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Thursday, June 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Isaiah 3:8

"Jerusalem's on its last legs. Judah is soon down for the count. Everything people say and do is at cross-purposes with God , a slap in my face. Brazen in their depravity, they flaunt their sins like degenerate Sodom. Doom to their eternal souls! They've made their bed; now they'll sleep in it.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Anarchy;   Eye;   Famine;   Infidelity;   Jerusalem;   Sin;   Thompson Chain Reference - Provoking God;   The Topic Concordance - Israel/jews;   Opposition;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Anger of God, the;   Disobedience to God;   Sins, National;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Infinity;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ornaments;   Sanctification, Sanctify;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Provocation;   Text of the Old Testament;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Anger;   Day of the Lord;   Holiness;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for April 28;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For Jerusalem has stumbledand Judah has fallenbecause they have spoken and acted against the Lord,defying his glorious presence.
Hebrew Names Version
For Yerushalayim is ruined, and Yehudah is fallen; Because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, To provoke the eyes of his glory.
King James Version
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord , to provoke the eyes of his glory.
English Standard Version
For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord , defying his glorious presence.
New American Standard Bible
For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, Because their speech and their actions are against the LORD, To rebel against His glorious presence.
New Century Version
This will happen because Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen. The things they say and do are against the Lord ; they turn against him.
Amplified Bible
For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, Because their words and their actions are against the LORD, To rebel against His glorious presence and defiantly provoke Him.
World English Bible
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen; Because their tongue and their doings are against Yahweh, To provoke the eyes of his glory.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Doubtlesse Ierusalem is fallen, and Iudah is fallen downe, because their tongue & workes are against the Lord, to prouoke the eyes of his glory.
Legacy Standard Bible
For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen,Because their tongue and their deeds are against Yahweh,To rebel against His glorious presence.
Berean Standard Bible
For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen because they spoke and acted against the LORD, defying His glorious presence.
Contemporary English Version
Jerusalem and Judah, you rebelled against your glorious Lord — your words and your actions, made you stumble and fall.
Complete Jewish Bible
For Yerushalayim is ruined, and Y'hudah has fallen; because their words and deeds defy Adonai , in open provocation of his glory.
Darby Translation
For Jerusalem stumbleth and Judah falleth, because their tongue and their doings are against Jehovah, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
Easy-to-Read Version
This will happen because Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen. They turned against the Lord . They said and did things against him, right in front of his glorious eyes.
George Lamsa Translation
For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen; because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, provoking God in the majesty of his glory.
Good News Translation
Yes, Jerusalem is doomed! Judah is collapsing! Everything they say and do is against the Lord ; they openly insult God himself.
Lexham English Bible
For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen because their speech and their deeds are against Yahweh, defying the eyes of his glory.
Literal Translation
For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen; because their tongue and their doings toward Jehovah are to rebel against the eyes of His glory.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For Ierusalem and Iuda must decaye, because that both their wordes and councels are agaynst the LORDE, they prouoke the presence of his magesty vnto anger.
American Standard Version
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen; because their tongue and their doings are against Jehovah, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
Bible in Basic English
For Jerusalem has become feeble, and destruction has come on Judah, because their words and their acts are against the Lord, moving the eyes of his glory to wrath.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen; because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of His glory.
King James Version (1611)
For Ierusalem is ruined, & Iudah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to prouoke the eyes of his glorie.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For Hierusalem and Iuda must decay: because that both their wordes and counsayles are agaynst the Lorde to prouoke the presence of his maiestie to anger.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judea has fallen, and their tongues have spoken with iniquity, disobedient as they are towards the Lord.
English Revised Version
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For whi Jerusalem felle doun, and Juda felle doun togidere; for the tunge of hem, and the fyndingis of hem weren ayens the Lord, for to terre to wraththe the iyen of his mageste.
Update Bible Version
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen; because their tongue and their doings are against Yahweh, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
Webster's Bible Translation
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings [are] against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
New English Translation
Jerusalem certainly stumbles, Judah falls, for their words and their actions offend the Lord ; they rebel against his royal authority.
New King James Version
For Jerusalem stumbled, And Judah is fallen, Because their tongue and their doings Are against the LORD, To provoke the eyes of His glory.
New Living Translation
For Jerusalem will stumble, and Judah will fall, because they speak out against the Lord and refuse to obey him. They provoke him to his face.
New Life Bible
For Jerusalem has no strength, and Judah has fallen, because their speaking and their actions are against the Lord. They have turned against His shining-greatness.
New Revised Standard
For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord , defying his glorious presence.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For stumbled bath Jerusalem, and, Judah, hath fallen, - Because, their tongue and their doings, are against Yahweh, Provoking his glorious presence,
Douay-Rheims Bible
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Juda is fallen: because their tongue, and their devices are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his majesty.
Revised Standard Version
For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen; because their speech and their deeds are against the LORD, defying his glorious presence.
Young's Literal Translation
For stumbled hath Jerusalem, and Judah hath fallen, For their tongue and their doings [are] against Jehovah, To provoke the eyes of His glory.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, Because their speech and their actions are against the LORD, To rebel against His glorious presence.

