Category: Isaiah

A Message about Babylon

1 This message came to me concerning Babylon—the desert by the sea:

Disaster is roaring down on you from the desert,

like a whirlwind sweeping in from the Negev.

2 I see a terrifying vision:

I see the betrayer betraying,

the destroyer destroying.

Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes,

attack and lay siege.

I will make an end

to all the groaning Babylon caused.

3 My stomach aches and burns with pain.

Sharp pangs of anguish are upon me,

like those of a woman in labor.

I grow faint when I hear what God is planning;

I am too afraid to look.

4 My mind reels and my heart races.

I longed for evening to come,

but now I am terrified of the dark.

5 Look! They are preparing a great feast.

They are spreading rugs for people to sit on.

Everyone is eating and drinking.

But quick! Grab your shields and prepare for battle.

You are being attacked!

6 Meanwhile, the Lord said to me,

“Put a watchman on the city wall.

Let him shout out what he sees.

7 He should look for chariots

drawn by pairs of horses,

and for riders on donkeys and camels.

Let the watchman be fully alert.”

8 Then the watchmancalled out,

“Day after day I have stood on the watchtower, my lord.

Night after night I have remained at my post.

9 Now at last—look!

Here comes a man in a chariot

with a pair of horses!”

Then the watchman said,

“Babylon is fallen, fallen!

All the idols of Babylon

lie broken on the ground!”

10 O my people, threshed and winnowed,

I have told you everything theLordof Heaven’s Armies has said,

everything the God of Israel has told me.

A Message about Edom

11 This message came to me concerning Edom:

Someone from Edomkeeps calling to me,

“Watchman, how much longer until morning?

When will the night be over?”

12 The watchman replies,

“Morning is coming, but night will soon return.

If you wish to ask again, then come back and ask.”

A Message about Arabia

13 This message came to me concerning Arabia:

O caravans from Dedan,

hide in the deserts of Arabia.

14 O people of Tema,

bring water to these thirsty people,

food to these weary refugees.

15 They have fled from the sword,

from the drawn sword,

from the bent bow

and the terrors of battle.

16 The Lord said to me, “Within a year, counting each day,all the glory of Kedar will come to an end.

17 Only a few of its courageous archers will survive. I, theLord, the God of Israel, have spoken!”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/ISA/21-4ef6ec0433e8e654d0c3385a26904fae.mp3?version_id=116—

A Message about Jerusalem

1 This message came to me concerning Jerusalem—the Valley of Vision:

What is happening?

Why is everyone running to the rooftops?

2 The whole city is in a terrible uproar.

What do I see in this reveling city?

Bodies are lying everywhere,

killed not in battle but by famine and disease.

3 All your leaders have fled.

They surrendered without resistance.

The people tried to slip away,

but they were captured, too.

4 That’s why I said, “Leave me alone to weep;

do not try to comfort me.

Let me cry for my people

as I watch them being destroyed.”

5 Oh, what a day of crushing defeat!

What a day of confusion and terror

brought by the Lord, theLordof Heaven’s Armies,

upon the Valley of Vision!

The walls of Jerusalem have been broken,

and cries of death echo from the mountainsides.

6 Elamites are the archers,

with their chariots and charioteers.

The men of Kir hold up the shields.

7 Chariots fill your beautiful valleys,

and charioteers storm your gates.

8 Judah’s defenses have been stripped away.

You run to the armoryfor your weapons.

9 You inspect the breaks in the walls of Jerusalem.

You store up water in the lower pool.

10 You survey the houses and tear some down

for stone to strengthen the walls.

11 Between the city walls, you build a reservoir

for water from the old pool.

But you never ask for help from the One who did all this.

You never considered the One who planned this long ago.

12 At that time the Lord, theLordof Heaven’s Armies,

called you to weep and mourn.

He told you to shave your heads in sorrow for your sins

and to wear clothes of burlap to show your remorse.

13 But instead, you dance and play;

you slaughter cattle and kill sheep.

