] us from the king of Assyria. So how will we be able to escape?’”
God’s Message to Babylon
21 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about the Desert by the Sea [C probably Babylon (v. 9), though an unusual description of it]:
·Disaster [or An invader; L It] is coming from the desert
like ·wind [whirlwinds] blowing in the ·south [or Negev].
It is coming from a terrible country.
2 I have seen a ·terrible [terrifying; dire; distressing] vision.
·I see traitors turning against you [L The betrayer betrays]
·and people taking your wealth [the destroyer destroys; or the looter loots].
Elam, ·attack the people [L go up; C Elam sounds like the Hebrew for “go up”]!
Media, ·surround the city and attack it [besiege]!
I will bring an end to ·the pain the city causes [L all the groaning].
3 ·I saw those terrible things, and now [L For this reason; At this] ·I am in pain [my loins/stomach are filled with pain];
my pains ·are [seize me] like the pains of giving birth.
What I hear ·makes me very afraid [distresses/staggers me];
what I see ·causes me to shake with fear [bewilders/horrifies me].
4 ·I am worried [My heart reels/falters/wanders],
and I am shaking with fear.
·My pleasant evening [L The twilight/evening I longed for]
has become a night of ·fear [trembling].
5 They ·set [prepared] the table;
they ·spread the rugs [or post a watchman];
they eat and drink.
Leaders, ·stand up [arise].
·Prepare the shields for battle [L Anoint/oil the shield; C preparation for battle]!
6 The Lord said to me,
“Go, place a ·lookout [guard; watchman] for the city
and have him report what he sees.
7 ·If [or When] he sees chariots and teams of horses,
riders on donkeys, or riders on camels,
he should ·pay very close attention [L be alert, very alert].”
8 Then the lookout[a] called out,
“My master, each day I stand in the watchtower watching;
every night I ·have been on guard [stand at my post].
9 Look, I see a man coming in a chariot
with a team of horses.”
The man gives back the answer,
“Babylon has fallen. It has fallen [Jer. 51:8; Rev. 14:8; 18:2]!
All the ·statues [idols; carved images] of her gods
lie ·broken [shattered] on the ground.”
10 My ·people are crushed like grain on the threshing floor [L trampled one, and son of the threshing floor].
My people, I tell you what I have heard
from the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts],
from the God of Israel.
God’s Message to Edom
11 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about Dumah [C another name for Edom, meaning “silence” or “stillness”]:
Someone calls to me from ·Edom [L Seir],
“Watchman, how much of the night is left?
Watchman, how much longer will it be night?”
12 The watchman answers,
“Morning is coming, but then night will come again.
If you ·have something to ask [wish to ask],
then come back and ask.”
God’s Message to Arabia
13 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about Arabia:
You ·traders [caravans] from Dedan
who spent the night ·near some trees in [in the thickets of] Arabia.
14 Bring water to thirsty travelers;
you people of Tema, give food
to ·those who were escaping [the fugitives].
15 They ·were running [flee] from swords,
from ·swords ready to kill [L the drawn sword],
from ·bows ready to shoot [the bent bow],
from ·a hard [the distress/terrors/hardship of] battle.
16 This is what the Lord said to me: “Within a year all the ·glory [splendor] of the country of Kedar will be gone. (This is a year as a hired helper counts time [C carefully calculated; 16:14].) 17 ·At that time [L In that day] only a few of the archers, the ·soldiers [warriors; mighty men] of [L the sons of] Kedar, will be left alive.” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.
God’s Message to Jerusalem
22 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about the Valley of Vision [C perhaps the Hinnom Valley near Jerusalem; the prophecy concerns Jerusalem]:
·What is wrong with you people [or What is the reason; L What to you, then]?
Why are you on your roofs [C roofs were flat and used for living and storage space]?
2 This city was ·a very busy city [L full of noise],
·full of noise and wild parties [town of tumult and revelry].
Now your people have been ·killed [slain],
but not with swords,
nor did they die in battle.
3 All your leaders ·ran away [fled] together,
but they have been captured without using a bow.
All you who were captured
tried to run ·away before the enemy came [or far away; or while the enemy was far away].
