Isaiah – Legacy Edition — 2001 Translation of the Bible

From the Greek Septuagint text as was used by First Century Christians.
Written by IsaiAh over a period from around 800-BCE to around 730-BCE.
Is it poetry or isn’t it poetry?
Something that only a Bible translator would notice is that whenever God or His spokesperson are quoted, the words were in the form of Hebrew poetry,
since there is a definite cadence that can be noted in the original language. Therefore, since this is the chosen style of God, we have rendered it as it should be, in poetic verse.
Why did God and His spokesperson communicate through poetry?
Because poetic words provide memory aids that can be easily recalled to mind, so that the messages could be spread throughout the population via the most common medium of communication at the time, song.
The curious case of the changing personal pronouns:
Another thing that all translators notice when translating the words of the Prophets is the constant changing of the personal pronouns from the first to the third person in many of the pronouncements.
And what we have come to realize is that God didn’t personally speak to the Prophets. Rather, He sent His messages through a mediator, who appears to have been referred to as ‘The Word’ throughout the text.
Who Was Actually Talking?
You will notice herein that the text often changes to a quotation and then even to italics. WHY?
Understand that there are actually THREE voices being represented here, one of the Prophet, one of the angel that is bringing the message from God, and one of the words of God... and this is often overlooked in other Bibles.
How can we tell the difference? From the TENSES in which each verse is written.
When it is IsaiAh that is speaking, he is talking about what was happing or will be happening to his people.
If it is the angel (the Word) that is speaking, he is speaking of The God in the third person.
And if it is The God that is speaking, He is talking in the first person about what He will do.
Did we get it all right? Probably not, but it has been an honest attempt at doing so.

Chapter 1

¹ These are the visions that IsaiAh (the son of Amoz) saw during the reigns of UzziAh, JoTham, Ahaz, and HezekiAh, the kings of Judah about things that were to come upon Judah and JeruSalem.

² Hear, O heavens, and [pay attention] O earth,
For Jehovah spoke and said this:
‘I fathered sons and I raised them,
But, they’ve paid no attention to Me.

³ ‘Though every ox knows its owner
And every burro knows its own master’s barn;
By IsraEl, I am unknown,
And My people do not understand.’

⁴ So, woe to you, sinful nation;
For, you’re a people that is filled with its sins…
You’re an evil seed and lawless sons,
Since you have abandoned Jehovah,
And IsraEl’s Holy One, you have provoked…
So now, you’ve been pushed to the rear!

⁵ Why be struck down for [your] lawless ways?
For your head is in a miserable condition
And your heart is in great distress…
⁶ Nothing is healthy from your head to your feet.

Your wounds and contusions are inflamed and unhealed,
Since no one has dressed them or applied oil,
Nor have they come here to wrap them.

⁷ Your land has been completely destroyed
And all of your cities are burned.
They’ve devoured the [land] that’s before you…
By strangers, it has been destroyed,
And foreign peoples have wiped it away.

⁸ For, the daughter of Zion has now been abandoned
Like an old shack in a vineyard
Or a shed in a cucumber garden,
Or like a city that is under attack.

⁹ So unless Jehovah of Armies
Should choose to leave us a seed…
Like Sodom and GomorRah, we will be!

¹⁰ Therefore, hear the word of Jehovah
O you rulers of Sodom
And you people of GomorRah…
Pay attention to the Laws of our God;
¹¹ Because, He is asking you this:

‘What good are the things that you offer to Me?
For, of your whole-burnt-offerings of rams,
I’ve received more than enough…
And too much fat from your lambs!

‘Yet, I never asked for the blood of your bulls,
Or the blood of your goats…
¹² And I don’t want you coming to stand before Me!
Who asked for your hands to contribute such things?

‘So I’ll not let you trample My courtyard again;
¹³ And if you should bring fine flour to Me,
You will do it in vain…
Since I find your incense disgusting!
Nor will I accept your New Moons,
Or your Sabbaths or holiday feasts.

¹⁴ ‘With My whole soul, I’ve come to detest
All of your fasts and your Sabbaths…
As well as your holidays and your New Moons!
For with you, I am filled [to the brim],
So I’ll not [overlook] your sins anymore.

¹⁵ ‘Then I’ll turn My eyes when you hold out your hands
And not listen, no matter how often you pray,
Because your hands are so filled with blood!

¹⁶ ‘Why not bathe yourselves and get clean…
Then, remove your wicked [ways] from My eyes?
Stop being bad and ¹⁷ learn to do good…
Insist on [judgments that are] fair!

‘If you’ll rescue those who’ve been wronged,
Decide [in favor of] orphans,
And give justice to widows…
¹⁸ Only then, can you come and plead before Me,’
says Jehovah!
And if your sins should be crimson red,
As white as snow, [I will make them].
Even if they are like scarlet,
I’ll make them as white as fine wool!

¹⁹ ‘If you should choose to listen to Me,
You’ll eat good things that come from the ground.
²⁰ But if you choose to not listen and to rebel,
I’ll send the sword to consume you.’

[Yes, Jehovah actually] said these things.

²¹ ‘How did Zion, that city of faith,
Become a whore so worthy of judgment?
For, murderers exist where justice once slept;
²² All of your silver is tainted;
And your merchants all water their wine.

²³ ‘Your rulers resist all persuasion
And they serve as partners to thieves.
They are also lovers of bribes…
None will stand up for orphans,
And none will give justice to widows!

²⁴ ‘Because of this,’ says Jehovah of Armies;
‘Woe to you, O IsraEl’s mighty!
For My rage against the contrary won’t cease,
And on My enemies, I’m now passing judgment!

²⁵ ‘Against you, I’ll be raising My hand,
And I’ll scrub you until you get clean!
I’ll destroy those resisting persuasion;
I’ll remove all the lawless among you;
²⁶ And I will cut down your proud.

‘Then I’ll give you judges like those in the past,
And counselors like those that lived long ago.
Then, the Righteous City, you will be called…
The trusted mother-city of Zion.

²⁷ ‘Through justice and mercy, she will be saved,
²⁸ When I break the lawless and sinners
And those leaving Jehovah are gone.

²⁹ ‘Of the idols that they have preferred
And those [sacred] gardens, which they have loved,
They will then be ashamed.
³⁰ For they’ll be like fallen pine needles…
Like parks that don’t have any water.

³¹ ‘Their strength [will be weak] like the stubble of hemp,
And the things that they do will then be the sparks
That burn the lawless and sinners…
Flames that no one can extinguish.’

Chapter 2

¹ These are the words that came to IsaiAh (the son of Amoz) regarding Judah and JeruSalem.

² In the last days,
The Mountain of Jehovah will be seen,
And the House of God will be over the hills,
Raised above the highest of mountains,
And all the nations will go there.

³ Many nations will go there and say,
‘Come, let’s ascend the mountain of Jah…
Let’s go to the [Temple] of Jacob’s God,
For there, He will show us His way,
And that’s the way we will go.’

Then, Law will come out of Zion,
And the Word of the Lord from JeruSalem.
⁴ He’ll judge in the midst of the nations,
And he will correct many peoples.

Then they’ll cut their swords into plow shears,
And [shape] their spears into sickles…
[Against other] nations, they won’t raise their swords,
Nor will they learn war anymore.

⁵ O House of Jacob;
Return to the light of Jehovah!
⁶ For, from Jacob’s house, He’s now turned [His face],
Since it’s become like it was at the start…
A [land] that is filled up with takers,
And where Philistine children are born.

⁷ They’ve filled their [land] with silver and gold,
And there is no limit to all of their wealth.
They’ve also filled it with horses,
And chariots they have, beyond numbers.

⁸ With the disgusting works of their hands,
They’ve also filled up their land…
They bow before things made by their fingers…
⁹ Yes, to such things, the people bow low,
Bringing disgrace to each person.
So, now there’s no way I can spare them!

¹⁰ Therefore, go to the rocks and hide in the ground
In fear of Jehovah and the glory of His Might;
For He’s coming to wipe out the land!

¹¹ The eyes of Jehovah are lofty,
While the eyes of men are debased;
So, in that day, these men will be low,
And Jehovah will be lifted high.

¹² For the day of Jehovah of Armies
Is coming upon the insulting and proud.
And those that are high and important
Will soon be brought [to the ground].

¹³ Then, all of Lebanon’s great cedars,
And every tall oak tree of Bashan…
¹⁴ Yes, every high mountain and every high hill…
¹⁵ Every high tower and every high wall…
¹⁶ All ships in the seas and their beauty,
¹⁷ And every man will be small.
For the pride of men will [fall] in that day,
And Jehovah alone will be high.

¹⁸ When He arises to wipe out the land,
Men will then hide [all the idols]
That they have made with their hands.
¹⁹ They’ll hide them in caves and in cracks between rocks,
As well as in burrows under the ground,
Because of their fear of Jehovah,
And before the might of His glory.

²⁰ Then the disgusting things that they’ve made with their hands
(Those worthless things made of silver and gold,
Which they’ve made to bow down before)
Will be tossed before bats in their caves
And in the cracks between rocks,
In fear of Jehovah and the might of His glory,
When He arises to wipe out the land.

Chapter 3

¹ So stop acting like men that breathe through their nose,
For [what value] do they really have?
Consider Jehovah of Armies (our Lord);
For, throughout Judah and JeruSalem,
He’ll remove the men and the women,
Along with the strength of [their] bread
And all the strength of [their] water…
² Their giants, their strong, their soldiers and judges…
Their prophets, their thinkers and elders…
³ Their generals and finest of counselors,
As well as their wisest of builders…
Yes, the most discerning among them.

⁴ Then He’ll appoint young men as their rulers
In order to make them look foolish
⁵ And to make the people act like they’re drunk.
The men will all be rebellious
And arise against their own neighbors;
Young boys will be attacking the old,
And by those without any honor,
Their mighty ones will be shamed.

⁶ Then, men will grab hold of their brothers,
And families will go to their fathers and say,
‘You have clothes; so, you be our leader…
Then you can provide us with food!’

⁷ But, in that day, such men will reply:
‘I will not act as your leader…
Since I have no bread or clothes in my home,
I don’t choose to serve as your ruler.’

⁸ Yes, JeruSalem has been forsaken,
And Judah has now been debased!
For the tongues of their people speak against [God]…
They just discuss what is lawless
And refuse to make any changes.

⁹ Their glory is also debased,
For their faces no longer show any shame,
And they publicly announce and admit
To sins that are as those of Sodom.

So now, woe to their souls;
For they have sought wicked council!
¹⁰ They say, ‘Let’s [lock] up the righteous
Because they’ve become inconvenient.’

So, they’ll reap the fruitage of their bad deeds,
¹¹ And woe will come to the lawless.
For the evil that their hands are now doing
Will soon be brought back upon them!

¹² ‘O my people;
Those whom you owe are gleaning from you,
And those whom you owe are your masters!

‘O my people;
Those who say you are blest, are misleading you,
And they’re [clouding] the paths for your feet.
¹³ For, you’re being judged by Jehovah…
Yes, against His own, He’s arisen as judge.
¹⁴ Jehovah Himself is judging the elders,
As well as those ruling His people.

‘And you, [O elders and rulers];
Why are you burning My vineyard,
And why are the poor [now slaves] in your homes?
¹⁵ Yes, why are you wronging My people,
And disgracing the faces of the poor?’
This was asked by Jehovah of Armies (our Lord).

¹⁶ And Jehovah said:
‘Because the daughters of Zion are proud
And walk with their [noses] held high,
As they beckon with their eyes and walk tiny steps
Then drag their underwear with their feet;
¹⁷ I’ll bring down the daughters of Zion,
And expose their true state in that day.
¹⁸ I’ll remove the glory of their clothes…
The fringes, crescents, ¹⁹ and necklaces that they wear,
As well as their facial adornments.

²⁰ ‘[I’ll remove] their armlets and bracelets…
Their wreaths, their rings, and right armbands…
²¹ Their earrings, purple fringes, and all decorations,
²² As well as the cloths for their homes…
Their coverings through which you can see…
²³ Their fine linens interwoven with scarlet and blue…
The linens embroidered with gold and blue threads,
And the lightweight covers for their divans.

²⁴ ‘Then instead of pleasant odors, there’ll be only dust…
Instead of belts, they’ll tie ropes on their [waists].
Yes, because of the things that they’re doing,
Instead of gold [combs], they’ll be bald…
And instead of their purple underclothes,
They will be forced to wear sackcloth.

²⁵ ‘Then the sons you most love will fall by the sword,
As your mighty are disgraced and cut down.
²⁶ You’ll mourn [the loss] of your [most precious things],
And then, you’ll be left all alone,
Beaten down to the ground.’

Chapter 4

¹ ‘In that day;
Seven women will reach for one man,
And this is what they will say:
We’ll [make] our own bread and wear our own clothes;
But, let us be called by your name
In order to remove all our scorn!

² ‘In that day;
The glory of the council of God
Will shine upon the whole earth
In order to raise and bring glory
To those few in IsraEl that still remain.

³ ‘And the few in JeruSalem and Zion
Will then be called Holy Ones…
This will happen to those in JeruSalem
[Whose names] have been written for life.’

⁴ Then Jehovah will wash away all the filth
Of the sons and daughters of Zion.
He’ll remove all the blood from JeruSalem’s midst
With the spirit of judgment and fire.

⁵ When He comes, every place on Mount Zion
Will stand in the shade of a cloud every day,
And the light of a fire each night…
So, His glory will then be their shelter.
⁶ It’ll be a shade of protection from heat,
And a shelter from rain and bad weather.

Chapter 5

¹ I’ll now sing [a song] to the One that I love…
A song of my loved One concerning His vineyard.

‘A vineyard belonged to One that was loved…
A horn of plenty in a bountiful land.
² Around it, He built a fence and palisade,
Then the choicest of grapevines, He planted.

‘In its midst, He then built a tower,
And thereafter, He dug out a winepress.
Then he waited for grapes to start growing,
But, all that grew was thorn bushes.’

³ Now, you that dwell in JeruSalem…
Yes, you men of Judea…
Judge between Him and His vineyard!

⁴ What can He do for His vineyard
That hasn’t already been done?
He waited for it to grow grapes,
But all it produced was thorn bushes.

⁵ So I’ll tell you what He’ll do to His vineyard:
He’ll remove its gate and let it be ravaged…
He’ll demolish its walls and let it be trampled.
⁶ He’ll abandon His vineyard, so it won’t be pruned,
Nor will it be hoed anymore.

He’ll return it [to the way it once was]…
An uncultivated land of thorn bushes.
And to the clouds, He’ll then give the order
To not provide it with rain.

⁷ The house of IsraEl is the vineyard
Of Jehovah of Armies,
And Judah’s people are His beloved plants,
On whom He waited to give Him what’s due.
But they just produced lawless ways…
Instead of a tower of justice,
Cries of distress is all that they’ve brought.

⁸ So, woe to those that gather in homes
And in the fields roundabout.
For, after your neighbors are taken away,
You’ll live all alone in the land,
⁹ Since Jehovah of Armies has heard what you’ve done!

So, where there were once many houses,
There will just be desolation,
And no one will live there again.

¹⁰ Then, though you’ll plow with ten teams of oxen,
You’ll harvest just enough to fill one clay pot.
And though you may plant six large measures,
Just three measures will grow.

¹¹ So, woe to those that rise early
To spend their days chasing liquor
And stay up late as they drink it;
For, they will burn along with their wine.

¹² They drink to [the sounds] of the harp and the lute
As well as pipes and tambourines,
As they fail to think of the works of Jehovah…
The works of His hands, they have failed to consider.

¹³ So, my people will all become captives
Because they’ve forgotten their Lord.
Many will die from hunger and thirst;
¹⁴ For the place of the dead has widened its soul
And opened its mouth to consume them.
Then, the glorious will fall with the great and the rich,
And all of those that respect them.

¹⁵ My people will then be cut down,
And their men will all be dishonored…
Yes, those that [walked proud] will be shamed.

¹⁶ Then the justice of Jehovah of Armies will arise…
And because He will have [proven His] justice,
Our Holy God will be glorified.

¹⁷ Then, there will come those that will rip you apart,
And on your bulls, they will graze…
Yes, those that will come to wipe out your land
Will also be eating your lambs.

¹⁸ So, woe to those drawing sins as with ropes,
And lawless ways as the yoke on a bull…
¹⁹ Those saying,
‘Let Him come and do whatever He wants…
Let Him do it soon, so we’ll see it…
Let the Holy One’s Will come to pass,
So we can all know what it is!’

²⁰ Yes, woe to those that call evil good
And those that are calling good bad…
Those that turn what’s dark into light
And turn what’s light into darkness…
Those that make bitter sound sweet
And those that turn sweet into bitter.

²¹ Woe to those that think themselves wise,
And think that they have greater knowledge.
²² Woe to your strong ones and those drinking wine…
The mighty that are mixing their liquor…
²³ Those that favor the wicked, because they’ve been bribed,
And from the righteous, snatch justice.

²⁴ For this, they’ll be burned up like stubble…
They’ll be burned like coals leaping with flames.
Their roots and flowers will be turned into dust
For rejecting the Laws of Jehovah of Armies…
They’ve despised IsraEl’s Holy One’s words.

²⁵ For with His people, Jehovah of Armies is angry,
And to strike them, He’s lifted His hand.

[The smell] of rotting flesh will drive mountains to rage…
For, like manure on the roads, they’ll became.
Yet, even this won’t [soften] His rage
Or still the raising of His hand.

²⁶ So He’ll lift a sign to nations far away …
He’ll whistle to them from the ends of the earth,
And they’ll take quick notice and come here.

²⁷ They won’t get hungry or tired,
Nor will they slumber or sleep.
They’ll not untie their belts from their waists,
Nor will they loosen their sandals.

²⁸ With stretched-tight bows [they will come],
And with the arrows they’ve sharpened.
The feet of their horses will be like hard rocks,
And blasts will come from their chariot wheels.

²⁹ Like lions, they will then advance
With their cubs all walking beside them…
They’ll snatch you and yell like wild beasts,
As they carry you off…
When no one will be there to save you.

³⁰ Yes, because of you, they’ll yell in that day
Like the sounds of the roar of the seas.
Then you’ll look to the heavens above,
And [to the ground] underneath you,
And all you will see is hard darkness
In your terrible time of distress.

Chapter 6

¹ It was in the year King UzziAh died, that I saw Jehovah sitting on a high, lofty throne, and the [Temple] was filled with His glory. ² The seraphim stood all around Him, each of whom had six wings that touched the wings next to them. Their first two wings covered their front sides, the second two wings covered their feet, and they flew with their third two wings. ³ They were shouting to each other and saying:
‘Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of Armies…
The whole earth is filled with His glory!’

⁴ Well, the threshold of the [Temple shook] at the sound of their shouting, and the [Temple] became filled with smoke. ⁵ And I said: ‘Oh, I’m so unworthy and hurt by this, because I’m just an unclean man that lives among people with unclean lips. Yet, now I have beheld the King, Jehovah of Armies… I’ve seen Him with my own eyes!’

⁶ Then one of the seraphim was sent to me; and in his hand, he carried a [live] coal that he had taken from the Altar with tongs. ⁷ So touched it to my mouth and said:
‘{Look!} Now that your lips have been touched by this coal,
It has removed all of your lawless deeds
And it has purged you of all your sins.’

⁸ Then I heard the voice of Jehovah ask:
‘Whom shall I send…
Yes, who will go to these people?’

And I replied: ‘Look! Here I am, send me!’

⁹ And He said,
‘Then, go to these people and say,
When it comes to hearing, you’ll hear,
But no way will you comprehend.
And when it comes to seeing, you’ll see,
But no way will you understand!

¹⁰ ‘Since the hearts of these people have hardened,
Their ears now listen too slowly,
And their eyes cannot see, since their eyelids are closed.
Thus, they will not hear with their ears
Nor will they see with their eyes.
So their hearts will not understand
And make them turn back, so I’d heal them.’

¹¹ And I asked, ‘How long [will this be true], O Lord?’

And He answered:
‘Until all the cities lie wasted
And there are no people living there anymore…
Until no one is left in their homes
And until the whole land has been ravaged.

¹² ‘Then, God will stay far from these people,
As those that survive multiply.
¹³ But, only a tenth will remain there,
For the rest will be [cut down] like pine trees.

‘However; like an acorn that stays in its shell,
The holy seed will remain in the stump.’

Chapter 7

¹ It was in the days of Ahaz (the son of JoTham and the grandson of UzziAh) the king of Judah, that Rezin (the king of Aram) and Pekah (the son of RemaliAh) the king of IsraEl came to JeruSalem to wage war against it… however, they were unable to conquer it. ² But when the house of David was told that Aram had joined forces with Ephraim, they were startled and the souls of the people were shaken like a forest of trees in a windstorm.

³ Then the Lord said this to IsaiAh:
‘You and your son JaSub (the one whom you left behind) must now go to meet with [King] Ahaz at the upper pool of the washer women, ⁴ and you must tell him:
Do nothing at all and don’t be afraid…
Don’t let those two pieces of smoking wood
Make you feel weak [in your knees].
For, when I [send] them My rage,
You will be saved once again.

⁵ ‘And as for the sons of RemaliAh and Aram; Because they met and wickedly agreed ⁶ to come to Judah together so as to conquer and rule over you by setting TabeAl’s son [on the throne]… ⁷ tell him that Jehovah of Armies said this:
‘There’s no way that your plan will succeed…
It will never take place.

⁸ ‘For the head of Aram is Damascus,
And the head of Damascus is Rezin.
Thus in six, plus another five years,
These people will destroy Ephraim.

⁹ ‘For the head of Ephraim is Samaria,
And the head of Samaria is the son of RemaliAh…
But, none will understand, unless they believe.’

¹⁰ Then Jehovah [sent a message to] Ahaz, that said:
¹¹ ‘Ask for a sign from Jehovah your God,
Whether from the depths or the heights.’

¹² And Ahaz replied:
‘There’s no way that I’ll ask, nor will I put Jehovah to the test!’

¹³ So [the messenger] said,
‘Listen to this, O house of David…
If it’s too unimportant a thing
To supply enough men for a battle;
How can you fight a war for the Lord?

¹⁴ ‘Now, Jehovah will give you a sign…
{Look!} A virgin will get pregnant and then bear a son
Whom you must call, ImManuEl.
¹⁵ He’ll eat butter and honey before he is sure
Whether he wants to be wicked or good.

¹⁶ ‘But, before the boy can know good from bad;
By resisting wicked persuasions,
He will choose to do what is right.
Then the land of two kings of which you’re afraid
Will be totally abandoned!

¹⁷ But first, God will bring Assyria’s king
Upon you, your people, and the house of your father…
These will be unlike any days that have come
Since Ephraim split off from Judah.

¹⁸ ‘For, in that day, Jehovah will whistle
And call for the flies on the [Nile],
As well as for Assyria’s bees.
¹⁹ Then they’ll come and settle in your valleys…
In the burrows, rocks, and in caves…
In every hole and in all the trees.

²⁰ ‘In that day, Jehovah will speak,
And He’ll tell Assyria’s king
To bring his razor and shave off those drunks
[Who live] on the river’s [east banks].
Then he’ll shave their heads and the hair on their feet,
Before he cuts off their beards.

²¹ ‘But, in that day, each man that is left
Will have a cow and two sheep.
²² So, there will be milk for those that remain,
And [plenty of] butter and honey.

²³ ‘Yet, in that day;
Where once grew thousands of grapevines
Valued at thousands in silver,
Only thorn bushes will grow.
For, grape cultivation will have ceased.
²⁴ Then, with bows and arrows they’ll [hunt] there;
For the land will be wild and covered with thorns.

²⁵ ‘But thereafter, they’ll plow up the mountains,
And they won’t be afraid anymore;
For that uncultivated land of thorn bushes
Will then become a pasture for sheep,
And a land that is trampled by oxen.’

Chapter 8

¹ Then the Lord said this to me:
‘Go [buy] a large, new scroll of papyrus,
And write on it with the pen of a man
About the plundering and looting
That will be coming upon them!

² ‘Then appoint these two trustworthy men
Who will serve as witnesses on my behalf:
Choose UriAh the Priest,
And ZechariAh, the son of BarachiAh.’

³ Well after that, I [had sex] with Prophetess, and she got pregnant and gave birth to a son. Then the Lord said to me:
‘Call his name, Quick Gloom and Swift Looting;
⁴ For, before the child learns how to call out
To his father and mother,
Someone will carry the power of Damascus
And Samaria’s spoils to Assyria’s king.’

⁵ Then the Lord spoke to me again and said:
⁶ ‘Because these people have refused to return
To SiloaAm’s waters in peace,
But prefer Rezin (the son of RemeliAh)
To serve instead as their king;
{Look!} Jehovah will be bringing against them
The waters of a great mighty river…
The king of Assyria and his glory.
⁷ For, he will then enter their valleys
And walk right up to their walls.

⁸ ‘Thereafter, he’ll sweep into Judah
And overrun it up to its neck.
So then, the out-spread wings of his camp
Will fill the whole [land] of ImManuEl!

⁹ ‘Know this, O nations, and then be nailed shut!
Pay attention, all you peoples to the ends of the earth…
Ready yourselves to be nailed down tight!
And if you should ever grow strong after that,
Once more, you’ll be nailed down tight!

¹⁰ ‘Then, no matter whom you ask for solutions;
Jehovah will wipe them away.
And no matter what you say you’ll accomplish;
Because Jehovah’s [against] you,
Nothing that you do will succeed!

