Isaiah 3:12

12 As for my people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. My people, those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths.

Isaiah 3:12 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 3:12

[As for] my people, children [are] their oppressors
Or rulers; for (vgwn) , in the Ethiopic language, signifies a king: or "exactors", as in ( Isaiah 60:17 ) princes are so called, because they exact tribute of their subjects, and sometimes in a tyrannical and oppressive manner, and so get the name of oppressors. The sense is the same with ( Isaiah 3:4 ) . The words may be rendered, "as for my people, everyone of their governors, is a child" F14; not in age, but in understanding: and women rule over them,
or "over him" F15; either over the people of Israel, as Alexandra before Hyrcanus, and Helena queen of the Adiabenes; or over the child their governor, as women had great influence over their husbands, the governors of Judea, in those times, as Herodias, Bernice, and Drusilla; or it may be understood of men, weak, effeminate, and given to pleasure: O my people, they which lead thee:
as the former may design their political governors, this their ecclesiastic rulers, who were to direct and lead them in the paths of religion and truth. Some render the words, "who praise thee", as the Targum; "or bless you", or "call you blessed", as the Septuagint and Arabic versions, though guilty of the most flagitious crimes: cause [thee] to err,
or wander from the way of God's commandments, and destroy the way of the paths,
by turning them out of the right way; by enjoining them the traditions of the elders; by taking away the key of knowledge from them, and not suffering them to go into the kingdom of heaven, or attend the ministry of the Gospel and ordinances; as did the Scribes and Pharisees, who were blind leaders of the blind.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 (llwem wyvgn) "exactorum ejus quisque parvulus est", Piscator.
F15 (wb) "in eum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "in illum", Cocceius.

Isaiah 3:12 In-Context

10 Tell the righteous "Good!" For they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
11 Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them; For the deeds of his hands will be paid back to him.
12 As for my people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. My people, those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths.
13 Yahweh stands up to contend, And stands to judge the peoples.
14 Yahweh will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, And their leaders: "It is you who have eaten up the vineyard. The spoil of the poor is in your houses.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.