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.
¹³ The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.
¹⁴ The 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.
¹⁵ What 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:
¹⁷ Therefore 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.
¹⁸ In 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,
¹⁹ The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,
²⁰ The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,
²¹ The rings, and nose jewels,
²² The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,
²³ The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.
²⁴ And 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.
²⁵ Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
²⁶ And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

¹² As for My people, children are their oppressors,
And women rule over them.
O My people! Those who lead you ^[a]cause you to err,
And destroy the way of your paths.”

Oppression and Luxury Condemned

¹³ The Lord stands up to ^[b]plead,
And stands to judge the people.
¹⁴ The Lord will enter into judgment
With the elders of His people
And His princes:
“For you have ^[c]eaten up the vineyard;
The plunder of the poor is in your houses.
¹⁵ What do you mean by crushing My people
And grinding the faces of the poor?”
Says the Lord God of hosts.

¹⁶ Moreover the Lord says:

“Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,
And walk with ^[d]outstretched necks
And ^[e]wanton eyes,
Walking and ^[f]mincing as they go,
Making a jingling with their feet,
¹⁷ Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab
The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion,
And the Lord will uncover their secret parts.”

¹⁸ In that day the Lord will take away the finery:
The jingling anklets, the ^[g]scarves, and the crescents;
¹⁹ The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils;
²⁰ The headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands;
The perfume boxes, the charms,
²¹     and the rings;
The nose jewels,
²²     the festal apparel, and the mantles;
The outer garments, the purses,
²³     and the mirrors;
The fine linen, the turbans, and the robes.

²⁴ And so it shall be:

Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench;
Instead of a sash, a rope;
Instead of well-set hair, baldness;
Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth;
And ^[h]branding instead of beauty.
²⁵ Your men shall fall by the sword,
And your ^[i]mighty in the war.

²⁶ Her gates shall lament and mourn,
And she being desolate shall sit on the ground.

Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 3:12 lead you astray
b. Isaiah 3:13 contend, plead His case
c. Isaiah 3:14 burned
d. Isaiah 3:16 Head held high
e. Isaiah 3:16 seductive, ogling
f. Isaiah 3:16 tripping or skipping
g. Isaiah 3:18 headbands
h. Isaiah 3:24 burning scar
i. Isaiah 3:25 Lit. strength

¹² Youths oppress my people,
    women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;
    they turn you from the path.

¹³ The Lord takes his place in court;
    he rises to judge the people.
¹⁴ The Lord enters into judgment
    against the elders and leaders of his people:
“It is you who have ruined my vineyard;
    the plunder from the poor is in your houses.
¹⁵ What do you mean by crushing my people
    and grinding the faces of the poor?”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

¹⁶ The Lord says,
    “The women of Zion are haughty,
walking along with outstretched necks,
    flirting with their eyes,
strutting along with swaying hips,
    with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
¹⁷ Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion;
    the Lord will make their scalps bald.”

¹⁸ In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces, ¹⁹ the earrings and bracelets and veils, ²⁰ the headdresses and anklets and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, ²¹ the signet rings and nose rings, ²² the fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses ²³ and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls.

²⁴ Instead of fragrance there will be a stench;
    instead of a sash, a rope;
instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;
    instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;
    instead of beauty, branding.
²⁵ Your men will fall by the sword,
    your warriors in battle.
²⁶ The gates of Zion will lament and mourn;
    destitute, she will sit on the ground.

¹² Childish leaders oppress my people,
    and women rule over them.
O my people, your leaders mislead you;
    they send you down the wrong road.

¹³ The Lord takes his place in court
    and presents his case against his people.^[a]
14 The Lord comes forward to pronounce judgment
    on the elders and rulers of his people:
“You have ruined Israel, my vineyard.
    Your houses are filled with things stolen from the poor.
¹⁵ How dare you crush my people,
    grinding the faces of the poor into the dust?”
    demands the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

A Warning to Jerusalem

¹⁶ The Lord says, “Beautiful Zion^[b] is haughty:
craning her elegant neck,
    flirting with her eyes,
walking with dainty steps,
    tinkling her ankle bracelets.
¹⁷ So the Lord will send scabs on her head;
    the Lord will make beautiful Zion bald.”

