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Isaiah 30:12-33
Contemporary English Version
Isaiah 30:12-33
Contemporary English Version
12 Now this is the answer
of the holy One of Israel:
“You rejected my message,
and you trust in violence
and lies.
13 This sin is like a crack
that makes a high wall
quickly crumble 14 and shatter
like a crushed bowl.
There's not a piece left
big enough to carry hot coals
or to dip out water.”
Trust the Lord
15 The holy Lord God of Israel
had told all of you,
“I will keep you safe
if you turn back to me
and calm down.
I will make you strong
if you quietly trust me.”
Then you stubbornly 16 said,
“No! We will safely escape
on speedy horses.”
But those who chase you
will be even faster.
17 As few as five of them,
or even one, will be enough
to chase a thousand of you.
Finally, all that will be left
will be a few survivors
as lonely as a flag pole
on a barren hill.
The Lord Will Show Mercy
18 The Lord God is waiting
to show how kind he is
and to have pity on you.
The Lord always does right;
he blesses those who trust him.
19 People of Jerusalem, you don't need to cry anymore. The Lord is kind, and as soon as he hears your cries for help, he will come. 20 The Lord has given you trouble and sorrow as your food and drink. But now you will again see the Lord, your teacher, and he will guide you. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice saying, “This is the road! Now follow it.” 22 Then you will treat your idols of silver and gold like garbage; you will throw them away like filthy rags.
23 The Lord will send rain to water the seeds you have planted—your fields will produce more crops than you need, and your cattle will graze in open pastures. 24 Even the oxen and donkeys that plow your fields will be fed the finest grain.[a]
25 On that day people will be slaughtered and towers destroyed, but streams of water will flow from high hills and towering mountains. 26 Then the Lord will bandage his people's injuries and heal the wounds he has caused. The moon will shine as bright as the sun, and the sun will shine seven times brighter than usual. It will be like the light of seven days all at once.
Assyria Will Be Punished
27 The Lord is coming
from far away
with his fiery anger
and thick clouds of smoke.[b]
His angry words flame up
like a destructive fire;
28 he breathes out a flood
that comes up to the neck.
He sifts the nations
and destroys them.
Then he puts a bridle
in every foreigner's mouth
and leads them to doom.
29 The Lord's people will sing as they do when they celebrate a religious festival[c] at night. The Lord is Israel's mighty rock,[d] and his people will be as happy as they are when they follow the sound of flutes to the mountain where he is worshiped.
30 The Lord will get furious. His fearsome voice will be heard, his arm will be seen ready to strike, and his anger will be like a destructive fire, followed by thunderstorms and hailstones. 31 When the Assyrians hear the Lord's voice and see him striking with his iron rod, they will be terrified. 32 He will attack them in battle, and each time he strikes them, it will be to the music of tambourines and harps.
33 Long ago the Lord got a place ready for burning the body of the dead king.[e] The place for the fire is deep and wide, the wood is piled high, and the Lord will start the fire by breathing out flaming sulfur.
Don't Trust the Power of Egypt
31 You are in for trouble
if you go to Egypt for help,
or if you depend on
an army of chariots
or a powerful cavalry.
Instead you should depend on
and trust the holy Lord God
of Israel.
2 The Lord isn't stupid!
He does what he promises,
and he can bring doom.
If you are cruel yourself,
or help those who are evil,
you will be destroyed.
3 The Egyptians are mere humans.
They aren't God.
Their horses are made of flesh;
they can't live forever.
When the Lord shows his power,
he will destroy the Egyptians
and all who depend on them.
Together they will fall.
4 The Lord All-Powerful
said to me,
“I will roar and attack
like a fearless lion
not frightened by the shouts
of shepherds trying to protect
their sheep.
That's how I will come down
and fight on Mount Zion.
5 I, the Lord All-Powerful,
will protect Jerusalem
like a mother bird circling
over her nest.”
Come Back to the Lord
6 People of Israel, come back!
You have completely turned
from the Lord.
7 The time is coming
when you will throw away
your idols of silver and gold,
made by your sinful hands.
8 The Assyrians will be killed,
but not by the swords
of humans.
Their young men will try
to escape,
but they will be captured
and forced into slavery.
9 Their fortress[f] will fall
when terror strikes;
their army officers
will be frightened
and run from the battle.
This is what the Lord has said,
the Lord whose fiery furnace
is built on Mount Zion.
Justice Will Rule
32 A king and his leaders
will rule with justice.
