Isaiah 6 Isaiah Becomes a Prophet  1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a very high throne. His long robe filled the Temple.2 Heavenly creatures of fire stood above him. Each creature had six wings: It used two wings to cover its face, two wings to cover its feet, and two wings for flying.3 Each creature was calling to the others:     "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord All-Powerful.        His glory fills the whole earth." 4 Their calling caused the frame around the door to shake, as the Temple filled with smoke.  5 I said, "Oh, no! I will be destroyed. I am not pure, and I live among people who are not pure, but I have seen the King, the Lord All-Powerful."  6 One of the heavenly creatures used a pair of tongs to take a hot coal from the altar. Then he flew to me with the hot coal in his hand.7 The creature touched my mouth with the hot coal and said, "Look, your guilt is taken away, because this hot coal has touched your lips. Your sin is taken away."  8 Then I heard the Lord's voice, saying, "Whom can I send? Who will go for us?"    So I said, "Here I am. Send me!"  9 Then the Lord said, "Go and tell this to the people:     'You will listen and listen, but you will not understand.        You will look and look, but you will not learn.'  10 Make the minds of these people dumb.        Shut their ears. Cover their eyes.     Otherwise, they might really understand        what they see with their eyes        and hear with their ears.     They might really understand in their minds        and come back to me and be healed."  11 Then I asked, "Lord, how long should I do this?"    He answered,     "Until the cities are destroyed        and the people are gone,     until there are no people left in the houses,        until the land is destroyed and left empty.  12 The Lord will send the people far away,        and the land will be left empty.  13 One-tenth of the people will be left in the land,        but it will be destroyed again.     These people will be like an oak tree        whose stump is left when the tree is chopped down.        The people who remain will be like a stump that will sprout again." Back to the Top Isaiah 7 Trouble with Aram  1 Now Ahaz was the son of Jotham, who was the son of Uzziah. When Ahaz was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to fight against it. But they were not able to defeat the city.  2 Ahaz king of Judah received a message saying, "The armies of Aram and Israel[a] have joined together."    When Ahaz heard this, he and the people were frightened. They shook with fear like trees of the forest blown by the wind.  3 Then the Lord told Isaiah, "You and your son Shear-Jashub[b] should go and meet Ahaz at the place where the water flows into the upper pool, on the road where people do their laundry.4 Tell Ahaz, 'Be careful. Be calm and don't worry. Don't let those two men, Rezin and Pekah son of Remaliah, scare you. Don't be afraid of their anger or Aram's anger, because they are like two barely burning sticks that are ready to go out.5 They have made plans against you, saying,6 "Let's fight against Judah and tear it apart. We will divide the land for ourselves and make the son of Tabeel the new king of Judah."7 But I, the Lord God, say,     " 'Their plan will not succeed;        it will not happen,  8 because Aram is led by the city of Damascus,        and Damascus is led by its weak king, Rezin.     Within sixty-five years Israel will no longer be a nation.  9 Israel is led by the city of Samaria,        and Samaria is led by its weak king, the son of Remaliah.     If your faith is not strong,        you will not have strength enough to last.' " Immanuel—God Is with Us  10 Then the Lord spoke to Ahaz again, saying,11 "Ask for a sign from the Lord your God to prove to yourself that these things are true. It may be a sign from as deep as the place of the dead or as high as the heavens."  12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask for a sign or test the Lord."  13 Then Isaiah said, "Ahaz, descendant of David, listen carefully! Isn't it bad enough that you wear out the patience of people? Do you also have to wear out the patience of my God?14 The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin[c] will be pregnant. She will have a son, and she will name him Immanuel.[d]15 He will be eating milk curds and honey when he learns to reject what is evil and to choose what is good.16 You are afraid of the kings of Israel and Aram now. But before the child learns to choose good and reject evil, the lands of Israel and Aram will be empty.17 The Lord will bring troubled times to you, your people, and to the people of your father's family. They will be worse than anything that has happened since Israel separated from Judah. The Lord will bring the king of Assyria to fight against you.  18 "At that time the Lord will whistle for the Egyptians, and they will come like flies from Egypt's faraway streams. He will call for the Assyrians, and they will come like bees.19 These enemies will camp in the deep ravines and in the cliffs, by the thornbushes and watering holes.20 The Lord will hire Assyria and use it like a razor to punish Judah. It will be as if the Lord is shaving the hair from Judah's head and legs and removing Judah's beard.  21 "At that time a person will be able to keep only one young cow and two sheep alive.22 There will be only enough milk for that person to eat milk curds. All who remain in the land will go back to eating just milk curds and honey.23 In this land there are now vineyards that have a thousand grapevines, which are worth about twenty-five pounds of silver. But these fields will become full of weeds and thorns.24 The land will become wild and useful only as a hunting ground.25 People once worked and grew food on these hills, but at that time people will not go there, because the land will be filled with weeds and thorns. Only sheep and cattle will go to those places." Footnotes: Isaiah 7:2 Israel Literally, "Ephraim." Isaiah often uses "Ephraim" to mean all of Israel. Isaiah 7:3 Shear-Jashub This name means "a part of the people will come back." Isaiah 7:14 virgin The Hebrew word means "a young woman." Often this meant a girl who was not married and had not yet had sexual relations with anyone. Isaiah 7:14 Immanuel This name means "God is with us." Back to the Top Isaiah 8 Assyria Will Come Soon  1 The Lord told me, "Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary pen: 'Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.'2 I will gather some men to be reliable witnesses: Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah."  3 Then I went to the prophetess, and she became pregnant and had a son. The Lord told me, "Name the boy Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz,[a]4 because the king of Assyria will take away all the wealth and possessions of Damascus and Samaria before the boy learns to say 'my father' or 'my mother.' "  5 Again the Lord spoke to me, saying,  6 "These people refuse to accept        the slow-moving waters of the pool of Shiloah     and are terrified of Rezin        and Pekah son of Remaliah.  