You feast on meat and drink wine.

You say, “Let’s feast and drink,

for tomorrow we die!”

14 TheLordof Heaven’s Armies has revealed this to me: “Till the day you die, you will never be forgiven for this sin.” That is the judgment of the Lord, theLordof Heaven’s Armies.

A Message for Shebna

15 This is what the Lord, theLordof Heaven’s Armies, said to me: “Confront Shebna, the palace administrator, and give him this message:

16 “Who do you think you are,

and what are you doing here,

building a beautiful tomb for yourself—

a monument high up in the rock?

17 For theLordis about to hurl you away, mighty man.

He is going to grab you,

18 crumple you into a ball,

and toss you away into a distant, barren land.

There you will die,

and your glorious chariots will be broken and useless.

You are a disgrace to your master!

19 “Yes, I will drive you out of office,” says theLord. “I will pull you down from your high position.

20 And then I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah to replace you.

21 I will dress him in your royal robes and will give him your title and your authority. And he will be a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah.

22 I will give him the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royal court. When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them; when he closes doors, no one will be able to open them.

23 He will bring honor to his family name, for I will drive him firmly in place like a nail in the wall.

24 They will give him great responsibility, and he will bring honor to even the lowliest members of his family.”

25 But theLordof Heaven’s Armies also says: “The time will come when I will pull out the nail that seemed so firm. It will come out and fall to the ground. Everything it supports will fall with it. I, theLord, have spoken!”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/ISA/22-b71e471c6752af06a8a94c1cc8d85746.mp3?version_id=116—

A Message about Tyre

1 This message came to me concerning Tyre:

Wail, you trading ships of Tarshish,

for the harbor and houses of Tyre are gone!

The rumors you heard in Cyprus

are all true.

2 Mourn in silence, you people of the coast

and you merchants of Sidon.

Your traders crossed the sea,

3 sailing over deep waters.

They brought you grain from Egypt

and harvests from along the Nile.

You were the marketplace of the world.

4 But now you are put to shame, city of Sidon,

for Tyre, the fortress of the sea, says,

“Now I am childless;

I have no sons or daughters.”

5 When Egypt hears the news about Tyre,

there will be great sorrow.

6 Send word now to Tarshish!

Wail, you people who live in distant lands!

7 Is this silent ruin all that is left of your once joyous city?

What a long history was yours!

Think of all the colonists you sent to distant places.

8 Who has brought this disaster on Tyre,

that great creator of kingdoms?

Her traders were all princes,

her merchants were nobles.

9 TheLordof Heaven’s Armies has done it

to destroy your pride

and bring low all earth’s nobility.

10 Come, people of Tarshish,

sweep over the land like the flooding Nile,

for Tyre is defenseless.

11 TheLordheld out his hand over the sea

and shook the kingdoms of the earth.

He has spoken out against Phoenicia,

ordering that her fortresses be destroyed.

12 He says, “Never again will you rejoice,

O daughter of Sidon, for you have been crushed.

Even if you flee to Cyprus,

you will find no rest.”

13 Look at the land of Babylonia—

the people of that land are gone!

The Assyrians have handed Babylon over

to the wild animals of the desert.

They have built siege ramps against its walls,

torn down its palaces,

and turned it to a heap of rubble.

14 Wail, you ships of Tarshish,

for your harbor is destroyed!

15 For seventy years, the length of a king’s life, Tyre will be forgotten. But then the city will come back to life as in the song about the prostitute:

16 Take a harp and walk the streets,

you forgotten harlot.

Make sweet melody and sing your songs

so you will be remembered again.

17 Yes, after seventy years theLordwill revive Tyre. But she will be no different than she was before. She will again be a prostitute to all kingdoms around the world.

18 But in the end her profits will be given to theLord. Her wealth will not be hoarded but will provide good food and fine clothing for theLord’s priests.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/ISA/23-00f28748d878def460558e5c4f8c5ee7.mp3?version_id=116—

Destruction of the Earth

1 Look! TheLordis about to destroy the earth

and make it a vast wasteland.

