Isaiah 3:4 - Forerunner Commentary

Isaiah 3:4

2 ^aThe mighty man and the man of war,
The judge and the prophet,
And the diviner and the elder;

3 The captain of fifty and the¹ honorable man,
The counselor and the skillful artisan,
And the expert enchanter.

4 “I will give ^achildren to be their princes,
And¹ babes shall rule over them.

5 The people will be oppressed,
Every one by another and every one by his neighbor;
The child will be insolent toward the¹ elder,
And the¹ base toward the honorable.”

6 When a man takes hold of his brother
In the house of his father, saying,
“You have clothing;
You be our ruler,
And let these ruins be under your¹ power,”

7 In that day he will protest, saying,
“I cannot cure your ills,
For in my house is neither food nor clothing;
Do not make me a ruler of the people.”

8 For ^aJerusalem stumbled,
And Judah is fallen,
Because their tongue and their doings
Are against the Lord,
To provoke the eyes of His glory.

9 The look on their countenance witnesses against them,
And they declare their sin as ^aSodom;
They do not hide it.
Woe to their soul!
For they have brought evil upon themselves.

10 “Say to the righteous ^athat it shall be well with them,
^bFor they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

11 Woe to the wicked! ^aIt shall be ill with him,
For the reward of his hands shall be¹ given him.

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

Oppression and Luxury Condemned

13 The Lord stands up ^ato plead,
And stands to judge the people.

14 The Lord will enter into judgment
With the elders of His people
And His princes:
“For you have¹ eaten up ^athe vineyard;
The plunder of the poor is in your houses.

Verse Comparison: Isaiah 3:4

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Isaiah 3:5 >>

American Standard Version
And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

Amplified® Bible
And I will make boys their princes, and with childishness shall they rule over them [with outrage instead of justice].

Contemporary English Version
He will let children and babies become your rulers.

Darby English Version
And I will appoint youths as their princes, and children shall rule over them.

Good News Bible
The LORD will let the people be governed by immature boys.

King James Version
And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

New American Standard Bible
And I will make mere lads their princes, And capricious children will rule over them,

New International Version
I will make boys their officials;
mere children will govern them.

New King James Version
" I will give children to be their princes,
And babes shall rule over them.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
And I will make mere lads their princes, And capricious children will rule over them,

Revised Standard Version
And I will make boys their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

Young's Literal Translation
And I have made youths their heads, And sucklings rule over them.

New English Translation
The Lord says,¹ “I will make youths their officials; malicious young men² will rule over them.

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