¹⁸ On that day of judgment
    the Lord will strip away everything that makes her beautiful:
ornaments, headbands, crescent necklaces,
¹⁹     earrings, bracelets, and veils;
²⁰ scarves, ankle bracelets, sashes,
    perfumes, and charms;
²¹ rings, jewels,
²²     party clothes, gowns, capes, and purses;
²³ mirrors, fine linen garments,
    head ornaments, and shawls.

²⁴ Instead of smelling of sweet perfume, she will stink.
    She will wear a rope for a sash,
    and her elegant hair will fall out.
She will wear rough burlap instead of rich robes.
    Shame will replace her beauty.^[c]
25 The men of the city will be killed with the sword,
    and her warriors will die in battle.
²⁶ The gates of Zion will weep and mourn.
    The city will be like a ravaged woman,
    huddled on the ground.

Footnotes:
a. 3:13 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads against the peoples.
b. 3:16 Or The women of Zion (with corresponding changes to plural forms through verse 24); Hebrew reads The daughters of Zion; also in 3:17.
c. 3:24 As in Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text reads robes / because instead of beauty.

¹² As for My people, children are their oppressors,
    and women rule over them.
O My people, those who lead you cause you to err,
    and destroy the way of your paths.

¹³ The Lord stands up to plead
    and stands to judge the people.
¹⁴ The Lord will enter into judgment
    with the elders and the princes of His people:
For you have eaten up the vineyard;
    the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
¹⁵ What do you mean that you beat My people to pieces
    and grind the faces of the poor?
    says the Lord God of Hosts.

¹⁶ Moreover the Lord says:
    Because the daughters of Zion are haughty
and walk with outstretched necks
    and wanton eyes,
walking and mincing as they go,
    and making a tinkling with their feet,
¹⁷ therefore, the Lord will strike with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion,
    and the Lord will make their foreheads bare.

¹⁸ In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the ankle ornaments, and the headbands, and the crescent ornaments, ¹⁹ the chains, and the bracelets, and the veils, ²⁰ the bonnets, the leg ornaments, the sashes, perfume boxes, amulets, ²¹ the finger rings, nose rings, ²² festal robes, outer tunics, cloaks, purses, ²³ hand mirrors, and undergarments, hoods, and veils.

²⁴ Instead of sweet perfume there shall be a stench;
    and instead of a belt, a rope;
and instead of well-set hair, baldness;
    and instead of fine clothes, a girding of sackcloth;
    and branding instead of beauty.
²⁵ Your men shall fall by the sword,
    and your mighty in the war.
²⁶ Her gates shall lament and mourn,
    and she, being desolate, shall sit on the ground.

4 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.
² In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.
³ And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:
⁴ When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.
⁵ And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
⁶ And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

Jerusalem’s Glorious Future

4 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying,
“We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel;
Only let us be called by your name,
To take away our reproach.”

The Renewal of Zion

² In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious;
And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing
For those of Israel who have escaped.

³ And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. ⁴ When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the ^[a]blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, ⁵ then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a ^[b]covering. ⁶ And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.

Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 4:4 bloodshed
b. Isaiah 4:5 canopy

4 ¹ In that day seven women
    will take hold of one man
and say, “We will eat our own food
    and provide our own clothes;
only let us be called by your name.
    Take away our disgrace!”

The Branch of the Lord

² In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. ³ Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. ⁴ The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit^[a] of judgment and a spirit^[b] of fire. ⁵ Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory^[c] will be a canopy. ⁶ It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.

Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 4:4 Or the Spirit
b. Isaiah 4:4 Or the Spirit
c. Isaiah 4:5 Or over all the glory there

4 In that day so few men will be left that seven women will fight for each man, saying, “Let us all marry you! We will provide our own food and clothing. Only let us take your name so we won’t be mocked as old maids.”

A Promise of Restoration

² But in that day, the branch^[a] of the Lord
    will be beautiful and glorious;
the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory
    of all who survive in Israel.
³ All who remain in Zion
    will be a holy people—
those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem
    and are recorded among the living.
⁴ The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion^[b]
    and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains
    with the hot breath of fiery judgment.
⁵ Then the Lord will provide shade for Mount Zion
    and all who assemble there.
He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day
    and smoke and flaming fire at night,
    covering the glorious land.
⁶ It will be a shelter from daytime heat
    and a hiding place from storms and rain.

Footnotes:
a. 4:2 Or the Branch.
b. 4:4 Or from the women of Zion; Hebrew reads from the daughters of Zion.