He devastates the surface of the earth

and scatters the people.

2 Priests and laypeople,

servants and masters,

maids and mistresses,

buyers and sellers,

lenders and borrowers,

bankers and debtors—none will be spared.

3 The earth will be completely emptied and looted.

TheLordhas spoken!

4 The earth mourns and dries up,

and the land wastes away and withers.

Even the greatest people on earth waste away.

5 The earth suffers for the sins of its people,

for they have twisted God’s instructions,

violated his laws,

and broken his everlasting covenant.

6 Therefore, a curse consumes the earth.

Its people must pay the price for their sin.

They are destroyed by fire,

and only a few are left alive.

7 The grapevines waste away,

and there is no new wine.

All the merrymakers sigh and mourn.

8 The cheerful sound of tambourines is stilled;

the happy cries of celebration are heard no more.

The melodious chords of the harp are silent.

9 Gone are the joys of wine and song;

alcoholic drink turns bitter in the mouth.

10 The city writhes in chaos;

every home is locked to keep out intruders.

11 Mobs gather in the streets, crying out for wine.

Joy has turned to gloom.

Gladness has been banished from the land.

12 The city is left in ruins,

its gates battered down.

13 Throughout the earth the story is the same—

only a remnant is left,

like the stray olives left on the tree

or the few grapes left on the vine after harvest.

14 But all who are left shout and sing for joy.

Those in the west praise theLord’s majesty.

15 In eastern lands, give glory to theLord.

In the lands beyond the sea, praise the name of theLord, the God of Israel.

16 We hear songs of praise from the ends of the earth,

songs that give glory to the Righteous One!

But my heart is heavy with grief.

Weep for me, for I wither away.

Deceit still prevails,

and treachery is everywhere.

17 Terror and traps and snares will be your lot,

you people of the earth.

18 Those who flee in terror will fall into a trap,

and those who escape the trap will be caught in a snare.

Destruction falls like rain from the heavens;

the foundations of the earth shake.

19 The earth has broken up.

It has utterly collapsed;

it is violently shaken.

20 The earth staggers like a drunk.

It trembles like a tent in a storm.

It falls and will not rise again,

for the guilt of its rebellion is very heavy.

21 In that day theLordwill punish the gods in the heavens

and the proud rulers of the nations on earth.

22 They will be rounded up and put in prison.

They will be shut up in prison

and will finally be punished.

23 Then the glory of the moon will wane,

and the brightness of the sun will fade,

for theLordof Heaven’s Armies will rule on Mount Zion.

He will rule in great glory in Jerusalem,

in the sight of all the leaders of his people.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/ISA/24-57cffc4716cdc7be736d661b8164d03b.mp3?version_id=116—

Praise for Judgment and Salvation

1 OLord, I will honor and praise your name,

for you are my God.

You do such wonderful things!

You planned them long ago,

and now you have accomplished them.

2 You turn mighty cities into heaps of ruins.

Cities with strong walls are turned to rubble.

Beautiful palaces in distant lands disappear

and will never be rebuilt.

3 Therefore, strong nations will declare your glory;

ruthless nations will fear you.

4 But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, OLord,

a tower of refuge to the needy in distress.

You are a refuge from the storm

and a shelter from the heat.

For the oppressive acts of ruthless people

are like a storm beating against a wall,

5 or like the relentless heat of the desert.

But you silence the roar of foreign nations.

As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat,

so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled.

6 In Jerusalem,theLordof Heaven’s Armies

will spread a wonderful feast

for all the people of the world.

It will be a delicious banquet

with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat.

7 There he will remove the cloud of gloom,

the shadow of death that hangs over the earth.

8 He will swallow up death forever!

The SovereignLordwill wipe away all tears.

He will remove forever all insults and mockery

against his land and people.

TheLordhas spoken!

9 In that day the people will proclaim,

“This is our God!