4 So I say, “Don’t look at me.
Let me ·cry loudly [weep bitterly].
Don’t hurry to ·comfort [console] me
about the destruction of ·Jerusalem [or my vulnerable people; L the daughter of my people].”
5 The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has ·chosen a special day [L a day]
of ·riots [tumult] and confusion.
·People will trample each other […and trampling] in the Valley of Vision.
The city walls will be knocked down,
and the people will cry out to the mountain.
6 ·The soldiers from Elam [L Elam] will ·gather their arrows [L pick up its quiver]
and their chariots and men on horses.
Kir will ·prepare [L uncover] their shields.
7 Your ·nicest [choicest; fairest] valleys will be filled with chariots.
Horsemen ·will be ordered to guard [take their positions at] the gates of the city.
8 ·The walls protecting Judah will fall [L He removed defenses/covering from Judah; C “He” could be the Lord or the invading army].
·At that time [L In that day] the people of Jerusalem ·depended on [looked to]
the weapons kept at the ·Palace [L house] of the Forest [C probably the royal armory; 1 Kin. 7:2–5; 10:16–17].
9 You saw that the walls of Jerusalem
had many ·cracks that needed repairing [breaches; breaks].
You stored up water in the lower pool [C preparation for a siege].
10 You ·counted [surveyed] the houses of Jerusalem,
and you tore down houses to ·repair the walls with their stones [L strengthen/fortify the wall].
11 You made a ·pool [reservoir] between the two walls
to save water from the old pool,
but you did not ·trust [look to] the ·God who made these things [L one who made it; C the “it” could be the pool, the wall or the whole city of Jerusalem];
you did not ·respect [consider; have regard for] the One who ·planned [or fashioned; formed] ·them [it] long ago.
12 ·At that time [L In that day] the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] ·told the people
to cry and be sad [L called for weeping and mourning],
·to shave their heads [L for baldness] and ·wear rough cloth [for wearing burlap/sackcloth; C signs of sorrow and repentance].
13 But look, ·the people are happy
and are having wild parties [L joy and revelry].
They slaughter cattle and kill sheep;
they eat ·the food [meat; flesh] and drink the wine.
They say, “Let us eat and drink,
because tomorrow we will die.”
14 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] said to me: “You people will die before this ·guilt is forgiven [sin is atoned for].” The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] said this.
God’s Message to Shebna
15 This is what the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says:
“Go to this ·servant [steward; administrator] Shebna [36:3, 11, 22; 37:2; 2 Kin. 18:37; 19:2],
·the manager of the palace [L who is over the house].
16 Say to him, ‘What ·are you doing here [or right do you have to be here]?
Who said you could ·cut out [carve; hew] a tomb for yourself here?
Why are you ·preparing [carving; hewing] your tomb in a high place?
Why are you ·carving out [cutting; inscribing] a ·tomb [L dwelling place] from the rock?
17 Look, ·mighty one [or mere man; L man]! The Lord ·will throw you away [L hurling will hurl you].
·He will take firm hold of [L Seizing he will seize] you
18 and roll you tightly into a ball
and throw you into another country.
There you will die,
and there your ·fine [glorious; splendid] chariots will remain.
You ·are a disgrace [bring shame] to your master’s house.
19 I will force you out of your ·important job [office],
and you will be thrown down from your ·important place [position].’
20 “·At that time [L In that day] I will call for my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah [36:3, 11, 22; 37:2; 2 Kin. 18:18, 26, 37]. 21 I will take your robe and put it on him and ·give him [tie around him; or strengthen him with] your ·belt [sash]. I will hand over to him ·the important job you have [your authority], and he will be like a father to the ·people [inhabitants] of Jerusalem and the ·family [L house] of Judah. 22 I will put the key to the house of David [C a sign of authority, indicating access to the king; Rev. 3:7] around his neck. If he opens a door, no one will be able to close it; if he closes a door, no one will be able to open it. 23 I will make him like a peg that is hammered into a strong board [C a symbol of strength]. He will be like an ·honored chair in [or throne of honor for] his father’s house. 24 All the ·honored and important things of his family [L glory of the house of his father] will ·depend on him [or be given to him; L hang on him; C continuing the “peg” imagery in v. 23, meaning either honor or responsibility]; ·all the adults and little children will depend on him [L its offspring and offshoots]. ·They will be like bowls and jars hanging on him [L …all the small utensils, from the bowls to the jars].
