Isaiah Chapter 32 - A Righteous King and a Transformed Wilderness
A vision of just rule contrasted with careless comfort.
Picking up the promise of relief that closes Isaiah 31, Isaiah 32 opens by describing a king who will reign in righteousness, a man who becomes like a hiding place from the wind and a shadow from the heat for his people.
Lo, for righteousness doth a king reign, As to princes, for judgment they rule.
And each hath been as a hiding-place `from' wind, And as a secret hiding-place `from' inundation, As rivulets of waters in a dry place, As a shadow of a heavy rock in a weary land.
And not dazzled are the eyes of beholders, And the ears of hearers do attend.
And the heart of those hastened Understandeth to know, And the tongue of stammerers hasteth to speak clearly.
A fool is no more called `noble,' And to a miser it is not said, `rich;'
For a fool speaketh folly, And his heart doth iniquity, to do profanity, And to speak concerning Jehovah error, To empty the soul of the hungry, Yea, drink of the thirsty he causeth to lack.
And the miser -- his instruments `are' evil, He hath counselled wicked devices, To corrupt the poor with lying sayings, Even when the needy speaketh justly.
And the noble counselled noble things, And he for noble things riseth up.
Women, easy ones, rise, hear my voice, Daughters, confident ones, give ear `to' my saying,
Days and a year ye are troubled, O confident ones, For consumed hath been harvest, The gathering cometh not.
Tremble ye women, ye easy ones, Be troubled, ye confident ones, Strip and make bare, with a girdle on the loins,
For breasts they are lamenting, For fields of desire, for the fruitful vine.
Over the ground of my people thorn -- brier goeth up, Surely over all houses of joy of the exulting city,
Surely the palace hath been left, The multitude of the city forsaken, Fort and watch-tower hath been for dens unto the age, A joy of wild asses -- a pasture of herds;
Till emptied out on us is the Spirit from on high, And a wilderness hath become a fruitful field, And the fruitful field for a forest is reckoned.
And dwelt in the wilderness hath judgment, And righteousness in the fruitful field remaineth.
And a work of the righteousness hath been peace, And a service of the righteousness -- Keeping quiet and confidence unto the age.
And dwelt hath My people in a peaceful habitation, And in stedfast tabernacles, And in quiet resting-places.
And it hath hailed in the going down of the forest, And in the valley is the city low.
Happy `are' ye sowing by all waters, Sending forth the foot of the ox and the ass!