Isaiah 3:1-9

Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah

1 See now, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: all supplies of food and all supplies of water,
2 the hero and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder,
3 the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter.
4 “I will make mere youths their officials; children will rule over them.”
5 People will oppress each other— man against man, neighbor against neighbor. The young will rise up against the old, the nobody against the honored.
6 A man will seize one of his brothers in his father’s house, and say, “You have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!”
7 But in that day he will cry out, “I have no remedy. I have no food or clothing in my house; do not make me the leader of the people.”
8 Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the LORD, defying his glorious presence.
9 The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.

Isaiah 3:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 3

In this chapter the Jews are threatened with various calamities, on account of their sins, which would issue in their entire ruin and destruction. They are threatened with a famine, Isa 3:1 with a removal of useful men in church and state, and in common life, Isa 3:2,3 with ignorant and effeminate governors; the consequences of which would be oppression and insolence, Isa 3:4,5 yea, that such would be their state and condition, that men, though naturally ambitious of honour, would refuse to have the government of them, Isa 3:6,7 the reasons of these calamities, and of this ruin and fall of them, are their evil words and actions against the Lord, which were highly provoking to him; and their impudence in sinning like Sodom, which was to their own harm, Isa 3:8,9 yet, in the midst of all this, it is the will of God that the righteous should be told it shall be well with them, with the reason of it; when it shall be ill with the wicked, as a just recompence of reward, Isa 3:10,11 the errors and mistakes of the people are attributed to their childish and effeminate governors, Isa 3:12 wherefore the Lord determines to plead their cause, and contend with their elders and rulers, because they had spoiled and devoured the poor, Isa 3:13-15 and particularly the women are threatened, for their pride and luxury, to have their ornaments taken from them, which are particularly mentioned, Isa 3:16-24 and the chapter is concluded with a prophecy, that their mighty men should perish by the sword in war, and the city should be desolate, Isa 3:25,26.

Cross References 23

  • 1. S Psalms 18:18
  • 2. S Leviticus 26:26; Amos 4:6
  • 3. Isaiah 5:13; Isaiah 65:13; Ezekiel 4:16
  • 4. Ezekiel 17:13
  • 5. Deuteronomy 18:10
  • 6. 2 Kings 24:14; Isaiah 9:14-15
  • 7. S 2 Kings 1:9
  • 8. S Job 22:8
  • 9. 2 Kings 24:14
  • 10. S Ecclesiastes 10:11; Jeremiah 8:17
  • 11. ver 12; Ecc 10:16 "fn"
  • 12. Psalms 28:3; Isaiah 9:19; Jeremiah 9:8; Micah 7:2,6
  • 13. S Isaiah 2:11
  • 14. Jeremiah 30:12; Ezekiel 34:4; Hosea 5:13
  • 15. Joel 1:16
  • 16. Isaiah 24:2
  • 17. Isaiah 1:7
  • 18. Isaiah 9:15,17; Isaiah 28:15; Isaiah 30:9; Isaiah 59:3,13
  • 19. 2 Chronicles 33:6
  • 20. S Job 1:11; Psalms 73:9,11; Isaiah 65:7
  • 21. Numbers 32:23; Isaiah 59:12; Jeremiah 14:7; Hosea 5:5
  • 22. S Genesis 13:13
  • 23. S 2 Chronicles 34:24; S Proverbs 8:36; Romans 6:23
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