4 And in that day seven women
    shall take hold of one man, saying,
“We will eat our own bread,
    and wear our own apparel,
only let us be called by your name,
    to take away our reproach.”

The Branch of the Lord

² In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for those of Israel who have escaped. ³ He who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy, even everyone who is written among the living in Jerusalem. ⁴ When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and has purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst by the spirit of justice and by the spirit of burning, ⁵ then the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory shall be a covering. ⁶ There shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and from rain.

5 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
² And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
³ And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
⁴ What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
⁵ And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
⁶ And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
⁷ For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

God’s Disappointing Vineyard

5 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved
A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:

My Well-beloved has a vineyard
^[a]On a very fruitful hill.
² He dug it up and cleared out its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
He built a tower in its midst,
And also ^[b]made a winepress in it;
So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,
But it brought forth wild grapes.

³ “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.
⁴ What more could have been done to My vineyard
That I have not done in it?
Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes,
Did it bring forth wild grapes?
⁵ And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:
I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned;
And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
⁶ I will lay it waste;
It shall not be pruned or ^[c]dug,
But there shall come up briers and thorns.
I will also command the clouds
That they rain no rain on it.”

⁷ For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,
And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.
He looked for justice, but behold, oppression;
For righteousness, but behold, ^[d]a cry for help.

Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 5:1 Lit. In a horn, the son of fatness
b. Isaiah 5:2 Lit. hewed out
c. Isaiah 5:6 hoed
d. Isaiah 5:7 wailing

The Song of the Vineyard

5 I will sing for the one I love
    a song about his vineyard:
My loved one had a vineyard
    on a fertile hillside.
² He dug it up and cleared it of stones
    and planted it with the choicest vines.
He built a watchtower in it
    and cut out a winepress as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
    but it yielded only bad fruit.

³ “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
    judge between me and my vineyard.
⁴ What more could have been done for my vineyard
    than I have done for it?
When I looked for good grapes,
    why did it yield only bad?
⁵ Now I will tell you
    what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,
    and it will be destroyed;
I will break down its wall,
    and it will be trampled.
⁶ I will make it a wasteland,
    neither pruned nor cultivated,
    and briers and thorns will grow there.
I will command the clouds
    not to rain on it.”

⁷ The vineyard of the Lord Almighty
    is the nation of Israel,
and the people of Judah
    are the vines he delighted in.
And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed;
    for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.

A Song about the Lord’s Vineyard

5 Now I will sing for the one I love
    a song about his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
    on a rich and fertile hill.
² He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
    and planted it with the best vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
    and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
    but the grapes that grew were bitter.

³ Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah,
    you judge between me and my vineyard.
⁴ What more could I have done for my vineyard
    that I have not already done?
When I expected sweet grapes,
    why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?

⁵ Now let me tell you
    what I will do to my vineyard:
I will tear down its hedges
    and let it be destroyed.
I will break down its walls
    and let the animals trample it.
⁶ I will make it a wild place
    where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed,
    a place overgrown with briers and thorns.
I will command the clouds
    to drop no rain on it.

⁷ The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
    The people of Judah are his pleasant garden.
He expected a crop of justice,
    but instead he found oppression.
He expected to find righteousness,
    but instead he heard cries of violence.

The Song of the Vineyard

5 Now I will sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved
    concerning His vineyard:
My well-beloved has a vineyard
    in a very fruitful hill.
² And He fenced it, and removed its stones,
    and planted it with the choicest vine.
And He built a tower in the midst of it,
    and also made a winepress in it;
and He expected it to bring forth good grapes,
    but it brought forth wild grapes.

³ Now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
    judge between My vineyard and Me.
⁴ What more could have been done to My vineyard
    that I have not done in it?
Why, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes,
    did it bring forth wild grapes?
⁵ So now I will tell you
    what I will do to My vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,
    and it shall be consumed;
I will break down its wall,
    and it shall be trodden down.
⁶ And I will lay it waste:
    It shall not be pruned or dug,
    but briers and thorns shall come up.
I will also command the clouds
    that they rain no rain on it.

⁷ For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts
    is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah
    His pleasant plant.
Thus He looked for justice, but saw oppression;
    for righteousness, but heard a cry.