¹¹ ‘For, this is what Jehovah has said:
These people have resisted [My] persuasion
About the ways they should go.
And they say, ¹² What You’ve told us is too hard [to do]!

‘Yet, whatever they’ve said is too hard to do
Should not be feared or disturbing.
¹³ Just treat Jehovah of Armies as holy,
And only Him, should they fear…
¹⁴ If they’ll yield to Him, He’ll be their Most Holy,
And upon no stones will they stumble,
Nor upon any rocks will they trip!

‘But the house of Jacob is [now] in the trap
Of those lying in wait in their valleys.
¹⁵ Since many of their people are already weak,
They’re about to fall and be broken.
Then [those armies] will come and carry the people
Away from the land where they’ve lived so securely!

¹⁶ ‘Then, it will be easy to see
Which ones were [the chosen and] sealed,
And which wouldn’t [follow] the Law.
¹⁷ For, one will say, I’ll wait on The God
From whom Jacob’s house has now turned its face,
And in Him, I will put all my trust…
¹⁸ {Look} Both the children God gave me and I!

‘Then, to the house of IsraEl, they will serve
As the miracles and signs of Jehovah of Armies…
The One that dwells on Mount Zion.

¹⁹ ‘And if, at that time, they should tell you
To seek those that interpret omens
That are sent by those that speak from the ground,
Or to those that speak empty words from their guts…
[You should say this to them]:
Shouldn’t a nation first ask of its God?’

‘Why ask the dead on behalf of the living?
²⁰ For He gave us His Law as our helper.
So we shouldn’t be turning to those that can’t help.
²¹ This is why a great famine is coming to you!

‘So, when you’re hungry and worried,
And speak wicked things of your fathers and kings…
When you look to the sky up above you,
²² And to the ground underneath you,
What you’ll see is darkness, distress, and hard times…
A darkness that will last a long time.

Chapter 9

¹ ‘Drink this first and fast… do it quickly,
O lands of ZebuLun and NaphTali…
You on the coasts and the Jordan’s east shore,
And you, O Galilee of the gentiles!

² ‘The people that were traveling in darkness
Then saw a [very] bright light.
For a light will then shine upon those
Who live in the place of the shadow of death.

³ ‘To a time of joy, He will lead them,
And they’ll all be as happy before Him
As those that take joy in the harvest,
Or as those who’re dividing up loot.
⁴ For they’ll not be wearing a yoke anymore,
Nor [will they feel] the whip on their backs.

‘He’ll destroy the [whip] of all those that use it
As He did in the days of Midian’s war.
⁵ Then, those that did this must pay for the clothes
That they, through treachery, have taken;
For the people will [demand] the return of their clothes,
Even if they have been scorched!

⁶ ‘But to us, a child has been born,
And to us, a son has been given
Upon whose shoulders the kingdom will come…
And these are the names by which he’ll be known:
The Angel of Great Understanding;
The Wonderful Councilor and Mighty God;
The Powerful One and Prince of Peace;
And the Father of the Age that is Coming.’

‘Then, to this prince, I’ll bring peace and good health;
⁷ And from the throne of David, his rule will be great.
There will be no end to his peace,
For his kingdom will be founded on justice and judgments
Both now and into the age…
Which will come through the zeal of Jehovah of Armies.

⁸ ‘But now, upon IsraEl and Jacob,
Jehovah is just sending death.
⁹ And all the peoples of Ephraim
(Those with haughty and insolent hearts
Who within Samaria, have settled),
Will realize this and then say:
¹⁰ Since all our bricks have now fallen,
Please come and help us shape stones;
Then we’ll cut down some cedars and sycamore trees,
And we’ll build ourselves a great tower.

¹¹ ‘But, God will knock down all those
Who will come against Zion and Him.
He’ll wipe all His enemies away…
¹² The Syrians from where the sun dawns
To the Greeks in the place where it sets…
Those who’ve swallowed IsraEl down with their mouths.

‘But, this won’t bring an end to His rage;
For His hand will still be held high…
¹³ Because His people refused to repent
Or to search for Jehovah of Armies
Until [the day] they were struck.
¹⁴ For the Lord will remove the head and the tail…
All of IsraEl’s small and great in one day.

¹⁵ ‘Their head is the elders and highly regarded,
And the prophets (those teaching lawless ways) are the tail.
¹⁶ They’re the ones that say, These people are blest,
And mislead them to swallow them down.

¹⁷ ‘Yes, it is because of these things
That God won’t show favor upon their young men,
Nor will He show mercy on their orphans or widows…
Because they’re all lawless and wicked,
And every mouth is unrighteous.
Yet, none of these things will turn back His rage,
For His hand will still be raised high.

¹⁸ ‘Then the lawless will be burned as in fire…
They’ll be devoured like flames through dry grass…
They’ll be burned like thickets in the woods,
And consumed like hay in the hills.

¹⁹ ‘Because of Jehovah’s anger and rage,
All of their land will be burned,
And its people will be as those burned in fire;
For a man won’t show mercy to even his brother.

²⁰ ‘Then they’ll look at their right hands in hunger,
And they will eat their left [arms]…
But the flesh of their arms will not fill them.

²¹ ‘ManasSeh will gnaw upon Ephraim,
And Ephraim will chew on ManasSeh…
Then together, they’ll come against Judah.
Yet, none of these things will turn back [God’s] rage,
For His arm will still be held high.

Chapter 10

¹ ‘Woe to those that write wicked [laws];
For the reasons that they write them are evil…
² To deny equal rights to the poor,
And snatch away justice from the needy…
To loot the orphans and ravage the widows!

³ ‘So, what will you do in the day of inspection…
When hard times come from afar?
Yes, whom will you run to for aid,
And to whom will you give all your wealth…
⁴ For, won’t you be forced to be slaves?

‘And if you should hide under those that are killed,
You’ll see that this won’t bring an end to His rage…
For His hand will still be held high.

⁵ ‘Woe to Assyria (the rod of My wrath)…
Those that hold My rage in their hands.
⁶ But, on that lawless nation, I’ll also send rage…
I’ll order My people to plunder and loot them,
Then trample their cities and turn them to dust.

⁷ ‘But now, they aren’t thinking about this,
For their souls have failed to reflect.
[No, Assyria’s king] doesn’t know…
He just wants to destroy many nations.

⁸ ‘He’ll ask, Am I not your sole ruler?
⁹ Isn’t all above Babylon mine,
As well as Calneh, where the tower was built?

‘Haven’t I conquered Arabia,
As well as Samaria and Damascus?
¹⁰ Thus, in the same way that I’ve taken all these,
I will conquer the rest!

‘So shriek, O carvings in JeruSalem;
¹¹ For, as I did to Samaria and her idols
(Those things that they made with their hands),
I’ll also do to JeruSalem
And to all of the idols that are there!

¹² ‘But, after Jehovah completes all these things
That He’ll do to JeruSalem and Zion;
He’ll arise and strike that great mind…
Yes, the mind of Assyria’s king,
And the haughty glory of his eyes.

¹³ ‘For, [this great ruler] has dared to say:
I will act in a very strong way.
And in my wisdom and great understanding,
I’ll remove the boundaries of nations
And bring an end to their powers.

¹⁴ ‘I’ll shake the cities in which they all live,
And grab hold of the people that live there
As I’d take a bird’s nest in My hands…
And then, I’ll deport the survivors.

‘No, none will evade or oppose me…
They’ll just open their mouths and let out a chirp.

¹⁵ ‘Does the axe really have any glory
Unless there is someone to swing it?
Does the saw really have any value
Unless there is someone to draw it…
And can a rod swing itself?

¹⁶ ‘So, dishonor will replace all his honor…
And this will be done by Jehovah of Armies.
Upon his glory, He’ll send fire,
And [that king] will be consumed by its flames…
¹⁷ Then this fire will serve as IsraEl’s light.

‘For He’ll make her holy through fire,
Which will eat her like grass in the woods in that day.
¹⁸ It will burn through her mountains, forests, and hills,
And devour all the life from her flesh.

‘Then, those that flee will be running from flames,
¹⁹ And very few will remain…
An infant could write down their numbers!

²⁰ ‘But in that day, those that remain in JeruSalem
Won’t go along [with what’s bad] anymore.
For [the sons] of Jacob who then will be saved
Won’t put up with those that have wronged them.
They will only be yielding to God,
And to the truths of IsraEl’s Most Holy One.

²¹ ‘Then, those of Jacob that survive
Will return to their Almighty God.
²² And the people of IsraEl will then grow to be
As many as the sands of the seas
From the very few that were left.

²³ ‘So, this matter will be finished in justice;
For, Jehovah is the One that is drawing the line.
Yes, Jehovah of Armies will act
Throughout the world [of mankind].

²⁴ ‘For this reason, Jehovah of Armies has said:
Don’t fear the Assyrians, My people…
Yes, you who are dwelling in Zion.
Though they will strike with a rod
And distress you as they’re [marching] toward Egypt;
²⁵ In a very short time, My anger will end,
And I’ll turn My rage toward their plans.

²⁶ ‘The God of Armies, Jehovah, will rise
And bring calamity upon them
As He did to Midian’s people
In the Place of Oppression.

‘For His rage [will be expressed] by the sea
As they are traveling toward Egypt.
²⁷ Their terrible yoke, He’ll lift from your shoulders,
After He has destroyed them.

²⁸ ‘They’ll enter the City of AngAi;
But, they will bypass MegidDo…
Then they’ll drop their weapons at MichMash.

²⁹ ‘They’ll enter the valley at AngAi;
So, those in Rama will be gripped with fear,
And the city of Saul will then flee.

³⁰ ‘At that time, O daughter of GalLim;
Your voice will sound just like snorting.
And be careful [O you] at LachIsh…
And you at AnathOth must also be wary.

³¹ ‘There’ll be fear in Gebim and MadMenah…
³² To survive, you must all band together
As [Assyria] is marching your way!

‘O daughter of Zion;
You must then flee to the mountains,
And gather upon JeruSalem’s hills!’

³³ O Lord, Jehovah of Armies;
How Your strength has scattered the famous
And broken the insolence of the haughty
To teach them the need to be humble!
³⁴ For the haughty will all be cut down with swords,
And Lebanon will fall with the rest of the proud!

Chapter 11

¹ From the root of Jesse, a [shoot] will then sprout,
And a flower will grow from his root.
² The Spirit of Jehovah will rest upon him…
The spirit of wisdom and understanding…
The spirit of purpose and strength…
The spirit of reverence and knowledge.

³ The Spirit will fill him with fear of The God,
And he won’t judge men by their wealth,
Nor scold them for the things that they’ve said.
⁴ He’ll judge the case of the lowly,
And [give justice to] the poor of the land.

He’ll strike the earth with the words from his mouth,
And wipe the godless away with the breath from his lips.
⁵ Justice will be wrapped ‘round his waist
And his sides will be girdled in truth.

⁶ Then the wolf and the lamb, together will feed;
The leopard will nap with the kid;
Bulls, calves, and lions will all graze together,
And by a small child, they’ll be led.

⁷ Together, the ox and the bear will eat grass,
And together, their young ones [will play];
For then, the lion will eat straw like the ox.

⁸ On the burrow of an asp, an infant will play,
And lay his hands in a bed of young cobras.
⁹ For, on My holy mountain, none will destroy,
Nor will they not do any harm,
Since the earth will be filled with the knowledge of [God]
As the seas are covered by water.

¹⁰ In that day, the root of JesSe [will sprout]…
He’ll arise to rule [all] the nations.
In him, the gentiles will trust,
And upon him, honor will rest.

¹¹ In that day, God will show the zeal of His hands
On behalf of the few that remain…
The remnants of the few who’ll return
From Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt,
As well as Ethiopia and Elam…
Those that will come back from the sunrise
And from Arabian lands.

¹² For He’ll raise a sign to the nations
And collect the IsraElites that were being destroyed…
He’ll gather the scattered of Judah
From the four [corners] of the earth.

¹³ Then, at that time, Ephraim’s envy,
And the enemies of Judah will all be destroyed.
For, Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah,
And Judah will oppress them no more.

¹⁴ At that time, they will all get together
To [attack] the Philistines that live in the west,
And plunder the Edomites at the sunrise.
Moab will be conquered first,
But the sons of Ammon are first to submit.

¹⁵ Then the Lord will [split] Egypt’s Sea,
And He’ll lay His hands on their River…
He’ll send gales to its seven ravines,
So it can be walked through in sandals.

¹⁶ Then, it will serve as a road for His people…
A path for those left behind,
And for those in Assyria that have yet to return.
Then for IsraEl, it’ll be the same as that day
When they first came out of Egypt.’

Chapter 12

¹ And in that day, they will say:
‘O Jehovah, we praise You!
For, though You were angry with us,
Your rage has now turned away
And You have shown mercy upon us.

² ‘Look… my God and my Savior!
I’ll do what You say and not be afraid!
For, Jehovah’s my glory and praise,
And He has become my salvation.’

³ Then, water will be drawn from life-giving springs,
⁴ And in that day, you will say:
‘Sing in praise to Jehovah…
Yes, yell aloud about His great Name!
To the nations, announce His honorable deeds…
Say that His Name has been raised!

⁵ ‘Sing in praise to the Name of the Lord
For all of the great things He’s done…
Yes, announce these things throughout the whole earth!

⁶ ‘Shout aloud and be joyful,
All who you are living in Zion;
For the Most Holy One of IsraEl,
Has now been raised in her midst!’

Chapter 13

¹ This is the vision that IsaiAh (the son of Amoz) saw against Babylon.

² ‘Raise a flag on top of the mountains.
Then, don’t be afraid, shout it loudly.
Open [your mouths], O you rulers…
Put your hands [to your mouths] and call out for aid!

³ ‘For I’m in command and I’ve given the order
To giants that are coming to fulfill My rage…
Together they’re coming, shouting insults.’

⁴ There’s a voice like the sound of great crowds
That [you’ll hear from the tops of] the mountains.
It’s the sound of a gathering of kings,
And a great assembly of troops.

For, Jehovah of Armies has given the order
To a nation of warriors with weapons
⁵ That are coming from a faraway land…
From the pillars of the skies they’ll arrive.
Yes, the Lord and His warriors are coming
To bring ruin to the place where you dwell.

⁶ So shriek, for the day of the Lord is at hand,
And destruction from God will come quickly!
⁷ So, all of their hands will go limp
And the soul of each man will know fear.

⁸ Their elders will all be disturbed
And have pains like women about to give birth.
They’ll discuss it and they will be sad for each other,
And together, they’ll all be in shock…
Their faces will be changed into flames!

⁹ For {Look!} the day of the Lord is about to arrive…
It’s a day of incurable anger…
The rage to destroy the place where you live
And wipe away all the sinners.

¹⁰ Then the stars in the skies (including Orion)
And the heaven’s arrangement will no longer shine.
The rising sun will be darkened,
And the moon won’t give out its light.

¹¹ ‘I’ll punish this world for its evil,
And the irreverent, I’ll destroy for their sins…
I’ll end the insolence of the lawless,
And bring the haughty ways of the proud to the ground.

¹² ‘Then, those left behind will be rarer than gold…
They’ll be rarer than gold from Ophir.
¹³ For the skies will then be enraged,
And the foundations of the earth will be shaken
By the anger and rage of Jehovah of Armies
On the day that He sends His wrath.

¹⁴ ‘Then, those that remain will be fleeing like deer…
Like sheep, they will all run away…
No way will a man return to his house,
For they’ll all be fleeing their homes.

¹⁵ ‘The captured will then all be [slaughtered]…
Yes, those that are caught will fall by the sword.
¹⁶ Before them, their young will be dashed to the ground,
All of their homes will be ruined,
And their women will all be dishonored.

¹⁷ ‘{Look!} For against you, I’m arousing the Medes…
Those that think nothing of silver
And those that have no need for your gold!

¹⁸ ‘They’ll break the bows of your young men,
And on your young, show no mercy…
Their eyes will not spare your children!

¹⁹ ‘Then Babylon (the home of the king of Chaldea)
Will be wiped away by our God,
As He did to Sodom and GomorRah.
²⁰ And through ages, no one will live there again,
For generations, no one will [want to] go there…
No Arabs will go there, and shepherds won’t stop there to rest.
²¹ But wild beasts will surely be found there,
And fill all the houses with growling.

‘It’ll be a place where demons will dance…
²² A place where vultures will dwell,
And where hedgehogs build nests in the homes.’

Chapter 14

¹ This will all happen quite quickly…
It won’t take very much time
And the days [‘til it comes] won’t drag on.

But, [God] will show mercy on Jacob,
For IsraEl will still be His chosen,
And they will find rest in His land.

To them, foreign peoples will come
(To the house of Jacob, they’ll come),
² And they’ll accept the gentiles among them…
As an inheritance, they’ll all then be welcomed.

At that time, within the land of our God,
There’ll be many servants (both women and men).
For, those that once took them as captives
Will, in turn, be their [slaves]…
They’ll dominate those that once ruled them.

³ In that day, the Lord will send rest
And an end to your anger and grief,
As well as to the hard labor
Under which you had once slaved.

⁴ Then you’ll take up this wail against Babylon’s king…
In that day, you’ll say this about him:
‘O how much rest [we now can enjoy]
From this one that once demanded so much…
How much rest [we now have from] our masters!

⁵ ‘For, Jehovah broke the yoke of those sinners,
As well as the yoke of their rulers.
⁶ In His rage, He struck down a nation…
He brought calamity upon them…
He didn’t spare any and He didn’t hold back!

⁷ ‘So now, our land is shouting in joy…
⁸ The trees of Lebanon are happy and say:
From the time that you were laid low,
No one has come here to cut us!

⁹ ‘From below, the grave has arisen to meet them;
And all the giants that once ruled the earth
(Those that stood and opposed you)
Have now been gathered down there.’

Then the kings of those nations will rise from their thrones,
¹⁰ And they will say [to those giants]:
‘Now, you have been captured as we were…
So, are you now considered to be one of us?
¹¹ For your glories and joys have gone down to the grave,
And beneath you, they’ll make a bed of decay
Where you will be covered with worms!’

¹² O how the bright one has fallen
(The [star] that arises at dawn);
For this one that [once conquered] nations,
Has been broken down to the ground.
(Note: This text could also be rendered as:
‘O how you have fallen from the sky;
So, howl, O one that arises at dawn;
For, you that [once conquered] nations,
Have now been broken to the ground’).

¹³ You’re the one that once said in his heart:
‘I will ascend to the heavens
And I’ll put my throne above all the stars.
Then I’ll sit upon a high mountain…
On the highest one in the north.
¹⁴ Yes, I will ascend above all the clouds,
And I will be like the Most High!’

¹⁵ But now, you’ll go down to the grave…
Down to the foundations of the earth.
¹⁶ Then, those who see you will wonder and ask:
‘Isn’t he the one that provoked the whole earth…
Isn’t he the one that once shook its kings…
¹⁷ Isn’t he the one that brought desolation
Upon mankind’s habitation…
The one that demolished its cities
And the one that set no slaves free?’

¹⁸ So, while all the kings of the nations
Will go to sleep in full honor
(As will every man within his own house);
¹⁹ You’ll be tossed in the mountains along with the slain.

Yes, you’ll be abhorred the same as the rest
Who have been run through with swords
And gone down to the place of the dead.

²⁰ ‘Like clothes that are dirtied by blood,
You won’t be pure or clean anymore;
For, to My land, you brought desolation,
And you have murdered My people.
So, no way will you last through the age,
O you seed of all that is evil!

²¹ ‘Prepare your young to be slaughtered
Because of the sins of their fathers!
So, they won’t arise and inherit the land,
Nor again fill the whole earth with wars!

²² ‘For, I will rise up against them,’
Says Jehovah of Armies;
‘I’ll destroy their names, their remains, and their seed.’

And Jehovah said:
²³ ‘The land of Babylon, I will destroy…
I’ll make it a place where hedgehogs will dwell.
I will bring it to nothing…
It’ll be just a pit of destruction.’

²⁴ Then Jehovah of Armies said:
‘This is how it will happen…
Yes, this is the way it will be;
For this is what I’ve decided:

‘I’ll allow [Babylon] to remain
For just a little while longer,
²⁵ So that it can wipe the Assyrians away
From My land and My Holy Mountain.
They’ll be trampled and their yoke will then be removed,
As their dignity is cut from their shoulders.’

²⁶ Yes, this is the plan that Jehovah laid out
For the rest of man’s habitation,
As His hand is raised over the gentiles.
²⁷ For, who can erase the Holy One’s plans,
Or hold back His hand once it’s been raised?

²⁸ In the year that King Ahaz died, these words came [to IsaiAh]:
²⁹ ‘O Philistines; do not be joyful,
For He’s breaking the yoke of those you’ve attacked.
And from the snake’s seed, young asps will arrive,
Which will then become flying serpents.

³⁰ ‘While God will feed all the poor
And peace will rest on the paupers;
Your seed will starve and be wiped away…
Yes, those that are left will be gone.

³¹ ‘So, shriek, O you city of gates,
And may your towns start crying aloud!
For the Philistines will all be disturbed
As they see smoke arise in the north…
And no one there, will be left alive.

‘Now, what answer can the kings of the nations supply?
For though the Lord will destroy the foundations of Zion;
He’ll still bring salvation to His people!’

Chapter 15

¹ This is the word against Moab:

‘In one night, Moab’s land will be wiped away…
In the dark, its walls will be broken.
² In Dibon, your altars will all be destroyed,
And then, you’ll just go there to weep.

‘In Moab, there’ll be shrieking on Nebo;
For, every head will be shaved,
And you’ll all wear chains on your arms.

³ ‘In your squares, you all will wear sackcloth,
And under every roof, there’ll be mourning;
For, you will be shrieking and crying
In your squares and in all your streets!

⁴ ‘In HeshBon, there will also be shouting,
As well as in EliAleh…
As far as JaHaz, the sounds will be heard.

‘In Moab’s land, the mothers will cry;
For, in their souls, they will know…
⁵ In their hearts, they’ll know there’ll be screaming
All the way up to ZoAr.

‘Then they’ll be like three-year-old heifers
[That are being led to the slaughter];
For there’ll be much weeping in LuHith,
And yelling on the road to HoroNaim,
Where they’ll tremble before they’re defeated!

⁶ ‘At NimRim, the waters will dry,
So her crops will fail and there’ll be no green grass,
⁷ And then, how will they save her?
For, I will send Arabs into her valleys
And everyone there will be captured.

⁸ ‘Yes, there will be screaming and shrieking
In the lands of Moab and EglaIm.
There will also be screams at their wells,
⁹ For the waters of Dibon will be filled with blood.

‘Yes, against Dimon, I’m bringing the Arabs,
And they will remove Moab’s seed…
Those remaining in AriEl and Adama.

Chapter 16

¹ ‘Then I’ll send a male lamb to be lord of their land…
For Mount Zion’s daughter is not just bare rock.
² Then you, O daughter of Moab,
Will become like a bird that flies all about
After her young have been carried away!

‘O Arnon; sit down and discuss it,
³ Then prepare for continuous mourning.
For at noon, everything will go dark,
And [your people] will be startled and flee.

‘So, do not start celebrating;
⁴ For, with exiles of Moab, you’ll flee
From the faces of those that pursue you.
They will then be your only protectors,
Since your allies will all have been lifted away,
And your rulers will have been crushed to the ground.

⁵ ‘Then, from a throne [based on] mercy,
[This lamb] will make all things right.
For a man from the tent of David
Will thereafter sit [on a throne]
From which, he will judge righteously.
He’ll demand to know what is true…
Then swift justice, he’ll bring [to the land].

⁶ ‘For I’ve heard the insults of Moab…
And they have been very insulting.
[I’ve noticed] their pride, their insults, and rage…
And there was no reason for this.

⁷ ‘So, there will be shrieking in Moab…
Throughout the land, there’ll be screaming.
But you’ll think of those that were dwelling in Seth,
And then, you’ll feel less ashamed.

⁸ ‘In the plains of HeshBon, you’ll mourn
Over the grapevines of SibMah;
For the nations will swallow you down…
And as far as JaZer, they’ll trample your vines.

‘Then no way will you get back together;
But, through the desert, you’ll wander!
And those that were carried away will be lost
Like those that were carried over the sea.

⁹ ‘And I will cry over this,
As will [the people] of JaZer
Who are weeping for the grapevines of SibMah.

‘O HeshBon and EliAleh;
Your trees will all be cut down,
And I’ll trample your harvests and crops…
Yes, all of these things will soon fail!

¹⁰ Then in your vineyards, there will be no leaping for joy,
Since the reasons for joy will be gone…
And none will be treading your wine vats,
For the [growing of grapes] will have ceased.

¹¹ ‘Then my belly will sound like a harp over Moab,
And I’ll [groan for her cities of bricks].

¹² ‘This should bring shame on them all;
For, Moab’s shrines will no longer be strong…
Those places where they go to pray
Before the things that they’ve made with their hands…
Which won’t be able to save them!’

¹³ This is what Jehovah proclaimed against Moab.

¹⁴ Then the Lord spoke again and said this:
‘In just three years
(In the length of someone’s employment),
Moab will meet with dishonor…
All of her wealth [will be gone],
And just a few peasants will live there.’

Chapter 17

¹ This is the word against Damascus.

‘{Look!} Damascus will be lifted away
From among the rest of the cities…
It will [soon] meet its downfall.

