Isaiah

1And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.

King Hezekiah heard the report. He tore his clothes to show he was upset. He put on sackcloth, rough cloth people wore when they were sad. Then he went into the LORD's house, the temple.

2And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.

He sent Eliakim, the man in charge of the palace. He sent Shebna, the scribe who wrote things down. He sent some of the leading priests too. They all wore sackcloth. They went to Isaiah, a prophet, someone who told people what God said. Isaiah was the son of Amoz.

3And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

They said, "Hezekiah says this. Today is a day of trouble. We are being scolded and shamed. It is like a baby ready to be born. But there is no strength left to push."

4It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.

"Maybe the LORD your God heard what the Rabshakeh said. The king of Assyria, his master, sent him to insult the living God. Maybe the LORD will punish him for those words. So please pray for the few of us still left."

5So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.

So King Hezekiah's servants came to Isaiah.

6And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

Isaiah said, "Tell your master this. The LORD says, do not be afraid of the words you heard. The servants of Assyria's king said terrible things about me."

7Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

"Watch. I will put a spirit in him. He will hear a report and go back to his own land. There in his own land he will be killed with a sword."

20Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.

Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah. "The LORD, the God of Israel, says this. I have heard your prayer about Sennacherib, king of Assyria."

21This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.

"Here is what the LORD says about him. The daughter of Zion, the city of Jerusalem, is not afraid of you. She laughs at you. Jerusalem shakes her head at you as you go."

22Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.

"Who have you insulted and mocked? Who did you shout at? Who did you look down on so proudly? The Holy One of Israel."

23By thy messengers thou hast reproached the LORD, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.

"You sent your messengers to insult the Lord. You said, 'I came with my many chariots to the tops of the mountains. I climbed the far peaks of Lebanon. I cut down its tallest cedar trees and its finest fir trees. I reached its farthest camps and its thickest forests.'"

24I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.

"You said, 'I dug wells and drank water in lands not my own. I dried up every stream just by walking through it.'"

25Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.

"Have you not heard? I planned this long ago. In days long past I decided it. Now I have made it happen. That is why you can smash walled cities into piles of stones."

26Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the house tops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.

"The people in those cities had no power left. They were scared and ashamed. They were like grass in a field, like soft green shoots. They were like grass on a roof, burned up before it grows."

27But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.

"But I know where you live. I know when you go out and when you come in. I know how angry you are with me."

28Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

"Your anger and shouting against me have reached my ears. So I will put my hook in your nose. I will put my bit in your mouth. I will turn you back the way you came."

29And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.

"Hezekiah, here is a sign for you. This year you will eat food that grows by itself. Next year you will eat what grows from that. In the third year, plant seeds and gather the crop. Plant grapevines and eat their fruit."

30And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.

"Some people of Judah will still be alive. They will be like a plant. They will grow roots down deep and fruit up high."

31For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.

"A few people will come out of Jerusalem alive. Some will get away safely from Mount Zion. The strong love of the LORD of Hosts will make this happen. He is the LORD who leads heaven's armies."

32Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.

"So the LORD says this about the king of Assyria. He will not come into this city. He will not shoot even one arrow here. He will not come near it with a shield. He will not pile up dirt against its wall."

33By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.

"He will go back the way he came. He will not come into this city. That is what the LORD says."

34For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

"I will guard this city and save it. I will do it for my own sake. I will do it for my servant David."

1In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

Around that time King Hezekiah got so sick he was going to die. Isaiah was a prophet, a man who told people what God said. Isaiah came to him and said, "The LORD says this: Get your house ready. You are going to die. You will not get well."

2Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,

Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall. He prayed to the LORD and said,

3I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

"Please, LORD, remember me. I have lived my whole life trying to obey you. I have loved you with my whole heart. I have done what you say is right." Then Hezekiah cried very hard.

4And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

Isaiah left, but he had not yet crossed the middle courtyard. Right then the LORD spoke to him and said,

5Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.

"Go back and talk to Hezekiah, the leader of my people. Tell him the LORD says this. I am the God your father David loved. I have heard you praying. I have seen your tears. I am going to make you well. In three days you will walk up to my house.

6And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

I will let you live fifteen more years. I will keep you and this city safe from the king of Assyria. I will guard this city for my own sake. I will guard it because I promised my servant David."

7And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

Isaiah said, "Bring a lump of squashed figs." They laid the figs on the sore spot on the king's skin. Then Hezekiah got well.

8And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?

Hezekiah had asked Isaiah a question. He said, "How will I know the LORD is really going to heal me? How will I know I will walk up to his house in three days?"

9And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?

Isaiah said, "The LORD will give you a sign. It will show he will do what he said. Do you want the shadow to move ten steps forward? Or should it move ten steps back?"

10And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.

Hezekiah answered, "A shadow moving forward ten steps is easy. Make it go backward ten steps instead."

11And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

So Isaiah the prophet called out to the LORD. The LORD moved the shadow ten steps back. It went back up the stairway that King Ahaz had built.

12At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

At that time Berodach-baladan was king of Babylon. He was the son of Baladan. He had heard that Hezekiah was sick. So he sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah.

13And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

Hezekiah welcomed the men who brought them. He showed them everything he kept in his storerooms. He showed them the silver and the gold. He showed them the spices and the fine oil. He showed them the room where he kept his weapons. He showed them everything he owned. He did not leave one thing hidden.

14Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.

Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah. He asked, "What did those men say? Where did they come from?" Hezekiah said, "They came from far away, from Babylon."

15And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

Isaiah asked, "What did they see in your house?" Hezekiah said, "They saw everything. I showed them all my treasures."

16And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Listen to what the LORD says.

17Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

A day is coming when everything in your house will be taken to Babylon. Even the things your fathers stored up long ago will go. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.

18And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

Some of your own sons will be taken away too. They will be servants in the palace of the king of Babylon."

19Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?

Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What the LORD says is good." He thought to himself, "At least there will be peace while I live."

20And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

Because of this, King Hezekiah prayed. So did the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz. A prophet is someone who tells people what God says. They both cried out to heaven.

21And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.

The LORD sent an angel to the camp of the king of Assyria. The angel killed all the strong soldiers, the leaders, and the officers. So Sennacherib went back to his own land in shame. Later he went into the temple of his god. There some of his own sons killed him with a sword.

22Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.

So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem. He saved them from Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and from all their other enemies. He gave them peace on every side.

23And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

Many people brought gifts to Jerusalem for the LORD. They also brought fine gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah. From that time on, all the nations looked up to him.

1And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.

Ahaz was king of Judah. His father was Jotham, and Jotham's father was Uzziah. While Ahaz was king, two other kings came to fight Jerusalem. They were Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel. But they could not beat the city.

2And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

Someone told the royal family of King David, "Syria has joined up with Ephraim." Ephraim was another name for Israel. Then the king's heart shook with fear, and his people's hearts shook too. They shook like trees in a forest when the wind blows.

3Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field;

Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out and meet Ahaz. Take your son Shear-jashub with you. Meet him where the water channel ends at the upper pool. It is on the road by the field where people wash clothes."

4And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.

"Say to him: Stay calm and be quiet. Do not be afraid. Do not lose heart over these two kings. They are only like two burnt sticks that still smoke. Rezin of Syria and the son of Remaliah are very angry. Do not fear them."

5Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,

"Syria and Ephraim and the son of Remaliah have made a bad plan against you. This is what they said:"

6Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal:

"Let us go fight Judah and scare its people. Let us break into it and split it up. Then we will make the son of Tabeal king there."

7Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

But the Lord GOD says, "That plan will not stand. It will not happen."

8For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.

Syria's leading city is Damascus, and Damascus is led by Rezin. In sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken to pieces. It will not be a people anymore.

9And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

Ephraim's leading city is Samaria, and Samaria is led by Remaliah's son. If you will not trust God, you will not stand firm at all.

10Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying,

The LORD spoke to Ahaz again. He said,

11Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.

"Ask the LORD your God for a sign. A sign is proof that a promise is true. Ask for one from deep below or high above."

12But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.

But Ahaz said, "I will not ask. I will not test the LORD."

13And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?

Then Isaiah said, "Listen now, family of David. You already wear out the patience of people. Will you wear out my God's patience too?"

14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

"So the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look! A virgin will have a baby boy. She will name him Immanuel."

15Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

"He will eat curds and honey. That is what he will be eating by the time he can turn down what is bad and choose what is good."

16For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

"Before the boy is old enough to turn down bad and choose good, something will happen. The land of those two kings you are afraid of will be left empty."

17The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father’s house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

"The LORD will bring hard days on you, on your people, and on your father's family. There have been no days like them since Ephraim broke away from Judah. The LORD will bring the king of Assyria."

1In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;

Sargon was the king of Assyria, a strong country far away. He sent his top army leader to the city of Ashdod. The leader fought against Ashdod and took it.

2At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

At that time God spoke through Isaiah, the son of Amoz. Isaiah was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. God said, "Take off the rough cloth you wear. Take the sandals off your feet." Isaiah did what God said. He walked around naked and with bare feet.

3And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;

Then God said, "My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years. He is a sign and a warning about Egypt and Cush."

4So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.

"The king of Assyria will take the people of Egypt and Cush away. He will lead them off as prisoners, young ones and old ones. They will be naked and barefoot, with their bottoms bare. This will bring shame on Egypt."

5And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.

People had hoped that Cush would help them. They were proud that Egypt was on their side. Now they will be afraid and ashamed.

6And the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape?

On that day the people living along this coast will say, "Look at what happened. We ran to them for help. We thought they would save us from the king of Assyria. Now how can we get away?"

1And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.

King Hezekiah heard this news. He tore his clothes and put on rough, scratchy cloth to show his sadness. Then he went into the LORD's house.

2And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.

He sent Eliakim, who ran the palace, and Shebna the writer. He also sent the leading priests. All of them wore the rough cloth. They went to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. A prophet is someone who tells people what God says.

3And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

They told him, "Hezekiah says this. Today is a day of trouble, of scolding, and of shame. It is like a baby ready to be born, when the mother has no strength left.

4It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left.

Maybe the LORD your God heard what the Rabshakeh said. His master, the king of Assyria, sent him to make fun of the living God. Maybe the LORD will punish him for those words. So please pray for the few of us who are left."

5So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.

So King Hezekiah's servants came to Isaiah.

6And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master this. The LORD says, 'Do not be afraid of the words you heard. The king of Assyria's servants said bad things about me.

7Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

Look, I will put something inside him. He will hear a report and go back to his own land. There I will let him be killed with a sword.'"