2 They will be a place of safety
from stormy winds,
a stream in the desert,
and a rock that gives shade
from the heat of the sun.
3 Then everyone who has eyes
will open them and see,
and those who have ears
will pay attention.
4 All who are impatient
will take time to think;
everyone who stutters
will talk clearly.
5 Fools will no longer
be highly respected,
and crooks won't be given
positions of honor.
6 Fools talk foolishness.
They always make plans
to do sinful things,
to lie about the Lord,
to let the hungry starve,
and to keep water from those
who are thirsty.
7 Cruel people tell lies—
they do evil things,
and make cruel plans
to destroy the poor and needy,
even when they beg
for justice.
8 But helpful people
can always be trusted
to make helpful plans.
Punishment for the Women of Jerusalem
9 Listen to what I say,
you women who are carefree
and careless!
10 You may not have worries now,
but in about a year,
the grape harvest will fail,
and you will tremble.
11 Shake and shudder,
you women without a care!
Strip off your clothes—
put on sackcloth.
12 Slap your breasts in sorrow
because of what happened
to the fruitful fields
and vineyards,
13 and to the happy homes
in Jerusalem.
The land of my people
is covered with thorns.
14 The palace will be deserted,
the crowded city empty.
Fortresses and towers
will forever become
playgrounds for wild donkeys
and pastures for sheep.
God's Spirit Makes the Difference
15 When the Spirit is given to us
from heaven,
deserts will become orchards
thick as fertile forests.
16 Honesty and justice
will prosper there,
17 and justice will produce
lasting peace and security.
18 You, the Lord's people,
will live in peace,
calm and secure,
19 even if hailstones flatten
forests and cities.
20 You will have God's blessing,
as you plant your crops
beside streams,
while your donkeys and cattle
roam freely about.
Jerusalem Will Be Safe
33 You defeated my people.
Now you're in for trouble!
You've never been destroyed,
but you will be destroyed;
you've never been betrayed,
but you will be betrayed.
When you have finished
destroying and betraying,
you will be destroyed
and betrayed in return.
2 Please, Lord, be kind to us!
We depend on you.
Make us strong each morning,
and come to save us
when we are in trouble.
3 Nations scatter when you roar
and show your greatness.[g]
4 We attack our enemies
like swarms of locusts;[h]
we take everything
that belongs to them.[i]
5 You, Lord, are above all others,
and you live in the heavens.
You have brought justice
and fairness to Jerusalem;
6 you are the foundation
on which we stand today.
You always save us and give
true wisdom and knowledge.
Nothing means more to us[j]
than obeying you.
The Lord Will Do Something
7 Listen! Our bravest soldiers
are running through the streets,
screaming for help.[k]
Our messengers hoped for peace,
but came home crying.
8 No one travels anymore;
every road is empty.
Treaties are broken,
and no respect is shown
to any who keep promises.[l]
9 Fields are dry and barren;
Mount Lebanon wilts
with shame.
Sharon Valley is a desert;
the forests of Bashan and Carmel
have lost their leaves.
10 But the Lord says,
“Now I will do something
and be greatly praised.
11 Your deeds are straw
that will be set on fire
by your very own breath.
12 You will be burned to ashes
like thorns in a fire.
Footnotes
- 30.24 the finest grain: The Hebrew text refers to grain with the husks removed.
- 30.27 with … smoke: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 30.29 a religious festival: Probably Passover.
- 30.29 mighty rock: See the note at 17.10.
- 30.33 burning … king: Or “sacrificing the king” or “sacrificing to Molech.” Human sacrifices were sometimes offered to Molech, a god whose name sounds like the Hebrew word for “king” (see 2 Kings 23.10; Jeremiah 32.35).
- 31.9 fortress: The Hebrew text has “rock,” which may refer to the Assyrian god or king, or to their army.
- 33.3 greatness: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 3.
- 33.4 locusts: Insects like grasshoppers that travel in swarms and cause great damage to crops.
- 33.4 them: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 4.
- 33.6 Nothing … us: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 33.7 Listen … help: Or “The Lord heard our shouts and will come to help us.”
- 33.8 to any … promises: The Dead Sea Scrolls; the Standard Hebrew Text “to those in the cities.”
Isaiah 30:12-33
New International Version
Isaiah 30:12-33
New International Version
12 Therefore this is what the Holy One(A) of Israel says:
“Because you have rejected this message,(B)
relied on oppression(C)
and depended on deceit,
13 this sin will become for you
like a high wall,(D) cracked and bulging,
that collapses(E) suddenly,(F) in an instant.