Contextual Overview

1 The Master, God -of-the-Angel-Armies, is emptying Jerusalem and Judah Of all the basic necessities, plain bread and water to begin with. He's withdrawing police and protection, judges and courts, pastors and teachers, captains and generals, doctors and nurses, and, yes, even the repairmen and jacks-of-all-trades. He says, "I'll put little kids in charge of the city. Schoolboys and schoolgirls will order everyone around. People will be at each other's throats, stabbing one another in the back: Neighbor against neighbor, young against old, the no-account against the well-respected. One brother will grab another and say, ‘You look like you've got a head on your shoulders. Do something! Get us out of this mess.' And he'll say, ‘Me? Not me! I don't have a clue. Don't put me in charge of anything.' 8"Jerusalem's on its last legs. Judah is soon down for the count. Everything people say and do is at cross-purposes with God , a slap in my face. Brazen in their depravity, they flaunt their sins like degenerate Sodom. Doom to their eternal souls! They've made their bed; now they'll sleep in it.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Jerusalem: 2 Chronicles 28:5-7, 2 Chronicles 28:18, 2 Chronicles 33:11, 2 Chronicles 36:17-19, Jeremiah 26:6, Jeremiah 26:18, Lamentations 5:16, Lamentations 5:17, Micah 3:12

because: Isaiah 5:18, Isaiah 5:19, Isaiah 57:4, Psalms 73:8, Psalms 73:9, Ezekiel 8:12, Ezekiel 9:9, Hosea 7:16, Malachi 3:13-15, Matthew 12:36, Matthew 12:37, Jude 1:15

to provoke: Isaiah 65:3-5, 2 Chronicles 33:6, 2 Chronicles 33:7, Ezekiel 8:4-6, Ezekiel 8:17, Ezekiel 8:18, Habakkuk 1:13, 1 Corinthians 10:22

Reciprocal: Genesis 13:13 - before 1 Samuel 2:17 - before Isaiah 1:4 - provoked Isaiah 29:4 - thou shalt Jeremiah 7:18 - that they Jeremiah 23:36 - for every Jeremiah 44:8 - ye provoke Lamentations 1:9 - came Amos 5:2 - is fallen Zechariah 1:6 - according to our ways

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
The serpent was clever, more clever than any wild animal God had made. He spoke to the Woman: "Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?"
Genesis 3:2
The Woman said to the serpent, "Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It's only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘Don't eat from it; don't even touch it or you'll die.'"
Genesis 3:9
God called to the Man: "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:10
He said, "I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid."
Genesis 3:12
The Man said, "The Woman you gave me as a companion, she gave me fruit from the tree, and, yes, I ate it." God said to the Woman, "What is this that you've done?"
Genesis 3:21
God made leather clothing for Adam and his wife and dressed them.
Genesis 3:22
God said, "The Man has become like one of us, capable of knowing everything, ranging from good to evil. What if he now should reach out and take fruit from the Tree-of-Life and eat, and live forever? Never—this cannot happen!"
Deuteronomy 5:25
Moses Teaches Israel on the Plains of Moab Moses called all Israel together. He said to them, Attention, Israel. Listen obediently to the rules and regulations I am delivering to your listening ears today. Learn them. Live them. God , our God, made a covenant with us at Horeb. God didn't just make this covenant with our parents; he made it also with us, with all of us who are alive right now. God spoke to you personally out of the fire on the mountain. At the time I stood between God and you, to tell you what God said. You were afraid, remember, of the fire and wouldn't climb the mountain. He said: I am God , your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of a house of slaves. No other gods, only me. No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don't bow down to them and don't serve them because I am God, your God, and I'm a most jealous God. I hold parents responsible for any sins they pass on to their children to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation. But I'm lovingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments. No using the name of God , your God, in curses or silly banter; God won't put up with the irreverent use of his name. No working on the Sabbath; keep it holy just as God , your God, commanded you. Work six days, doing everything you have to do, but the seventh day is a Sabbath, a Rest Day—no work: not you, your son, your daughter, your servant, your maid, your ox, your donkey (or any of your animals), and not even the foreigner visiting your town. That way your servants and maids will get the same rest as you. Don't ever forget that you were slaves in Egypt and God , your God, got you out of there in a powerful show of strength. That's why God , your God, commands you to observe the day of Sabbath rest. Respect your father and mother— God , your God, commands it! You'll have a long life; the land that God is giving you will treat you well. No murder. No adultery. No stealing. No lies about your neighbor. No coveting your neighbor's wife. And no lusting for his house, field, servant, maid, ox, or donkey either—nothing that belongs to your neighbor! These are the words that God spoke to the whole congregation at the mountain. He spoke in a tremendous voice from the fire and cloud and dark mist. And that was it. No more words. Then he wrote them on two slabs of stone and gave them to me. As it turned out, when you heard the Voice out of that dark cloud and saw the mountain on fire, you approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your leaders, and said, "Our God has revealed to us his glory and greatness. We've heard him speak from the fire today! We've seen that God can speak to humans and they can still live. But why risk it further? This huge fire will devour us if we stay around any longer. If we hear God 's voice anymore, we'll die for sure. Has anyone ever known of anyone who has heard the Voice of God the way we have and lived to tell the story? "From now on, you go and listen to what God , our God, says and then tell us what God tells you. We'll listen and we'll do it." God heard what you said to me and told me, "I've heard what the people said to you. They're right—good and true words. What I wouldn't give if they'd always feel this way, continuing to revere me and always keep all my commands; they'd have a good life forever, they and their children! "Go ahead and tell them to go home to their tents. But you, you stay here with me so I can tell you every commandment and all the rules and regulations that you must teach them so they'll know how to live in the land that I'm giving them as their own." So be very careful to act exactly as God commands you. Don't veer off to the right or the left. Walk straight down the road God commands so that you'll have a good life and live a long time in the land that you're about to possess.
Job 38:1
And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said:
Proverbs 15:3
God doesn't miss a thing— he's alert to good and evil alike.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen, e.] This is a reason given why the government of them is refused they were fallen into such a ruinous condition, that there was no probability of recovering them. And the reason of this their fall and ruin is,