7 So I, the Lord, will bring        the king of Assyria and all his power against them,        like a powerful flood of water from the Euphrates River.     The Assyrians will be like water rising over the banks of the river,        flowing over the land.  8 That water will flow into Judah and pass through it,        rising to Judah's throat.     Immanuel, this army will spread its wings like a bird        until it covers your whole country."  9 Be broken, all you nations,        and be smashed to pieces.     Listen, all you faraway countries.        Prepare for battle and be smashed to pieces!        Prepare for battle and be smashed to pieces!  10 Make your plans for the fight,        but they will be defeated.     Give orders to your armies,        but they will be useless,     because God is with us. Warnings to Isaiah  11 The Lord spoke to me with his great power and warned me not to follow the lead of the rest of the people. He said,  12 "People are saying that others make plans against them,        but you should not believe them.     Don't be afraid of what they fear;        do not dread those things.  13 But remember that the Lord All-Powerful is holy.        He is the one you should fear;        he is the one you should dread.  14 Then he will be a place of safety for you.        But for the two families of Israel,     he will be like a stone that causes people to stumble,        like a rock that makes them fall.     He will be like a trap for the people of Jerusalem,        and he will catch them in his trap.  15 Many people will fall over this rock.        They will fall and be broken;        they will be trapped and caught."  16 Make an agreement.        Seal up the teaching while my followers are watching.  17 I will wait for the Lord to help us,        the Lord who is ashamed of the family of Israel.     I will wait for him.  18 I am here, and with me are the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and proofs for the people of Israel from the Lord All-Powerful, who lives on Mount Zion.  19 Some people say, "Ask the mediums and fortune-tellers, who whisper and mutter, what to do." But I tell you that people should ask their God for help. Why should people who are still alive ask something from the dead?20 You should follow the teachings and the agreement with the Lord. The mediums and fortune-tellers do not speak the word of the Lord, so their words are worth nothing.  21 People will wander through the land troubled and hungry. When they become hungry, they will become angry and will look up and curse their king and their God.22 They will look around them at their land and see only trouble, darkness, and awful gloom. And they will be forced into the darkness. Footnotes: Isaiah 8:3 Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz This name means "there will soon be looting and stealing." Back to the Top Isaiah 9 A New Day Is Coming  1 But suddenly there will be no more gloom for the land that suffered. In the past God made the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali hang their heads in shame, but in the future those lands will be made great. They will stretch from the road along the Mediterranean Sea to the land beyond the Jordan River and north to Galilee, the land of people who are not Israelites.  2 Before those people lived in darkness,        but now they have seen a great light.     They lived in a dark land,        but a light has shined on them.  3 God, you have caused the nation to grow        and made the people happy.     And they have shown their happiness to you,        like the joy during harvest time,     like the joy of people        taking what they have won in war.  4 Like the time you defeated Midian,        you have taken away their heavy load     and the heavy pole from their backs        and the rod the enemy used to punish them.  5 Every boot that marched in battle        and every uniform stained with blood        has been thrown into the fire.  6 A child has been born to us;        God has given a son to us.        He will be responsible for leading the people.     His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God,        Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.  7 Power and peace will be in his kingdom        and will continue to grow forever.     He will rule as king on David's throne        and over David's kingdom.     He will make it strong        by ruling with justice and goodness        from now on and forever.     The Lord All-Powerful will do this        because of his strong love for his people. God Will Punish Israel  8 The Lord sent a message against the people of Jacob;        it says that God will judge Israel.  9 Then everyone in Israel, even the leaders in Samaria,        will know that God has sent it.     Those people are proud and brag by saying,  10 "These bricks have fallen,        but we will build again with cut stones.     These small trees have been chopped down,        but we will put great cedars there."  11 But the Lord has brought the enemies of Rezin against them;        he has stirred up their enemies against them.  12 The Arameans came from the east        and the Philistines from the west,     and they ate up Israel with their armies.     But the Lord was still angry;        his hand was still raised to punish the people.  13 But the people did not return to the one who had struck them;        they did not follow the Lord All-Powerful.  14 So the Lord cut off Israel's head and tail,        taking away both the branch and stalk in one day.  15 The elders and important men were the head,        and the prophets who speak lies were the tail.  16 Those who led the people led them in the wrong direction,        and those who followed them were destroyed.  17 So the Lord is not happy with the young people,        nor will he show mercy to the orphans and widows.     