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Isaiah 23

Amplified Bible, 2015 (AMP)

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¹ 'Do you not fear Me?' says the LORD. 'Do you not tremble [in awe] in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, An eternal decree and a perpetual barrier beyond which it cannot pass. Though the waves [of the sea] toss and break, yet they cannot prevail [against the sand ordained to hold them back]; Though the waves and the billows roar, yet they cannot cross over [the barrier]. [Is not such a God to be feared?]

² 'But this people has a stubborn heart and a rebellious will [that draws them away from Me]; They have turned away and have gone [into idolatry].

³ 'They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear and worship the LORD our God [with profound awe and reverence], Who gives rain in its season, Both the autumn and the spring rain, Who keeps for us The appointed weeks of the harvest."

⁴ 'Your wickedness has turned these [blessings] away, And your sins have withheld good [harvests] from you.

⁵ 'For wicked men are found among My people, They watch like fowlers who lie in wait; They set a trap, They catch men.

⁶ 'As a cage is full of birds, So are their houses full of deceit and treachery; Therefore they have become influential and rich.

⁷ 'They are fat and they are sleek (prosperous), They[2] excel in acts of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, so that they [the wicked] may prosper, And they do not defend the rights of the poor.

⁸ 'Shall I not punish them [for these things]?' says the LORD. 'Shall I not avenge Myself On such a nation as this?'

⁹ "An appalling and horrible thing [bringing desolation and destruction] Has come to pass in the land:

¹⁰ The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule[3] on their own authority; And My people love [to have] it so! But what will you do when the end comes?

¹¹ "Run for safety, you children of Benjamin, Out of the midst of Jerusalem! And blow a trumpet in Tekoa [in Judah] And raise a signal-fire in Beth-haccherem [near Jerusalem]; For evil is looking down [with eager anticipation] from the north, And great destruction.

¹² "I will destroy the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem), the lovely and delicate one [so like a luxurious pasture].

¹³ "Shepherds with their flocks will come against her; They will pitch their tents all around her; They will pasture, each one in his place [eating up all her rich grasses].

¹⁴ "[They shout], 'Prepare for war against her; Arise, let us [take her by surprise and] attack her at noon. But alas, the daylight pales, The evening shadows grow long.

¹⁵ 'Arise, let us [awaken to] attack her at night And destroy her [fortified] palaces!'"

¹⁶ For the LORD of hosts has said, "Cut down her trees And build a siege [mound] against Jerusalem. This is the city which must be punished; There is nothing but oppression inside her [walls].

¹⁷ "As a fountain springs up and pours out its fresh waters, So she [continually] pours out her fresh wickedness. Violence and destruction are heard inside her [walls]; Sickness and wounds are always before Me.

¹⁸ "Be wise and be warned, O Jerusalem, Or I will be alienated from you, And make you a desolation, An uninhabited land."

#	AMP
1	'Do you not fear Me?' says the LORD. 'Do you not tremble [in awe] in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, An eternal decree and a perpetual barrier beyond which it cannot pass. Though the waves [of the sea] toss and break, yet they cannot prevail [against the sand ordained to hold them back]; Though the waves and the billows roar, yet they cannot cross over [the barrier]. [Is not such a God to be feared?]
2	'But this people has a stubborn heart and a rebellious will [that draws them away from Me]; They have turned away and have gone [into idolatry].
3	'They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear and worship the LORD our God [with profound awe and reverence], Who gives rain in its season, Both the autumn and the spring rain, Who keeps for us The appointed weeks of the harvest."
4	'Your wickedness has turned these [blessings] away, And your sins have withheld good [harvests] from you.
5	'For wicked men are found among My people, They watch like fowlers who lie in wait; They set a trap, They catch men.
6	'As a cage is full of birds, So are their houses full of deceit and treachery; Therefore they have become influential and rich.
7	'They are fat and they are sleek (prosperous), They[2] excel in acts of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, so that they [the wicked] may prosper, And they do not defend the rights of the poor.
8	'Shall I not punish them [for these things]?' says the LORD. 'Shall I not avenge Myself On such a nation as this?'
9	"An appalling and horrible thing [bringing desolation and destruction] Has come to pass in the land:
10	The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule[3] on their own authority; And My people love [to have] it so! But what will you do when the end comes?
11	"Run for safety, you children of Benjamin, Out of the midst of Jerusalem! And blow a trumpet in Tekoa [in Judah] And raise a signal-fire in Beth-haccherem [near Jerusalem]; For evil is looking down [with eager anticipation] from the north, And great destruction.
12	"I will destroy the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem), the lovely and delicate one [so like a luxurious pasture].
13	"Shepherds with their flocks will come against her; They will pitch their tents all around her; They will pasture, each one in his place [eating up all her rich grasses].
14	"[They shout], 'Prepare for war against her; Arise, let us [take her by surprise and] attack her at noon. But alas, the daylight pales, The evening shadows grow long.
15	'Arise, let us [awaken to] attack her at night And destroy her [fortified] palaces!'"
16	For the LORD of hosts has said, "Cut down her trees And build a siege [mound] against Jerusalem. This is the city which must be punished; There is nothing but oppression inside her [walls].
17	"As a fountain springs up and pours out its fresh waters, So she [continually] pours out her fresh wickedness. Violence and destruction are heard inside her [walls]; Sickness and wounds are always before Me.
18	"Be wise and be warned, O Jerusalem, Or I will be alienated from you, And make you a desolation, An uninhabited land."

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