Isaiah 3:12

12 My people—children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you, and confuse the course 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 innocent how fortunate they are, for they shall eat the fruit of their labors.
11 Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are, for what their hands have done shall be done to them.
12 My people—children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you, and confuse the course of your paths.
13 The Lord rises to argue his case; he stands to judge the peoples.
14 The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.