² ‘Then, through the ages, it’ll serve as a bed…
A resting place and safe haven for flocks.
³ No more will it be a fortified city
(A place of Ephraim’s refuge);
For, the kingdom in Damascus will be gone,
And the Syrians will no longer dwell there.

‘But, it will be better for [those in that city]
Than for IsraEl’s sons and their glory,’
Said Jehovah of Armies.
⁴ ‘For the glory of Jacob will end in that day…
His bountiful glory will be shaken.

⁵ ‘It’ll be as it is in a harvest
Where someone reaps grain in a valley of rocks.
⁶ For, stubble will be all that’s left…
Just two or three olive pits
On the tops of very tall trees
That only have four or five branches.’

This is what The God of IsraEl said:
⁷ ‘In that day, all the people will have to rely
On the One by whom they were made…
To the Holy One of IsraEl, their eyes should then turn.

⁸ ‘They shouldn’t rely on their shrines
Or on the things that they’ve made with their hands.
In that day, they’ll not look to their trees,
Or to the disgusting things [that they’ve made].

⁹ ‘For their cities will all be abandoned,
As were the cities of the Amorites and Hivites
Before the faces of IsraEl’s sons.

‘Desolate places, they will become,
¹⁰ For they have forsaken their Savior…
Yes, they have forgotten their God!

‘So, when they are planting, they’ll do so unsurely,
For they’ll be unsure of their seeds.
¹¹ And about the right day to do planting,
They will then be misled.
So, though they may sow in the morning,
Their seeds will rot before harvest.

‘Then fathers will be forced to choose
Which of their sons they will [feed],
By casting lots on their behalf.

¹² ‘And woe to you, the rest of the nations;
For, you will also be shaken…
You’ll be disturbed like the sea [in a storm],
¹³ And by raging floods, you’ll be carried away.

‘For I’ll scold them all and then they will flee…
Yes, I’ll chase them a very long way,
And they’ll be like dust on the mountains
That is [blown about] by the winds,
Or like clouds of dust raised by wheels.

¹⁴ ‘In the evening, there will be much mourning,
And by dawn, they’ll no longer exist.’

This is what will happen to those who’ve brought ruin…
It’s the inheritance of those that inherited us.

Chapter 18

¹ ‘Woe to you, O land of winged boats
Beyond Ethiopia’s rivers…
² Those sending paper treaties and letters
Across the waters [to us].

‘For, messengers will be sent by a nation
Of strange and ill-tempered people
By whom you don’t want to be trampled.

³ ‘They live in a land divided by rivers,
And their place will [soon] be a flag
That is lifted above the tall mountains…
Like a signal of the blowing of trumpets.’

⁴ Then, this is what I was told by the Lord):

‘Though I have protected My city
From the afternoon heat
And by clouds of dew before harvest;
⁵ When the flowers have blossomed and young grapes have formed,
I’ll remove their clusters with a sickle…
Yes, I’ll cut the small branches off of the vines,
⁶ Then leave them behind for the birds of the skies
And for the wild beasts of the earth.

‘So then, all winged creatures that fly in the skies
And all the wild beasts of the earth
Will gather there to consume them.

⁷ ‘Then those people who’ve been afflicted and plucked
Will offer gifts to Jehovah of Armies.
They’re a people who’ve been great [through] the ages…
But they’re a nation whose hopes will be trampled.

‘They live in a place that runs from a river
To where the Name Jehovah of Armies
Is found upon His Holy Mountain.’

Chapter 19

¹ This is the vision against Egypt.

{Look!} The Lord will arrive upon a swift cloud,
And down to Egypt, He’ll go.
There He’ll shake the idols that they’ve made with their hands
(Those that stand in front of His face),
And then, their hearts will be pierced.

² Egyptians will [war] with Egyptians…
Against their own brothers and neighbors, they’ll fight.
City will rise against city,
And houses [will rise] against houses.

³ The Egyptian’s spirits will all be disturbed,
And He will wipe out their plans.
Then they’ll ask their statues, their prophets, and gods,
And those that speak from the ground.

⁴ But, over the Egyptians, He will assign
Men that will make them work hard…
Bad kings, He’ll appoint over them.

For, this was said by Jehovah of Armies:
⁵ ‘Egyptians will be drinking sea water,
Because their rivers will dry up and fail…
⁶ Their aqueducts and their rivers will fail,
And all their water will dry.

⁷ ‘Then, papyrus marshes and reeds,
As well as what’s green by the rivers
(Including the crops that are planted nearby),
Will dry up and be blown away.

⁸ ‘So, those that go fishing with hooks,
Those that catch fish with dragnets,
And those that cast nets in the rivers
Will all start mourning and moaning.

⁹ ‘Also, those that shred flax and weave linen
¹⁰ Will all be grieved and ashamed.
There’ll also be great concern
Among the ones that brew beer,
As the lives of all become painful.

¹¹ ‘Then, fools will be appointed their rulers;
And those that speak stupid things
Will be the king’s councilors in Tanis.

‘For, they will say to the king:
We are the sons of the wise…
Yes, as sons of kings, [we were born]!

¹² ‘But, where will all your wise men have gone?
Yes, let them return and explain
What Jehovah of Armies has planned against Egypt.

¹³ ‘Then the princes in Tanis will fail,
And the haughty rulers in Memphis
Will cause Egypt and its tribes to wander.
¹⁴ For the Lord has concocted for them
The spirit of addiction to delusions,
Which will cause the Egyptians to [stagger]
Like a drunk that goes outside to vomit.

¹⁵ ‘Egypt won’t know its head from its tail,
Or discern a beginning or end.
¹⁶ In that day, Egypt’s men will be acting like girls,
And they’ll tremble before the hand of Jehovah…
He’s the One that will cause this to happen.

¹⁷ ‘Then Egyptians will fear the Judeans…
Yes they’ll fear those that call themselves Jews;
For against them, Jehovah of Armies has plans.

¹⁸ ‘In that day, in five cities of Egypt,
They’ll speak the CanaAnite tongue
And swear oaths in the Name of Jehovah of Armies.
Then the City of [the Sun] will be called
The City of the [Living God].

¹⁹ ‘There’ll be an Altar to Jehovah in Egypt,
And a monument to the Lord at their border,
²⁰ Which will serve as a sign through the ages
That, to Jehovah, Egypt belongs.

‘Then they’ll call to [Him] when they are oppressed,
And He will send someone to save them…
He’ll save them and He’ll bring them justice.

²¹ ‘So, to the Egyptians, our God will be famous…
All Egypt will know who is Lord in that day.
Sacrifices and gifts, they’ll offer to Him…
They’ll make vows to Jehovah and pay them.

²² ‘For, after He brings bad things upon Egypt,
He’ll heal them, and then, they’ll turn to Jehovah…
He’ll listen to them and He’ll cure them!

²³ ‘In that day, between Assyria and Egypt,
There will then be a road
Where the Assyrians will travel to Egypt,
And to Assyria, the Egyptians will go…
For Assyrians will then serve the Egyptians.

²⁴ ‘In that day, along with Assyria and Egypt,
IsraEl will then be the third
When it comes to their land being blest.

²⁵ ‘For Jehovah of Armies will offer this blessing:
Praise My people in Egypt,
And praise those who live in Assyria…
And praise My inheritance, IsraEl.’

Chapter 20

¹ It was in the year that Tartan entered AshDod (when he was sent by Sargon the king of the Assyrians to wage war against AshDod and captured it) ² that the Lord spoke to IsaiAh (the son of Amoz) and said this:

‘Now, remove the sackcloth from your loins,
And untie the sandals from your feet.’

So thereafter, that’s what IsaiAh did… he started walking naked and barefoot!

³ And the Lord said:
‘As My servant, IsaiAh, walks barefoot and naked;
The same signs and miracles will be sent
Throughout Ethiopia and Egypt
In the coming three years.

⁴ ‘For the king of Assyria will lead you as captives
(Ethiopians and Egyptians, both young and old)
Naked and barefoot, to show Egypt’s shame.

⁵ ‘The Ethiopians that rely on Egyptians
Will then be vanquished and shamed;
For their [only] glory was [Egypt].

⁶ ‘And they’ll say to those in the islands:
{Look!} Though we thought we could turn to you to protect us,
You couldn’t save us from Assyria’s king…
And since even you couldn’t save us,
How can we now be delivered?’

Chapter 21

¹ The Desert Vision.

As a blast of wind from the desert
Blows through a land that is dry;
² I received a frightening hard vision
Concerning those that have no regard…
Those that have no respect for the Law.

[I dreamed] that the Persians attacked me;
So I moaned and tried to find comfort.
³ And because of this, my loins became weak
As though I was going through birth pangs.

Unrighteously, I chose not to hear,
And I rushed away, so I couldn’t see it.
⁴ For, in my heart I had strayed,
And in lawlessness, I had been wrapped…
Then my soul became covered with fear.

⁵ So, prepare the table to eat and to drink…
Awaken the rulers and ready the shields!
⁶ For, this is what I was told by the Lord:
‘You must go and stand as a watchman,
And you must announce all that you see!’

⁷ Well at that, I looked up and I saw two riders approaching; one [was riding] a burro, and the other [was riding] a camel.

⁸ [And then I was told that] I should listen and that I should call out to UriAh from Jehovah’s watchtower. So I stood there throughout that whole day, and I kept watch over the camp all through that night. ⁹ And then, look! I saw someone riding on a double chariot, and he was shouting that Babylon had fallen along with all of her idols… yes, all of her idols had been dashed to the ground!

¹⁰ So listen, all of you who’ve survived,
And all of you that are grieving…
Hear what Jehovah of Armies has said…
Hear what IsraEl’s God is announcing to you!

¹¹ The vision of Edom.

From SeIr, He called out to me and He said:
‘Now, you must keep watch on the walls…
¹² Stand there from morning ‘til night…
Keep watch with Me and you’ll live!

¹³ ‘Then, you should bed down in the evening
In the woods on the road to DeDan.
¹⁴ And bring some water for the thirsty you’ll meet…
Those that are coming from Teman!

‘Also bring bread for the fleeing…
¹⁵ Because of those being slaughtered…
Because of all that must wander…
Because of those that are brandishing swords…
Because of those with tightly-stretched bows…
And because of those that have fallen in war!’

¹⁶ Then the Lord said this to me:
‘In a year (in the time of someone that’s hired)
The glory of Kedar will end,
¹⁷ And few will remain of their bowmen;
For the Lord God of IsraEl has spoken.’

Chapter 22

¹ The matter of the valley of Zion.

‘O what has happened to you
That made you foolishly climb to your roofs?

² ‘Though your city is now filled with screaming,
Your slain were not killed by the broadsword
And your people haven’t died because of a war.

³ ‘But your rulers all fled [in fear of] the bow,
And now they’re all tied up together…
Yes your mighty have all run away.’

Well, because of this, I said:
‘Now, please let me go and find someplace to cry… ⁴ and don’t try to offer me any comfort over the destruction of the daughters of my people, ⁵ for this has been a very disturbing day… it’s been a day of trampling and destruction and a day of addiction to delusions that has come to us from Jehovah of Armies!

‘But, in the valleys of Zion, they wander…
All from the small to the great…
Yes, between the mountains, they wander.

⁶ ‘For the people of Elam have collected [their arrows]
And their men have mounted their horses,
Then they gathered in battle array.
⁷ So with their chariots, our valleys will be filled,
And their horsemen will block all our gates.

⁸ ‘In that day, they’ll reveal Judah’s gates
And survey the city’s best homes.
⁹ Through the palace of David, they’ll search,
And they’ll see how much they can find there.

¹⁰ ‘You’ll divert the water to the city’s ancient pool
And demolish the outsides of your homes
To strengthen the walls of JeruSalem.
¹¹ Yes, between the two walls, you’ll bring water
And send it inside to that ancient pool.
But to the One that made it, you’ll still fail to look…
To its Creator, you will fail to turn.

¹² ‘For this, Jehovah of Armies
Has called for tears in that day…
For the beating of chests,
For the shaving [of heads],
And for the wearing of sackcloth.

¹³ Yet, they were all happy and leaping for joy…
Slaughtering calves and offering sheep,
Then eating the meat and drinking the wine,
And saying, ‘We should all eat and drink,
For tomorrow we’re going to die!’

¹⁴ Since this reached to the ears of Jehovah of Armies,
These sins will not be forgiven
Until the day that you truly die!

¹⁵ For Jehovah of Armies said this:
‘Now, go and enter My [Holy Place]…
Go to the store-keeper ShevNa and ask,
¹⁶ Just what are you doing here…
What [business] have you been conducting?
Why did you carve a memorial for yourself,
And why have you made an engraving
Of yourself in the stones of this Temple?

¹⁷ ‘{Look!} Jehovah of Armies will now throw you out…
He’ll wipe away such a man!
Your [official] clothes, He’ll remove,
Along with your garland of honor!

¹⁸ ‘Then He’ll throw you into a dungeon,
And that is where you will die!
On your chariot, He will bring dishonor,
And He’ll trample the homes of your princes…
¹⁹ [He’ll] remove your position and station!

²⁰ ‘In that day, I will call to My servant
(EliAkim the son of HelkiAh),
²¹ And I’ll put your garments on him…
Yes, I will give him your garland…
Your duties, I’ll put in his hands…
And then he’ll become like a father
To those in Judah and JeruSalem.

²² ‘And around his shoulders, I’ll also put
The key to the palace of David…
Yes, he’ll be the one that unlocks it!

‘To him, I’ll give the glory of David…
He’ll rule and no one will argue with him.
²³ For I’ll make him the ruler of a place that’s secure,
And he’ll sit on a glorious throne
Within the house of his father.

²⁴ ‘Then the honorable ones of his father’s house
(Those from the least to the greatest)
Will thereafter rely upon him…
Yes, all the small vessels and cups
Will depend on him in that day.

²⁵ ‘Jehovah of Armies also said:
This man will now be removed
And another will then be entrenched
Within that trustworthy place.

‘He’ll be removed and he’ll fall,
And all of his glory will just waste away.
For, Jehovah [of Armies] has spoken!’

Chapter 23

¹ The matter of Tyre.

Now shriek, you on boats out of Carthage;
For, [Tyre] has been wiped away,
And they won’t be [sailing] from Cyprus again,
Since [the people of Tyre] are all captives!

² To whom can I liken their [people]…
To Phoenician traders that pass through the seas,
³ Or to the seed of those traders
Who transport the harvests of nations.

⁴ ‘And you, O Sidon, be ashamed,’ said the sea!
Then the power of the sea told them this:
‘I have no pains and I’ve not given birth,
Nor have I fed young or raised virgins.
⁵ But when Egypt hears what has happened to Tyre,
They’ll be overtaken by grief.’

⁶ So, travel to Carthage and shriek,
All you that live on the islands!
⁷ For, she was the source of your insolent ways
Back before she had fallen.

⁸ Who was it that planned these things against Tyre…
For, isn’t she the strongest and best…
Aren’t her merchants the glorious rulers of nations?

⁹ It was Jehovah of Armies that laid out the plans
To end the insolence of these glorious ones…
To dishonor the glories of the whole earth!

¹⁰ So now, you’ll be forced to be farmers,
Since boats won’t be sailing from Carthage again,
¹¹ And your hands won’t control the seas anymore,
O you provokers of kings.

Yes, it was Jehovah of Armies
Who ordered the destruction of CanaAn’s strength,
¹² So that you would not keep on insulting
And wronging the daughter of Zion.

Then, if you should travel to Cyprus,
You will not find any rest there.
¹³ And if you should go to Chaldea,
You won’t find rest, for her walls will soon fall…
The Assyrians will come and destroy it.

¹⁴ So Shriek, you on boats that are coming from Carthage,
Because your fort will soon be destroyed!

¹⁵ This is how it will be in that day:
Tyre will remain in that state
For the next seventy years…
The length of the lives of both men and kings.
Then, after the seventy years have elapsed,
Tyre will become like the song of a whore.

¹⁶ So, pick up your harp and wander away,
O whore that will soon be forgotten!
Play your harp and sing very well,
So there’ll be someone that doesn’t forget you!

¹⁷ Then, after those seventy years have elapsed,
God will come and revisit Tyre…
He’ll restore her as she’d once been…
She’ll be a market for all kingdoms again
Throughout man’s home on the face of the earth.

¹⁸ Then her trading will pay a holy wage to the Lord;
For their [profits] will not be carried to them…
[They’ll be sent] to those that dwell before [God]…
All [the wealth of] her trading [will then go to them],
Which they’ll use to eat and drink ‘til they’re full,
As a compact memorial before God.

Chapter 24

¹ {Look!} The Lord will lay waste to the place where you live…
He will totally destroy it!
Yes, He will uncover its face
And scatter those living within it.

² Then, [common] people will serve as the priests;
The servants will then be the masters;
The handmaids will then be the ladies;
Those that buy will be those that sell;
Those that borrow will be lenders,
And the debtors will be the ones that are owed.

³ ‘With corruption, your land will be wasted,
And by looting, your place will be plundered!’

Yes, these things were said by the mouth of the Lord.

⁴ ‘Then your land will go into mourning,
For your system of things will be ruined.

‘The land’s most important will mourn
⁵ For [the place] that’s considered so lawless…
They’ll wail for the people that lived there…
Those that have broken [God’s] Laws…
Those who’ve wiped out and traded away
The Sacred Agreement of the ages!

⁶ ‘This curse will then devour [your] land;
For, those who live there have sinned!
Then, only the poor will be left …
Just a few men will remain.

⁷ ‘So the wine will mourn and the grapevines will moan
Over the souls of all those
To whom they once brought great joy.

⁸ ‘Happy sounds of tambourines will have ceased,
And those pleased with themselves will be gone,
Along with the wealth of the godless,
Who’ll no longer hear the sounds of the harp.

⁹ ‘And because they’ll be shamed, they won’t drink the wine…
For the liquor will be bitter to even the drunks!

¹⁰ ‘Your cities will then become empty,
And the houses will all be locked up,
So that no one will enter thereafter.

¹¹ ‘Therefore, shriek for the wine everywhere,
Since the joy of the land will have ceased…
Yes, it will be taken away,
¹² And all that will be left behind
Is desolate cities and empty homes,
Which thereafter, will just waste away.
¹³ Yes, all of these things will come to that land
There in the midst of the nations.

‘In the same way that you would glean olives,
Is how such ones will be gleaned…
As though the harvest of crops will have ceased.

¹⁴ ‘So, they will cry out in loud voices…
But, those that remain in the land
Will rejoice to the glory of God.

‘Then the waters of the seas will be shaken,
¹⁵ And the glory of Jehovah will be [seen]
On all the islands throughout the seas…
And the Name of the Lord will be honored.

¹⁶ ‘[For, all the peoples will say]:
O God of IsraEl, Jehovah;
Of [Your] miracles, we’ve heard, throughout the whole earth,
And there’s hope for those that respect You.

‘And once again, they will say,
Woe to those who’ve annulled…
Yes, those who’ve ignored the Laws [of our God],
¹⁷ Since fear, the pit, and a snare
Have come upon those that lived in that land.
¹⁸ For those fleeing in fear fell into the pit,
And those climbing out were captured in snares.

‘Then the windows of the heavens will open,
And the foundations of the earth will be shaken.
¹⁹ Disturbance will come to the ground,
And perplexity will grip the whole land.

²⁰ ‘For, it will be shaken and tipped
As [a horn] that’s filled with the fruits of the earth…
Yes, it will topple and fall
Like someone that’s dizzy and drunk,
And never be able to stand up again
[In that land] where the lawless grew strong.

²¹ ‘For, God will raise His hand in that day
Against the arrangement of the heavens,
And against the kings of the earth.
²² They’ll be gathered as one congregation,
And in castle dungeons, they’ll be locked away,
Where they’ll stay through many generations.

²³ ‘Then the bricks will melt and the walls will all fall;
The moon will be sad and the sun will be shamed;
For the Lord will start reigning in JeruSalem…
And before Zion’s elders, he’ll be glorified.’

Chapter 25

¹ O Jehovah, my God, I’ll glorify You,
And to Your Name, I’ll sing praises,
Because of the wonderful things You have done,
And because [Your] ancient council proved true…
May it ever be so!

² The towns have been turned into rubble,
As have the foundations of cities…
And these cities of the godless will not be rebuilt
Throughout the rest of the age.

³ Because of this, I offer You praise…
With the poor and the wronged, I praise You!
⁴ For to cities of the meek, You sent aid,
And You’ve rescued all the depressed…
Those whom You saved from the wicked.

To the thirsty, You are a protector…
You’re an inviting breeze to those who’ve been wronged.
⁵ For You’ve rescued Zion’s worried and thirsty…
From godless men, You have saved us!

⁶ At that time, Jehovah of Armies
Will hold a great feast for the nations…
Yes, on this mountain, they’ll drink wine in joy,
⁷ And with perfumed oil, they’ll anoint on this hill.

Then, even for the gentiles, You’ll do this,
Since this is a plan for all nations.

⁸ And from the mouth of the Lord came these words:
‘Then death, which prevails, will be swallowed;
Yes, Jehovah will wipe the tears from each face,
And remove the disgrace from earth’s peoples.’

⁹ And in that day, they will say:
‘{Look!} This is our God in whom we have hoped…
The One that brought us salvation.
This is Jehovah… we’ve waited for Him!
And because He has brought us salvation,
We’ll joyfully shout praises of Him!’

¹⁰ Then, on this mountain, God will bring rest,
While the land of Moab is trampled
Like a threshing floor rolled on by wagons.

¹¹ He’ll unfold His hands and snatch up the haughty…
For their insolence, He will destroy them…
And the high walls of their homes will be broken.

Chapter 26

¹ In that day, in Judah, they’ll be singing this song:

‘Look! [Ours is now] a fortified city…
To save us, He made our walls strong!
² So, open the gates and let all those enter
Who have guarded justice and truth…
³ Those that grabbed truth and guarded the peace!

⁴ ‘Upon You, we’ve hoped through the ages,
O Jehovah, God of ages.
⁵ For You’ve humbled and brought down those that lived high…
Fortified cities, You have thrown down…
You’ve torn them down to the ground,
⁶ And as footstools, You’ve set them under Your feet.

⁷ ‘The road for the righteous, You’ve straightened…
You’ve prepared a way for the Godly;
⁸ For, just are the paths of Jehovah!

‘We have put hope in Your Name,
And You, we have never forgotten,
⁹ Since You’re what our souls have desired!

‘In the [morning], my God, I’ll rise early to You,
For Your orders bring light to the land.

‘So, learn justice, all you that live on the earth!
¹⁰ For the irreverent will soon all be gone,
Because they’ve never learned to be fair,
Nor have they ever been truthful.
So, please remove the ungodly,
That they may not gaze on Your glory!

¹¹ ‘O Jehovah;
Though You’ve always held Your arm high,
They’ve been unable to see it…
But, when they see it, they all will be shamed.
Then You’ll snatch up those ignorant ones in Your zeal,
And send fire to consume our oppressors.

¹² ‘O Jehovah our God, send us peace;
For, all that we have was given by You!
¹³ Please own us, O Jehovah our God;
For, we have known no other as Lord…
We have only called on Your Name.

¹⁴ ‘But those dead ones will never see life,
Nor will any doctors revive them,
Because You attacked and destroyed them…
From among them, You took every man.

¹⁵ ‘O Jehovah;
Add to them all that is bad,
And bring evil upon their glorious ones!

¹⁶ ‘O Jehovah;
We thought of You when we were oppressed,
And Your instructions were with us during hard times.

¹⁷ ‘Just like a woman with birth pangs
(One that screams before she gives birth),
Is how we are in Your presence, O Lord.
¹⁸ For we fear You, Jehovah [our God].

‘In fear of You, we conceived in the womb…
We went into labor and then we gave birth
To the spirit of salvation that You’ve brought to our land.

‘So, we will not stumble… though others may fall,
¹⁹ And our dead will be raised from their tombs.
Then, all in our land will be joyful;
For like morning dew, You’ll send them a cure,
While those in the lands of the godless will fail.

²⁰ ‘O my people;
When you awaken, just stay in your bedrooms…
Remain inside and lock all your doors,
Then hide in [your homes] for a while!
For, this will happen, then that;
And the rage of Jehovah will pass.

²¹ ‘Look… from His Most Holy Place,
Jehovah sends rage to those on the earth.
For, He’s uncovered all of the blood,
And He won’t allow the killers to hide.’

Chapter 27

¹ So in that day;
God will forbid the swords of the mighty…
The Dragon’s great ones that will then flee
(Those [that belong to] the crooked-back Beast).

² Then, in that day, there will be a good vineyard,
And about it, we’ll be singing this song:

³ ‘She’s a fortress that’s under attack,
So it’s foolish to [offer her] water,
Since she will be captured during the night,
And her walls will fall before morning.

⁴ ‘Because none have failed to have [sex with] her,
Jehovah will do as He promised…
For, she’s about to be burned!

⁵ ‘Then, those that live there will be yelling this:
We should make peace with Him…
Yes, let us make peace [with Him]!

⁶ ‘Then, Jacob’s seed will return,
And IsraEl will burst forth and blossom…
So their homes will be filled with its fruitage.

⁷ ‘It won’t be the same as when He struck others;
For, He would be striking Himself!
No, it won’t be as when He destroyed them;
For, He’d be destroying Himself!

⁸ ‘He’s been their warrior and caretaker.
But, did you study the harsh spirit they showed?
And then, didn’t He embody the spirit of rage?

