Isaiah 3:1–15

Footnotes

1. 1 Heb “the master, the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].” On the title “the Lord who commands armies,” see the note at .
2. 2 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
3. 3 Heb “support and support.” The masculine and feminine forms of the noun are placed side-by-side to emphasize completeness. See §122.v.
4. 4 Heb “all the support of food, and all the support of water.”
5. 5 Heb “elder” (so , , , ); “older leaders.”
6. 6 Heb “the ones lifted up with respect to the face.” For another example of the Hebrew idiom, see 2 Kgs 5:1.
7. 7 Heb “and the wise with respect to magic.” On the meaning of חֲרָשִׁים (kharashim, “magic”), see III חרשׁ. Some understand here a homonym, meaning “craftsmen.” In this case, one could translate, “skilled craftsmen” (cf. , ).
8. 8 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.
9. 9 תַעֲלוּלִים (ta’alulim) is often understood as an abstract plural meaning “wantonness, cruelty” (cf. ). 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 (’olélim, “children”; cf. ESV, , , , , ). This emendation is unnecessary for at least two reasons. The word in the 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.
10. 10 Heb “man against man, and a man against his neighbor.”
11. 11 Heb “and those lightly esteemed those who are respected.” The verb רָהַב (rahav) does double duty in the parallelism.
12. 12 Heb “[in] the house of his father” (so ); “at his father’s home.”
13. 13 The words “and say” are supplied for stylistic reasons.
14. 14 Heb “your hand”; “under your charge.” The man’s motives are selfish. He tells his brother to assume leadership because he thinks he has some wealth to give away.
15. 15 Or “in that day” ().
16. 16 Heb “he will lift up [his voice].”
17. 17 Heb “wrapper [of wounds]”; , , “healer.”
18. 18 Heb “for their tongue and their deeds [are] to the Lord.”
19. 19 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.
20. 20 This refers to their proud, arrogant demeanor.
21. 21 Heb “answers against them”; “bears witness against them.”
22. 22 Heb “their sin, like Sodom, they declare, they do not conceal [it].”
23. 23 Heb “woe to their soul.”
24. 24 Or “the righteous” (, , , ); “those who are godly.”
25. 25 Heb “that it is good.”
26. 26 Heb “for the fruit of their deeds they will eat.”
27. 27 Heb “for the work of his hands will be done to him.”
28. 28 This may refer to the prophet or to the Lord.
29. 29 The Hebrew text appears to read literally, “My people, his oppressors, he deals severely, and women rule over them.” The correct text and precise meaning of the verse are debated. The translation above assumes (1) an emendation of נֹגְשָׂיו (nogésayv, “his oppressors”) to נֹגְשִׂים (nogéshim, “oppressors”) by moving the mem (ם) on the following form to the end of the word and dropping the vav (ו) as virtually dittographic; (2) an emendation of מְעוֹלֵל (mé’olel, a singular participle that does not agree with the preceding plural subject) to עֹלְלוּ (’olélu), a third plural Poel perfect from עָלַל (’alal, “deal severely”; note that the following form begins with a vav [ו]; the text may be haplographic or misdivided); and (3) an emendation (with support from the ) of נָשִׁים (nashim, “women”) to נֹשִׁים (noshim, “creditors”; a participle from נָשַׁא, nasa’). Another option is to emend מְעוֹלֵל to עוֹלְלִים (’olélim, “children”) and read, “My people’s oppressors are children; women rule over them.” In this case the point is the same as in v. 4; the leadership void left by the judgment will be filled by those incompetent to lead the community—children and women. (The text reflects the ancient Israelite patriarchal mindset.)
30. 30 Heb “and the way of your paths they confuse.” The verb בָּלַע (bala’, “confuse”; I בלע) is a homonym of the more common בָּלַע (“swallow”; see בלע).
31. 31 The Hebrew text has “nations,” but the preceding and following contexts make it clear that the Lord is judging his covenant people. עָמִים (’amim) should be changed (with support from the ) to עמו. The final mem (ם) on the form in the Hebrew is either dittographic or enclitic. When the mem was added or read as a plural ending, the vav (ו) was then misread as a yod (י).
32. 32 The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
33. 33 The pronominal element is masculine plural; the leaders are addressed.
34. 34 The verb בָּעַר (ba’ar, “graze, ruin”; II בער) is a homonym of the more common בָּעַר (ba’ar, “burn”; see I בער).
35. 35 The vineyard is a metaphor for the nation here. See 5:1–7.
36. 36 Heb “the plunder of the poor [is] in your houses” (so ).
37. 37 The rhetorical question expresses the Lord’s outrage at what the leaders have done to the poor. He finds it almost unbelievable that they would have the audacity to treat his people in this manner.
38. 38 Heb “the master, the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].” On the title “the Lord who commands armies,” see the note at . The use of this title, which also appears in v. 1, forms an inclusio around vv. 1–15. The speech begins and ends with a reference to “the master, the Lord who commands armies.”