14 It will break in pieces like pottery,(G)
shattered so mercilessly
that among its pieces not a fragment will be found
for taking coals from a hearth
or scooping water out of a cistern.”
15 This is what the Sovereign(H) Lord, the Holy One(I) of Israel, says:
“In repentance and rest(J) is your salvation,
in quietness and trust(K) is your strength,
but you would have none of it.(L)
16 You said, ‘No, we will flee(M) on horses.’(N)
Therefore you will flee!
You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’
Therefore your pursuers will be swift!
17 A thousand will flee
at the threat of one;
at the threat of five(O)
you will all flee(P) away,
till you are left(Q)
like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,
like a banner(R) on a hill.”
18 Yet the Lord longs(S) to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.(T)
For the Lord is a God of justice.(U)
Blessed are all who wait for him!(V)
19 People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.(W) How gracious he will be when you cry for help!(X) As soon as he hears, he will answer(Y) you. 20 Although the Lord gives you the bread(Z) of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers(AA) will be hidden(AB) no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice(AC) behind you, saying, “This is the way;(AD) walk in it.” 22 Then you will desecrate your idols(AE) overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold;(AF) you will throw them away like a menstrual(AG) cloth and say to them, “Away with you!(AH)”
23 He will also send you rain(AI) for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich(AJ) and plentiful.(AK) In that day(AL) your cattle will graze in broad meadows.(AM) 24 The oxen(AN) and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder(AO) and mash, spread out with fork(AP) and shovel. 25 In the day of great slaughter,(AQ) when the towers(AR) fall, streams of water will flow(AS) on every high mountain and every lofty hill. 26 The moon will shine like the sun,(AT) and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals(AU) the wounds he inflicted.
27 See, the Name(AV) of the Lord comes from afar,
with burning anger(AW) and dense clouds of smoke;
his lips are full of wrath,(AX)
and his tongue is a consuming fire.(AY)
28 His breath(AZ) is like a rushing torrent,(BA)
rising up to the neck.(BB)
He shakes the nations in the sieve(BC) of destruction;
he places in the jaws of the peoples
a bit(BD) that leads them astray.
29 And you will sing
as on the night you celebrate a holy festival;(BE)
your hearts will rejoice(BF)
as when people playing pipes(BG) go up
to the mountain(BH) of the Lord,
to the Rock(BI) of Israel.
30 The Lord will cause people to hear his majestic voice(BJ)
and will make them see his arm(BK) coming down
with raging anger(BL) and consuming fire,(BM)
with cloudburst, thunderstorm(BN) and hail.(BO)
31 The voice of the Lord will shatter Assyria;(BP)
with his rod he will strike(BQ) them down.
32 Every stroke the Lord lays on them
with his punishing club(BR)
will be to the music of timbrels(BS) and harps,
as he fights them in battle with the blows of his arm.(BT)
33 Topheth(BU) has long been prepared;
it has been made ready for the king.
Its fire pit has been made deep and wide,
with an abundance of fire and wood;
the breath(BV) of the Lord,
like a stream of burning sulfur,(BW)
sets it ablaze.(BX)
Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt
31 Woe(BY) to those who go down to Egypt(BZ) for help,
who rely on horses,(CA)
who trust in the multitude of their chariots(CB)
and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One(CC) of Israel,
or seek help from the Lord.(CD)
2 Yet he too is wise(CE) and can bring disaster;(CF)
he does not take back his words.(CG)
He will rise up against that wicked nation,(CH)
against those who help evildoers.
3 But the Egyptians(CI) are mere mortals and not God;(CJ)
their horses(CK) are flesh and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,(CL)
those who help will stumble,
those who are helped(CM) will fall;
all will perish together.(CN)
4 This is what the Lord says to me:
“As a lion(CO) growls,
a great lion over its prey—
and though a whole band of shepherds(CP)
is called together against it,
it is not frightened by their shouts
or disturbed by their clamor(CQ)—
so the Lord Almighty will come down(CR)
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.
5 Like birds hovering(CS) overhead,
the Lord Almighty will shield(CT) Jerusalem;
he will shield it and deliver(CU) it,
he will ‘pass over’(CV) it and will rescue it.”
