Isaiah 3

Read on churchofjesuschrist.org (with footnotes)

1For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 1

For behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole staff of bread, and the whole stay of water,
IV v. 1 (Inspired Version, 1867)

2The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,

3The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 3

The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counselor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
IV v. 3 (Inspired Version, 1867)

4And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 4

And I will give children unto them to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
IV v. 4 (Inspired Version, 1867)

5And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 5

And the people shall be oppressed, everyone by another, and everyone by his neighbor; the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable.
IV v. 5 (Inspired Version, 1867)

6When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand:

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 6

When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father and shall say, Thou hast clothing; be thou our ruler, and let not this ruin come under thy hand,
IV v. 6 (Inspired Version, 1867)

7In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 7

In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be a healer; for in my house there is neither bread nor clothing; make me not a ruler of the people.
IV v. 7 (Inspired Version, 1867)

8For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 8

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen because their tongues and their doings have been against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
IV v. 8 (Inspired Version, 1867)

9The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 9

The show of their countenance doth witness against them and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom; they cannot hide it. Woe unto their souls! For they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
IV v. 9 (Inspired Version, 1867)

10Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 10

Say unto the righteous that it is well with them; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
IV v. 10 (Inspired Version, 1867)

11Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 11

Woe unto the wicked! For they shall perish; for the reward of their hands shall be upon them.
IV v. 11 (Inspired Version, 1867)

12As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 12

And as for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they who lead thee cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths.
IV v. 12 (Inspired Version, 1867)

13The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.

14The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 14

The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people and the princes thereof; for ye have eaten up the vineyard, and the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
IV v. 14 (Inspired Version, 1867)

15What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 15

What mean ye? Ye beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poor, saith the Lord God of hosts.
IV v. 15 (Inspired Version, 1867)

16Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:

17Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.

18In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 18

In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of tinkling ornaments, and cauls, and round tires like the moon,
IV v. 18 (Inspired Version, 1867)

19The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,

20The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,

21The rings, and nose jewels,

22The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,

23The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the veils.

24And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 24

And it shall come to pass, instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle, a rent; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a stomacher, a girding of sackcloth; burning instead of beauty.
IV v. 24 (Inspired Version, 1867)

25Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.

26And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 26

And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be desolate and shall sit upon the ground.
IV v. 26 (Inspired Version, 1867)

Also cited in commentary

1 Nephi 8 — The Tree, the Rod, and the Building — Two Geographies of the Soul
- The great and spacious building
- Where this lands
2 Nephi 13 — Isaiah 3 — The Stay and the Staff Removed, and the Daughters of Zion
- Where we are
2 Nephi 14 — Isaiah 4 — The Branch of the Lord and the Restored Pillar of Cloud and Fire
2 Nephi 26 — Nephi's Vision Continued — The Nephite Destruction, the Whisper out of the Dust, and the Universal Invitation
- The warning against priestcraft (verses 20–22, 29–32)
- Where this lands
2 Nephi 28 — False Churches in the Latter Days — The Lull of Carnal Security, the Few Stripes, the Line upon Line
- Priestcraft and the arm of flesh
Alma 41 — Wickedness Never Was Happiness — Alma on the Restoration of the Soul
- How the chapter is built
Jacob 2 — Tender Feelings Wounded — Jacob's Temple Sermon on Pride, Riches, and the David-Solomon Sin
- Where this lands
Nehemiah 5 — The Enemy Inside the Wall — A Great Cry, the Usury of Brethren, the Governor Who Would Not Eat His Bread
- How this chapter changes the reader
- Nehemiah's anger and the great assembly

Cross-references are extracted from the project’s chapter essays — every link below points back into the original prose.

Public-domain text. The modern LDS edition with footnotes and chapter summaries is available on churchofjesuschrist.org ↗.

Study

Joseph Smith Translation

v. 1
For behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole staff of bread, and the whole stay of water,
v. 3
The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counselor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
v. 4
And I will give children unto them to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
v. 5
And the people shall be oppressed, everyone by another, and everyone by his neighbor; the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable.
v. 6
When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father and shall say, Thou hast clothing; be thou our ruler, and let not this ruin come under thy hand,
v. 7
In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be a healer; for in my house there is neither bread nor clothing; make me not a ruler of the people.
v. 8
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen because their tongues and their doings have been against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
v. 9
The show of their countenance doth witness against them and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom; they cannot hide it. Woe unto their souls! For they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
v. 10
Say unto the righteous that it is well with them; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
v. 11
Woe unto the wicked! For they shall perish; for the reward of their hands shall be upon them.
v. 12
And as for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they who lead thee cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths.
v. 14
The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people and the princes thereof; for ye have eaten up the vineyard, and the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
v. 15
What mean ye? Ye beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poor, saith the Lord God of hosts.
v. 18
In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of tinkling ornaments, and cauls, and round tires like the moon,
v. 24
And it shall come to pass, instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle, a rent; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a stomacher, a girding of sackcloth; burning instead of beauty.
v. 26
And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be desolate and shall sit upon the ground.
insertion after v. 26
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.