1See how the Lord,
Yahweh Sabaoth,takes away provisions and supplies from Judah and Jerusalem –
2the hero and the soldier,the judge and the prophet,the diviner and the elder,
3the captain and the man of rank,the counselor, the wise man, the craftsman, and the enchanter.
4I will make striplings their princes
and raw lads their rulers.
5People will oppress each other –every neighbor his neighbor;the young will bully the old and the base will insult the honorable.
6When that day comes,
a man will take hold of his brother
in the house of his father
and say, “You have clothes,
so be our leader
and rule over this heap of ruins.”
7But he will cry out in protest: “I cannot undertake to remedy all this, when in my own house there is neither food nor clothing; do not make me leader of the people.” 8See how Jerusalem crumbles and Judah falls, for in word and deed
they have defied the Lord,
and insulted his glorious presence.
Alas for the wicked!
9 ① The look on their faces denounces them: they do not hide their sin; instead, they parade it, like Sodom: Woe to them! They bring about their own downfall!
10Say, “Fortunate are the righteous, they will eat of the fruit of their deeds.
11But woe to the wicked: the evil that their hands have done shall be done to them!
12O my people, plundered by your rulers, enslaved by your creditors! O my people, your leaders deceive you and lead you astray.
13Yahweh takes his place in court and stands to try his people. 14Yahweh calls to judgment the elders and the princes:
“You have devoured my vineyard. The spoil of the poor is in your houses. 15What right have you to crush the people and to grind down the poor?” declares Yahweh Saba oth.
How haughty are these women!
16Yahweh says, “Haughty are the women of Zion, walking with their heads held high, with mincing steps, flirting with their eyes, ornaments tinkling on their ankles.” 17But Yahweh will cover with scabs the heads of Zion’s women and make their scalps bald.
18On that day the Lord will take away the ankle ornaments, the head bands and the crescents, 19the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves,
20the head dresses, the arm lets, the sashes, the perfume bottles and the amulets, 21the signet rings and nose rings, 22the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags, 23the garments, the turbans, and the veils.
24Instead of fragrance, there will be stench; instead of girdle, rope; instead of well-set hair, baldness; instead of jew eled gown, sackcloth; and instead of beauty, shame.
25Your men will fall by the sword; your heroes, in battle.
26The city gates will lament and mourn as Zion, ravaged, sits on the ground.
- Is 3,9 The prophets do not speak of poverty because it would hide historic reality. In Isaiah's view, the poor are poor because others are oppressors. The sin is in the laws and in those who have forgotten God to the point of taking power into their own hands. Isaiah denounces the sin of the leaders in order to save the entire people from God's judgment. Is 3,16 Isaiah castigates the wealthy women of Jerusalem, all equipped to seduce like the idols whose jewels have been paid for with the blood of the poor. We have the same maledictions in Amos 4:1. Maledictions that the poor of today could legitimately call down on our materialist countries: we think of the astronomic sums dispensed for dogs, drugs and pornography, not to mention the remedies for those who have over-eaten. The remainder of the discourse is in 4:1: the imminent disaster will account for the many widows; cost what it may, they will search for a husband who will give them legal protection at least.