We trusted in him, and he saved us!

This is theLord, in whom we trusted.

Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!”

10 For theLord’s hand of blessing will rest on Jerusalem.

But Moab will be crushed.

It will be like straw trampled down and left to rot.

11 God will push down Moab’s people

as a swimmer pushes down water with his hands.

He will end their pride

and all their evil works.

12 The high walls of Moab will be demolished.

They will be brought down to the ground,

down into the dust.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/ISA/25-12da063735a593d5479ea2b206d588aa.mp3?version_id=116—

A Song of Praise to the Lord

1 In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song:

Our city is strong!

We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation.

2 Open the gates to all who are righteous;

allow the faithful to enter.

3 You will keep in perfect peace

all who trust in you,

all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

4 Trust in theLordalways,

for theLordGodis the eternal Rock.

5 He humbles the proud

and brings down the arrogant city.

He brings it down to the dust.

6 The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot,

and the needy walk all over it.

7 But for those who are righteous,

the way is not steep and rough.

You are a God who does what is right,

and you smooth out the path ahead of them.

8 Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;

our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.

9 In the night I search for you;

in the morningI earnestly seek you.

For only when you come to judge the earth

will people learn what is right.

10 Your kindness to the wicked

does not make them do good.

Although others do right, the wicked keep doing wrong

and take no notice of theLord’s majesty.

11 OLord, they pay no attention to your upraised fist.

Show them your eagerness to defend your people.

Then they will be ashamed.

Let your fire consume your enemies.

12 Lord, you will grant us peace;

all we have accomplished is really from you.

13 OLordour God, others have ruled us,

but you alone are the one we worship.

14 Those we served before are dead and gone.

Their departed spirits will never return!

You attacked them and destroyed them,

and they are long forgotten.

15 OLord, you have made our nation great;

yes, you have made us great.

You have extended our borders,

and we give you the glory!

16 Lord, in distress we searched for you.

We prayed beneath the burden of your discipline.

17 Just as a pregnant woman

writhes and cries out in pain as she gives birth,

so were we in your presence,Lord.

18 We, too, writhe in agony,

but nothing comes of our suffering.

We have not given salvation to the earth,

nor brought life into the world.

19 But those who die in theLordwill live;

their bodies will rise again!

Those who sleep in the earth

will rise up and sing for joy!

For your life-giving light will fall like dew

on your people in the place of the dead!

Restoration for Israel

20 Go home, my people,

and lock your doors!

Hide yourselves for a little while

until theLord’s anger has passed.

21 Look! TheLordis coming from heaven

to punish the people of the earth for their sins.

The earth will no longer hide those who have been killed.

They will be brought out for all to see.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/ISA/26-e9e6d709eda9862b4b19ee7821b43e2f.mp3?version_id=116—

1 In that day theLordwill take his terrible, swift sword and punish Leviathan,the swiftly moving serpent, the coiling, writhing serpent. He will kill the dragon of the sea.

2 “In that day,

sing about the fruitful vineyard.

3 I, theLord, will watch over it,

watering it carefully.

Day and night I will watch so no one can harm it.

4 My anger will be gone.

If I find briers and thorns growing,

I will attack them;

I will burn them up—

5 unless they turn to me for help.

Let them make peace with me;

yes, let them make peace with me.”

6 The time is coming when Jacob’s descendants will take root.

Israel will bud and blossom

and fill the whole earth with fruit!

7 Has theLordstruck Israel

as he struck her enemies?

Has he punished her

as he punished them?

8 No, but he exiled Israel to call her to account.

She was exiled from her land

as though blown away in a storm from the east.

9 TheLorddid this to purge Israel’swickedness,

to take away all her sin.

As a result, all the pagan altars will be crushed to dust.

No Asherah pole or pagan shrine will be left standing.

10 The fortified towns will be silent and empty,

the houses abandoned, the streets overgrown with weeds.

Calves will graze there,

chewing on twigs and branches.