⁹ ‘On account of this;
The lawless will be taken from Jacob,
And then, [God] will offer this blessing:
I will remove all your sins,
When you rip down the stones of their shrines
And grind them to powder and dust…
When their poles and idols are gone,
Like a far-away forest that’s being [erased].

¹⁰ ‘Then, any flocks that remain will dwell there…
Any flocks that have been left behind.
They will spend time in your pastures,
And there, they will have time to rest.
¹¹ But, they won’t be eating green grass,
Because it all will have dried [into hay].

‘So come, you women, who’ve seen all this happen;
For you’re a people that did not [believe].
He’ll show no mercy on those that made [idols]…
Nor feel pity for those that have shaped them!

¹² ‘In that day, Jehovah will lock them together,
From the aqueducts to the RhinoCorura,
As one by one, IsraEl’s sons are returned,
¹³ Blowing their horns on that day!

‘For, those lost to Assyria will then be returned,
As well as those that went down to Egypt…
They’ll all come back and bow to Jehovah
On His Holy Mountain in JeruSalem.’

Chapter 28

¹ Woe to that insolent garland…
Ephraim’s faded flower and those whom he hired…
Those that have fallen from glory
There on their mount of thick branches…
Yes, those that get drunk without wine.

² For {Look!} the rage of Jehovah is both strong and hard…
It’s like hail that falls with great force
In a place where there’s nowhere to [hide].
It’s like a flood that drags away [homes]
In the land where He once sent rest to your hands.

³ Then the feet of Ephraim’s hired
Will trample their insolent garland,
⁴ And its flowers (its hope of glory) will fall
Like the shoots of figs on their mountains.
Then, all that see it in front of their hands,
Will wish to take it and swallow it down.

⁵ In that day, Jehovah of Armies
Will be the only true garland…
A crown of glory for His people.
⁶ For by the spirit of fairness, they will survive…
By justice and the strength of destruction withheld.

⁷ But there are also those that will stagger and reel
Because of their liquor and wine.
Yes, it is because of the liquor
And because they’ve swallowed the wine
That the priests and prophets are out of their minds.
And then, when they sober, they’ll stagger…
Which will be witnessed by all.

⁸ A curse will thereafter devour their plans;
For the plans that they have are just to get rich.

⁹ To whom have we announced all this evil?
To whom have we spoken this message?
To those being weaned from the milk,
And to those being drawn from the breast.

¹⁰ Problems on problems, hope after hope…
Still a little, and then a bit more!
¹¹ For in foreign tongues, they’ll speak these foul words:
¹² ‘Since those that are starved are unworthy,
We will have to destroy them’
(Which is something that no one wishes to hear).

¹³ Then this oracle from God is what they’ll receive:
‘Problems on problems, hope after hope;
Still a little, and then a bit more.’

And thereafter, they’ll be faced with great danger.
For, first they will have to retreat,
And then they’ll be broken and captured.

¹⁴ Thus, hear these words of Jehovah:
‘O men who are being attacked
And you rulers of JeruSalem;
¹⁵ You say that you’ve made a pact with the grave…
That you’ve made a treaty with death,
And that, if a windstorm should blow,
It won’t be blowing on you.
So, you have put hope in [your] lies…
And do you [think] that these lies will protect you?

¹⁶ ‘Because of this,’ says Jehovah;
‘{Look!} Upon the foundation of Zion
I’ll place a valuable stone…
A costly, select cornerstone,
In order to serve as its base…
And those trusting in him will never be shamed.

¹⁷ ‘Then, in place of hope, will come judgments;
And to My charity, I’ll attach weights.
So those trusting in vain in the lie
Will not be passed by the storm.
¹⁸ For, your treaty with death will be gone,
Along with your pact with the grave.

‘Then, by a blast, you’ll be crushed…
¹⁹ When it’s passing by, it will take you.
Morning after morning, it will blow upon you,
And it will blow throughout the nights…
So, what happens to you will be bad.

²⁰ ‘Learn how to hear, O you who’ve been squeezed…
There’s no way you’ll be able to fight it!
For, you will be weakened, then captured.

²¹ ‘From the godless, the Lord will make hills,
When to GibeOn’s valley, He brings His rage…
That’s where His bitter deed will be done.

‘His rage will be brought in strange ways…
Yes, these rotten deeds will be odd.
²² And for you, there’ll no longer be joy,
Since you won’t have strength, in your chains.’

Yes, all these things will come soon…
It’s what He will bring to this land…
It’s what Jehovah of Armies has said.
²³ So give ear and listen to all that I say…
Pay attention and hear all my words!

²⁴ Doesn’t it take a full day
To get things ready for plowing?
And doesn’t the planter have to prepare
Before he starts working the ground?

²⁵ Doesn’t he level its face
Before he plants pepperwort or cumin,
At the borders of wheat, barley, and spelt?

²⁶ So, that’s how you’ll be corrected…
In the fair ways of your God…
Then once more, you’ll [have reasons] for joy.

²⁷ ‘You don’t scrub Pepperwort to clean it,
And you don’t run wagons over cumin!
You beat out pepperwort’s [seeds],
²⁸ And cumin should be eaten with bread.

‘So I won’t stay angry with you through the age,
Or with bitter words, will I trample you down.
²⁹ Rather, from Jehovah of Armies,
Miracles will [be sent to your land]!

So, you should accept all this counsel,
And not raise hopes of comfort in vain!

Chapter 29

¹ ‘Woe to the City of the Altar of God,
On which King David waged war.

‘Gather your crops year after year,
And share them with the people of Moab.
² Then I’ll squeeze the City of the Altar of God,
And all her strength and wealth will be Mine.

³ ‘I’ll encircle [your city] like David,
And throw up a siege mound against it.
With siege towers, I will surround it,
⁴ And your words will be brought to the ground…
Yes, your words will go down to the ground!
Then you’ll speak like those that speak from the grave,
And from the ground, your voices will get weaker.

⁵ ‘Then the wealth that you gained from your godless ways,
Like clouds of dust, will become…
As that which is raised by the passing of wheels.
For then, all those that oppress you
Will be as many as pieces of dust.

⁶ ‘It will happen right away (in a moment);
Then Jehovah of Armies will arrive
And consume you with thunder, disasters, and noise,
As well as with wind blasts and flames.

⁷ ‘It will be like a nightmare to you,
When the wealth of many nations come marching
Against the City of the Altar of God.
For the armies of all her oppressors
Will gather against JeruSalem.

⁸ ‘Then, to all those that are sleeping,
And to those that are eating and drinking,
It will seem as though it’s a dream…
And this is what they’ll be dreaming:

‘Those that get thirsty and drink
Will still be thirsty when they awake.
And there’ll be no more hope in their lives
When the wealth of many nations marches on Zion.

⁹ ‘Be tipsy, be dizzy, and then be amazed…
But not from liquor or wine;
¹⁰ For the Lord will send you frustration to drink!

‘Then He’ll close the eyes of your prophets,
As well as the eyes of your seers and rulers.
¹¹ And all that’s written in this sealed-up scroll
Will be given to a man that knows how to read.

’Then you’ll say to him, Please read these things!
But he will reply, I can’t read it,
Because the scroll has been sealed!

¹² ‘Then you’ll hand this scroll to a man that can’t read,
And you’ll also ask him to read it;
But he’ll answer and say, I can’t read.’

¹³ For, this is what was said by the Lord:
‘With their mouths, these people approach Me,
And with their lips, they offer Me praise…
But they’re far away from Me in their hearts.
So they’re wasting their time when they bow before Me,
Since they’re teaching the ideas and instructions of men!

¹⁴ ‘And it’s because of this, that I’m coming
To bring a change to these people…
Yes, I will come and transpose them!
The wisdom of their wise, I’ll destroy,
And the understanding of their discerning, I’ll hide.

¹⁵ ‘So, woe to those who’ve come up with plans
That haven’t been approved by Jehovah!
And woe to those that make them in secret,
As they do things in darkness and ask:
Since no one can see us or recognize us,
Who can know what we’re doing?

¹⁶ ‘Aren’t you just clay in the hands of a potter?
So can the thing that is shaped say to its shaper:
You’re not the one that has shaped me?
Or can something that’s made say to its maker,
I don’t like the way that you made me?

¹⁷ ‘Soon Lebanon will meet with a change…
Her mountains will be changed into crop fields,
And the crops on her mountains, into forests.

¹⁸ ‘Then, in that day, even those that are deaf
Will hear the words of this scroll.
And those in the darkness and those in the fog,
And the eyes of the blind ones will see it!

¹⁹ ‘So the poor will cheer because of the Lord,
And those without hope will be joyful.
²⁰ For the lawless and evil will then have all failed…
The proud will all be destroyed…
And those that break laws will be gone,
²¹ With those whose words led them to sin.

‘Then, all that reprove at the gates
Will be known as those that have stumbled;
For, they have twisted [the law],
And the righteous ones, they have wronged.

²² ‘And concerning the house of Jacob,’ said the Lord…
‘Those whom I have selected
From among AbraHam’s sons…
Jacob’s [seed] will not come to shame,
Nor will their faces be saddened again.

²³ ‘For, when their young see the things that I’ll do;
{Look!} They’ll treat God’s Name as holy once more…
They’ll [praise] the Holy One of Jacob,
And learn to fear IsraEl’s God.

²⁴ ‘Then, those with wandering spirits
Will have to gain understanding…
Yes, those that complain must learn to obey,
And stuttering tongues will learn to speak peace.’

Chapter 30

¹ The Lord said:
‘And woe to you children of apostates…
You who’ve looked for direction from others
And made treaties that were not by My Spirit.
For by this, you have added to your sins!

² ‘You [sent ambassadors] to Egypt
And asked for help from their Pharaoh…
Yes, you sought shelter from Egypt…
But, you failed to ask Me!

³ ‘So, because you sought Pharaoh’s protection,
You will come to know shame.
And because you’re relying on Egypt,
You will also know scorn…
⁴ For, the envoys from Tanis are evil.

⁵ ‘You are foolish to labor for others
Who won’t bring help or send any aid,
While upon you, they heap shame and scorn.’

⁶ This is the vision of the four-footed creatures in the desert:

‘In difficult times of distress,
[There stands] the lion and its cub,
As well as asps and the young of winged asps.

‘These are the ones that are bearing your wealth
On the backs of camels and burros
To a nation that will bring you no help,
Rather, that will just bring shame and scorn.
⁷ For, all that Egypt can send
Is waste and [words] that are empty…
So the comfort they send is in vain!’

⁸ [Then the Lord told me}:
‘You must now sit down and write this…
Record these words in the tablet of a scroll.
For these are the days and times I’ve appointed…
[They’re the things that will happen] in this age:

⁹ ‘You people have resisted my persuasion…
You are liars that won’t listen to God’s Law.
¹⁰ You’re the ones that say to the Prophets:
Don’t bring His pronouncements to us!
And to those that see visions, you say:
Don’t tell us the things that you’ve seen!
But, if you must give us a message,
Tell us an addictive delusion!
¹¹ Turn us away from this road…
Yes, shift us away from this course,
And bring an end to these curses upon IsraEl!’

¹² ‘It’s because of this, that thus says the Holy One of IsraEl:
Since you’ve chosen to resist My persuasions
And preferred to put hope in a lie…
Because you’ve grumbled and failed to have faith,
¹³ This is what will happen to you:

‘Your sins will be like the walls of a city
That fall and lead to a capture…
For your downfall is now close at hand.

¹⁴ ‘And like the breaking of a thin vase,
This crash won’t lead to a breaking of parts…
Pieces you can find and pick from the coals
With which you can hold little water.

¹⁵ ‘This is what the Lord Jehovah proclaimed…
It’s what IsraEl’s Holy One said:
You should moan, then turn back and be saved!

‘Think about all of these foolish things
In which you’ve been putting your hope…
Think of how you chose not to hear,
And then, about how weak you became!

¹⁶ ‘But you say that you will escape
From those coming against you on horses…
You think that you’ll flee and then say,
We are very light riders!
But those chasing you will be faster.

¹⁷ ‘For, thousands will flee at the voice of one man,
And ten thousands will flee at the voices of five.
So, you will be left all alone
Like a pole on top of a mountain,
Or a banner flying high on a hill.

¹⁸ ‘Then, once again, you’ll [turn back] to God
And [hope] that He will feel pity.
And because of this; He will show mercy upon you,
Since your judge is Jehovah, your God.

‘Blest are those that stick close to Him;
¹⁹ For the holy will live upon Zion once more!

‘JeruSalem will cry, Show mercy on me!
And He will show mercy upon her.
For, when He hears the sounds of your cries,
Once more, He’ll pay attention to you.

²⁰ ‘Then Jehovah will provide you with water and bread,
And those that misled you will no longer be.
You’ll remember those that tried to mislead you,
²¹ And those that followed to trick you…
Those that said, This is the way you should go…
Yes, you should go this way or that!

²² ‘Then, you’ll get rid of your silver-plate idols,
As well as those that are gilded with gold,
And crush them into fine powder,
Then toss it into the wind.
You’ll reject them like a [menstruation rag],
And throw them away like manure.

²³ ‘Then, rain will fall on your ground to sprout seeds…
There’ll be plenty of bread and fat in your land.
Your cattle will graze in large fertile fields,
²⁴ And your bulls will work the ground and eat straw,
As you prepare to harvest the barley.

²⁵ ‘And in that day;
After many people have been destroyed
And the towers have all been knocked down;
Water will flow from the mountains and hills.

²⁶ ‘Then the moon will be as bright as the sun,
And the sun will be seven times brighter,
In that day when Jehovah brings healing
To His people who’ve been broken down,
There’ll be an end to the grief of disaster.

²⁷ ‘{Look!} Then, after a while, the Name of the Lord
Will arrive in glory and in burning rage…
For, the omens from His lips are omens of rage,
And the flames of His rage are consuming!

²⁸ ‘His Breath is like water that races through valleys,
Then comes to the neck and divides.
So, for their addictions to delusions,
He will disturb all the nations
And [allow] their delusions to trap them.

²⁹ ‘Then, whenever you enter [God’s] Holy Place,
You’ll do so thereafter in joy…
As though it were a great holiday!
And as you do this, you’ll be happy…
Singing songs as you travel to the Mountain of [God]!

³⁰ ‘Yes you’ll sing to Jehovah with the glory of your voice;
For by His arm, He can send both His anger and rage…
Like lightning, He violently strikes,
And as flames [of fire], He can consume…
Like rain and hail being driven by storms.

³¹ ‘By the voice of Jehovah, Assyria will fall…
He’ll strike and bring calamity to them.
³² For, He is always nearby
To aid those that put faith in Him…
Those playing their harps and shaking tambourines.

‘He’ll wage war with those that revolt…
³³ But, after some days, He’ll let them return.
For, He’s prepared His Kingdom for them.

‘As a ravine that is very deep
And as piles of wood near a fire,
Is the rage of Jehovah…
Like a ravine that is burning with sulfur.

Chapter 31

¹ ‘Woe to those that seek help from Egypt…
Those trusting in their chariots and horses
Because their chariots are many,
And because they have many horses.

‘These are people that just will not listen…
In IsraEl’s Holy One, they’ve not put faith
And they haven’t searched for their God!

² ‘Thus He’ll wisely bring evil upon them,
So His Word will not be annulled.
Against their houses, He will arise,
And oppose their vain, wicked hopes.

³ ‘Egyptians are men… they aren’t Gods;
And their horses are no help at all,
Because they too are just flesh!
So against them, Jehovah will soon raise His hand
And make those that are helping them tired…
And thereafter, they’ll perish together.’

⁴ Then the Lord told me this:
‘In the same way that a lion or its cub
Will roar over game that it’s taken,
And then continue to roar over it
Until the mountains are filled with its voice
And all the prey has been scattered,
Because they’ve been frightened away;
That’s how Jehovah of Armies will be
In the time that He comes against Zion.

⁵ ‘But Jehovah of Armies can be like a bird
That flies above JeruSalem,
In order to rescue, save, and protect.

⁶ ‘O you sons of IsraEl that have gathered
So as to discuss lawless things;
It’s time for you to turn back!
⁷ For, the day will come when you’ll turn from your idols…
Those things that you’ve molded from silver and gold…
The things that you’ve made with your hands!

⁸ ‘Then [Assyria] will fall, but not by men’s swords…
No, she’ll not be devoured by swords,
Nor will she flee before daggers!
But her young men will all have been conquered…
⁹ They’ll be picked up and beaten like rocks for a siege,
And those that flee will be captured.

And this is what Jehovah said:
‘Blest are those that have seeds in Zion,
And those with families in JeruSalem.’

Chapter 32

¹ ‘{Look!} Then a righteous king will start reigning,
And in justice, his princes will rule.
² Each man will be like a shelter from wind
And a place to run from the storms…
Like streams of water in a dry land,
And the shade of a rock in the desert.

³ ‘Then, men will no longer put trust in men,
And ears they’ll be given to hear.
⁴ Hearts of the weak will be paying attention,
And stammering tongues will learn to speak peace.

⁵ ‘They’ll not [appoint] morons to rule anymore,
Or tell their officials not to speak!
⁶ But now, the morons just say foolish things,
And in their hearts, they’re just planning what’s wasteful.

‘They are doing things that are lawless,
And against the Lord, they’re speaking delusions
To scatter the souls of the hungry,
And bring waste to the lives of the thirsty.

⁷ ‘What the wicked recommend are plans to do evil…
They speak of taking advantage of the meek,
And they overrule with unrighteous words
Any judgments that would favor the lowly.

⁸ ‘But, those that love God will then consult
With those that have understanding,
And the things they suggest are the things that will last.

⁹ ‘Hey, all of you wealthy women…
Wake up and hear what I’m saying!
O you daughters that still live in hope;
To My words, you should pay close attention!

¹⁰ ‘Speak of each day in grief… but with hope.
For the crops have all been consumed,
And the planting has come to an end,
So, things are not getting any better.

¹¹ ‘Now, be amazed, and then start to worry,
O you that have tried to mislead!
¹² Strip off your clothes ‘til you’re naked,
Then wrap your waists and beat on your breasts
On behalf of the crops in the fields,
As well as for the produce of vines!

¹³ ‘For the land of My people has now become thorns…
Even the grass will soon dry,
And joy will be gone from each home.

¹⁴ ‘The houses will then be abandoned,
As wealth [flows] out of your towns,
And all the best cities and homes
Will exist as caves through the ages…
Places of joy for wild burros,
As well as pastures for shepherds.

¹⁵ ‘But when [God’s] Breath flows from the heavens again,
The deserts will become fruitful fields,
And the fields will be thought of as forests.

¹⁶ ‘Then, judgment will rest in the deserts,
Yes, justice will dwell on [Mount] CarMel,
¹⁷ And of peace and righteous ways, there’ll be plenty.

‘This righteousness will thereafter be spread,
And bring rest to the faithful through ages.
¹⁸ So, God’s people will live in cities of peace,
And those that are saved will rest and live well.

¹⁹ ‘Then if hail should fall, it won’t fall on you;
And the meek that dwell in the forests
Will be as those that live in the plains…
²⁰ For, those that plant crops will be blest.
And in places where only wild burros could live,
There will be water again.

Chapter 33

¹ ‘Woe to those that bring misery,
But, who are made miserable by no one,
As well as those that show no respect,
But who are highly regarded.
For, those that don’t show respect
Will then be captured and [squashed]
Like a moth that’s caught in a robe and destroyed.’

² O Jehovah; show mercy upon us,
For we are relying on You.
Destroy the seed of those that oppose us,
But save us in our time of oppression!

³ Your fearful sounds will startle the people,
And in fear, the nations will scatter.
⁴ But then, You will gather Your spoils great and small
As though You were picking up locusts.

⁵ Holy is The God that lives in the skies;
For, He will fill Zion with fairness and justice.
⁶ In that time, He’ll become a foundation that’s firm…
A source of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.
For in Him, all wisdom and knowledge exists…
And fear of God [is the key] to this treasure.

⁷ {Look!} Yes, those fearing You will be frightened…
They’ll scream in fear over You!
For, You will send angels that will bring peace,
And this will cause the unrighteous to weep,
⁸ Since that will bring an end to their [evil] ways.

‘And the nations will also have reasons for fear,
Because of the treaties they’ve broken,
And because they’ve [not shown You] respect.

⁹ So the lands will all go into mourning,
And Lebanon will be brought to shame.
But our marshes will then be like Sharon,
And like Galilee and CarMel, they’ll shine.

¹⁰ ‘Yes, that’s when I will stand tall,’ says Jehovah…
‘I’ll be glorified and respected.
¹¹ When you see it, you’ll then understand
That their other efforts have all been in vain.

‘For their spirits will be burned as by fire…
¹² By the gentiles, they will be consumed
Like thorn bushes out in the fields,
Which have been tossed in the flames.

¹³ ‘Then, from far away, they’ll hear what I’ve done;
And those that come here will know of My might.
¹⁴ For, when the lawless are taken from Zion,
The irreverent will all start to shake.

‘So, who will make the announcement…
The announcement that the fire has been lit?
Yes, who will speak of such things
In this ancient place of the ages?
¹⁵ Just the one that is walking uprightly;
The one that tells things just as they are;
The one that hates lawless ways and injustice;
The one whose hands shake off bribes;
The one that won’t listen to judgments of blood
And whose eyelids are closed to injustice.

¹⁶ ‘At that time, he will stay in a cave in the heights,
Which is surrounded by boulders.
His bread will also be given to him,
And he can trust [that he will have] water.

¹⁷ ‘Then your eyes will see a glorious king
Coming from a far-away land…
¹⁸ And your souls will contemplate fear.

‘Then, what will happen to all of the scribes…
What will happen to all the advisors…
What will happen to the accountants and their records?

¹⁹ ‘From the small to the great, they don’t take advice,
Nor do they heed any warnings
About the ways they’re mistreating the people…
So, none understand what [I’m saying].

²⁰ ‘O great city on Zion;
Look and see your salvation…
See JeruSalem as a city of wealth,
Filled with unshakable tents.

‘There the tent poles will last through the ages,
So their cords won’t have to be pulled,
²¹ And they’ll be called by the Name of Jehovah.

‘There’ll be aqueducts and wide rivers;
But, you will not travel upon them,
For boats will never be rowed there.’

²² So my God, Jehovah, won’t pass me by,
Because the Lord is our judge…
Yes, He is our ruler and king,
And He will bring us salvation!

²³ But now, all their ropes will be pulled up,
And the masts on their boats will be weak…
They’ll lean, so their sails cannot be unfurled,
And their flags will never be raised
Until all that they have has been plundered…
Yes, taken by even the lame!
²⁴ But those who are left won’t say they are tired,
For their sins will have all been forgiven.

Chapter 34

¹ ‘So, listen to this, O you nations…
And your rulers should pay close attention!
Yes, hear, O earth and its dwellers…
The habitation of man and all those that live here;
² For Jehovah is bringing His rage to the nations…
His rage upon all of their numbers,
To destroy and hand them to slaughter.

³ ‘Their slain and dead will be just thrown away;
Their smell will ascend [to the heavens];
And their blood will pour down the mountains.

⁴ ‘Then the powers of the heavens will melt;
The sky will be wrapped like a scroll;
And all the stars will then fall
Like the leaves of a grapevine or fig.

⁵ ‘For My sword will then become drunk in the sky,
And {Look!} upon Edom’s land, it will fall…
Upon people who’ve been judged for destruction.

⁶ ‘In Bozrah, My sword will become thick with blood
And with the fat of the lambs, goats, and rams
That to God, will be sacrificed,
When this great slaughter comes to Edom.

⁷ ‘Then, even the stout will be cut down and killed,
Along with the rams and the bulls.
So the ground will then be drunk on their blood,
And it will be filled with their fat
All the way to the ends of their borders.

⁸ ‘For this is the great Judgment Day of the Lord…
It’s a year of judgment and payback for Zion.
⁹ Their valleys will then be filled up with pitch
And their ground [will be covered with] sulfur.

¹⁰ ‘Through the ages, it’ll burn with pitch day and night,
And the flames will not be extinguished.
For generations, her smoke will ascend,
And it will all be desolation…
Then, it will lie barren for a very long time.

¹¹ ‘Only crows will be able to dwell there,
Along with ibis, hedgehogs, and birds.
A surveyor’s line will mark her destruction,
And she’ll be inhabited [by demons].

¹² ‘Then, she will be without rulers,
Since her kings and great men will be gone.
¹³ So, thorns will grow in her cities and forts,
And they will be owned by chained demons…
A place where ostriches roam.

¹⁴ ‘Then, [loose] demons will meet with the chained ones,
And they will yell to each other.
Chained [spirits] will also find rest there,
And they’ll find a place to retire.

¹⁵ ‘There, hedgehogs too, will build their nests,
And in safety, their young will play on the ground.
It’s where stags will all meet together,
Then stare face to face at each other.

¹⁶ ‘They’ll pass in large numbers and none will be lost…
They’ll not have to search for each other,
Since Jehovah will give them instructions,
And by His Breath, they’ll be gathered.

¹⁷ ‘Then, on their behalf, He will cast lots,
And divide up the land for their grazing,
Which they will inherit through the ages…
So, from one generation to another,
They will find rest in this place.’

Chapter 35

¹ So, thirsty desert, you should be glad…
Yes, shout in joy and blossom with lilies!
² For the desert by the Jordan will cry out and bloom,
And the beauty of Lebanon will be given to it,
Along with the honor of Carmel.

For, at that time, my people will see
The glory of Jehovah their God,
And come to know the full stature of Him.

