Isaiah 3:4-8

Context

3:4 The Lord says,¹ “I will make youths their officials;

malicious young men² will rule over them.

3:5 The people will treat each other harshly;

men will oppose each other;

neighbors will fight.³

Youths will proudly defy the elderly

and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected.⁴

3:6 Indeed, a man will grab his brother

right in his father’s house⁵ and say,⁶

‘You own a coat –

you be our leader!

This heap of ruins will be under your control.’⁷

3:7 At that time⁸ the brother will shout,⁹

‘I am no doctor,¹⁰

I have no food or coat in my house;

don’t make me a leader of the people!’”

3:8 Jerusalem certainly stumbles,

Judah falls,

for their words and their actions offend the Lord;¹¹

they rebel against his royal authority.¹²

[3:4] ¹tn The words “the Lord says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The prophet speaks in vv. 1-3 (note the third person reference to the Lord in v. 1), but here the Lord himself announces that he will intervene in judgment. It is unclear where the Lord’s words end and the prophet’s pick up again. The prophet is apparently speaking again by v. 8, where the Lord is referred to in the third person. Since vv. 4-7 comprise a thematic unity, the quotation probably extends through v. 7.

[3:4] ²tn תַעֲלוּלִים (ta’alulim) is often understood as an abstract plural meaning “wantonness, cruelty” (cf. NLT). In this case the chief characteristic of these leaders is substituted for the leaders themselves. However, several translations make the parallelism tighter by emending the form to עוֹלְלִים (’olÿlim, “children”; cf. ESV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NKJV, NRSV). This emendation is unnecessary for at least two reasons. The word in the MT highlights the cruelty or malice of the “leaders” who are left behind in the wake of God’s judgment. The immediate context makes clear the fact that they are mere youths. The coming judgment will sweep away the leaders, leaving a vacuum which will be filled by incompetent, inexperienced youths.

[3:5] ³tn Heb “man against man, and a man against his neighbor.”

[3:5] ⁴tn Heb “and those lightly esteemed those who are respected.” The verb רָהַב (rahav) does double duty in the parallelism.

[3:6] ⁵tn Heb “[in] the house of his father” (so ASV); NIV “at his father’s home.”

[3:6] ⁶tn The words “and say” are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[3:6] ⁷tn Heb “your hand”; NASB “under your charge.”

[3:7] ⁸tn Or “in that day” (KJV).

[3:7] ⁹tn Heb “he will lift up [his voice].”

[3:7] ¹⁰tn Heb “wrapper [of wounds]”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “healer.”

[3:8] ¹¹tn Heb “for their tongue and their deeds [are] to the Lord.”

[3:8] ¹²tn Heb “to rebel [against] the eyes of his majesty.” The word כָּבוֹד (kavod) frequently refers to the Lord’s royal splendor that is an outward manifestation of his authority as king.