Isaiah 3

Your leaders mislead you

1 Now the LORD God of heavenly forces is removing from Jerusalem and from Judah every form of support: all rations of food and water;

2 soldier and warrior; judge and prophet; fortune-teller and elder;

3 commander and celebrity; counselor, clever craftsman, and cunning charmer.

4 I will make youths their commanders; mischief makers will rule over them.

5 The people will oppress each other, each one against the other, neighbor against neighbor. The young will bully the old, the rogue, and the respectable.

6 Someone will seize a family member, saying, "You have clothing! You be our leader! This mess will be your responsibility!"

7 Someone else will cry out on that day, "I'm no healer! I have neither food nor clothing in my house! Don't make me the leader of the people!"

8 Yes, Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, because the way they talk and act in word and deed insults the LORD, defying his brilliant glory.

9 Their bias in judgment gives them away; like Sodom, they display their sins in public. Doom to them, for they have done themselves in!

10 Tell the righteous how blessed they are; they will eat the fruit of their labors.

11 Doom to the wicked; they are evil. What they have done will be done to them.

12 As for my people—oppressors strip them and swindlers rule them. My people—your leaders mislead you and confuse your paths.

13 The LORD arises to accuse; he stands to judge the peoples.

14 The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: You yourselves have devoured the vineyard; the goods stolen from the poor are in your houses.

15 How dare you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor? says the LORD God of heavenly forces.

16 The LORD says: Because Zion's daughters applaud themselves, walking with their chins in the air, flirting with their eyes, tiptoeing as they walk, feet jingling—

17 the Lord will shave the heads of Zion's daughters, and will expose their scalps.

18 On that day, the LORD will remove: the splendid ankle chains; headbands and moon-shaped pendants;

19 the earrings, bracelets, and veils;

20 the hats, bangles, and sashes; the amulets and charms;

21 the signet rings and nose rings;

22 the robes and capes; the shawls and handbags;

23 the mirrors and linen garments; the turbans and the veils.

24 Instead of perfume there will be a disgusting odor; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of styled hair, shaved heads; instead of expensive clothes, rags as mourning clothes; instead of beauty, shame.

25 Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle!

26 Her gates will lament and mourn; desolate, she will sit on the ground.

Isaiah 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The calamities about to come upon the land. (1-9) The wickedness of the people. (10-15) The distress of the proud, luxurious women of Zion. (16-26)

Verses 1-9 God was about to deprive Judah of every stay and support. The city and the land were to be made desolate, because their words and works had been rebellious against the Lord; even at his holy temple. If men do not stay themselves upon God, he will soon remove all other supports, and then they must sink. Christ is the Bread of life and the Water of life; if he be our Stay, we shall find that is a good part not to be taken away, Joh. 6:27 . Here note, 1. That the condition of sinners is exceedingly woful. 2. It is the soul that is damaged by sin. 3. Whatever evil befals sinners, be sure that they bring it on themselves.

Verses 10-15 The rule was certain; however there might be national prosperity or trouble, it would be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked. Blessed be God, there is abundant encouragement to the righteous to trust in him, and for sinners to repent and return to him. It was time for the Lord to show his might. He will call men to a strict account for all the wealth and power intrusted to and abused by them. If it is sinful to disregard the necessities of the poor, how odious and wicked a part do they act, who bring men into poverty, and then oppress them!

Verses 16-26 The prophet reproves and warns the daughters of Zion of the sufferings coming upon them. Let them know that God notices the folly and vanity of proud women, even of their dress. The punishments threatened answered the sin. Loathsome diseases often are the just punishment of pride. It is not material to ask what sort of ornaments they wore; many of these things, if they had not been in fashion, would have been ridiculed then as now. Their fashions differed much from those of our times, but human nature is the same. Wasting time and money, to the neglect of piety, charity, and even of justice, displease the Lord. Many professors at the present day, seem to think there is no harm in worldly finery; but were it not a great evil, would the Holy Spirit have taught the prophet to expose it so fully? The Jews being overcome, Jerusalem would be levelled with the ground; which is represented under the idea of a desolate female seated upon the earth. And when the Romans had destroyed Jerusalem, they struck a medal, on which was represented a woman sitting on the ground in a posture of grief. If sin be harboured within the walls, lamentation and mourning are near the gates.

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX; MT women
• [b]. DSS (1QIsaa); MT lacks shame.

Chapter Summary

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.