⁸ Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!
⁹ In mine ears said the Lord of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant.
¹⁰ Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah.
¹¹ Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!
¹² And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.
¹³ Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.
¹⁴ Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
¹⁵ And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:
¹⁶ But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.
¹⁷ Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.
¹⁸ Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:
¹⁹ That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!
²⁰ Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
²¹ Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
²² Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
²³ Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

Impending Judgment on Excesses

⁸ Woe to those who ^[a]join house to house;
They add field to field,
Till there is no place
Where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land!
⁹ In my hearing the Lord of hosts said,
“Truly, many houses shall be desolate,
Great and beautiful ones, without inhabitant.
¹⁰ For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath,^[b]
And a homer of seed shall yield one ^[c]ephah.”

¹¹ Woe to those who rise early in the morning,
That they may ^[d]follow intoxicating drink;
Who continue until night, till wine inflames them!
¹² The harp and the strings,
The tambourine and flute,
And wine are in their feasts;
But they do not regard the work of the Lord,
Nor consider the operation of His hands.

¹³ Therefore my people have gone into captivity,
Because they have no knowledge;
Their honorable men are famished,
And their multitude dried up with thirst.
¹⁴ Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself
And opened its mouth beyond measure;
Their glory and their multitude and their pomp,
And he who is jubilant, shall descend into it.
¹⁵ People shall be brought down,
Each man shall be humbled,
And the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.
¹⁶ But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment,
And God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness.
¹⁷ Then the lambs shall feed in their pasture,
And in the waste places of the ^[e]fat ones strangers shall eat.

¹⁸ Woe to those who ^[f]draw iniquity with cords of ^[g]vanity,
And sin as if with a cart rope;
¹⁹ That say, “Let Him make speed and hasten His work,
That we may see it;
And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come,
That we may know it.”

²⁰ Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!

²² Woe to men mighty at drinking wine,
Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink,
²³ Who justify the wicked for a bribe,
And take away justice from the righteous man!

Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 5:8 Accumulate houses
b. Isaiah 5:10 1 bath=1⁄10 homer
c. Isaiah 5:10 1 ephah=1⁄10 homer
d. Isaiah 5:11 pursue
e. Isaiah 5:17 Lit. fatlings, rich ones
f. Isaiah 5:18 drag
g. Isaiah 5:18 emptiness or falsehood

Woes and Judgments

⁸ Woe to you who add house to house
    and join field to field
till no space is left
    and you live alone in the land.

⁹ The Lord Almighty has declared in my hearing:

“Surely the great houses will become desolate,
    the fine mansions left without occupants.
¹⁰ A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath^[a] of wine;
    a homer^[b] of seed will yield only an ephah^[c] of grain.”

¹¹ Woe to those who rise early in the morning
    to run after their drinks,
who stay up late at night
    till they are inflamed with wine.
¹² They have harps and lyres at their banquets,
    pipes and timbrels and wine,
but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord,
    no respect for the work of his hands.
¹³ Therefore my people will go into exile
    for lack of understanding;
those of high rank will die of hunger
    and the common people will be parched with thirst.
¹⁴ Therefore Death expands its jaws,
    opening wide its mouth;
into it will descend their nobles and masses
    with all their brawlers and revelers.
¹⁵ So people will be brought low
    and everyone humbled,
    the eyes of the arrogant humbled.
¹⁶ But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice,
    and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts.
¹⁷ Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture;
    lambs will feed^[d] among the ruins of the rich.

¹⁸ Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit,
    and wickedness as with cart ropes,
¹⁹ to those who say, “Let God hurry;
    let him hasten his work
    so we may see it.
The plan of the Holy One of Israel—
    let it approach, let it come into view,
    so we may know it.”

²⁰ Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.

²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
    and clever in their own sight.

²² Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine
    and champions at mixing drinks,
²³ who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
    but deny justice to the innocent.

Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 5:10 That is, about 6 gallons or about 22 liters
b. Isaiah 5:10 That is, probably about 360 pounds or about 160 kilograms
c. Isaiah 5:10 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms
d. Isaiah 5:17 Septuagint; Hebrew / strangers will eat

Judah’s Guilt and Judgment

⁸ What sorrow for you who buy up house after house and field after field,
    until everyone is evicted and you live alone in the land.
⁹ But I have heard the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    swear a solemn oath:
“Many houses will stand deserted;
    even beautiful mansions will be empty.
¹⁰ Ten acres^[a] of vineyard will not produce even six gallons^[b] of wine.
    Ten baskets of seed will yield only one basket^[c] of grain.”