³ So be strong, forsaken hands and weak knees…
⁴ Take comfort, O you with faint-hearts!
Be strong and don’t be afraid,
For {Look!} the judgments of our God will [bring] justice…
Yes, He will come here and save us!

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
And the ears of the deaf will be able to hear.
⁶ The lame will be leaping like stags,
And stammering tongues will speak clearly.

Then springs will burst forth in the desert,
And through thirsty lands, water will flow.
⁷ For, deserts will be turned into marshes;
In the dry lands, there’ll be springs;
And among reeds and marshes, birds will find joy.

⁸ Then, there will be a pure road
That’s called, ‘The Way of the Holy.’
And nothing unclean will pass on it;
So, it will always be pure.

Those that were scattered will travel that way,
And from it, they won’t stray again.
⁹ No lions or fierce beasts will roam there,
Nor will they even be found there.
There’ll just be those who’ve been ransomed…
¹⁰ Just those gathered by the Lord will walk there.

‘They’ll return to Zion in joy
Feeling the glee of the ages.
For, blessings will come upon all their heads…
They’ll be happy and leaping for joy,
Since, from distress, moaning, and grief,
They will then have escaped.’

Chapter 36

¹ It was in the fourteenth year of the reign of HezekiAh that SenNaCherib, the king of Assyria, [marched against] the fortified cities of Judah and took them. ² Then the king of Assyria sent RabShakeh from LachIsh to King HezekiAh in JeruSalem with a huge army, and he [set up camp] by the aqueduct to the upper pool, which is on the road to the field of the washerwomen.

³ So, EliAkim (the son of HilkiAh) [the King’s] house manager, the scribe ShebNa, and JoAh (the son of Asaph) the recorder, went out to meet with him. ⁴ And RabShakeh said to them:
‘Speak to HezekiAh and tell him that this is what the great king of Assyria has said:
On what are you really relying? ⁵ Have you worked out a plan with the words from your lips about how you’re going to fight this battle? On whom are you relying so that you’re resisting my persuasion? ⁶ Look! If you’re relying on that fractured reed cane Egypt… if a man should put his weight on [that reed], it will go all the way through his hand. Yes, this is all that Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) and those that are relying on him amount to.

⁷ ‘And if you should say that you’re relying on your God Jehovah… isn’t He the same One whose high places and altars were removed by HezekiAh, and who then told Judah and JeruSalem that they had to come and bow before the Altar here in this place?

⁸ ‘Why not rather join with my lord the king of Assyria? For if you do, I’ll give you two-thousand horses… that is, if you’re able to provide enough riders for them. ⁹ Can your governors who are relying on the Egyptians provide you with that many horses and riders?

¹⁰ ‘And do you think that we were able to come up to this place and wage war against it without [the aid of] Jehovah? It was Jehovah that told us to come to this land and destroy it!’

¹¹ Well, EliAkim, ShebNa, and JoAh then said to RabShakeh:
‘Please speak to your servants in Syriac, so we alone can [understand] what you’re saying. Don’t speak to us in the Judean tongue! Why must you speak so that all the men along the walls can hear you?’

¹² And RabShakeh replied:
‘Do you think that my lord sent me to speak these words to just your lord? For, aren’t these men that are sitting along the walls the ones that will have to eat their own poop and drink their own pee?’

¹³ And at that, RabShakeh stood up and yelled in a loud voice in the Judean language:
‘Pay attention to the words of the great king of the Assyrians! ¹⁴ For this is what the king said:
Don’t be fooled by what HezekiAh has told you, because there’s no way that he can save you! ¹⁵ And don’t let HezekiAh tell you that his God will rescue you; for there’s no way that He can save this city from the hands of the king of Assyria!

¹⁶ ‘The king of Assyria says:
‘Don’t listen to HezekiAh! If you want to receive his blessings, come here to me and you’ll each eat from your own grapevines and fig trees, and drink water from your own wells. ¹⁷ Because, when I come here, I will carry you to a land that will become yours… a land of grain, wine, bread, and vineyards!

¹⁸ ‘So, don’t let HezekiAh deceive you and say,
Our God will come and save us!
Have any of the gods of the nations been able to rescue their own places from the hands of the king of Assyria? ¹⁹ Where are the gods of HaMath or ArPhad? Where is the god of the Cities of Scrolls… was he able to rescue Samaria from my hands? ²⁰ Since none of these gods of the nations could rescue their lands from my hands, how can Jehovah save JeruSalem from my hands?’

²¹ Well, everyone stayed silent and no one replied with a word, because the king had decreed that no one was to answer him.

²² Then EliAkim (the son of HelkiAh) the house manager, ShebNa the scribe, and JoAh (the son of Asaph) the recorder ripped their clothes and returned to HezekiAh to tell him what RabShakeh had said.

Chapter 37

¹ Well, when King HezekiAh heard this, he tore off his clothes and put on sackcloth, then he went to the [Temple] of Jehovah. ² He also sent EliAkim his house manager, ShebNa the scribe, and all the elders among the priests (that were each wearing sack cloth) to the Prophet IsaiAh (the son of Amoz). ³ For he told them to say,
‘These are the words of HezekiAh:
This is a day of affliction, scorning, scolding, and rage… it’s a day of all the pain of a woman that doesn’t have enough strength to give birth! ⁴ So, may Jehovah your God hear the words of RabShakeh who was sent by his lord the king of Assyria to berate the living God… may Jehovah your God hear the words that he said to berate Him! Please go to Jehovah your God to beg before Him concerning those of us that are still left here!’

⁵ So the servants of King HezekiAh went to IsaiAh, and this is what IsaiAh said to them:
⁶ ‘Tell your lord that Jehovah says you shouldn’t be afraid of the words that you heard the ambassador of the king of Assyria say to berate Him, ⁷ for {Look!} He is going to send a spirit against him, and when he hears its message, he’ll just go back to his own place, where he’ll fall by the sword within his own land!‘

⁸ Well at the time, RabShakeh had returned to the king of Assyria, who was busy attacking LibNah. He was no longer at LachIsh, ⁹ because he was told that TirHakah, the king of Ethiopia, was coming to fight him.

Then [SenNaCherib] sent his people back to HezekiAh with a message that said this:
¹⁰ ‘Tell HezekiAh the king of Judah not to allow his God upon whom he is relying to deceive him when He says there’s no way that JeruSalem will be given into the hands of the king of the Assyrians. ¹¹ {Look!} Haven’t you heard what the kings of Assyria have done throughout the whole earth and of the destruction that they’ve brought? Who is really going to save you now? ¹² Have the gods of any of the nations that my father destroyed been able to rescue them… those of Gozan, Haran, and Rezeph in the region of Tel Assar? ¹³ Where are the kings of HaMath, and where is ArPhad? Where are the cities of SepharVaim, Henah, and Hivah?’

¹⁴ Well, after HezekiAh took the proclamation from [SenNaCherib’s] messengers and read it, he went up to the [Temple] of Jehovah again and unrolled [the scroll] before the Lord, ¹⁵ and he prayed to Jehovah, saying:
¹⁶ ‘O Jehovah of Armies, God of IsraEl… the One that rests upon cherubs; You’re the only God over all the kingdoms of the habitation of mankind, for You’re the One that made the lands and the skies. ¹⁷ So, O Jehovah; lean Your ear toward me and please listen O Lord! O Jehovah, open Your eyes! Look down, O Jehovah, then hear and understand all the words that SenNaCherib sent to berate the living God!

¹⁸ ‘It’s a fact, O Jehovah, that the kings of the Assyrians have conquered the entire habitation of mankind everywhere. ¹⁹ And there amidst all the flames, they’ve erected their idols to replace those that were never gods but are just the works of men’s hands – things made of wood and stone – after they did all their destroying.

²⁰ ‘But now, O Jehovah our God; please rescue us from his hands, so that all the kingdoms of the earth will know that You are the only God!’

²¹ Well thereafter, [God sent] IsaiAh (the son of Amoz) to HezekiAh, and he told HezekiAh that Jehovah the God of IsraEl said that He’d heard everything that he’d prayed concerning SenNaCherib the king of Assyria, and that this was Jehovah’s reply to him:
²² ‘You’ve sneered at the virgin daughter of Zion,
And you’ve treated her with disrespect.
So, [the virgin] daughter of Jerusalem
Has nodded her head against you!

²³ ‘Do you know whom you’ve provoked and berated,
Or against whom you have raised your voice
And against whom you’ve lifted your eyes to the heights?
It’s against the Holy One of IsraEl!

²⁴ ‘Through messengers, you’ve berated Jehovah
When you said,
I’ll climb over their mountains
With huge numbers of chariots behind me
That will stretch to Lebanon’s borders.
Then, on their heights, I’ll cut down their cedars
And the beauty of their cypress trees.
Then I’ll climb to the tops of their forests,
²⁵ And I will dam up their [rivers].

²⁶ ‘Haven’t you heard of the things I can do,
And of the things that I ordered to be done long ago?
For I’ve shown how I can destroy
Nations and fortified cities,
As well as those in their towns and their forts.
²⁷ I’ve weakened and dried up their hands,
Turning them into dry hay…
Like the grass that grows on their roofs.

²⁸ ‘I know that you have been resting
From all of your comings and goings.
²⁹ And now, all your hatred and rage
Is being directed toward Me!
So I’ll put a rein ‘round your nose,
And a bit in your lips,
Then I’ll send you back by the way that you came.

³⁰ ‘This is the sign that I’ll do it:
This year, you’ll eat what you’ve planted,
Then in the second, you’ll eat what is left.
And in the third, you’ll plant and you’ll reap…
Once more you’ll plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

³¹ ‘The same will also be true of all those
Who still remain in Judea…
They will sprout roots from below,
And from above, they’ll reap grain.

³² ‘Then, those that are left in JeruSalem
(Those that remain on Mount Zion)
Will thereafter be brought to the fore
Through the zeal of Jehovah of Armies.’

³³ Then, concerning the king of Assyria, Jehovah said this:
‘There’s no way that he’ll enter this city…
[His men] won’t shoot arrows against it,
Nor will any even lift up their shields
Or build a siege mound around it.
³⁴ They’ll just return by the way that they came,
And they will not enter this city!’

Jehovah said:
³⁵ ‘I will shield this city and save it
Because of Myself and My servant David.’

³⁶ Well thereafter, a messenger came from Jehovah and he destroyed the camp of the Assyrians… a hundred and eighty-five thousand of them! So when the [people] awoke the next morning, all they found was just dead bodies!

³⁷ Then SenNaCherib (the king of the Assyrians) [packed up] and left for Nineveh, where he went to live. ³⁸ And it was while he was there bowing to the ground in the temple of his god Nisroch, that AdramMelech and ShaRezer (his sons) struck him with swords and fled to Armenia. So, another son, EsarHaddon, started reigning in his place.

Chapter 38

¹ Well, it was shortly after this that HezekiAh became ill to the point of death. And the Prophet IsaiAh (the son of Amoz) went to him and told him,
‘This is what Jehovah has said:
Give orders regarding your house,
Because you won’t live… you will die.’

² Then HezekiAh turned his face to the wall and started praying to Jehovah, saying:
³ ‘O Jehovah; Remember that I’ve walked before You in truth and with a true heart, and remember all the things that I’ve done to please You.’
And at that, HezekiAh broke down and cried.

⁴ Well, the Word of Jehovah then came to IsaiAh and said:
⁵ ‘Go tell HezekiAh that Jehovah said this:
The God of your ancestor David
Has heard your prayer and seen your tears.
So, {Look!} fifteen more years, I will add to your [life]…
⁶ And I will also save you and this city
From the hands of Assyria’s king.
For, around this city, I am putting a shield.

⁷ ‘And Jehovah says that this is your sign that He’s going to do all these things. He said:
⁸ {Look!} I will cause the shadow of the sun
That moves down ten stairs in the house of your fathers,
To go up the ten stairs it went down.’

⁹ Well, this is the prayer that HezekiAh the king of Judah prayed after [learning that he would] recover from his illness:

¹⁰ ‘I prayed to the heavens concerning my days,
For I’d approached the gate to the place of the dead,
And I had been robbed of the rest of my years.

¹¹ ‘So I said:
I’ll not look to Jehovah again
Within the land of the living.
And no way will I [be seen] anymore
By any of those that are living.

¹² ‘My family, I had forsaken,
And I’d [written off] the rest of my life.
For my life was ending and leaving like those
Who [that spend just a night] in a tent,
And my breath had become like the end of the weave,
To be cut off like wool from a loom.

¹³ ‘In that day, I was spared through the morning;
Then, like a lion, He broke all my bones…
From morning ‘til night I was conquered.
¹⁴ So, should I call out like a swallow,
Or like a dove, just take time to think?

‘When my eyes could no longer see into the heights,
Jehovah became my salvation…
¹⁵ He acted and removed the grief from my soul.

¹⁶ ‘Yes, to Jehovah, I [prayed] about this,
And then He awakened my spirit…
I’m alive, because He sent comfort to me.

¹⁷ ‘{Look!} The thought of resting in peace
Was something truly bitter for me…
But You gave back my life, so I’d live,
And You pushed all my sins to the rear.
¹⁸ So, those in the grave should all praise You,
And those that are dying should bless You.

‘But, it’s too late for those in the grave,
¹⁹ Since only the living can praise You.
So, from this day, I’ll raise many children
Who will shout in praise of Your justice.

²⁰ ‘O [Jehovah] my Savior;
For the rest of my life, I will praise You…
I’ll not cease to strum on my harp about You
In the [Temple] of my God.’

²¹ Then IsaiAh said to HezekiAh:
‘Now, take a cluster of dried figs and grind them up to make a plaster [for your chest], and thereafter, your health will return.’

²² And that’s when HezekiAh asked,
‘What is the sign that I’ll be able to go up to the [Temple] of my God once again?’

Chapter 39

¹ Well, at the time, Merodach Baladan (the son of Baladan, the king of Babylon) had sent letters, ambassadors, and gifts to HezekiAh, because he’d heard that he was ill to the point of death and that he’d been [granted a recovery], ² and this made HezekiAh very joyful. As the result, he showed them his storehouses that were filled with spices, silver, gold, balsam, incense, and perfumes, as well as his treasury buildings and everything that was in his treasuries… there wasn’t anything that HezekiAh failed to show them.

³ And thereafter, the Prophet IsaiAh went to King HezekiAh and asked:
‘What did you say to those men, and from where did they come to visit you?’

And HezekiAh replied:
‘They came from a faraway land… from the land of Babylon.’

⁴ Then IsaiAh asked:
‘Did they see your [palace]?’

And HezekiAh said:
‘Yes, they saw everything in my house… there isn’t anything that I failed to show them, including everything in my treasuries.’

⁵ Then IsaiAh said,
‘Hear the word of Jehovah of Armies:
⁶ Look! The day will soon come
When all that your fathers have collected
Down to this very day,
Will be carried off to Babylon…
They will leave nothing behind!’

⁷ ‘God also said:
They will take your children (those whom you have fathered)
And in the houses of Babylon, they will be eunuchs.’

⁸ Then HezekiAh said to IsaiAh:
‘The word of Jehovah that you spoke to me is good… but may there be peace and justice during the days [of my reign]!’

Chapter 40

¹ ‘Take comfort, take comfort, My people,’
Says [Jehovah], Your God!
² ‘O Priests, you must speak and bring comfort
To JeruSalem’s heart;
For the humbling of her has now been fulfilled,
And all of her sins are untied.
Yet, it was because of her sins
That she received twice as much from His hand.’

³ Then I heard a voice that was calling from the desert. It said,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord…
Straighten the roads for our God!
⁴ Fill the valleys and flatten the mountains and hills…
All crooked paths must be straightened
And the ruts in the fields must be smoothed!
⁵ Then the glory and salvation of God will be seen;
For Jehovah has told you to do this.’

⁶ Then the voice again shouted,
‘Now, yell!’

And I asked,
‘What should I yell?’

‘Yell that all flesh is just grass
And man’s glory is like the flowers of grass.
⁷ But now, the grass has all dried,
And all of their flowers have dropped;
For upon them, God has blown His Breath.

‘The people are really the grass…
⁸ And though grass may dry and its flowers may drop;
God’s Word endures through the ages.

⁹ ‘So, climb to the top of that mountain,
O you who are bringing good news to Zion,
And shout it as loud as you can!
Yes, those bringing good news to JeruSalem
Must shout it out loud and not be afraid!

‘To the cities of Judah, you must shout this:
Look and see… for here comes Your God!
¹⁰ Your Lord, Jehovah, is coming in strength,
And to conquer, His arm has been raised!

‘Look… He’s bringing the wages
For the things being done here before Him!
¹¹ Like a shepherd, He’s arrived to tend to His flock;
Then He’ll gather His lambs in His arms,
And within His womb, bring them comfort.

¹² ‘Who can measure all the water in the skies
With just the span of His hand,
And who holds the whole earth as a handful?
Who established the weight of the mountains,
And weighs the forests in the yoke of a scale?

¹³ ‘Who knows the mind of Jehovah…
Who has become His advisor
And who can give Him instructions?
¹⁴ Whom has He asked for advice,
And who’s told Him the things He should do?

‘Who taught Him how to be just,
Or shown Him the right ways to think?
¹⁵ For the nations are like drops from a bucket
That are [weighed] in the yoke on a scale
And found to be [no more than] spit.

¹⁶ ‘To Him, all of Lebanon is unfit to burn,
And unfit for sacrifice are its four-footed beasts.
¹⁷ Before Him, the nations are also unfit…
For He views them as nothing at all.

¹⁸ ‘To whom can our Lord be compared?
How would you [make an image] of Him?
¹⁹ Aren’t statues created by [artists]…
Aren’t they each carefully designed,
Then cast and gilded by smiths?

²⁰ ‘Doesn’t the maker choose durable wood,
And wisely choose the best place
To stand it where it cannot fall?

²¹ ‘Don’t you know, and haven’t you heard…
Weren’t you told this from the beginning…
Do you know how the earth was established?

²² He’s the One that holds fast the curve of the earth,
And those dwelling upon it are like locusts.
He’s the One that established the skies like a veil,
And stretched it like a tent in which we can dwell.
²³ Then He made our rulers from nothing,
And from nothing, He brought forth their lands.

²⁴ ‘[Without Him], we can’t plant or sow,
Nor can plants spread their roots in the ground.
For, He can just breathe and they’ll wither…
With a blast, like twigs, they’ll just blow away.

²⁵ ‘And this Most Holy One is asking you this:
Whom can you liken to Me…
Can you make Me look more important?
²⁶ Look high in the sky [and then tell Me]
Who introduced all these things?

‘He’s the One that assembled them all…
All the things within His arrangement!
Then, in His great glory and strength,
He named it before you had seen it!

²⁷ ‘Would you dare to say before Jacob,
O IsraEl, why have you spoken to me,
For my ways have been hidden from God,
So I won’t stand in judgment before Him?

²⁸ ‘Don’t you know… yes, haven’t you heard?
God [exists] through the ages!
He’s the One that prepared the ends of the earth,
Yet He doesn’t get hungry or tired,
Nor can His wisdom be fathomed.

²⁹ ‘He’s the One that gives strength to the famished,
And brings comfort to those that are grieving.

³⁰ ‘While the youngest of men will get hungry and tired,
And the best of men will lose all their strength;
³¹ Those that wait on Jehovah will grow stronger,
And like eagles, they will grow wings.
Then they’ll run without getting tired…
They’ll keep going without getting hungry.’

Chapter 41

¹ O [you gentiles that live] in the islands;
You should start holding feasts to His [Name]…
For the powers that be will be altered!

So now, let them come and confer,
Then announce what they have decided!

² For [He’s] stirred up one in the east
Who’ll bring justice and call it to walk on its feet.
To him, those gentiles will be given,
And before him, their kings will all be removed.

He’ll force them to bury their swords,
And like twigs, he will shatter their bows.
³ But, though he’s the one that will chase them,
His feet will walk peaceful paths.

⁴ By whose might will he accomplish these things?
By the One that called for this generation
Back in the very beginning…
By the One that said, ‘I am God…
I’m the first, and I’m into [the future]!

⁵ ‘Nations will see Me and fear…
They’ll be startled to the ends of the earth,
And then, they’ll be gathered together.

⁶ ‘At that time, all their neighbors will choose
To help their brothers, and they’ll say:
⁷ The one that brought us together is strong
(The blacksmith that forged it with a hammer);
But how long can [this unity] last?

‘And He will give this reply:
The bond [between them] is good;
For I’ve made it stronger with rivets…
I’ve made it so it can’t be broken!

⁸ ‘But you, O IsraEl, My servant…
Yes, Jacob, the one that I’ve chosen…
AbraHam’s seed whom I’ve loved…
⁹ Those whom I’ve snatched from the ends of the earth…
Those whom I’ve called from the heights…
Those to whom I said this:

‘To be My servant, I chose you,
And you, I’ve never abandoned.
¹⁰ So, don’t be afraid, for I’m with you…
Don’t stray from Me, for I am your God…
I’m the One that gives you your strength,
And sends aid with My righteous right hand.

¹¹ ‘Look! Your enemies will all come to shame,
And no more will they fail to respect you;
For, they won’t exist anymore,
Since all that oppose you will perish!

¹² ‘Then you’ll search and you will not find them…
Those drunks who’ve been shouting insults at you,
Because they will no longer be…
There’ll be none to wage war against you,
¹³ For, I am your God who is at your right hand!

‘I’m the One that is saying to you,
¹⁴ O Jacob, don’t be afraid…
O IsraEl’s remnants, don’t [tremble],
Because, I’m your helper… your God.’

‘O IsraEl;
I’m the One that paid the ransom for you,
¹⁵ {Look!} And I’ve made you like a threshing device
That’s been fitted with many new teeth.
So, you’ll thresh the mountains and thin out the hills…
Then, into dust, you will turn them.

¹⁶ ‘Yes, you will winnow them all,
And the winds will blow them away…
By a windstorm, they will be scattered.
And among IsraEl’s holy, there will be joy.

¹⁷ ‘Then the poor and needy will start to rejoice,
As will those who’ve been searching for water
But haven’t been able to find it…
Those whose tongues have dried out from thirst.

‘For, I am Jehovah, IsraEl’s God…
I’ll pay attention and I’ll not desert you.
¹⁸ From the mountains, I’ll open up rivers,
And into the plains, I’ll put springs.

‘Deserts, I’ll turn into marshes,
And into thirsty ground, I’ll put canals.
¹⁹ In the waterless land, I’ll plant boxwoods and cedars,
Along with white poplars, myrtles, and cypress.

²⁰ ‘Then, all that see them will know
That it came by the hand of Jehovah…
By IsraEl’s Holy One, they were planted.

²¹ ‘But now, your time of judgment has come…
Yes, the time for deciding is now,’
Says the King over Jacob.

²² ‘So, let all [your idols] step forward
And tell you the things that will happen.
For, they’re the ones to whom you have said,
We’ll pay close attention you,
So we can know what will happen,
And how it will be [in the end].

²³ ‘Therefore, ask [your idols] to tell you…
Yes, have them announce the things that will come!
Then we’ll know if they truly are gods
Who can choose good or bad for themselves…
We’ll wonder and see it at the same time.

²⁴ ‘Then we’ll know the places from which they have come
And we’ll see the source of the things they can do…
These ones that the people have chosen…
These disgusting things that they have preferred.

²⁵ ‘But, from the north, I’ll be raising one man,
And I’ll raise another from the sun in the east…
And they will be called by My Name.

‘Then, both of these rulers will come here,
And like the clay of a potter
(The clay that he works [with his feet]),
They will trample you down.

²⁶ ‘Now, which [of your idols] can tell you
How, in the beginning, it all came to be,
So we can know how it started…
Yes, have them tell us how it began!

‘Aren’t any of them able to speak?
For, no one has heard a reply!

²⁷ ‘I am the One that raised Zion…
The One that sent comfort to JeruSalem.
²⁸ Yet, {Look!} the nations have heard nothing at all…
No announcements have come from their idols!

‘So, if I should ask where they came from,
No way could they give a reply.
²⁹ But you say that you were created by them…
How foolish are the ways in which you’ve been led!’

Chapter 42

¹ ‘Jacob, My child, I’ll hold onto you…
O IsraEl, you’re the one that I’ve chosen.
So [I’m sending someone] who will pour out My Breath
And who will pass judgment on the gentiles.
² He won’t cry out or raise his voice,
And his words won’t be heard out of doors.

³ ‘No crushed reed will he break,
And no smoking flax wick will he snuff.
But, he will truly bring what is fair…
⁴ He’ll endure and not be destroyed
Until he brings justice to the earth.

‘In his name, the nations will hope,’
⁵ Said [Jehovah our] God,
The One that made and assembled the skies,
Who founded the earth and everything in it,
And that poured out His Breath
On those that choose to walk [in His ways].

⁶ ‘I’m Jehovah, who called you in justice…
I’ll grab hold of your hand and I’ll give you strength.
For with you, I made a Sacred Agreement
To make you a light to the nations…
⁷ To open the eyes of the blind…
To lead out those that are shackled,
And those that now sit in dark dungeons.

⁸ ‘I’m [Jehovah your] God; yes, that is My Name!
And My glory, I’ll give to no other…
I won’t give My glory to things that are carved!

⁹ ‘Look! The ancient things have all come to pass,
And now, the new things that I will announce
Will happen before I pronounce them!

¹⁰ ‘So, sing a new hymn to Jehovah…
Glorify His Name to the ends of the earth,
O you that sail and go down to the seas,
And you that live on the islands!