because their tongue and their doings [are] against the Lord; against the Lord Jesus Christ, whom they reproached and vilified as an impostor, a blasphemer, and a seditious person; and whom they spit upon, buffeted, scourged, and crucified:

to provoke the eyes of his glory; whose glory, as seen by some in the days of his humiliation, was as the glory of the only begotten of the Father; and, upon his ascension, he was crowned with glory and honour: and as his eyes saw, as well as his ears heard, all their blasphemy and wickedness; so they refusing to have him to reign over them, he was provoked to come in his kingdom with power, and cause his wrath to fall upon them to the uttermost, in the destruction of their country, city, and temple.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For Jerusalem ... - The prophet proceeds to show the cause of this state of things. ‘These are the words of the prophet, and not of him who was chosen leader.’ - “Jerome.”

Is ruined - It would be so ruined, and the prospect of preserving it would be so completely taken away, that no one could be induced to undertake to defend and protect it.

Judah - The kingdom of Judah, of which Jerusalem was the capital; Note Isaiah 1:1.

Is fallen - Hebrew, “falls;” that is, is about to fall - as a tower or a tree falls to ruin. If the “capital” fell and was ruined, the kingdom would also fall as a matter of course.

Because their tongue ... - This is the “reason” why Judah was ruined. By word and deed - that is, in every way they opposed God. The “tongue” here represents their “language,” their manner of speaking. It was proud, haughty, rebellious, perhaps blasphemous.

To provoke - To irritate; to offend.

The eyes of his glory - This is a Hebrew expression to denote “his glorious eyes.” The eye quickly expresses anger or indignation. We perceive these passions in the flashing of the eye sooner than in any other part of the countenance. Hence, to “provoke the eyes,” is an expression signifying simply to excite to anger, or to excite him to punish them. Lowth proposes to render this ‘to provoke the cloud of his glory’ - referring to the Shekinah or cloud that rested over the ark in the temple. By a slight variation of the Hebrew text, reading ענן ânân instead of עני ēnēy, it may be so read, and the Syriac so translates it: but the change in the Hebrew text does not seem to be authorized.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 3:8. The eyes - "The cloud"] This word appears to be of very doubtful form, from the printed editions, the MSS., and the ancient versions. The first yod in עיני eyney, which is necessary according to the common interpretation, is in many of them omitted; the two last letters are upon a rasure in two MSS. I think it should be ענן anan, "a cloud," as the Syriac reads; and the allusion is to the cloud in which the glory of the Lord appeared above the tabernacle; see Exodus 16:9-10; Exodus 40:34-38; Numbers 16:41-42.

Either of the readings gives a very good sense. The allusion may be to the cloud of the Divine presence in the wilderness: or the eyes of the Lord may be meant, as they are in every place beholding the evil and the good. And he cannot look upon iniquity but with abhorrence; therefore, the eyes of his glory might be well provoked by their crimes.


 
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