¹¹ What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning
    looking for a drink of alcohol
and spend long evenings drinking wine
    to make themselves flaming drunk.
¹² They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties—
    lyre and harp, tambourine and flute—
but they never think about the Lord
    or notice what he is doing.

¹³ So my people will go into exile far away
    because they do not know me.
Those who are great and honored will starve,
    and the common people will die of thirst.
¹⁴ The grave^[d] is licking its lips in anticipation,
    opening its mouth wide.
The great and the lowly
    and all the drunken mob will be swallowed up.
¹⁵ Humanity will be destroyed, and people brought down;
    even the arrogant will lower their eyes in humiliation.
¹⁶ But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be exalted by his justice.
    The holiness of God will be displayed by his righteousness.
¹⁷ In that day lambs will find good pastures,
    and fattened sheep and young goats^[e] will feed among the ruins.

¹⁸ What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them
    with ropes made of lies,
    who drag wickedness behind them like a cart!
¹⁹ They even mock God and say,
    “Hurry up and do something!
    We want to see what you can do.
Let the Holy One of Israel carry out his plan,
    for we want to know what it is.”

²⁰ What sorrow for those who say
    that evil is good and good is evil,
that dark is light and light is dark,
    that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.
²¹ What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes
    and think themselves so clever.
²² What sorrow for those who are heroes at drinking wine
    and boast about all the alcohol they can hold.
²³ They take bribes to let the wicked go free,
    and they punish the innocent.

Footnotes:
a. 5:10a Hebrew A ten yoke, that is, the area of land plowed by ten teams of oxen in one day.
b. 5:10b Hebrew a bath [21 liters].
c. 5:10c Hebrew A homer [5 bushels or 220 liters] of seed will yield only an ephah [20 quarts or 22 liters].
d. 5:14 Hebrew Sheol.
e. 5:17 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads and strangers.

Woes and Judgment

⁸ Woe to those who join house to house,
    who add field to field,
until there is no more space
    where they may live alone in the midst of the land!

⁹ In my ears the Lord of Hosts said:

Truly, many houses shall be desolate,
    even great and beautiful, without inhabitants.
¹⁰ For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath,^[a]
    and the homer^[b] of seed shall yield an ephah.^[c]

¹¹ Woe to those who rise up early in the morning
    that they may pursue strong drink;
who continue late in the evening
    until wine inflames them!
¹² The lyre and the harp, the tambourine and pipe,
    and wine are in their feasts;
but they do not regard the deeds of the Lord,
    or consider the work of His hands.
¹³ Therefore My people go into captivity
    because they have no knowledge;
and their honorable men are famished,
    and their multitude dried up with thirst.
¹⁴ Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself
    and opened its mouth without measure;
so their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp,
    and he who rejoices shall descend into it.
¹⁵ The common man shall be brought down,
    and the great man shall be humbled,
    and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.
¹⁶ But the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in judgment,
    and God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness.
¹⁷ Then the lambs shall feed in their pasture,
    and strangers shall eat in the waste places of the wealthy.

¹⁸ Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood
    and sin as if with a cart rope,
¹⁹ who say, “Let Him make speed
    and hasten His work,
    that we may see it;
and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel
    draw near and come,
    that we may know it!”

²⁰ Woe to those who call evil good,
    and good evil;
who exchange darkness for light,
    and light for darkness;
who exchange bitter for sweet,
    and sweet for bitter!

²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
    and prudent in their own sight!

²² Woe to those who are mighty to drink wine,
    and men of strength to mingle strong drink,
²³ who justify the wicked for a reward,
    and take away the justice of the righteous from him!

Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 5:10 About 6 gallons, or 22 liters.
b. Isaiah 5:10 Likely about 360 pounds, or 160 kilograms.
c. Isaiah 5:10 Likely about 36 pounds, or 16 kilograms.

²⁴ Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
²⁵ Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
²⁶ And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:
²⁷ None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:
²⁸ Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:
²⁹ Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.
³⁰ And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.

²⁴ Therefore, as the ^[a]fire devours the stubble,
And the flame consumes the chaff,
So their root will be as rottenness,
And their blossom will ascend like dust;
Because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts,
And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
²⁵ Therefore the anger of the Lord is aroused against His people;
He has stretched out His hand against them
And stricken them,
And the hills trembled.
Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets.