¹¹ ‘And you in the deserts, be joyful,
As should you in the cities and lands,
And those that dwell among cedars…
Yes, those living in [caves] should be joyful,
And from the tops of the mountains, be shouting in joy.

¹² ‘For they’ll all give glory to God,
And the Islands will speak of His virtues.
¹³ Then the God of Armies, Jehovah, will come
And bring an end to all wars.

‘He’ll awaken His zeal and His strength,
And against His enemies, He will say this:
¹⁴ Through the age, I have remained silent;
But must I always be patient and quiet…
Must I endure like a woman with birth pangs?

‘I’ll amaze you by making them wither away…
¹⁵ I’ll destroy their mountains and hills,
And I will dry up their grass.
Then, into their rivers, I will put islands
And I’ll turn their marshes into dry ground.

¹⁶ ‘I’ll lead these blind ones in ways they don’t know,
And make them walk on roads they can’t see.
Then their darkness, I’ll turn into light,
And their crooked ways, I will straighten.

‘Yes, these are the things that I’ll do,
For, I will not abandon [my people]…
¹⁷ Though they will be forced to retreat.

‘So, be ashamed (yes, you should feel shame),
O you who put faith in carved [idols]…
You who say to things that were formed by your hands,
You are [truly] our gods!

¹⁸ ‘Listen to Me, you deaf mutes…
Yes, look and see, all you blind ones!
¹⁹ For, who are as blind as My servants,
And who can hear less than their rulers…
Yes, who are as blind as those who’ve had all?
For God’s servants have now all gone blind!

²⁰ ‘How many times have you looked, but not seen,
And with opened ears, been unable to hear?’

²¹ Yet, the Will of Jehovah is righteous,
And it will be praised and held high again!

²² Then I saw that it all came to pass…
The people were plundered and looted,
And in all their stores, there were snares.

So they gathered to hide inside of their homes,
Since they had all become plunder…
There was no one to save all the captured,
And no one to say, ‘Give them back!’

²³ Therefore, who will listen to what’s being said…
Who’ll pay attention to the things that will be?

²⁴ Yes, who gave Jacob to be ravaged,
And who gave IsraEl to serve as their loot?
Hadn’t they sinned against God?
Didn’t they choose not to walk in His ways
And to ignore all His Laws?

²⁵ So He sent upon them His anger and rage…
He sent their neighbors to burn them in war.
Yet, none understood or took it to heart.

Chapter 43

¹ So, thus says Jehovah, [your] God
(The One that made you, O Jacob;
The One that shaped you, IsraEl):
‘Don’t be afraid, for I’ve paid your ransom…
I called you for My Name, and now you are Mine!

² ‘So, if you must pass through the waters,
I will be there [to guard] you,
And the rivers won’t swallow you down.
Or if you should travel through fire,
It won’t be able to burn you…
You won’t be consumed by its flames.

³ ‘For, I am Jehovah your God…
I’m IsraEl’s Holy One and their Savior…
I’m the One that bargained for you
With Egypt, Ethiopia, and SheBah.

⁴ ‘I’ve viewed you with value and esteem…
You were glorious and loved [in My eyes].
For you, I traded other peoples,
And for your heads, I gave rulers away.

⁵ ‘So, don’t be afraid, for I’m with you,
And from the east, I’ll lead back your seed…
From the [east and the] west, I’ll return them.

⁶ ‘Then, I will say to the north:
Send them back to the south…
Do not try to restrain them!
Return My sons from your faraway lands,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth…
⁷ Release all those who’ve been called by My Name!

‘For I made them to glorify Me…
I’m the One that shaped them and formed them.
⁸ But I sent them away because they were blind…
They couldn’t see, although they had eyes,
And they were deaf, although they had ears.
I’m also the One that gathered their rulers.

⁹ ‘So, who will announce all these things…
Who’ll explain the things that have happened?
Bring on those that will witness for them,
And they must [now speak the truth]…
Let’s hear them explain what has happened!

¹⁰ ‘But, about Me, you must also testify,’
Says Jehovah.
‘Then, I’ll be a witness [for you]…
I’ll say that you’re the servant I’ve chosen.…
But, you must know and believe that I am!

¹¹ ‘For, no other gods came before Me,
And none will come after Me!
Yes, I am the only true God…
Other than Me there are none…
I’m the only One that can save!

¹² ‘I’ve announced, delivered, and berated,
When no alien God was among you.
So, you are the ones that must now testify
That I [alone] am The God!

¹³ ‘Even in the most ancient times,
No one could wrest you out of My hands,
And no one could change the things that I did!’

¹⁴ Thus says Jehovah, IsraEl’s God…
The Holy One who has paid your ransom:
‘I’ll send to Babylon on your behalf
To arouse all those that carried you off,
And in boats, the Chaldeans will then bring you back.

¹⁵ ‘So, I am [your] Most Holy God…
IsraEl’s defender and king!’

¹⁶ Thus says Jehovah,
The One that put roads in the seas,
And through mighty waters, made paths…
¹⁷ The One that led chariots and horses,
Along with many strong [men],
To a sleep from which they’ll never awake,
And who snuffed them out like flax wicks:

¹⁸ ‘You can forget the things that came first,
And you don’t have to consider what happened before.
¹⁹ For {Look!} now, I will bring about new things…
And you all will know what they are!

‘I’ll make a road through the desert,
And through waterless lands, I’ll cut rivers.
²⁰ Then, all the wild beasts will give praise to Me…
Even ostrich daughters and those that are chained.

‘For, into their deserts, I will bring water…
Yes, rivers into [all the] dry places
For My chosen people to drink.
²¹ For, they are the people I purchased,
And they should describe all My virtues!

²² ‘O IsraEl and [people of] Jacob:
I am the One that has called you,
And I’ve done nothing at all to wear you out.

²³ ‘Yet, you brought Me no sheep or [burnt] offerings…
No sacrifices to glorify Me.
So to offerings, you were never enslaved,
And by frankincense, you were not wearied.

²⁴ ‘You offered no silver to Me,
And I didn’t desire the sacrificed fat…
But before Me, you stood in your sins,
And in all of your unrighteous ways.

²⁵ ‘I am… I’m the One that wiped them away…
All of your lawless deeds.
²⁶ Because of Myself, I’ll forget all your sins;
But, you must remember all that you did!
So, come here and let us discuss them!
Yes, come and confess all of your lawless ways,
So you can be righteous again!

²⁷ ‘For your fathers were the first to have sinned,
And your rulers were lawless against Me…
²⁸ My holy things were defiled by your kings,
So to destruction, I then handed Jacob…
Yes IsraEl, I gave to be scorned!’

Chapter 44

¹ ‘Now hear Me, O Jacob, My child;
Yes IsraEl, the one that I’ve chosen!
² For Jehovah, your God
(The One that made you and shaped you) says this:

‘Don’t be afraid, for I’ll help you,
O Jacob, My dearly-loved servant…
IsraEl, the one whom I’ve chosen.

³ ‘To your thirsty, I’ll provide water
As they enter a waterless land.
Then I’ll place My Breath on your seed,
And I will bless all your children.
⁴ They’ll grow like grass near [a river],
And like willows next to a stream.

⁵ ‘This one will say, I’m God’s [servant];
That one will say, I am Jacob’s;
Another will write, I am God’s;
And they’ll call themselves by IsraEl’s name.’

⁶ ‘This was said by your God, Jehovah of armies…
IsraEl’s Savior and King:
I am the first and the last,
And there are no Gods other than Me!

⁷ ‘Who else [can claim] that he’s like Me?
Let him arise and announce it…
Let him stand up and tell
How man was made in that age!

‘And have them tell you the future…
⁸ Don’t let them [hide] or wander away!

‘For, didn’t you hear these things long ago…
Didn’t I give a report?
So, you are the ones that can now testify
That there are no gods other than Me!

⁹ ‘But they failed to listen back then…
Those that carved and shaped worthless things…
Those that did whatever they pleased…
Things that did them no good.
So, against themselves, they have testified!

‘For, they didn’t see and they didn’t know
That by their bad deeds, they were shamed,
When they formed the things that they thought of as gods,
And cast moldings of things that are worthless!

‘{Look!} Those sharing in this will be shamed
¹⁰ (Those that shaped gods and carved worthless things),
¹¹ For the places that they came from will wither away.

‘So, let these dumb ones now gather
Then stand together and feel some remorse…
Together, let them all feel ashamed!

¹² ‘For the smith sharpens his tools,
And with a hammer, he works it in coals…
Then he drills holes for [its handles].

‘He shapes it with the might of his arm,
As he grows hungry and weak,
Because he won’t drink any water.

¹³ ‘And the carver selects a good piece of wood,
Then he measures, before he starts carving
It into the shape of a man.

¹⁴ ‘He cuts down an oak tree or cedar…
Yes, he takes a tree that was planted by Me
And which I made grow with the rain.
¹⁵ Then part, he burns to get warm;
Part, he burns to bake bread;
And with what’s left, he shapes into a god,
To which he thereafter bows!

¹⁶ ‘He carves it and then bows before it…
Yet, half he burned to cook meat
To prepare a roast that would fill him.
And as he sat there warming himself,
He said, Ah, this is so good,
For I’ve seen the fire and now I am warm!
¹⁷ Then the rest, he carves into a god,
And to it, he then bows and prays,
Please save me, for you are my god!

¹⁸ ‘He doesn’t realize, nor does he think…
For his eyes are just too blind to see,
And he doesn’t comprehend in his heart…
¹⁹ Yes, He’s just too stupid to see…
Half was burned in a fire to bake bread;
Then, over the flames, roasted meat that he ate,
And with the rest, he made something disgusting
Before which, he bowed with his face to the ground!

²⁰ ‘Know that these [men] have all erred;
For the hearts [of their gods] are just ashes,
And none are able to save them!

‘{Look!} Don’t say that My right hand has lied
About the things it’s accomplished.
²¹ And, O IsraEl and Jacob;
Don’t forget the things that I’ve done!
For, you [alone] are My servant…
I shaped you and you are My slave!
So IsraEl, do not forget Me!

²² ‘{Look!} Your lawless deeds, I’ve wiped out like clouds,
And I’ve thrown all your sins in the shadows.
So, return to Me and I’ll buy you back!’

²³ Now, shout in joy, O you heavens;
For IsraEl’s God has shown mercy upon you!
And foundations of the earth, blow a trumpet…
Yes, yell in joy, you mountains and hills,
As well as the trees that live on them;
For, Jehovah’s made IsraEl glorious,
And He’s [paid the] ransom for Jacob!

²⁴ So says the Lord (the One that shaped you in the belly, and the One that ransomed you back):
‘I am Jehovah… I’m the One who accomplished it all!
I’m the One that stretched out the sky,
And the One that made solid ground!

²⁵ ‘I’m the One that wipes away the conclusions
Of the signs and omens men that bring from their hearts.
And I cause the intelligent to backtrack
By making their counsel look stupid.

²⁶ ‘I’m the One that causes to happen
Whatever My servants ask in their prayers,
And that makes the council of My messengers true.

‘I’m the One that says to JeruSalem,
You will be lived in again…
To the cities of Judah, You’ll be rebuilt…
And to her desolate places, I’ll raise you!

²⁷ ‘I tell the abyss, You’ll be empty,
And I say to the rivers, I’ll make you dry.’

‘I’m the One who’ll say this to Cyrus:
Think first and then you must do
All the things that I’ll tell you to do.
For JeruSalem must be rebuilt,
And My [Temple’s] foundation must be laid.’

Chapter 45

¹ This is what God is saying to Cyrus
([The one whom He] will anoint…
The one to whose hand He will grab,
And who’ll cause the nations to listen):

‘[For you], I will rip strength from kings,
And no doors or gates will be closed before you!
² I will travel before you,
And before you, I’ll level the mountains!
Doors of brass, I will break,
And their iron bars will be shattered.

³ ‘I’ll give you treasures unfathomed
And open to you what’s concealed and unseen,
So you’ll know that I am Jehovah, The God…
The God of IsraEl, who called you by name.

⁴ ‘Because of My servant Jacob…
Yes, because of IsraEl, My chosen,
I’ve accepted you and called you by name,
Although you have never known Me.

⁵ ‘I am Jehovah, The God…
And there are no gods other than Me!

‘I’m the One that gave you your power
Before you knew who I was,
⁶ So that those from the sun in the east
And those from where it sets in the west
Will know that there are no others beside Me.

‘I am Jehovah, The God,
And other than Me, there are none!
⁷ I’m the One that prepared both the light and the darkness…
I’m the One that created peace and hard times.

‘I’m Jehovah, The God who accomplished it all;
⁸ So be glad you heavens above,
And let the clouds sprinkle justice…
Let the ground arise and grow mercy,
And together, let justice burst forth!

‘I’m the Lord who made all there is,
⁹ And what excellent things I did make,
As though it was done with the clay of a potter.

‘Will those that plow land, plow in one day,
And will the [thing made of] clay ask the potter:
What is it that you’ve really accomplished?
For, you don’t do any work,
And you don’t really have any hands!

¹⁰ ‘Woe to those who would ask of their fathers,
Why did you sire me?
And those who would ask of their mothers,
Why did you give me birth?’

¹¹ Thus says IsraEl’s Most Holy Lord…
The One that created it all:
‘Ask Me concerning My sons
And about the works of My hands…
Yes, just go on and ask Me!

¹² ‘I made the earth and put man upon it,
And I established the skies with My hands.
I’m the One that instructed the stars,
¹³ And the One that raised a just king.

‘I’m the One that made his ways straight
So that he would rebuild My city
And allow the return of My people…
But, not for a ransom or gifts,’
So says Jehovah of Armies!

¹⁴ Thus says Jehovah of Armies:
‘I’ll wear out Egypt before you,
And Ethiopians and Sabean traders…
You’ll pass over men that were proud before you,
And they will then be your servants.

‘Thereafter, they’ll follow behind you,
Shackled and walking in chains.
I will hand them over to you,
And before you, they must then bow.

‘To you, they will pray [as though] you’re a god,
And to them, there won’t be any other.
¹⁵ Yet, [I am] a God whom you’ve never known…
IsraEl’s God and your Savior.

¹⁶ ‘So your enemies will be shamed and remorseful
Before they’re led off in dishonor.

‘O islands, dedicate yourselves to My [cause],
¹⁷ For IsraEl will be freed by Jehovah
And [remain that way] through the age…
Through the ages, they’ll not feel shame or regret.’

¹⁸ Yes, this was what was said by Jehovah,
The One that created the heavens…
Who [formed] the earth and made it distinct…
Who did not leave it empty or void,
But shaped it as a dwelling [for man]):

‘I alone am Jehovah…
And other than Me, there are none.
¹⁹ I’ve never spoken in secret,
Nor explained things in earth’s darkest places.
And I never told Jacob’s seed
That they should seek what is foolish!

‘I’m Jehovah, the One who speaks what is just,
And the One who announces the truth.
²⁰ So, all should gather and come here…
Yes, come here and let’s meet together,
O you who’ve been rescued from the nations!

‘Yet, they still do not understand…
Those that [cut] wood and shape it,
Then pray to gods that can’t save them.

²¹ ‘Let all the announcers approach
So the whole congregation may know
Who it was that accomplished these things.

‘From ancient times, it has been announced
That I am [Jehovah], The God!
There are none others that are truly righteous,
And there are none others that can save them…
Yes, other than Me, there are none!

²² ‘So, turn to Me and I’ll rescue
All those who’ve been scattered to the ends of the earth…
Yes, I’m the only God, and there aren’t any others!

²³ ‘Now I’ve sworn an oath by Myself
That what comes from My mouth will be righteous…
None of My words will be twisted.

²⁴ ‘So to Me, every knee should bend low,
And by Me, every tongue should swear oaths.
²⁵ Justice and glory should be offered before Me,
And those leaving Jehovah should feel shame.
²⁶ For, IsraEl’s seed must be righteous
And [speak] gloriously of their [most holy] God.’

Chapter 46

¹ ‘Bel has fallen and Dagon is broken;
For their images were bound to wild beasts and cattle,
And the load proved to be just too heavy,
So they tired and fainted from hunger.
² Thus, they were unable to save them in war,
And they too were taken as captives.

³ ‘Listen to Me, O house of Jacob!
O house of IsraEl, listen to this!
You’re the ones that I raised from the belly
And the ones I’ve corrected since childhood
⁴ Until the time you grew up.

‘I am and [will be] until you grow old…
I am and I’ve had to endure you.
But because I made [you], I’ve spared [you];
And once more, I’ll remake you and save you!

⁵ ‘To whom can I be compared?
{Look!} Contrive [and answer], O you who mislead.
⁶ You’re the ones that take gold from a bag
And weigh out silver on the yoke of a scale,
Then hire smiths to make idols by hand,
Before which, you bow to your faces.

⁷ ‘If you carry them on your shoulders, they’ll move;
But, when you put them down, they just sit there.
For, they cannot move by themselves…
And if you should yell, they can’t hear you;
So, they are unable to save you!

⁸ ‘Consider these things and start moaning.
Then, change your minds, O you the misled…
Yes, turn around in your hearts!
⁹ Remember all the things that have happened
Before this age came to be!

‘I am the only true God,
And there are no others like Me!
¹⁰ For, only I can tell you what happens
Before it ever takes place
And before it comes to an end.

‘Now, I’ve [told you] that My purpose will stand
And all that I’ve planned, I’m going to do.
¹¹ So I’ve summoned the [eagle] out of the east
To do the things that I’ve [told you about]…
Yes, I made him, I’ll lead him, and he’ll do it…
I’m the One that will send him and prosper his ways.

¹² ‘So hear Me, O you heartbreakers,
And you who’ve strayed so far from true justice!
¹³ I’m the One that sent you My justice,
And it has never been far away.

‘So I’ll not be slow about your salvation,
For Zion was appointed by Me
To be IsraEl’s savior and glory!’

Chapter 47

¹ ‘Now, get down and sit on the ground
You virgin daughter of Babylon!
Yes, you should sit on the ground,
O virgin daughter of Chaldea;
For, you won’t always [sit on] a throne…
Delicate and soft, you won’t always be called.

² ‘Rather, get a millstone and start grinding flour…
Remove the veil from your face,
Then expose your gray hairs and uncover your legs!
For, that’s what you’ll do when you’re crossing your rivers,
³ And showing everyone your shame and your scorn.

‘I’ll remove My righteous from among you,
And no more will I hand My people to you.
⁴ For their Savior’s Name is Jehovah of Armies…
IsraEl’s Most Holy One!

⁵ ‘So sit down and then be stabbed through…
Yes, enter the darkness, O daughter of Chaldea!
For you’ll be called a mighty kingdom no more!

⁶ ‘Because My inheritance provoked Me,
I allowed you to dirty My people
And I gave them into your hands…
But you showed no mercy upon them.

‘For, you then oppressed their old men
And made them work hard under yokes.
⁷ Then you said, Through ages, I’ll rule them.

‘Yet, in your hearts, you had failed
To understand why this all came to be
And how this situation will end.

⁸ ‘Hear [what I’m saying], O delicate one…
Yes, you that are now sitting [so proudly]…
The one that so easily yields…
The one that says in her heart,
I am, and there are no others [like me],
So I’ll never sit as a widow
And I will never know sorrow!

⁹ ‘But, these two things will happen to you
Suddenly and in just one day:
· You will be childless and widowed
· And they’ll instantly come upon you,
Despite your sorcery and enchantments.

¹⁰ ‘For you’ve trusted in your own wicked ways,
And you said, I am…
And other than me, there are none!
But, you should know and understand this:
Your whoring will soon bring you shame,
Because you said [these words] in your heart:
I am… and other than me, there are none!

¹¹ ‘So, instant destruction will come upon you,
And into a cesspool, you’ll fall,
Where you’ll know misery and never get clean.
Yes, sudden destruction will happen;
And you’ll not be aware until it arrives!

¹² ‘Now, stand there in your enchantments
And in the witchcraft you’ve learned since your youth.
Then, see if it does any good…
¹³ For your magic words have grown tired.

‘So, let your astrologers who gaze at the skies
(Those that examine the stars)
Now arise and announce what’s coming to you!

¹⁴ ‘{Look!} Like torches of sticks, your people will burn…
No way will they save their lives from the flames.
Then, you’ll be forced to sit on the coals
¹⁵ Of those that looked to you for their aid.

‘For you’ve worn yourself out with the traffic of youth,
And now that the men have all wandered away,
No one will be there to save you!’

Chapter 48

NOTE: Much of the following prophecy is not actually being spoken by God but by ‘the Lord,’ whom we assume to be the person that later became known as Jesus,
since some of these prophecies are about him. So, we have not capitalized the personal pronouns in the places where we think he was speaking.

¹ ‘So, pay attention, O house of Jacob…
Yes, you that are called by IsraEl’s name…
You who’ve come from the waters of Judah…
You who swear oaths by IsraEl’s God…
² You who’ve forgotten justice and truth…
You who view your city as holy
And lean upon IsraEl’s God,
Whose Name is Jehovah of Armies!

³ ‘For I’m saying the same things that I’ve said before…
I’m saying the same things that came from my mouth…
The things that you heard and then happened…
The things that I spoke and then came to be!

⁴ ‘I know that you’re a hard [people]…
That the nerves in your necks are like iron
And your heads are [as solid as] bronze.

⁵ ‘I told you in the past what would happen
Long before it all came to be.
I shouted it loudly, so you couldn’t say,
This was done by my idols;
Yes, my carved idols foretold it!

⁶ ‘But, though you heard it, you didn’t understand,
And now that I’m telling you new things;
You’ve not spoken a word in reply.

⁷ ‘For the things that I’ve said will happen to you
Won’t be the same as were done in the past…
They’ll not be the same as they were long ago
Or the same as I told you before,
So you cannot say that you already knew.

⁸ ‘Yes, these are things that you haven’t known
Since the time that I opened your ears long ago,
And which I already knew that you’d disregard.
For, since you were called from the belly,
You’ve continued in your lawless ways.

⁹ ‘[For Jehovah says]:
Because of My Name, I’m sending My rage…
My noble deeds, I’ll be bringing upon you…
Yet, I won’t completely wipe you away.

¹⁰ ‘{Look!} With silver, I’ve never bartered for you,
But I saved you from poverty’s furnace.
¹¹ And now, because of Myself, I will act…
Because My Name is being profaned,
And My glory I’ll not give to others!

¹² ‘So, hear Me, O Jacob, O IsraEl…
Yes you, the ones whom I’ve called…
I’m from the beginning and into the ages!

¹³ ‘The foundation of the earth, I laid with my hands,
And with my right hand, I fixed the skies.
So I’ll call to them and they’ll gather…
¹⁴ They’ll assemble and listen together!

‘But now, I’ll also speak of the things
That I’m bringing against Babylon
Because of my love for you…
For I’ll lift away the seed of Chaldea!

¹⁵ ‘I’m the one that spoke and called out to you…
I’m the one that prospered your ways.
¹⁶ So, turn your ears and hear what I’m saying!

‘What I said long ago wasn’t a secret,
For I was there when it happened.
But now, I’ve been sent by Jehovah, the Lord
Along with His [Holy] Spirit.
¹⁷ And thus says Jehovah, your Savior…
IsraEl’s Most Holy One:

‘I am Jehovah your God,
I’m the One that showed you the right ways to go.
¹⁸ And if you’d obeyed My Commandments,
Your peace would have flowed like a river,
And your righteous ways as the waves of the seas.

¹⁹ ‘Your seed would have been like the sands…
Those from your bellies, as the dust on the ground.
You would never have met with destruction,
And your names would not be erased.

²⁰ ‘But, after all of this has happened to you,
You’ll get up and leave Babylon…
Yes, you will flee from Chaldea!
Thus, in joy, announce this out loud
So that all will know what will happen!
Yes, send the report to the ends of the earth
That Jehovah will save Jacob, His servant!
²¹ And when they get thirsty in their trek through the desert,
He’ll bring them water out of a rock!

‘For I’ll split the rock and water will flow,
And then, My people will drink it…
²² But the godless will not rejoice over this,
Says Jehovah, [your God].’

Chapter 49

NOTE: Much of the following prophecy is not actually being spoken by God but by ‘the Lord,’ whom we assume to be the person that later became known as Jesus,
since some of these prophecies are about him. So, we have not capitalized the personal pronouns in the places where we think he was speaking.

¹ ‘O islands; listen to this!
Yes, pay attention O nations;
For after some time, it will happen,’ said the Lord.

‘From the belly of my mother, He called me by name
² And He made my mouth a sharp sword.
In the protection of His hand, He then hid me;
Yes, I’m the one He selected
As the favored arrow in His quiver.
³ Then He said, You are My servant!
And through you, I’ll be glorified.

⁴ ‘But I replied, I’m useless and tired.
So, it will all be in vain,
Since I’ve used all my strength and gained nothing.
I have been judged by Jehovah,
And all my works [were examined] by God.

⁵ ‘But now, says Jehovah
(The One that shaped me as His servant from the belly),
You must collect Jacob for Me
So that IsraEl will all be returned.

‘He said that before Him, I’ll be glorified,
And in my God, I’ll gain strength.
⁶ He said, To be called My servant
Is truly the greatest of things;
For the tribes of Jacob, you will return,
And you’ll bring back the scattered of IsraEl.

‘{Look!} I’ve made a Sacred Agreement with them
To be a race that will serve
As a light to the nations,
And I’ll bring them salvation to the ends of the earth.