11 The people are like the dead branches of a tree,

broken off and used for kindling beneath the cooking pots.

Israel is a foolish and stupid nation,

for its people have turned away from God.

Therefore, the one who made them

will show them no pity or mercy.

12 Yet the time will come when theLordwill gather them together like handpicked grain. One by one he will gather them—from the Euphrates Riverin the east to the Brook of Egypt in the west.

13 In that day the great trumpet will sound. Many who were dying in exile in Assyria and Egypt will return to Jerusalem to worship theLordon his holy mountain.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/ISA/27-cce09c59ca87eae1f047504b8cc581c5.mp3?version_id=116—

A Message about Samaria

1 What sorrow awaits the proud city of Samaria—

the glorious crown of the drunks of Israel.

It sits at the head of a fertile valley,

but its glorious beauty will fade like a flower.

It is the pride of a people

brought down by wine.

2 For the Lord will send a mighty army against it.

Like a mighty hailstorm and a torrential rain,

they will burst upon it like a surging flood

and smash it to the ground.

3 The proud city of Samaria—

the glorious crown of the drunks of Israel—

will be trampled beneath its enemies’ feet.

4 It sits at the head of a fertile valley,

but its glorious beauty will fade like a flower.

Whoever sees it will snatch it up,

as an early fig is quickly picked and eaten.

5 Then at last theLordof Heaven’s Armies

will himself be Israel’s glorious crown.

He will be the pride and joy

of the remnant of his people.

6 He will give a longing for justice

to their judges.

He will give great courage

to their warriors who stand at the gates.

7 Now, however, Israel is led by drunks

who reel with wine and stagger with alcohol.

The priests and prophets stagger with alcohol

and lose themselves in wine.

They reel when they see visions

and stagger as they render decisions.

8 Their tables are covered with vomit;

filth is everywhere.

9 “Who does theLordthink we are?” they ask.

“Why does he speak to us like this?

Are we little children,

just recently weaned?

10 He tells us everything over and over—

one line at a time,

one line at a time,

a little here,

and a little there!”

11 So now God will have to speak to his people

through foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!

12 God has told his people,

“Here is a place of rest;

let the weary rest here.

This is a place of quiet rest.”

But they would not listen.

13 So theLordwill spell out his message for them again,

one line at a time,

one line at a time,

a little here,

and a little there,

so that they will stumble and fall.

They will be injured, trapped, and captured.

14 Therefore, listen to this message from theLord,

you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem.

15 You boast, “We have struck a bargain to cheat death

and have made a deal to dodge the grave.

The coming destruction can never touch us,

for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.”

16 Therefore, this is what the SovereignLordsays:

“Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,

a firm and tested stone.

It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.

Whoever believes need never be shaken.

17 I will test you with the measuring line of justice

and the plumb line of righteousness.

Since your refuge is made of lies,

a hailstorm will knock it down.

Since it is made of deception,

a flood will sweep it away.

18 I will cancel the bargain you made to cheat death,

and I will overturn your deal to dodge the grave.

When the terrible enemy sweeps through,

you will be trampled into the ground.

19 Again and again that flood will come,

morning after morning,

day and night,

until you are carried away.”

This message will bring terror to your people.

20 The bed you have made is too short to lie on.

The blankets are too narrow to cover you.

21 TheLordwill come as he did against the Philistines at Mount Perazim

and against the Amorites at Gibeon.

He will come to do a strange thing;

he will come to do an unusual deed:

22 For the Lord, theLordof Heaven’s Armies,

has plainly said that he is determined to crush the whole land.

So scoff no more,

or your punishment will be even greater.

23 Listen to me;

listen, and pay close attention.

24 Does a farmer always plow and never sow?

Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting?

25 Does he not finally plant his seeds—

black cumin, cumin, wheat, barley, and emmer wheat—

each in its proper way,

and each in its proper place?

26 The farmer knows just what to do,

for God has given him understanding.