For all this His anger is not turned away,
But His hand is stretched out still.

²⁶ He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar,
And will whistle to them from the end of the earth;
Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly.
²⁷ No one will be weary or stumble among them,
No one will slumber or sleep;
Nor will the belt on their loins be loosed,
Nor the strap of their sandals be broken;
²⁸ Whose arrows are sharp,
And all their bows bent;
Their horses’ hooves will ^[b]seem like flint,
And their wheels like a whirlwind.
²⁹ Their roaring will be like a lion,
They will roar like young lions;
Yes, they will roar
And lay hold of the prey;
They will carry it away safely,
And no one will deliver.
³⁰ In that day they will roar against them
Like the roaring of the sea.
And if one looks to the land,
Behold, darkness and ^[c]sorrow;
And the light is darkened by the clouds.

Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 5:24 Lit. tongue of fire
b. Isaiah 5:28 Lit. be regarded as
c. Isaiah 5:30 distress

²⁴ Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw
    and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,
so their roots will decay
    and their flowers blow away like dust;
for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty
    and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.
²⁵ Therefore the Lord’s anger burns against his people;
    his hand is raised and he strikes them down.
The mountains shake,
    and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets.

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.

²⁶ He lifts up a banner for the distant nations,
    he whistles for those at the ends of the earth.
Here they come,
    swiftly and speedily!
²⁷ Not one of them grows tired or stumbles,
    not one slumbers or sleeps;
not a belt is loosened at the waist,
    not a sandal strap is broken.
²⁸ Their arrows are sharp,
    all their bows are strung;
their horses’ hooves seem like flint,
    their chariot wheels like a whirlwind.
²⁹ Their roar is like that of the lion,
    they roar like young lions;
they growl as they seize their prey
    and carry it off with no one to rescue.
³⁰ In that day they will roar over it
    like the roaring of the sea.
And if one looks at the land,
    there is only darkness and distress;
    even the sun will be darkened by clouds.

²⁴ Therefore, just as fire licks up stubble
    and dry grass shrivels in the flame,
so their roots will rot
    and their flowers wither.
For they have rejected the law of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies;
    they have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
²⁵ That is why the Lord’s anger burns against his people,
    and why he has raised his fist to crush them.
The mountains tremble,
    and the corpses of his people litter the streets like garbage.
But even then the Lord’s anger is not satisfied.
    His fist is still poised to strike!

²⁶ He will send a signal to distant nations far away
    and whistle to those at the ends of the earth.
    They will come racing toward Jerusalem.
²⁷ They will not get tired or stumble.
    They will not stop for rest or sleep.
Not a belt will be loose,
    not a sandal strap broken.
²⁸ Their arrows will be sharp
    and their bows ready for battle.
Sparks will fly from their horses’ hooves,
    and the wheels of their chariots will spin like a whirlwind.
²⁹ They will roar like lions,
    like the strongest of lions.
Growling, they will pounce on their victims and carry them off,
    and no one will be there to rescue them.
³⁰ They will roar over their victims on that day of destruction
    like the roaring of the sea.
If someone looks across the land,
    only darkness and distress will be seen;
    even the light will be darkened by clouds.

²⁴ Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble
    and the flame consumes the chaff,
so their root shall be as rottenness,
    and their blossom shall go up as dust;
because they have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts
    and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
²⁵ Therefore the anger of the Lord burns against His people,
    and He has stretched out His hand against them, and has stricken them,
and the hills trembled.
    Their corpses were torn in the midst of the streets.

For all this His anger is not turned away,
    and His hand is still stretched out.

²⁶ He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar
    and will hiss at them from the ends of the earth;
certainly they shall come
    with speed, swiftly.
²⁷ No one shall be weary or stumble among them;
    no one shall slumber or sleep;
neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed,
    nor the strap of their shoes be broken;
²⁸ their arrows are sharp
    and all their bows bent;
their horses’ hooves will seem like flint,
    and their wheels like a whirlwind.
²⁹ Their roaring shall be like a lion,
    they shall roar like young lions;
they shall roar and lay hold of the prey;
    and shall carry it away, and no one shall deliver it.
³⁰ In that day they shall roar against them
    like the roaring of the sea.
And if one looks to the land—
    only darkness and sorrow,
    and the light is darkened by the clouds.