⁷ ‘Yes Jehovah, IsraEl’s God
(The One that will bring them salvation) says this:
You must treat [this person] as holy
Who views his life as having no value…
The one whom the nations will hate,
And be abhorred by the servants of rulers.

‘But, kings will see him and rulers will rise;
Then before him, they all will bow low,
Because this Lord is trustworthy…
He’s My chosen and IsraEl’s most holy one!
Yes this most holy one can be trusted,
And he’s the one that I’ve chosen, ⁸ said Jehovah.

‘So at a time that I have appointed,
I’ll pay attention to you,
And I’ll save you on the Day of Salvation.

‘For, I’m the one by whom you were formed,
And now I have promised the nations
That I’ll reestablish your land…
You’ll inherit an inheritance that’s been wiped away.

⁹ ‘So, tell those in chains that they can now leave,
And tell those in the darkness to walk toward [the light]!
For in all your paths, there’ll be grazing,
And along all your roads, there’ll be pastures.

¹⁰ ‘There, you’ll no longer be hungry or thirsty,
And you won’t be burned by the sun or hot winds.
For My merciful one will send comfort to you
And lead you beside springs of water…
¹¹ He’ll flatten the mountains that stand in your way,
And the roads will serve as your pastures.

¹² ‘{Look!} [My people] will come from a distance…
Some from the north and some from the west,
And others from the land of the Persians.

¹³ ‘So be glad, you heavens…
Yes, cry out in joy, O you earth…
And mountains, be splitting with glee!
For on His people, our God has shown mercy,
And to those that are meek, He brought comfort.

¹⁴ ‘For in Zion, these words have been spoken:
By Jehovah, I had been abandoned…
By the Lord, I had been forgotten!

¹⁵ ‘But, Jehovah replied and said this:
Will a woman forget her own child…
Will she forget to show mercy
On the one that sprang from her belly?

‘Yet, if a woman could ever forget;
I will never forget you.
¹⁶ For {Look!} I’ve sketched your walls on My hands,
So that you are always before Me.
¹⁷ Thus, what was demolished will soon be rebuilt,
And those that destroyed you will soon be destroyed.

¹⁸ ‘Look up, look around, and see it with your eyes!
{Look!} They’ve all been gathered and returned!’

‘As I live, says Jehovah;
You’ll wear them as ornaments over your clothes…
You’ll wear them as the jewels of a bride.

¹⁹ ‘Now, all of your desolate places
(Those that had once been destroyed,
As well as those that had fallen)
Will then become too confining
For all of those that will dwell there;
Since, those that once swallowed you down
Will then be sent far away.

²⁰ ‘And at that, my [people] will say in your ears:
This place is too cramped for the sons we had lost;
So, please make new places where they can live!

²¹ ‘And then you will ask in your hearts:
Who made me a father to them?
For I’m childless, widowed, and an unwelcome stranger.
But these… who told me to feed them?
Yes, I had been left all alone…
But these… from where did I get them?’

²² ‘Look, says Jehovah, the Lord;
I’ll be lifting My hand to the nations,
And on the islands, I’ll be raising My sign.
Then they’ll lift your sons to their chests,
And your daughters, they’ll lift on their shoulders.

²³ ‘Their kings will then serve as your [butlers],
And their queens will be your wet nurses.
Before you, they’ll bow to the ground,
And they’ll lick the dust from your feet.

‘Then you’ll know that I am Jehovah,
And those waiting for Me will never be shamed.

²⁴ ‘Can someone take loot from a giant,
And will the captured be saved without ransom?
²⁵ No, for thus says Jehovah:
If someone can capture a giant,
He can take all the things that he owns…
In safety, he can loot from the strong.

‘Now, I’m the One who is pleading your case,
And I’m the One who will rescue your sons.
²⁶ So, those who oppress you will eat their own flesh,
And the wine that they drink will be their own blood.

‘Then, they will get drunk and all flesh will see
That I am Jehovah, your Savior…
The One that gives Jacob his power.’

Chapter 50

NOTE: Much of the following prophecy is not actually being spoken by God but by ‘the Lord,’ whom we assume to be the person that later became known as Jesus,
since some of these prophecies are about him. So, we have not capitalized the personal pronouns in the places where we think he was speaking.

¹ And then the Lord said this to me:
‘What kind of divorce certificate is this,
By which I sent you back to your mother…
Yes, whom did I owe that I’ve sold you?

‘{Look!} You were sold because of your sins,
And I sent you home to your mother
Because of your lawless ways!

² ‘When I was there, was there no man?
Yet, when I called you, no one replied.

‘And now, aren’t my hands strong enough
To rescue you and return you…
Am I unable to save you?

‘{Look!} I can scold the seas and wipe them away,
And I can desolate rivers,
Leaving their fish without water,
So they will die in their thirst!

³ ‘With darkness, I can clothe skies,
And wrap them in robes made of sackcloth!’

⁴ ‘Jehovah gave me a tongue to instruct
And a knowledge of when to speak the right words.
Morning after morning, He stood there by me
And gave me ears, so I’d listen…
⁵ [He] opened my ears to instructions,
And I didn’t resist Him or argue.

⁶ ‘So my back, I gave to be whipped,
And my jaws, [I left open] to slaps.
Then to shame those that were spitting on me,
I did not turn my face.

⁷ ‘For the Lord Jehovah is my helper,
And for this, I won’t let them shame me.
Then I set my face as solid as rock
So that I would not bring [Him] dishonor.
⁸ For the One who’s declared me righteous is close…
And by Him alone, am I judged.

‘So, which [of you] would now judge me?
Let him [stand up and] oppose me!
Yes, who is the one that would judge me?
Let him come and resist me!

⁹ ‘{Look!} Since Jehovah will come to my aid,
Who is able to harm me?
{Look!} For like an old robe, such ones will wear out,
And then they’ll be eaten by moths!

¹⁰ ‘Who among you has fear of Jehovah?
If you do; obey the voice of His servant!
So, may those that travel in darkness
(Those for whom there has been no light)
Yield to the name of the Lord,
And lean upon their God for support!

¹¹ ‘{Look!} Though you’ve lit a fire and helped the flames grow,
You were then [drawn] to its light…
Toward the very same flame that you kindled!
And because of me, this has happened,
So in anguish, you’ll spend the rest of your nights!’

Chapter 51

Continuation of a Messianic Prophecy.

¹ ‘Listen to me, O you righteous…
You who are seeking Jehovah;
Look to the rock that you’ve quarried
And into the pit of the well that you’ve dug!
² Look to AbraHam, your father,
And to SarAh, who bore you!

‘Though he was just [flesh], I called out to him…
Yes, I loved him and blest him,
And I prospered his [ways].

³ ‘So, I will bring comfort to Zion…
To your desolate places, I will [bring rest]…
A paradise of God, I will make them.

‘Then, your western lands will be gardens,
And those dwelling there will be happy…
They will be leaping for joy,
And [raising] their voices in praise.

⁴ ‘Listen… yes, hear me, my people;
And kings, give an ear to the things that I say!
For, I will send you my laws
And my judgments will enlighten the nations.

⁵ ‘My justice will come to them swiftly,
And my saving light will quickly arrive.
Then, they will put faith in my arm…
Yes, even the islands will wait upon me,
And they will trust in [the might of] my arms.

⁶ ‘So, lift your eyes to the skies,
Then look to the ground underneath you!
For the skies [will be filled with] smoke,
And the earth will wear out like old clothes…
And though those that live there will die;
My salvation will last through the age…
There’s no way that my justice will fail!

⁷ ‘Hear me, O you that know justice;
For you people have my laws in your hearts.
So, don’t fear the scorning of men,
And don’t let their bad words defeat you!

⁸ ‘Though clothes will wear out with time,
And wool will be eaten by moths;
My justice will last through the ages,
And my salvation is through generations.

⁹ ‘Wake up… wake up, O JeruSalem,
And put on the might of your arm!
Wake up as you did in past days…
Like generations that lived in past ages!

‘Haven’t you [people] been dug up
And ripped apart by the dragon?
¹⁰ But, for your sake, I parted the sea
(All that abundant, deep water),
And then I made a road through its depths
To create a ford for those being saved…
¹¹ For those whose ransom I paid!

‘So it’s by Jehovah that they’ll be returned…
They’ll go back to Zion in gladness…
Through the ages, they’ll be leaping for joy!

‘Upon their heads, there’ll be blessings,
And with great joy, they’ll be overcome,
Since their anguish, grief, and moaning will have ceased.

¹² ‘I am… I am the one that brings comfort!
So, know who it is that you should fear,
Since men and their sons will dry up like grass!

¹³ ‘For, you’ve forgotten your Maker, your God…
The One that created the skies
And that laid the foundations of the earth!
You should fear Him throughout all your days,
Before the oppressor [arrives]…
The one that [has plans to] carry you off!

‘[But don’t fear] the rage of your oppressor;
¹⁴ For, when it comes to bringing salvation,
[Your God] won’t stop or waste time.
¹⁵ He’s the One that jostles the seas…
The One that makes its waves roar…
His Name is Jehovah of Armies.

¹⁶ ‘He’s the One that puts His words in your mouths
And shelters you inside His hand.
He’s the One that established the heavens…
The One that founded the earth…
And the One that said, You’re My people, to Zion,

¹⁷ ‘So wake up… yes arise, O JeruSalem…
You that will drink the rage from the cup
That comes from the hand of Jehovah!
Receive your blows from that cup,
And drink them until they’re all gone!

¹⁸ ‘For no others gave comfort to the children you bore,
And no others held the hands of the sons that you raised.
¹⁹ So, when all these bad things come upon you,
Who will share in your grief…
When downfall, defeat, and hunger arrive,
Along with the edge of the sword…
Whom do you think will bring comfort?

²⁰ ‘At that time, your sons will all be confused,
And like half-boiled beets, they’ll sleep in the streets…
They’ll feel the rage of the Lord,
And before Jehovah, they’ll faint.

²¹ ‘So, you who’ve been humbled should listen
(Yes, you that are drunk, but not from the wine)!
²² For, thus says [Jehovah your] God…
The One that is judging His people:

‘{Look!} I’ve taken the cup of blows from your hands,
Which is the cup of My rage,
So that you must no longer drink it!

²³ ‘For then, I’ll put it into the hands
Of those who’ve been doing you wrong…
Those who are humbling you…
Those telling your souls to bow as they pass…
Those who’ve cut all your things to the ground,
And laid them outside for all passing by.’

Chapter 52

Continuation of a Messianic Prophecy.

¹ ‘Wake up… yes, wake up, O Zion!
O Zion, put on all your strength!
O holy city of JeruSalem,
Put on [all of] your glory!
For the uncircumcised and unclean
Will no longer be passing through you.

² ‘So, shake off the dust and arise…
Sit down and remove the chains from your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion!
³ For, thus says Jehovah [your God]:
Since you were not sold for money,
You won’t be ransomed with silver.

⁴ ‘Yes, thus says Jehovah, your Lord:
My people once went down to Egypt
And they stayed in that place for a while…
But then, to Assyria, they were taken by force…
⁵ Do you know why all these things happened?’

Then the Lord told me this:
‘Since my people were taken without money,
[All should] wonder and shriek!
For, this was said by Jehovah:

‘It’s because My Name was being blasphemed
By you, among all the rest of the nations.
⁶ But then, you’ll remember My Name once again…
Yes, in that day, you’ll know who I am…
For this One that is speaking will come there!

⁷ ‘As a time of beauty on the mountains…
As welcome as the feet of those bringing good news…
As joyful as a message of peace
When good things are being announced,
Will be the day when I save you,
And your God is reigning on Zion again.

⁸ ‘Then the voices of those keeping watch will be raised,
And all their shouts will be joyful.
For they’ll see it happen with their own eyes…
When Jehovah shows mercy on Zion.

⁹ ‘Then JeruSalem’s desolate places
Will applaud together in joy,
Because Jehovah’s shown mercy on them,
And brought salvation to JeruSalem!

¹⁰ ‘Jehovah will bare His great holy arm
Before all of the nations,
And it will be seen to the ends of the earth…
This salvation that comes from our God.

¹¹ ‘So, leave… get out… get away,
And stop touching the thing that’s unclean!
Get out of its midst and stay far away,
You who bear the Lord’s [holy things]!

¹² ‘For you’ll leave without any trouble,
And as you go, you won’t have to run,
Since your Lord will travel before you,
And IsraEl’s God will cover your rear.

¹³ ‘{Look!} My servant will then understand…
He’ll be glorified and exalted…
He’ll be raised exceedingly high
¹⁴ To the amazement of all.

‘Though men will despise his appearance,
And his glory will be hated by sons of men;
¹⁵ The nations will wonder at him,
And at him, [their] kings [will cover] their mouths.
For, things untold, they’ll see about him…
Things they’ve not heard or understood.’

Chapter 53

Continuation of a Messianic Prophecy.

¹ ‘O Jehovah;
Who has trusted the report of the Lord
And to whom has Jehovah’s arm been revealed?

² ‘We’ve announced that a boy has appeared before Him
As a root in land that is dry.
He doesn’t have glory or looks…
We’ve seen him, and he doesn’t have beauty.

³ ‘He’s appeared as one that’s dishonored,
And by sons of men, he seemed lacking.
He’s a man [that was born] for disaster,
And he knows how to bear the illness of men.

Since he turned his face in dishonor,
He wasn’t [thought of as great].
⁴ But, he has carried our sins;
And because of us, he came to know grief.

‘He came here to know misery…
For calamity and ill treatment by God.
⁵ He was wounded because of our sins,
And for our lawless deeds, he was bruised.

‘[To bring us] peace, he was whipped,
And by his stripes, we were healed.
⁶ For, just like sheep, we’ve all strayed,
And in our own ways, we have wandered.

‘So [God] sent him to [cover] our sins;
⁷ And when evil was inflicted upon him,
He did not open his mouth…
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.
And like a lamb with no voice before shearers,
He did not open his mouth.

⁸ ‘In humiliation, his justice was taken away…
Who can speak of the evil of that generation?
His life was lifted away from the land,
And he was led to his death
For the lawless ways of My people.

⁹ ‘Though they made his grave with the wicked,
Among the rich, [he was buried].
For, he had broken no Laws,
Nor was treachery found in his mouth.

¹⁰ ‘It was [God’s] Will to cleanse him [with stripes].
But [because he] was brought as an offering for sins,
Your seed will live very long lives.

¹¹ It was the Will of Jehovah…
It was by His hand that He would remove
The misery that his life came to know…
As well as to show him the light…
To give him great understanding…
And to prove this righteous one just…
This good one that would serve for so many
In order to bear all their sins.

¹² ‘For this, he inherited many,
And he’ll share his spoils with his mighty,
Because his soul was handed to death
And among the lawless, was numbered.
For, the sins of many, he bore…
And for their lawless deeds, he was given.

Chapter 54

¹ ‘So be glad, all you that are sterile,
And yell, O you that haven’t given birth…
Yes you, the ones without birth pains!
For the children of the barren will be many…
More than those that have [their own] man!
For the Lord Jehovah spoke and said this:

² ‘Widen the place for your tent,
And hang leather upon all [its walls]!
Don’t scrimp… take plenty of land,
And then, you should strengthen your tent pegs…
³ Spread out [your tent] to the right and the left!
For your seed will inherit the nations,
And in their empty cities, you’ll dwell.

⁴ ‘So, don’t be afraid that you’ve been disgraced
Or be ashamed that you have been scolded;
For you’ll soon forget all this shame,
And the scorn of the widows will pass,
⁵ Because the Lord has remade you…
The One whose Name is Jehovah of Armies.
Yes, you’ve been saved by IsraEl’s God,
And He will be called, the God of the earth.

⁶ ‘[He] didn’t call you as a woman forsaken…
One broken-hearted and hated since youth.
For, this is what was said by your God:

⁷ ‘Though I left you alone for a while;
Upon you, I’ll now show great mercy.
⁸And though I turned My face in rage for a while,
Ages of mercy, I’ll show you,
Said Jehovah, your Savior.

⁹ ‘This has long been My plan
Since the waters fell upon Noah.
For the oath that I swore toward the earth at that time
Was to send My rage against it no more…
I no longer want you to fear Me.

¹⁰ ‘So your mountains [will never] be changed,
And your hills will not be taken away.
My mercy on you will not fail,
And My Agreement for peace will not be removed.
Yes, that’s how Jehovah spoke kindly of you.

¹¹ ‘Though I’ve humbled you and I’ve confused you,
And you’ve not received any comfort from Me,
{Look!} I’ve prepared garnets as your building stones
And sapphires for your foundations.
¹² I’ll make your parapets of jasper;
With crystal stones, I’ll build your gates;
And I’ll use the choicest of [gems] for your doors.

¹³ ‘Then, all of your sons will be taught about God,
And much peace will be sent to your children.
¹⁴ You’ll be established on justice
Far away from all the unrighteous.
For then, you’ll have nothing to fear,
And trembling will never approach you.

¹⁵ ‘{Look!} Because of Me, strangers will come,
And with you, they will then wish to stay…
For they’ll run to you as their refuge.

¹⁶ ‘{Look!} I did not make you a forge to blow coals,
Nor did I buy you as tools to do work.
For corruption or destruction, you were not made;
¹⁷ So no weapons that they bring against you will win.

‘Then the voices of those who’ve condemned you will end…
This is what God’s servants will inherit.
And before Me, you will be found righteous, says Jehovah.’

Chapter 55

¹ ‘So you thirsty, now come to the water…
Come buy and eat without money…
Yes, come here and buy without paying
For even fat calves and the finest of wines!

² ‘Why place money higher than bread…
Your efforts into things that won’t fill you?
Listen to Me and eat good things…
Yes, your souls will find joy in things that are good!

³ ‘So your ears must pay close attention,
And then you must walk in My ways…
Yes, come and listen to Me,
And your souls will receive all that is good!

‘I’ll proclaim an Agreement with him through the age
For the sacred, trusted things of [King] David.
⁴ {Look!} I’ll seat him as a proof to the nations…
As a ruler and signal to the peoples.

⁵ ‘{Look!} Nations you don’t know will call upon him…
Those you don’t know will seek refuge in him,
Because of your God Jehovah…
Because of IsraEl’s Most Holy One…
For by Him, you’ll be glorified.

⁶ ‘So you each must search for Jehovah,
And when you find Him, you must call out to Him…
Then, He will draw close to you.

⁷ ‘The irreverent should leave their bad ways,
And the lawless should abandon their evil plans!
For, if they’ll return to Jehovah,
Our God will show mercy upon them…
He’ll even forgive the worst of their sins!

⁸ ‘Your plans are not like My plans,
And your ways are not like My ways, says Jehovah.
⁹ As far as the heavens are over the earth,
Are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

¹⁰ ‘For as rain and snow fall from the skies
And do not return ‘til they soak the ground,
And the earth gives birth and sprouts [plants],
Which give seeds to the planters and bread as their food;
¹¹ So are the words that come from My mouth…
To Me, they won’t return empty,
Until they complete whatever I wish…
So I’ll prosper your ways in ways I see fit.

¹² ‘Then, you will travel in joy,
And you will be led out in gladness.
For the mountains and hills will be leaping
And be ready to receive you in favor and care,
As the trees in the fields clap their branches.

¹³ ‘Instead of brush piles, cypress will grow,
And instead of briars, myrtles will sprout.
Then Jehovah’s Name will be known,
And through the ages, it will serve as a sign
That will never come to an end.

Chapter 56

¹ ‘Jehovah says:
Guard right decisions and justice,
For salvation from Me has approached…
Yes, you will soon witness My mercy.

² ‘Blest is the man that is doing these things,
As well as the one that is holding them [dear]…
The one that is guarding the Sabbaths
And is careful not to profane them,
As well as the one that keeps watch on his hands,
So he never does what’s unrighteous.

³ ‘Don’t let the foreigners say
(Those who’ve come to be joined to the Lord),
Jehovah has set me apart from His people.
And may the eunuch not say,
I am just a dry tree!

⁴ ‘For, thus says Jehovah to eunuchs
And to those that are keeping His Sabbaths…
To all that choose to do as He wills
And live by His Sacred Agreement:

⁵ ‘I’ll give you something better than daughters and sons…
From My [Temple] and famous walled [city],
I’ll give you a name through the ages…
[A name] that will never expire.

⁶ ‘I’ll give it to those foreign peoples
Who come to be joined to the Lord…
To those that love him and bow to his name…
To those women and men that will serve him,
And to all that are keeping My Sabbaths
(To those that do not profane them),
And to those that hold onto My Sacred Agreement.

⁷ ‘To My Holy Mountain, I’ll bring them,
And I’ll give them joy in My House of Prayer.
I will accept their burnt offerings
And all that they bring to My Altar.
For, at that time, My [Temple] will be called
A House of Prayer for all Nations.’

⁸ ‘Yes, this was all said by Jehovah…
The One who’ll return IsraEl’s scattered.
He’ll call them for an assembly
⁹ To which the wild beasts are invited…
The wild beasts of the woods will go there and eat!

¹⁰ ‘See how they all have been blinded…
Those dumb dogs that don’t know how to bark…
Those dreaming of beds and those fond of slumber…
¹¹ Those impudent dogs with unfulfilled lives.

‘Because they’re wicked, they don’t understand,
So they’ve followed the ways that they’ve chosen
To gain an unfair advantage…
Those that say, ¹² Come here and get wine;
Then, let’s all drink ‘til we’re drunk.
For tomorrow will be a much better day!’

Chapter 57

¹ ‘See how the righteous ones perish
Because they don’t keep watch on their hearts.
So the righteous are lifted away,
And no one gives it a thought.

‘Yes the just are lifted away
Before the face of injustice.
² And though they’ll find peace in their graves,
They’ve been lifted away from your midst.

³ ‘Then the sons [of the] lawless are led before Me…
The seed of adulterers and whores!

⁴ ‘In what have you found such enjoyment?
Against whom have you opened your mouths
To say wicked things with your tongues?
Aren’t you the sons of destruction…
A seed without any honor?

⁵ ‘Aren’t you the ones that call out to idols
From under all the bushes and trees?
Aren’t you the ones that kill your own babies
Between the rocks in the valleys?

⁶ ‘Yes, this is your portion… this is your lot;
For to [idols], you’ve poured out drink offerings,
And to them, you’ve brought sacrifices…
Wouldn’t such things provoke Me to rage?

⁷ ‘You make your beds on the tops of high hills,
And you carry sacrifices up there.
⁸ Then, behind your doors, you place [idols]…
Do you think that if you leave Me, you’ll prosper?

‘You’ve loved all those with whom you have slept…
⁹ Those with whom you’ve been whoring…
O how many [lovers] have you left behind?

‘You’ve sent ambassadors across all your borders;
And for this, you’ve been [cursed] to the place of the dead.
¹⁰ But, though you’ve tired of your many [bad] ways,
You’ve never said, I’ll repent!
Yes, you have done all these bad things;
And for this, I won’t listen to the things that you beg!

¹¹ ‘You’ve held sacred those things that you fear,
And against Me, you have all lied…
You’ve never stopped to consider
Or to think of Me in your hearts!
¹² So, I will report your [in]justice,
And your evils won’t benefit you.

¹³ ‘Then, in your [time of] affliction,
And when you must call out [for aid],
Ask [your idols] to save you!
For the wind will take all your things,
And a gale will blow them away.

‘But, those that choose to hold onto Me
Are the ones who’ll inherit [the] land,
As well as My Holy Mountain.

¹⁴ ‘Then, at that time, I will say:
Come and smooth out the roads…
Take the rocks from the paths of My people!’

¹⁵ Thus says the Most High God in the heights…
The One that rests in His Most Holy Place…
That place where He dwells through the ages,
In His Most-Holy of Holies…
Jehovah is His [great] Name.
He’s the One that is patient with the meek
And gives life to those who have broken hearts:

¹⁶ ‘I’ll not punish you [again] through this age,
Nor will I remain angry with you.
I will pour My Spirit upon you;
For I’m the One that gave you your breath!

¹⁷ ‘Because of their sins, I grieved them a while…
I turned My face and I struck them…
I brought them grief and they traveled in gloom.

¹⁸ ‘But I saw all their ways and I healed them;
I gave them comfort… comfort that’s true.
¹⁹ Yes, I brought peace upon peace
To those that are near and those far away.’

And Jehovah said:
‘As the result, I will heal them!
²⁰ But the unrighteous will roll like the waves,
And they’ll be unable to rest…
²¹ There’ll be no peace for the godless,’ said God.

Chapter 58

¹ ‘Yell it out loud… don’t hold it back!
Raise your voices like trumpets,
And announce the sins of My people…
Tell the house of Jacob how lawless they’ve been!

² ‘But the day will come when they’ll seek Me
And wish to know all My ways.
For they’ll be a righteous people again,
And they won’t abandon the justice of God.

‘Even now, they ask for My righteous decisions,
And they want to come closer to God.
³ They have repeatedly asked Me:
Why haven’t You looked when we fasted…
Why didn’t You notice when we humbled our souls?

‘[But, this is what you should tell them]:
On the days that you fast, you do as you please…
And you oppress those whom [you employ].

⁴ ‘You fast [to win] lawsuits and battles,
As you beat the humble with your fists.
So, why are you fasting to Me
In the ways that you’re doing today…
Just to hear the sounds of your voices?

⁵ ‘I never chose fasts for such reasons;
For, when you fast, you should humble your souls.
So don’t bend your necks in a crook,
Or wear sackcloth with ashes beneath you;
For, when you call fasts for such reasons,
I will refuse to accept them.’

