Isaiah 2

1 This is the message that [Yahweh showed me in a vision], concerning Jerusalem and [the rest of] Judea:

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz foresaw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 [I saw that] in the future, the hill on which Yahweh’s temple is built will be the most important place on the earth; it will be [as though it is] the highest mountain, [as though] it has been raised up above all other hills; and people from all over the world will come there.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be firmly established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and unto it shall flow all the nations.

3 People from many people-groups will say [to each other], “Come, let’s go up to the hill, to the temple of Yahweh, to worship the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. [There] Yahweh will teach us what he [desires us to know], in order that our behavior will [please] him. His teaching will be given [to us] in Jerusalem, and [we will take] his message from Jerusalem [to other places/nations].

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us of his ways, and we may walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem.

4 Yahweh will listen to the disputes between nations and he will settle their arguments. [Then, instead of fighting against each other], they will hammer their swords into plow blades, and they will hammer their spears into pruning knives. [The armies of] nations will no longer fight against each other, and they will not [even] train men to fight in battles/wars.”

And he will judge among the nations, and decide for many people; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-knives: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and they shall not learn any more war.

5 You Israeli people, let’s walk in the light [MET] that comes from Yahweh!

O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.

6 [Yahweh, ] you have abandoned [us] your people who are descendants of Jacob, because everywhere your people practice the customs of people who live east [of Israel]. Your people also perform rituals to find out what will happen in the future, like the people in Philistia do. They make agreements/treaties with (pagans/people who do not know you).

For thou hast abandoned thy people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of [witchcraft] more than the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and with the children of strangers they unite themselves.

7 Israel is full of silver and gold; there are very many (treasures/valuable things) here. The land is full of war horses and war chariots.

And full became their land of silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; and full became their land of horses, and there is no end to their chariots;

8 [But] the land is [also] full of idols; the people worship things that they have made with their own hands.

And full became their land of idols; to the work of their own hands they bow themselves, to what their own fingers have made.

9 So now they will be humbled and they will be caused to become disgraced— Yahweh, do not forgive them!

And so is bent down the son of earth, and humbled the man; and thou wilt not forgive them.

10 All you people should crawl into [the caves in] the rock cliffs! You should hide [in pits/holes] in the ground because of being afraid of Yahweh and of his glorious and awesome power.

Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, because of the dread of the Lord, and because of the glory of his majesty.

11 Yahweh will cause you people to no longer be arrogant, and he will stop you from being proud. Only Yahweh will be praised/honored on that day.

The looks of human pride shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bent down: and exalted shall be the Lord alone on that day.

12 The Commander of the armies of angels has chosen a day when [he will judge] those who are proud, every one of them [DOU], and he will humble them.

For there is a day [of judgment] unto the Lord of hosts over every proud and lofty one; and over every exalted one, that he be brought low;

13 [He will get rid of all those who think they should be admired like] [MET] the tall cedar trees in Lebanon, and [like] all the great oak trees in the Bashan [region].

And over all the cedars of the Lebanon, the high and exalted, and over all the oaks of Bashan;

14 He will [get rid of all those who think they are as great as] [MET] all the high hills and even the high mountains.

And over all the high mountains, and over all the exalted hills;

15 He will [get rid of all those who think that they are] high towers and high strong walls [inside of or behind which they will be safe].

And over every high tower, and over every fortified wall;

16 He will destroy all [those who are rich because they own] big ships that carry goods [to other countries] and [they own other] beautiful ships.

And over all the ships of Tharshish; and over all desirable palaces.

17 He will cause people to no longer be arrogant and he will cause them to stop being proud. Only Yahweh will be praised/honored on that day.

And the pride of man shall be bent down, and the haughtiness of men shall be humbled: and exalted shall be the Lord alone on that day.

18 All idols will (disappear/be destroyed).

And the idols will he utterly abolish.

19 When Yahweh comes to shake/terrify the people on the earth, they will run to hide in caves in rock cliffs and in holes/pits in the ground, because of being afraid of Yahweh and of his glorious and awesome power.

And men shall enter into the caverns of rocks, and into the rifts of the earth, because of the dread of the Lord, and because of the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to terrify the earth.

20 On that day, people will get rid of all their gold and silver idols that they made to worship, and they will throw them to the bats and rats.

On that day shall a man cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which have been made for him to worship, to the moles and to the bats;

21 Then they will crawl into caves and hide in the crags in the cliffs. [They will do that to escape from] the dreadful [punishments] that Yahweh will cause them to endure, from [what he will do because] he is glorious and awesome, when he comes to shake/terrify the people on the earth.

To enter into the clefts of the rocks, and into the hollows of the cliffs, because of the dread of the Lord, and because of the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to terrify the earth.

22 [So, ] do not trust that people [will save you], because people are [as powerless as] [MET] their own breath. People certainly cannot help you [RHQ]!

Withdraw yourselves [then] from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; because, for what is he to be esteemed?