All the people are separated from God and are very evil;        they all speak lies.     But the Lord is still angry;        his hand is still raised to strike down the people.  18 Evil is like a small fire.        First, it burns weeds and thorns.     Next, it burns the larger bushes in the forest,        and they all go up in a column of smoke.  19 The Lord All-Powerful is angry,        so the land will be burned.     The people are like fuel for the fire;        no one will try to save his brother or sister.  20 People will grab something on the right,        but they will still be hungry.     They will eat something on the left,        but they will not be filled.     Then they will each turn and eat their own children.  21 The people of Manasseh will fight against the people of Ephraim,        and Ephraim will fight against Manasseh.        Then both of them will turn against Judah.     But the Lord is still angry;        his hand is still raised to strike down the people. Back to the Top Isaiah 10  1 How terrible it will be for those who make unfair laws,        and those who write laws that make life hard for people.  2 They are not fair to the poor,        and they rob my people of their rights.     They allow people to steal from widows        and to take from orphans what really belongs to them.  3 How will you explain the things you have done?        What will you do when your destruction comes from far away?     Where will you run for help?        Where will you hide your riches then?  4 You will have to bow down among the captives        or fall down among the dead bodies.     But the Lord is still angry;        his hand is still raised to strike down the people. God Will Punish Assyria  5 God says, "How terrible it will be for the king of Assyria.        I use him like a rod to show my anger;        in anger I use Assyria like a club.  6 I send it to fight against a nation that is separated from God.        I am angry with those people,        so I command Assyria to fight against them,     to take their wealth from them,        to trample them down like dirt in the streets.  7 But Assyria's king doesn't understand that I am using him;        he doesn't know he is a tool for me.     He only wants to destroy other people        and to defeat many nations.  8 The king of Assyria says to himself,        'All of my commanders are like kings.  9 The city Calno is like the city Carchemish.        The city Hamath is like the city Arpad.        The city Samaria is like the city Damascus.  10 I defeated those kingdoms that worship idols,        and those idols were more than the idols of Jerusalem and Samaria.  11 As I defeated Samaria and her idols,        I will also defeat Jerusalem and her idols.' "  12 When the Lord finishes doing what he planned to Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will punish Assyria. The king of Assyria is very proud, and his pride has made him do these evil things, so God will punish him.13 The king of Assyria says this:     "By my own power I have done these things;        by my wisdom I have defeated many nations.     I have taken their wealth,        and, like a mighty one, I have taken their people.  14 I have taken the riches of all these people,        like a person reaching into a bird's nest.     I have taken these nations,        like a person taking eggs.     Not one raised a hand        or opened its mouth to stop me."  15 An ax is not better than the person who swings it.        A saw is not better than the one who uses it.     A stick cannot control the person who picks it up.        A club cannot pick up the person!  16 So the Lord God All-Powerful        will send a terrible disease upon Assyria's soldiers.     The strength of Assyria will be burned up        like a fire burning until everything is gone.  17 God, the Light of Israel, will be like a fire;        the Holy One will be like a flame.     He will be like a fire        that suddenly burns the weeds and thorns.  18 The fire burns away the great trees and rich farmlands,        destroying everything.        It will be like a sick person who wastes away.  19 The trees left standing will be so few        that even a child could count them.  20 At that time some people will be left alive in Israel        from the family of Jacob.     They will not continue to depend        on the person who defeated them.     They will learn truly to depend on the Lord,        the Holy One of Israel.  21 Those who are left alive in Jacob's family        will again follow the powerful God.  22 Israel, your people are many,        like the grains of sand by the sea.        But only a few of them will be left alive to return to the Lord.     God has announced that he will destroy the land        completely and fairly.  23 The Lord God All-Powerful will certainly destroy this land,        as he has announced.  24 This is what the Lord God All-Powerful says:     "My people living in Jerusalem,        don't be afraid of the Assyrians,     who beat you with a rod        and raise a stick against you, as Egypt did.  25 After a short time my anger against you will stop,        and then I will turn my anger to destroying them."  26 Then the Lord All-Powerful will beat the Assyrians with a whip        as he defeated Midian at the rock of Oreb.     He will raise his stick over the waters        as he did in Egypt.  27 Then the troubles that Assyria puts on you        will be removed,     and the load they make you carry        will be taken away. Assyria Invades Israel  28 The army of Assyria will enter near Aiath.        Its soldiers will walk through Migron.        They will store their food in Micmash.  29 The army will go over the pass.        The soldiers will sleep at Geba.     The people of Ramah will be afraid,        and the people at Gibeah of Saul will run away.  30 Cry out, Bath Gallim!        Laishah, listen!        Poor Anathoth!  31 The people of Madmenah are running away;        the people of Gebim are hiding.  32 This day the army will stop at Nob.        They will shake their fist at Mount Zion,        at the hill of Jerusalem.  33 Watch! The Lord God All-Powerful        with his great power will chop them down like a great tree.     Those who are great will be cut down;        those who are important will fall to the ground.  34 He will cut them down        as a forest is cut down with an ax.     And the great trees of Lebanon        will fall by the power of the Mighty One. 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