⁶ Jehovah says:
‘I’ve not asked you to fast for such things.
I’ve asked you to loosen the bonds of injustice,
And to end your violent exchanges.

‘Send away freely, those who’ve been wronged,
And tear up your unrighteous [contracts]!
⁷ Break bread with those that are hungry,
And accept the homeless and poor in your homes!

‘If you see someone naked, provide him with clothes!
And concerning the seed of your family;
You should dislike them no more!
⁸ Then, the next morning, light will break through,
And the things that need cures will be gone.’

[Then, if you should choose to do all these things],
The righteousness will travel with you,
And the glory of God will protect you.
⁹ When you call to Jehovah, He’ll listen,
And while you’re still speaking, He’ll say, ‘Here I am!’

If you’ll get rid of your evil plans,
[And happily] stretch out your hands…
¹⁰ If you will open your hearts
And give bread to the hungry
Until the souls of the humble are filled;
Your light will arise from the darkness,
And your darkness will be as midday;
¹¹ Your God will always be with you,
And you’ll [get] all the things that you want.

Like well-watered gardens, your bones will grow fat,
And you’ll be like springs in a desert.
¹² Your desolate places will all be rebuilt…
For generations of generations, their foundations will last.
You’ll be called a builder of walls,
And there’ll be no stones in your paths.

¹³ If you’ll turn your feet toward the Sabbaths,
And not do as you wish on this holy day;
If you’ll call the Sabbaths delightful
(Things that are holy to God);
If you won’t lift a foot to do work,
Nor let angry words flow from your mouths,
¹⁴ And you just rely on Jehovah;
To your land, He will send blessings…
He’ll feed the inheritance of Jacob (your father).

From the mouth of the Lord, these things were all said.

Chapter 59

¹ Is the hand of Jehovah too weak to save…
Are His ears too heavy to listen?
² It’s your sins that have brought this division
Between yourselves and your God…
It’s because of your sins that He’s turned away
So as not to show mercy upon you.

³ For your hands are tainted with blood,
And your fingers [are covered with] sins.
Your lips speak about lawless things,
And your tongues discuss what’s unrighteous.

⁴ Of righteous things, you no longer talk,
Nor is there any true justice.
You’re relying on things that are foolish,
And the words that you speak are all empty.

To things that are lawless, you’ve given birth,
And to misery, you are a father.
⁵ You hatch eggs of asps and weave spider’s webs;
But before they can be devoured,
A rotten egg breaks and out comes a cobra.

⁶ So, they won’t weave your webs into clothes,
And you’ll not wear the rest of the things that you’ve made;
For, all that you’re doing is lawless.

⁷ Your feet now run toward what’s wicked,
And you’re quick to shed innocent blood.
Your thoughts are all about murder…
In your paths, are misery and destruction.

⁸ The ways of peace, you’ve not known,
And in your roads, there’s injustice.
The paths that you walk are all twisted,
And peaceful ways, you’ve forgotten.
⁹ Yes, things that are fair have all left you…
There’s no way that you will be just.

So, as these people are waiting for light
(As they’re awaiting the sunrise),
All that comes will be darkness,
And they’ll walk as though it were midnight.

¹⁰ Along the walls, like blind men, they’ll grope
(They’ll grope like men with no eyes),
And they’ll stumble at noon as at midnight…
Then, moan like those that are dying…
¹¹ They’ll travel like a bear with a dove.

So although we have waited for justice,
Our salvation is still far away,
¹² Since our lawless ways before Him are great,
And our sins haven’t been left behind.

Yes, our lawless ways are still in us,
And we’re aware of all our offenses.
¹³ We’ve lied and we have been godless…
We have departed from God.

We’ve spoken unjustly and don’t wish to change…
Of unrighteous things, we think in our hearts.
¹⁴ We’ve left behind all that is fair,
And justice is now far away.

Truth is being consumed in our ways,
And we’re unable to walk in straight paths.
¹⁵ Yes, truth has been lifted away,
And the thoughts of the knowing are twisted.

Jehovah saw this and He wasn’t pleased;
For nowhere could fairness be found.
¹⁶ He thought and beheld that there’s no one…
Not a man who’ll give aid [to another].

So, with His arm, He became their defender…
In His mercy, He gave them support.
¹⁷ He put on the chest plate of justice,
And the helmet of salvation, He raised to His head.
¹⁸ In the coat of vengeance, He then wrapped Himself
(In the robe of deserved retribution)
To repay the scorn of His enemies.

¹⁹ So, Jehovah’s Name will be feared in the west,
And in the east, He’ll be honored and respected.
For the anger of the Lord is now blazing
Like the rage of a river.

²⁰ ‘Then a savior will come out of Zion
Who’ll remove the irreverence from Jacob,’ said Jehovah.
²¹ ‘And this is My Promise to him:
My Spirit will rest upon you
And I’ll put My words in your mouth.
At that time, your mouth will not fail you,
Nor will the mouths of your seed
From now and into the ages.’

Chapter 60

¹ So now, you should walk toward the light…
O JeruSalem, be lighted once more!
For His light is shining upon you,
Since the glory of Jehovah has risen!

² {Look!} Though darkness will cover the earth
And the nations will be covered with gloom;
Over you, the Lord will appear,
And His glory will shine down upon you.
³ Then the nations will be drawn to your light,
And their kings will [head toward] your brightness.

⁴ So, lift your eyes and look all around,
For you’ll see your children being gathered…
From far-away places, your sons will return,
And your daughters will be carried on shoulders.

⁵ You’ll see it in fear and your hearts will [skip beats];
For the wealth of the seas will then turn toward you,
And to you, the nations and peoples will stream.

⁶ Then, you will own teams of camels!
For the camels of Midian, Ephah, and Sheba
Will arrive bearing gold and frankincense…
And with the good news of Jehovah’s salvation.

⁷ ‘The sheep of Cypress will be gathered to you,
And NebAiOth’s rams will come also
To be sacrificed on My Altar,
And My House of Prayer will be glorified.

⁸ ‘Who are these that fly by like clouds…
Passing by like doves with their young?

⁹ ‘Islands have waited upon Me…
But first, the boats of TarShish must come
To return your children from faraway lands,
Along with much silver and gold,
To honor the Name of the Lord…
To glorify IsraEl’s Most Holy One.

¹⁰ ‘Then, foreigners will come to rebuild your walls,
And their kings will be standing beside you.

‘And though I struck you because of My rage;
It’s because of My mercy that you will be loved.

¹¹ ‘Then your gates will always be open
(Both day and night they’ll never be locked)
To bring in the might of the nations…
And their kings will be leading the way!

¹² ‘The nations and kings that won’t serve you will die…
They’ll be wiped away and destroyed.
¹³ But to you, the glories of Lebanon will come…
They’ll bring cypress, pine lumber, and cedars
In order to glorify My Holy Place…
I’ll glorify the Place where you stand.

¹⁴ ‘Then the sons of those that once humbled you
Will stand before you in awe.
And those that provoked you will bow
With their heads at the soles of your feet.
You’ll be called the City of [God]…
And IsraEl’s Most Holy Place, Zion.

¹⁵ ‘Because you were abandoned and hated,
And no one came to your aid;
Through the ages, I’ll make you a leaping for joy,
And a gladness throughout generations.

¹⁶ ‘You’ll drink the milk of the nations,
And from the wealth of kings, you will eat.
Then you’ll know that I am Jehovah…
Jacob’s God, who rescues and saves.

¹⁷ ‘Then instead of bronze, I’ll bring gold;
Instead of iron, I’ll bring silver;
Instead of wood, I’ll bring bronze;
And instead of stones, I’ll bring iron.

‘I’ll appoint your rulers for peace,
And your overseers for justice.
¹⁸ No more will injustice be heard in your land…
No misery or destruction within your borders.
For your walls will be known as Salvation,
And your gates will be called Shouts of Joy.

¹⁹ ‘No longer will your days be lit by the sun
And the moon won’t be the light for your nights.
For through ages, Jehovah will serve as your light…
Yes, God will then be your glory!

²⁰ ‘Upon you, the sun will not set,
And the moon will never subside.
For the Lord is your light through the ages,
And your reasons to mourn will be gone.

²¹ ‘Then, all your people will be righteous
And they’ll inherit the land through the ages.
They will keep all the things that they plant,
And the works of their hands, they will own.

²² ‘The remnant will then become thousands,
And the least will become a great nation;
For in time, Jehovah will bring them all back.’

Chapter 61

NOTE: Much of the following prophecy is not actually being spoken by God but by ‘the Lord,’ whom we assume to be the person that later became known as Jesus,
since some of these prophecies are about him. So, we have not capitalized the personal pronouns in the places where we think he was speaking.

¹ ‘The Breath of Jehovah is upon me,
And I’ve been anointed by Him
To announce good news to the poor.

‘He sent me to heal broken hearts,
To proclaim a freedom to captives
And a recovery of sight to the blind…
² To call for a year of [God’s] favor,
As well as a day of [God’s] vengeance,
And to comfort those who are sad.

³ ‘Instead of ashes, I’m bringing glory
To those that are mourning for Zion…
An anointing of gladness to all those that mourn
That will serve as glorious clothing,
Instead of the spirit of being unclean.

‘They’ll be called, A Generation of the Righteous…
A Planting to the Glory of [God].
⁴ Then, through the ages, they’ll build in the deserts…
In places that were once desolation.

‘They’ll arise and revive desert cities,
Which, through generations, lay wasted.
⁵ Foreign peoples will come there to tend your sheep,
And Philistines will be your vinedressers and plowmen.

⁶ ‘Then, Priests of Jehovah, you will be called…
They’ll say you’re the servants of God.
You’ll devour the strength of the nations,
And be admired because of your wealth.
⁷ So, once again, you’ll inherit the land,
With ages of joy over your heads.

⁸ ‘For, I am the Lord… a lover of justice,
And one that hates unrighteous seizures.
So, to the righteous, I will return
The things for which they’ve worked hard,
And I’ll make an age-long Agreement with them.

⁹ ‘Then their seed will be known by the nations,
And their descendants will be known by all people.
Yes, all that see them will recognize them,
For they’ll be a seed that is blest by God
¹⁰ And find joy in the joy of the Lord.

‘May my soul shout in praise of Jehovah,
For He’s wrapped me in a coat of salvation
And in an inner garment of joy!
A garland, He’s placed on my head, like a groom,
And like a bride, He’s adorned me with jewels.

¹¹ ‘As flowers that grow from the ground
And as seeds that sprout in a garden,
The Lord Jehovah will raise what is righteous,
And bring joy to all of the nations.

Chapter 62

Continuation of a Messianic Prophecy.

¹ ‘For Zion, I will not stay silent,
And for JeruSalem, I will spare none
Until my justice goes forth like the light,
And my salvation burns like a lamp.

² ‘Then the nations will look at your justice,
And their kings will see all your glory.
They will then call you by your new name…
A name that will come from the mouth of Jehovah.
³ For, in His hand, you’ll be a crown…
A royal turban in the hand of our God.

⁴ ‘You’ll no longer be called The Forsaken,
And your land won’t be called Desolation.
My Will, is what you’ll be called,
And your land will be called Habitation.
For the Lord has found pleasure in you,
And with him, you’ll dwell in your land.

⁵ ‘As a young man joins with a virgin
Is how your sons will stick close to you.
For as happy as a groom with his bride
Is how the Lord will find joy in you.

⁶ ‘O JeruSalem;
Upon your walls, I’ll place guards
Who will not stay silent throughout days and nights…
And to the end, they will speak of Jehovah.

⁷ ‘For to you, there’ll be no other like Him,
Because He will set matters straight,
And JeruSalem will be the earth’s navel.

⁸ ‘For, Jehovah swore this by His right hand
And by the strength of His arm:
Your enemies won’t eat your food or your grain,
Nor will foreigner’s sons drink your wine.
⁹ Only the harvesters will eat it,
And they will give praise to Jehovah…
And those that pick [grapes] will drink their [own wine]
Within My Holy estates.

¹⁰ ‘So, get up and open My gates…
Open the way for My people!
Remove the stones from their roads,
And raise a sign that the nations will see.

¹¹ ‘Then, to the ends of the earth,
The Lord will broadcast these words.
He’ll, say to the daughter of Zion:
Look, your Savior has come,
And before his face is his work and reward!

¹² ‘Then He’ll call you, A Most Holy People
Who have been Ransomed by [God].
And you’ll be called, The City We’ve Searched For,
And no longer, The One that’s Abandoned.’

Chapter 63

Continuation of a Messianic Prophecy.

¹ Who is this that’s coming from Edom
(From BozRah, wearing clothes with red stains)…
This handsome one with that great, mighty arm?

‘I have [arrived to bring] justice
And [to plead] your case for salvation.’

² But, why are you wearing red clothes,
As though you’ve been treading a vat?

³ ‘I’m covered with the things that I’ve trampled,
And none from the nations are with me;
For I’ve trampled them all in my rage.

‘I broke them [like plowing] the ground,
And I’ve poured their blood out over the land…
So, that’s why my clothes are defiled.

⁴ ‘For the day of retribution has come
And the year for paying the ransom is here.

⁵ ‘But I searched and found no one to help me…
I noticed that no one would come to my aid.
So I brought salvation with my own mighty arm…
I attended to it in my rage.

⁶ ‘I trampled them down in my anger,
And I led their blood into the ground!’

⁷ I’ve considered the mercies of [God],
And the virtues of His retribution.
[I found His] judgments on IsraEl just,
For what He brings is justice and mercy.

⁸ He said, ‘If My children will show Me respect;
From their opposers, I’ll save them…
Yes Me, not My angel or envoy!’

⁹ Because He loves them, He’ll save them…
He’ll spare them, and [He’ll pay] their ransom.
But, though He once took them and raised them;
Throughout the days of that age
¹⁰ They still refused to listen to Him,
And by this, they provoked His Spirit.

So Jehovah turned against them in hatred,
And then He waged war against them.
¹¹ But He thought about days of old,
And then, He raised a man from the ground
Who would shepherd His sheep.

¹² So, where is this one that poured out [God’s] Breath…
The one that led Moses with his right hand…
This one with the glorious arm?

Before [Moses], he conquered the waters,
And through ages, he made a name for himself.
¹³ For he led them through the deep [sea];
Then like horses in the desert, they didn’t wear out.

¹⁴ Thereafter, as though they were cattle,
[They traveled from there through] the plains…
For the Spirit of the Lord came to guide them.
And once more, this is how he will lead them,
And make a glorious name for himself.

¹⁵ So, turn and look down from the heavens…
Look down from your holy, glorious place!
Where is your zeal and your strength…
Where is the mercy and compassion
That you’ve been withholding from us?

¹⁶ Our father, you have become;
For by AbraHam, we wouldn’t be known,
Nor would IsraEl be able to recognize us.
So Lord, please come to our aid;
For you have become our [true] father!

¹⁷ From ancient times, we’ve carried [God’s] Name;
So, why did He let us stray from His ways
And harden our hearts not to fear Him?

Please return to us, because we’re Your servants…
We’re the tribes that You have chosen by lot
¹⁸ To inherit Your Most Holy Mountain.

Your enemies have trampled on Your Holy Place,
¹⁹ And we’ve returned to what we once were
Before You became our Ruler
And when we were not called by Your Name.

Chapter 64

¹ If You should choose to open the skies,
The mountains would tremble and melt
As though they were beeswax in fire.

² So, You will send flames to consume [our oppressors],
And [among us], Your Name will then shine…
Before You, the nations will quiver.
³ And when You do Your honorable deeds,
The mountains will all start to tremble.

⁴ Through the ages, no one has ever heard,
Nor have their eyes seen a god that’s like You…
None that have done the deeds You’ve done
On behalf of those seeking Your mercy.

⁵ You will meet with the righteous,
And remember how we had been just.
{Look!} But now, we have sinned and provoked You to rage,
And for this, we’ve been forced to wander.

⁶ For we’ve pushed aside what is righteous
Like a rag of menstruation.
Into lawless ways, we have fallen like leaves,
So the wind will blow us away.

⁷ Now, none among us call on Your Name,
Nor have any remembered to grab hold of You.
So from us, You have turned Your face,
And You’ve handed us over because of our sins.

⁸ But Jehovah; You are our [true] Father,
And we are just [clay]… the works of Your hands.
⁹ So [please] don’t stay angry with us…
Don’t always remember our sins!

O Jehovah, please look down upon us,
Because, we are your people!
¹⁰ Your Holy City Zion, is now desolation,
For JeruSalem has been destroyed.
¹¹ Your House and its Glorious Most Holy
By which our fathers were blest,
Lies scorched, and its honorable things are torn down.

¹² All of this, You’ve had to endure, O Lord…
As You’ve been silent and let us be humbled.

Chapter 65

¹ ‘I was seen by those not searching for Me
And found by those not asking for Me…
I said, Here I am, to a nation
That had never called on My Name.

² ‘For I’ve held out My hands all day long
To a people that just wouldn’t listen,
And to those that only talked back…
Those that have not followed in good ways,
But who’ve kept on [walking] in sin.

³ ‘Before Me, they stand and [do evil things]…
For they sacrifice in their gardens
And burn incense on bricks before demons;
⁴ They sleep in tombs and in caves to have dreams,
Then eat pig flesh and [offer Me] gravy.

‘So, all that [they offer] is tainted;
⁵ Yet, they say, Stay away… don’t approach me!
For, I have made myself clean!

‘Such things will bring them the smoke of My rage,
And a fire that will burn through the rest of their days.

⁶ ‘Look! It’s written that here in My presence,
I won’t stay silent until I’ve repaid
And [raked] all their sins onto their chests,
⁷ As well as the sins of their fathers,’ says Jehovah.

‘So on those that burn incense on the mountains
And speak ill of Me in the hills;
I’ll [rake] their [bad] deeds onto their chests!’

⁸ Jehovah says:
‘When they find seeds in grapes, they often say,
Do not throw them away,
For they will bring us good luck!
And that’s how I’ll deal with My servants…
It’s what I’ll do, so I don’t destroy all.

⁹ ‘From Jacob and Judah, I’ll pick out one seed
Who’ll inherit my Holy Mountain.
My elected, he’ll also inherit,
And they will dwell with him there.

¹⁰ ‘Then, flocks will live in their groves,
And in the Valley of Achor,
My people’s herds will find rest…
Yes, the [sheep among those] that are searching for Me.

¹¹ ‘But, you are the ones that have left Me…
From My Holy Mountain, you’ve turned away,
As you’ve prepared tables for demons,
And mixed [magic potions] to bring you good luck.

¹² ‘So, to the sword, I’ll now hand you,
And you will fall in the slaughter.
For I called out, but you wouldn’t listen…
I spoke, but you paid no attention…
You kept doing what’s wicked before Me,
And the things I don’t want are the things that you chose.

¹³ ‘So because of this,’ says Jehovah,
‘{Look!} My servants will eat, while you starve;
{Look!} My servants will drink, while you’re thirsty;
{Look!} And those serving Me will be happy,
While you will be filled with shame.

¹⁴ ‘Yes, those serving Me will cry out in joy,
While you cry out in misery of heart…
And you’ll shriek as you’re being destroyed!

¹⁵ ‘Then the names that you’ll leave behind
Will be a glut to My chosen ones.
For the Lord will do away with you all,
And I’ll give a new name to My servants.

¹⁶ ‘Throughout the whole earth, they’ll be blest,
And they will give praise to Jehovah.
Then, those on the earth that swear oaths,
Will swear them by the true God.
They’ll forget the trials that they had to endure…
Such things won’t enter their hearts.

¹⁷ ‘For there’ll be new lands and new skies,
And past things will not be remembered,
Nor will they enter their hearts.
¹⁸ Then, all will be leaping for joy
Because of the happiness they’ll find there!

‘{Look!} I’ll make JeruSalem a leaping for joy
And a source of glee to My people.
¹⁹ About that city, I’ll shout in praise,
And be happy along with My people.

‘No more will you hear sounds of weeping
Or the sounds of crying among them.
²⁰ No way will there be a miscarriage,
Or the old that don’t live out their days.
For a man will be young at a hundred,
And at a hundred, the sinners will be cursed and die.

²¹ ‘The rest will build houses in which they will live…
They will plant vineyards and eat their fruit,
And they will drink their own wine.
²² No way will they then build for others,
And no way will they plant what others will eat.

‘Then the days of My people will be like a tree,
And what they make with their hands will grow old.

²³ ‘My elected won’t labor for nothing,
Nor will they give birth to cursed children;
For their seed and all their descendants
Will then be blessings from God.

²⁴ ‘Before they call, I will hear them,
And when they speak, I’ll ask what they want.

²⁵ ‘Then wolves and lambs will all graze together,
And lions will eat straw like the ox.
The snake will eat the ground as its bread,
And none will harm or destroy
On My Holy Mountain,’ says Jehovah.

Chapter 66

¹ Jehovah said:
‘Since the heavens are My Throne and the earth is My footstool;
What kind of House can you build for Me…
What kind of place [can you build] for My rest?
² For, since it all was made by My hands,
These things are [already] Mine!’

Then Jehovah said:
‘Upon whom will I look [in favor]?
Just the unassuming and humble…
Just those who tremble at the things that I say.

³ ‘But a calf that is offered by the lawless
Is to Me, like the slaps of a man.
And when they sacrifice from the flock,
I view it as though they are offering dogs.

‘[I consider] their offerings of fine flour
The same as the blood of a pig…
And the frankincense that they offer
As shouting blasphemies against Me.

‘For they’ve each selected their own ways to go,
And what they’ve chosen has proven disgusting.
⁴ So I’ll choose My own ways to mock them,
And I’ll pay them back for their sins.

‘For I called out to them and they chose not to hear…
I spoke and they just wouldn’t listen.
Before Me, they’ve acted wickedly,
And done things that I didn’t want.’

⁵ So, hear the word of Jehovah,
O you that tremble when you hear His voice!
Tell your brothers that hate and detest you
To glorify the Name of Jehovah –
[A Name] that should be looked on in joy
And of which they should not feel ashamed!

⁶ There’s a voice crying out from the city…
From the Temple, a voice can be heard…
It is the voice of Jehovah,
And concerning His retribution, He said:
⁷ ‘Before her labor to give birth
And before the misery of birth pangs,
She fled and gave birth to a son.’

⁸ Who has ever heard such a thing…
Who’s ever seen anything like it?
Has the earth given birth in a day…
Has a nation given birth all at once,
As Zion will labor and bring forth [a son]?

⁹ Jehovah said:
‘I told them what they should expect,
But they failed to remember [My words].
For {Look!} I made the ones that give birth,
As well as those that are sterile.’

And your God says:
¹⁰ ‘So JeruSalem; you should be glad…
Those that love her should all celebrate.
Yes, celebrate in joy, you who live there,
And all of you who have mourned her!

¹¹ ‘For, you can now nurse and be filled
With the comfort that comes from her breasts…
In sucking, you too may indulge,
When her glory is finally shown.’

¹² Jehovah said:
‘{Look!} Toward them, I’ll divert a river of peace,
And they’ll be covered with the glory of the nations
Who’ll carry your children on their shoulders,
And on their knees, [your young] will find comfort,
¹³ As any [good] mother gives comfort.

‘This is how I will then bring comfort to you…
And JeruSalem; you’ll find comfort.
¹⁴ You’ll see it and rejoice in your heart and your bones…
Then you’ll flourish like grass in a pasture!’

Then, all will know that this came from [God’s] hand…
Yes, all those that fear Him will know it.
But, He will threaten all those
Who choose to resist His persuasion.

¹⁵ For {Look!} the Lord will come like a fire…
As a blast from his chariot wheels, in his rage,
To pay back and punish in flames
All those who’ve turned from [God] in contempt.

¹⁶ ‘Then the lands will be judged by his fire,
And all flesh [will be judged] by his sword.
Many will be slain by the Lord in that day…
¹⁷ Those who’ve gone to their gardens for cleansing
And those that ate pork on their thresholds
(The disgusting things and the mouse)…
Together, they’ll all be consumed,’ said Jehovah.

¹⁸ ‘I know of their works and their ways,
And I’ve come to gather all nations and tongues…
To see My glory, they’ll gather,
¹⁹ And I will give them a sign.

‘I’ll bring back those that I gave to the nations…
From TarShish, Pul, MeShach, and Lud…
From Tubal, Greece, and the islands…
From those far away who’ve not heard of My Name
And from those who’ve not witnessed My glory.

‘They’ll announce My glory to the nations…
²⁰ And then, as a gift from the Lord;
From the nations, I’ll bring back your brothers,
Along with horses and wagons,
And royal chariots with awnings, drawn by mules.’

And Jehovah said:
‘Then the sons of IsraEl will bring sacrifices
And sing songs in the [Temple] of God.
²¹ And from them, I’ll choose Levites and Priests,’ said Jehovah.
²² ‘For, as the new lands and new skies that I’ll make
Have been waiting before Me,’ says Jehovah;
‘I’ll establish your seed and your name.

²³ ‘Then, there in JeruSalem;
From New Moon to New Moon and Sabbath to Sabbath,
All flesh will come and bow before Me,’ said Jehovah.

²⁴ ‘They’ll go out and see the bodies of men
(Those who’ve rebelled against Me)
Whose worms won’t come to an end,
And whose fire will not be extinguished…
It’ll be a sight for all flesh [to see].’

The Ancient Scriptures of Israel

The Christian Era Scriptures

Note that this is the legacy version of the translation last updated in December 2020. You can also see the latest version.

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