Isaiah, chapter 32

Justice Will Rule

CA king and his leaders will rule with justice.

²They will be a place of safety from stormy winds,

a stream in the desert, and a rockO that gives shade

from the heat of the sun.

³Then everyone who has eyes will open them and see,

and those who have ears will pay attention.

⁴All who are impatient will take time to think;

everyone who stutters will talk clearly.

⁵FoolsI will no longer be highly respected,

and crooks won't be given positions of honor.

⁶Fools talk foolishness. They always make plans

to do sinful things, to lie about the Lord,

to let the hungry starve, and to keep water

from those who are thirsty.

⁷Cruel people tell lies— they do evil things,

and make cruel plans to destroy the poor and needy,

even when they beg for justice.

⁸But helpful people can always be trusted

to make helpful plans.

Punishment for the Women of Jerusalem

⁹Listen to what I say, you women

who are carefree and careless!

¹⁰You may not have worries now, but in about a year,

the grape harvest will fail, and you will tremble.

¹¹Shake and shudder, you women without a care!

Strip off your clothes— put on sackclothP.

¹²Slap your breasts in sorrow because of what happened

to the fruitful fields and vineyards,

¹³ Cand to the happy homes in Jerusalem.

The land of my people is covered with thorns.

¹⁴The palace will be deserted, the crowded city empty.

Fortresses and towers will forever become

playgrounds for wild donkeys and pastures for sheep.

God's Spirit Makes the Difference

¹⁵When the Spirit is given to us from heaven,

deserts will become orchards thick as fertile forests.

¹⁶Honesty and justice will prosper there,

¹⁷and justice will produce lasting peaceI and security.

¹⁸You, the Lord's people, will live in peace,

calm and secure, ¹⁹even if hailstones

flatten forests and cities.

²⁰You will have God's blessing,

as you plant your crops beside streams,

while your donkeys and cattle roam freely about.