Verse

Isaiah 3:8

ESV For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.
NIV Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.
NASB For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, Because their speech and their actions are against the Lord, To rebel against His glorious presence.
CSB For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen because they have spoken and acted against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.
NLT 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.
KJV 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.
NKJV For Jerusalem stumbled, And Judah is fallen, Because their tongue and their doings Are against the Lord, To provoke the eyes of His glory.

What does Isaiah 3:8 mean?

This verse sums up the results of the passage so far. Isaiah has described a time coming for Judah when all the strong men and leaders will be gone (Isaiah 3:2–3). Jerusalem and the community will fall into chaos because of the lack of leadership. The people will turn on each other and those chosen by the people to lead them will refuse to take the job because it will that hopeless (Isaiah 3:5–7).

Isaiah describes this moment in the present tense. The specific events he has described had not yet taken place when the text was written. Yet Jerusalem had already stumbled and Judah had already fallen, in a spiritual sense. The cause of God's judgment has already happened.

The reason for this fall is simple. In all ways the people have set themselves against the Lord. They have done so by putting their trust in false idols (Isaiah 2:8) and human leaders (Isaiah 2:11). They have openly sinned right in God's face in full defiance of His glory (Isaiah 3:9). They have earned the coming judgment He will bring upon them.
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