27 A heavy sledge is never used to thresh black cumin;

rather, it is beaten with a light stick.

A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin;

instead, it is beaten lightly with a flail.

28 Grain for bread is easily crushed,

so he doesn’t keep on pounding it.

He threshes it under the wheels of a cart,

but he doesn’t pulverize it.

29 TheLordof Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher,

and he gives the farmer great wisdom.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/ISA/28-b1cece4efddeaf14e6ead41475339351.mp3?version_id=116—

A Message about Jerusalem

1 “What sorrow awaits Ariel,the City of David.

Year after year you celebrate your feasts.

2 Yet I will bring disaster upon you,

and there will be much weeping and sorrow.

For Jerusalem will become what her name Ariel means—

an altar covered with blood.

3 I will be your enemy,

surrounding Jerusalem and attacking its walls.

I will build siege towers

and destroy it.

4 Then deep from the earth you will speak;

from low in the dust your words will come.

Your voice will whisper from the ground

like a ghost conjured up from the grave.

5 “But suddenly, your ruthless enemies will be crushed

like the finest of dust.

Your many attackers will be driven away

like chaff before the wind.

Suddenly, in an instant,

6 I, theLordof Heaven’s Armies, will act for you

with thunder and earthquake and great noise,

with whirlwind and storm and consuming fire.

7 All the nations fighting against Jerusalem

will vanish like a dream!

Those who are attacking her walls

will vanish like a vision in the night.

8 A hungry person dreams of eating

but wakes up still hungry.

A thirsty person dreams of drinking

but is still faint from thirst when morning comes.

So it will be with your enemies,

with those who attack Mount Zion.”

9 Are you amazed and incredulous?

Don’t you believe it?

Then go ahead and be blind.

You are stupid, but not from wine!

You stagger, but not from liquor!

10 For theLordhas poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep.

He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries.

11 All the future events in this vision are like a sealed book to them. When you give it to those who can read, they will say, “We can’t read it because it is sealed.”

12 When you give it to those who cannot read, they will say, “We don’t know how to read.”

13 And so the Lord says,

“These people say they are mine.

They honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

And their worship of me

is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.

14 Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocrites

with amazing wonders.

The wisdom of the wise will pass away,

and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear.”

15 What sorrow awaits those who try to hide their plans from theLord,

who do their evil deeds in the dark!

“TheLordcan’t see us,” they say.

“He doesn’t know what’s going on!”

16 How foolish can you be?

He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay!

Should the created thing say of the one who made it,

“He didn’t make me”?

Does a jar ever say,

“The potter who made me is stupid”?

17 Soon—and it will not be very long—

the forests of Lebanon will become a fertile field,

and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.

18 In that day the deaf will hear words read from a book,

and the blind will see through the gloom and darkness.

19 The humble will be filled with fresh joy from theLord.

The poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

20 The scoffer will be gone,

the arrogant will disappear,

and those who plot evil will be killed.

21 Those who convict the innocent

by their false testimony will disappear.

A similar fate awaits those who use trickery to pervert justice

and who tell lies to destroy the innocent.

22 That is why theLord, who redeemed Abraham, says to the people of Israel,

“My people will no longer be ashamed

or turn pale with fear.

23 For when they see their many children

and all the blessings I have given them,

they will recognize the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob.

They will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

24 Then the wayward will gain understanding,

and complainers will accept instruction.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/ISA/29-e428fe4706f89dbdced06aa523ddef4b.mp3?version_id=116—

Judah’s Worthless Treaty with Egypt

1 “What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,”

says theLord.

“You make plans that are contrary to mine.

You make alliances not directed by my Spirit,

thus piling up your sins.

2 For without consulting me,

you have gone down to Egypt for help.

You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection.

You have tried to hide in his shade.

3 But by trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated,

and by depending on him, you will be disgraced.

4 For though his power extends to Zoan

and his officials have arrived in Hanes,

5 all who trust in him will be ashamed.

