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14 The Lord comes to pronounce judgment
on the leaders of his people and their officials.
He says,[a] “It is you[b] who have ruined[c] the vineyard![d]
You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor.[e]
15 Why do you crush my people
and grind the faces of the poor?”[f]
The Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies[g] has spoken.

Washing Away Impurity

16 The Lord says,
“The women[h] of Zion are proud.
They walk with their heads high[i]
and flirt with their eyes.
They skip along[j]
and the jewelry on their ankles jingles.[k]

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 3:14 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  2. Isaiah 3:14 tn The pronominal element is masculine plural; the leaders are addressed.
  3. Isaiah 3:14 tn The verb בָּעַר (baʿar, “graze, ruin”; HALOT 146 s.v. II בער) is a homonym of the more common בָּעַר (baʿar, “burn”; see HALOT 145 s.v. I בער).
  4. Isaiah 3:14 sn The vineyard is a metaphor for the nation here. See 5:1-7.
  5. Isaiah 3:14 tn Heb “the plunder of the poor [is] in your houses” (so NASB).
  6. Isaiah 3:15 sn The rhetorical question expresses the Lord’s outrage at what the leaders have done to the poor. He finds it almost unbelievable that they would have the audacity to treat his people in this manner.
  7. Isaiah 3:15 tn Heb Traditionally, the “Lord of hosts.” On the title “the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,” see the note at 1:9.sn The use of this title, which also appears in v. 1, forms an inclusio around vv. 1-15. The speech begins and ends with a reference to “the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
  8. Isaiah 3:16 tn Heb “daughters” (so KJV, NAB, NRSV).
  9. Isaiah 3:16 tn Heb “with an outstretched neck.” They proudly hold their heads high so that others can see the jewelry around their necks.
  10. Isaiah 3:16 tn Heb “walking and skipping, they walk.”
  11. Isaiah 3:16 tn Heb “and with their feet they jingle.”

14 The Lord enters into judgment(A)
    against the elders and leaders of his people:
“It is you who have ruined my vineyard;
    the plunder(B) from the poor(C) is in your houses.
15 What do you mean by crushing my people(D)
    and grinding(E) the faces of the poor?”(F)
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.(G)

16 The Lord says,
    “The women of Zion(H) are haughty,
walking along with outstretched necks,(I)
    flirting with their eyes,
strutting along with swaying hips,
    with ornaments jingling on their ankles.

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