25 “·At that time [L In that day],” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], “the peg hammered into the strong board will weaken. It will ·break [or be cut off] and fall, and everything hanging on it will be destroyed [C Eliakim’s authority would also eventually be taken away].” The Lord says this.
Children and Parents
6 Children, obey your parents ·as the Lord wants [L in the Lord], because this is ·the right thing to do [right; just]. 2 The command says, “Honor your father and mother [Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16].” This is the first command that has a promise with it— 3 “Then everything will be well with you, and you will have a long life on the earth [Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16].”
4 ·Fathers [or Parents; Heb. 11:23], do not make your children angry, but raise them with the ·training [discipline] and ·teaching [instruction] of the Lord [Col. 3:21].
Slaves and Masters
5 ·Slaves [Bondservants], obey your ·masters here on earth [human masters; L masters according to the flesh; Col. 3:22; 1 Pet. 2:18–25] with ·respect [fear] and ·fear [trembling] and from a sincere heart, ·just as you [or as you would] obey Christ. 6 You must do this not only ·while they are watching you [L with eye-service], ·to please them [L as people-pleasers]. But as ·slaves [bondservants] of Christ, do ·what God wants [God’s will] ·with all your [or from the] heart. 7 Do your work ·with enthusiasm [willingly; cheerfully]. Work as if you were serving the Lord, not people. 8 ·Remember [L …knowing] that the Lord will give ·a reward [or back] to everyone, slave or free, for doing good.
9 Masters, treat your slaves the same way. Do not threaten them. Remember that the One who is your Master and their Master is in heaven, and he ·treats everyone alike [has no favorites; shows no favoritism].
Wear the Full Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his ·great [strong; mighty] power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can fight against the devil’s ·evil tricks [schemes]. 12 [For] Our ·fight [conflict; struggle] is not against ·people on earth [L flesh and blood] but against the rulers and authorities and the ·powers [or cosmic powers/rulers] of this ·world’s darkness [L darkness], against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly ·world [realm; places]. 13 ·That is why you need to [L For this reason,] put on God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil [C persecution generally or end-time tribulation] you will be able to ·stand strong [keep your ground; resist the enemy]. And ·when you have finished the whole fight [L after you have done/accomplished everything], you will still be standing. 14 So stand ·strong [or ready], with the belt of truth tied around your waist and the ·body armor [breastplate] of ·right living [a righteous life; or God’s own righteousness/justice; L righteousness]. 15 On your feet wear the ·Good News [Gospel] of peace ·to help you stand strong [for firm footing; or to be fully prepared]. 16 And ·also [in addition to all this; or in all circumstances] use the shield of faith with which you can ·stop [extinguish] all the ·burning arrows [T fiery darts] of the Evil One. 17 ·Accept [Receive; or Take] the helmet of salvation, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the ·word [message] of God. 18 Pray ·in [or in dependence on] the Spirit at all times with all ·kinds of prayers [L prayers and requests], asking for everything you need. To do this you must always be ·ready [alert] ·and never give up [L with all perseverance]. Always pray for all ·God’s people [T the saints].
19 Also pray for me that when I ·speak [L open my mouth], God will give me words so that I can tell the ·secret [mystery] of the ·Good News [Gospel] ·without fear [confidently; boldly]. 20 ·For this Good News […for which] I am an ambassador in ·prison [L chains; 3:1]. Pray that I will speak ·it [or for him; or in him] ·without fear [boldly; confidently], as I should.
Final Greetings
21 Tychicus [Acts 20:4; Col. 4:7; 2 Tim. 4:12; Titus 3:12], our ·brother whom we love [dear/beloved brother] and a faithful servant ·of the Lord’s work [or in the Lord] will tell you everything that is happening with me. Then you will know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this reason—so that you will know how we are, and he can encourage ·you [L your hearts].
23 Peace and love with faith to you brothers and sisters from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all of you who love our Lord Jesus Christ with ·love that never ends [an imperishable/undying love].
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.