He will not help you.

Instead, he will disgrace you.”

6 This message came to me concerning the animals in the Negev:

The caravan moves slowly

across the terrible desert to Egypt—

donkeys weighed down with riches

and camels loaded with treasure—

all to pay for Egypt’s protection.

They travel through the wilderness,

a place of lionesses and lions,

a place where vipers and poisonous snakes live.

All this, and Egypt will give you nothing in return.

7 Egypt’s promises are worthless!

Therefore, I call her Rahab—

the Harmless Dragon.

A Warning for Rebellious Judah

8 Now go and write down these words.

Write them in a book.

They will stand until the end of time

as a witness

9 that these people are stubborn rebels

who refuse to pay attention to theLord’s instructions.

10 They tell the seers,

“Stop seeing visions!”

They tell the prophets,

“Don’t tell us what is right.

Tell us nice things.

Tell us lies.

11 Forget all this gloom.

Get off your narrow path.

Stop telling us about your

‘Holy One of Israel.’”

12 This is the reply of the Holy One of Israel:

“Because you despise what I tell you

and trust instead in oppression and lies,

13 calamity will come upon you suddenly—

like a bulging wall that bursts and falls.

In an instant it will collapse

and come crashing down.

14 You will be smashed like a piece of pottery—

shattered so completely that

there won’t be a piece big enough

to carry coals from a fireplace

or a little water from the well.”

15 This is what the SovereignLord,

the Holy One of Israel, says:

“Only in returning to me

and resting in me will you be saved.

In quietness and confidence is your strength.

But you would have none of it.

16 You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt.

They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.’

But the only swiftness you are going to see

is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!

17 One of them will chase a thousand of you.

Five of them will make all of you flee.

You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill

or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.”

Blessings for the Lord’s People

18 So theLordmust wait for you to come to him

so he can show you his love and compassion.

For theLordis a faithful God.

Blessed are those who wait for his help.

19 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem,

you will weep no more.

He will be gracious if you ask for help.

He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.

20 Though the Lord gave you adversity for food

and suffering for drink,

he will still be with you to teach you.

You will see your teacher with your own eyes.

21 Your own ears will hear him.

Right behind you a voice will say,

“This is the way you should go,”

whether to the right or to the left.

22 Then you will destroy all your silver idols

and your precious gold images.

You will throw them out like filthy rags,

saying to them, “Good riddance!”

23 Then theLordwill bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock.

24 The oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat good grain, its chaff blown away by the wind.

25 In that day, when your enemies are slaughtered and the towers fall, there will be streams of water flowing down every mountain and hill.

26 The moon will be as bright as the sun, and the sun will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days in one! So it will be when theLordbegins to heal his people and cure the wounds he gave them.

27 Look! TheLordis coming from far away,

burning with anger,

surrounded by thick, rising smoke.

His lips are filled with fury;

his words consume like fire.

28 His hot breath pours out like a flood

up to the neck of his enemies.

He will sift out the proud nations for destruction.

He will bridle them and lead them away to ruin.

29 But the people of God will sing a song of joy,

like the songs at the holy festivals.

You will be filled with joy,

as when a flutist leads a group of pilgrims

to Jerusalem, the mountain of theLord—

to the Rock of Israel.

30 And theLordwill make his majestic voice heard.

He will display the strength of his mighty arm.

It will descend with devouring flames,

with cloudbursts, thunderstorms, and huge hailstones.

31 At theLord’s command, the Assyrians will be shattered.

He will strike them down with his royal scepter.

32 And as theLordstrikes them with his rod of punishment,

his people will celebrate with tambourines and harps.

Lifting his mighty arm, he will fight the Assyrians.

33 Topheth—the place of burning—

has long been ready for the Assyrian king;

the pyre is piled high with wood.

The breath of theLord, like fire from a volcano,

will set it ablaze.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/ISA/30-2f90ea7a14becf1559cdd98f08a90ac6.mp3?version_id=116—