6 Return,(CW) you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted(CX) against. 7 For in that day(CY) every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold(CZ) your sinful hands have made.(DA)
8 “Assyria(DB) will fall by no human sword;
a sword, not of mortals, will devour(DC) them.
They will flee before the sword
and their young men will be put to forced labor.(DD)
9 Their stronghold(DE) will fall because of terror;
at the sight of the battle standard(DF) their commanders will panic,(DG)”
declares the Lord,
whose fire(DH) is in Zion,
whose furnace(DI) is in Jerusalem.
The Kingdom of Righteousness
32 See, a king(DJ) will reign in righteousness
and rulers will rule with justice.(DK)
2 Each one will be like a shelter(DL) from the wind
and a refuge from the storm,(DM)
like streams of water(DN) in the desert(DO)
and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.
3 Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,(DP)
and the ears(DQ) of those who hear will listen.
4 The fearful heart will know and understand,(DR)
and the stammering tongue(DS) will be fluent and clear.
5 No longer will the fool(DT) be called noble
nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
6 For fools speak folly,(DU)
their hearts are bent on evil:(DV)
They practice ungodliness(DW)
and spread error(DX) concerning the Lord;
the hungry they leave empty(DY)
and from the thirsty they withhold water.
7 Scoundrels use wicked methods,(DZ)
they make up evil schemes(EA)
to destroy the poor with lies,
even when the plea of the needy(EB) is just.(EC)
8 But the noble make noble plans,
and by noble deeds(ED) they stand.(EE)
The Women of Jerusalem
9 You women(EF) who are so complacent,
rise up and listen(EG) to me;
you daughters who feel secure,(EH)
hear what I have to say!
10 In little more than a year(EI)
you who feel secure will tremble;
the grape harvest will fail,(EJ)
and the harvest of fruit will not come.
11 Tremble,(EK) you complacent women;
shudder, you daughters who feel secure!(EL)
Strip off your fine clothes(EM)
and wrap yourselves in rags.(EN)
12 Beat your breasts(EO) for the pleasant fields,
for the fruitful vines(EP)
13 and for the land of my people,
a land overgrown with thorns and briers(EQ)—
yes, mourn(ER) for all houses of merriment
and for this city of revelry.(ES)
14 The fortress(ET) will be abandoned,
the noisy city deserted;(EU)
citadel and watchtower(EV) will become a wasteland forever,
the delight of donkeys,(EW) a pasture for flocks,(EX)
15 till the Spirit(EY) is poured on us from on high,
and the desert becomes a fertile field,(EZ)
and the fertile field seems like a forest.(FA)
16 The Lord’s justice(FB) will dwell in the desert,(FC)
his righteousness(FD) live in the fertile field.
17 The fruit of that righteousness(FE) will be peace;(FF)
its effect will be quietness and confidence(FG) forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful(FH) dwelling places,
in secure homes,(FI)
in undisturbed places of rest.(FJ)
19 Though hail(FK) flattens the forest(FL)
and the city is leveled(FM) completely,
20 how blessed you will be,
sowing(FN) your seed by every stream,(FO)
and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.(FP)
Distress and Help
33 Woe(FQ) to you, destroyer,
you who have not been destroyed!
Woe to you, betrayer,
you who have not been betrayed!
When you stop destroying,
you will be destroyed;(FR)
when you stop betraying,
you will be betrayed.(FS)
2 Lord, be gracious(FT) to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength(FU) every morning,
our salvation(FV) in time of distress.(FW)
3 At the uproar of your army,(FX) the peoples flee;(FY)
when you rise up,(FZ) the nations scatter.
4 Your plunder,(GA) O nations, is harvested(GB) as by young locusts;(GC)
like a swarm of locusts people pounce on it.
5 The Lord is exalted,(GD) for he dwells on high;(GE)
he will fill Zion with his justice(GF) and righteousness.(GG)
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation(GH) and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear(GI) of the Lord is the key to this treasure.[a](GJ)
7 Look, their brave men(GK) cry aloud in the streets;
the envoys(GL) of peace weep bitterly.
8 The highways are deserted,
no travelers(GM) are on the roads.(GN)
The treaty is broken,(GO)
its witnesses[b] are despised,
no one is respected.
9 The land dries up(GP) and wastes away,
Lebanon(GQ) is ashamed and withers;(GR)
Sharon(GS) is like the Arabah,
and Bashan(GT) and Carmel(GU) drop their leaves.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 33:6 Or is a treasure from him
- Isaiah 33:8 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text / the cities
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