Isaiah 32
What Happens in This Chapter
Isaiah tells of a king who will rule in a right and fair way, with leaders who shelter people like a rock gives shade. He says the difference between foolish, greedy people and generous ones will be clear again. Then he warns women who feel safe that the harvest will fail and the city will be left empty, until God pours out his Spirit from above. After that, fairness, peace, and safe homes come to his people.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
1Look! A king will rule in a right and fair way. His leaders will rule fairly too.
2And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
2Each one will be like a safe spot away from the wind. Like a shelter in a storm. Like streams of water in a dry land. Like the shade of a big rock when you are hot and tired.
3And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.
3Then people who can see will really look. People who can hear will really listen.
4The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.
4People who rush ahead will think clearly. People who trip over their words will speak clearly.
5The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.
5No one will call a foolish person great anymore. No one will call a greedy person kind.
In 1611 English, "liberal" meant generous, and "churl" meant a greedy, mean person. The words are not about money or politics today.
6For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
6A foolish person says foolish things. In his heart he plans wrong things. He does what is not right. He says untrue things about the LORD. He leaves hungry people with nothing. He keeps water from thirsty people.
7The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
7A greedy person uses cruel tricks. He makes plans to hurt poor people with lies. He does this even when the poor person is telling the truth.
8But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.
8But a generous person makes good plans. He stands strong by doing good things.
9Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech.
9Get up, you women who live easy lives. Listen to me. Pay attention to my words, you who feel so sure.
10Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.
10In a little more than a year you will shake with fear. The grape harvest will fail. There will be no fruit to pick.
11Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.
11Shake, you women who live easy lives. Be upset, you who feel so sure. Take off your nice clothes. Tie rough cloth around your waist.
Sackcloth was rough, scratchy cloth. People wore it to show they were very sad.
12They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
12Beat your chest and cry for the good fields. Cry for the grapevines that once grew fruit.
The old English words "lament for the teats" mean to beat your chest and cry, the way people showed deep sadness back then.
13Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city:
13Thorns and sharp bushes will grow all over my people's land. They will cover every happy house in the party city.
14Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;
14The palace will be empty. The busy city will be left alone. The hill and the watchtower will be caves forever. Wild donkeys will play there. Sheep and goats will eat grass there.
15Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.
15This lasts until God pours out his Spirit on us from above. Then the dry desert will grow fruit. And the fruit field will grow thick like a forest.
16Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
16Then fairness will live out in the empty desert. Right living will stay in the good field.
17And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
17Doing right brings peace. Doing right brings quiet and safety that lasts forever.
18And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;
18My people will live in a peaceful place. Their homes will be safe. Their resting places will be quiet.
19When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.
19But hail will knock the forest down flat. And the city will fall down low.
20Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.
20You are happy if you plant your seeds by plenty of water. You can let your ox and your donkey walk free.
← → to turn the page · P for plain English · click a verse to sit with it