Isaiah 3

King James Version

Full text for Isaiah Chapter 3

1¶ For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

2The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,

3The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.

4And I will give children [to be] their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

5And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

6When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, [saying], Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and [let] this ruin [be] under thy hand:

7In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house [is] neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.

8For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings [are] against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

9¶ The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide [it] not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

10Say ye to the righteous, that [it shall be] well [with him]: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

11Woe unto the wicked! [it shall be] ill [with him]: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

12[As for] my people, children [are] their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause [thee] to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.

13The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.

14The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor [is] in your houses.

15What mean ye [that] ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

16¶ Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing [as] they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:

17Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.

18In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of [their] tinkling ornaments [about their feet], and [their] cauls, and [their] round tires like the moon,

19The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,

20The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,

21The rings, and nose jewels,

22The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,

23The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.

24And it shall come to pass, [that] instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; [and] burning instead of beauty.

25Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.

26And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she [being] desolate shall sit upon the ground.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The Lord declares impending judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah, removing all capable leadership and essential provisions due to their widespread sin and rebellion. This will result in social chaos, oppression by immature rulers, and the desolation of the land. The chapter also pronounces woe upon the wicked and promises well-being for the righteous, concluding with a specific judgment against the haughty daughters of Zion.

Medium Summary

Isaiah chapter 3 foretells the Lord's severe judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah, where He will remove all forms of societal support, including sustenance and competent leadership. This removal will lead to a state of anarchy, with children and babes ruling, causing widespread oppression and social disorder where even basic leadership is shunned due to the prevailing ruin. The core reason for this divine intervention is the people's open rebellion and sin, which they display as brazenly as Sodom. The prophet contrasts the fate of the righteous, who will be blessed, with the wicked, who will receive their just reward. The Lord then stands to judge the elders and princes for their exploitation of the poor. Furthermore, a specific condemnation is issued against the haughty 'daughters of Zion' for their vanity and luxurious adornments, declaring that their beauty will be replaced with shame and desolation. Ultimately, the men of Judah will fall in war, and the city itself will mourn its ruin.

Long Summary

Isaiah chapter 3 commences with a declaration from the Lord of hosts concerning His impending judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah. He states that He will remove all forms of 'stay and staff,' signifying both essential provisions like bread and water, and all capable leadership. This includes mighty men, judges, prophets, prudent counselors, military captains, and skilled artisans, leaving the nation bereft of guidance. As a consequence, children and babes will be appointed as princes, leading to widespread societal oppression where individuals are exploited by their neighbors, and the young disrespect the old. The text describes a scene where men will refuse leadership, citing their own lack of resources and inability to heal the nation's ruin. The underlying cause for this severe judgment is explicitly stated: Jerusalem and Judah's 'tongue and their doings' are against the Lord, openly provoking His glory and declaring their sin like Sodom. A clear theological principle is then articulated, assuring the righteous of well-being and the fruit of their good deeds, while pronouncing woe upon the wicked, who will receive the reward of their evil hands. The Lord then takes His stand to plead and judge His people, specifically confronting the elders and princes for their exploitation of the poor, likening their actions to devouring the 'vineyard' and having the 'spoil of the poor' in their houses. The chapter then shifts focus to a specific condemnation of the 'daughters of Zion,' whose haughtiness, wanton eyes, and ostentatious display of wealth are deemed an offense. The Lord promises to inflict them with a scab, expose their shame, and strip away all their elaborate ornaments, including tinkling anklets, cauls, bracelets, bonnets, and various articles of clothing and jewelry. Instead of beauty and sweet smell, they will experience stink, baldness, sackcloth, and burning. The chapter concludes with a somber prophecy that the men of Zion will fall by the sword in war, and the city gates will lament and mourn, leaving Jerusalem desolate and sitting upon the ground in utter ruin.

Core Concepts

  • Divine JudgmentThe Lord's active intervention to punish Jerusalem and Judah for their sins, removing all societal support and capable leadership as a consequence.
  • Removal of LeadershipGod's act of taking away all competent and wise leaders, such as mighty men, judges, and counselors, replacing them with immature and ineffective rulers like children and babes.
  • Societal ChaosThe breakdown of social order, characterized by widespread oppression, disrespect among people, and the refusal of responsibility due to the nation's prevailing ruin.
  • Sin as the Cause of RuinThe explicit declaration that Jerusalem and Judah's open rebellion, demonstrated through their words and deeds against the Lord, is the direct cause of their impending desolation, likened to the sin of Sodom.
  • Justice for Righteous and WickedThe clear theological principle that the righteous will prosper and eat the fruit of their good deeds, while the wicked will suffer the consequences and receive the reward of their evil actions.
  • Oppression of the PoorThe Lord's specific condemnation of the elders and princes for their exploitation and mistreatment of the poor, likened to devouring the 'vineyard' and having ill-gotten gains in their houses.
  • Haughtiness of Zion's DaughtersThe judgment against the women of Jerusalem for their pride, vanity, and ostentatious display of luxurious adornments, which will be replaced by shame, disease, and desolation.