Isaiah 3
Isaiah 3 is the third chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Isaiah, and is a part of the Book of the Prophets. This chapter describes how the corrupt leadership brought about the collapse of the social condition of Jerusalem and contains Isaiah's prophecies that "For the sin of the people, God will take away the wise men, and give them foolish princes".
Text
The original text was written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 26 verses.Textual witnesses
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes some fragments among Dead Sea Scrolls, such as the Isaiah Scroll and 4QIsa ; as well as codices, such as Codex Cairensis, the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets, Aleppo Codex, Codex Leningradensis.There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Marchalianus.
Parashot
The parashah sections listed here are based on the Aleppo Codex. Isaiah 3 is a part of the Prophecies about Judah and Israel . : open parashah; : closed parashah.Structure
Motyer divides this chapter into two sections:- 3:1-15: shows the collapse of human leadership in contrast to the action of "the Lord, the Almighty"
- 3:16-4:1: shows how the divine judgement work out, transforming prosperity into poverty, and prepares for the vision of the Lord's next action.
Verses 1–15
Verse 1
- "For": translated from, , as the opening word to the chapter, connecting to the last verse in the previous chapter, justifying "the call to stop trusting in man."
- "The Lord, the of hosts" : translated from, ha- YHWH
- "The stay and the staff" : translated from, ū-, where "mashenah" is the feminine form of the masculine word "mashen", so here the masculine and feminine forms of the noun are used, symbolising completeness. Keil and Delitzsch render them as "supporter and means of support", and, among all, "bread" and "water" are first named as the "two indispensable conditions and the lowest basis of human life". Both alludes to "the structure of the society, without which there would be chaos."
Verse 15
- "What mean ye" : from the Hebrew word written as, but read as, mah-lakem, lit. "What is to you?" according to Rashi.
- "Beat... to pieces" : translated from, derived from the root word, , also meaning "to bruise, to break in pieces, to oppress, to contrite".
- "The Lord GOD of hosts" : translated from, YHWH
Verses 16–24
Verse 16
Cross reference: Psalm 75Clothing and finery of the daughters of Zion
In that day the Lord will take away the finery:| Hebrew | Transliteration | English |
| תפארת | tip̄-’e-reṯ | bravery/finery |
| עכסים | ‘ă-ḵā-sîm | tinkling ornaments/anklets/fetters |
| שביסים | shə-ḇî-sîm* | cauls/headbands |
| שהרנים | sha-hă-rō-nîm | round tires/crescents/crescent ornaments |
| נטיפות | nə-ṭî-p̄ō-wṯ | chains/pendants |
| שירות | shê-rō-wṯ | bracelets |
| רעלות | rə-‘ā-lō-wṯ. | mufflers/scarfs |
| פארים | pə-’ê-rîm | bonnets/headdresses/caps |
| צעדות | tsə-‘ā-ḏō-wṯ | armlets/ornaments of the legs |
| קשרים | qi-shu-rîm | headbands/sashes |
| בתי הנפש | ḇā-tê ha-ne-p̄eš | tablets/sachets/perfume boxes/bottles |
| לחשים | lə-ḥā-shîm. | earrings/amulets/charms |
| טבעות | ṭa-bā-‘ō-wṯ | rings |
| נזמי האף | niz-mê hā-’āp̄. | nose rings/jewels |
| מחלצות | ma-ḥă-lā-tsō-wṯ | festal robes/changeable suits of apparel/fine robes |
| מעטפות | ma-‘ă-ṭā-p̄ō-wṯ, | mantles/capes |
| מטפחות | miṭ-pā-ḥō-wṯ | wimples/cloaks/shawls |
| חריטים | ḥă-rî-ṭîm. | crisping pins/ purses/handbags |
| גלינים | gil-yō-nîm | glasses/mirrors/garments of gauze |
| סדינים | sə-ḏî-nîm, | fine linens/linen garments/undergarments |
| צניפות | tsə-nî-p̄ō-wṯ | hoods/turbans/tiaras |
| רדידים | rə-ḏî-ḏîm | veils |
| בשם | bō-shem | sweet smell/fragrance/perfume |
| חגורה | kha-ḡō-w-rāh | sash/girdle/belt/apron |
| מעשה מקשה | ma-‘ă-sheh miq-sheh | well-set hairdo |
| פתיגיל | pə-thî-ḡîl* | stomacher/fine clothing/rich robe |
Verse 24
- "Branding": or "burning scar": from, ', a noun form only used here in the whole Bible which is "an unexceptionable formation" from, '. It is used here, with the reverse word order compared to the previous four sets of items, to achieve a rhyme to end the list and to give "the effect of a tailing off into sadness".
Verses 3:25–4:1
This section, which continues to 4:1, states without any imagery how the city in actuality is bereft.Verse 25
- "Mighty": lit. "strength". This verse shows that "sin ends in death."
Jewish
Christian