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 one of the Books 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.

    Judgement on Jerusalem and Judah (3:1–15)

Verses 1-15 speaks of the imminent collapse of the society in a unified composition within the inclusion of the phrase "the Lord, the Almighty", as follows:

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

New International Version
  • "What mean ye" : from the Hebrew word written as, but read as, mah-lakem, literally, according to Rashi, "What is to you?"
  • "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 ''

    A warning to the daughters of Zion (3:16–26)

There are two contrasts in this section: the first one shows how the daughters of Zion are blemished as God's judgment falls on sinners, whereas the second contrast itemizes the luxury in life's ease which will be lost in sorrow. According to Susanne Scholz, there is a common mistranslation of the Hebrew word pōt as "forehead" or "scalp". Also often translated as "genitals" or "secret parts", Scholz believes that a more accurate translation of the word in context is "cunt", as first suggested by J. Cheryl Exum's The Ethics of Biblical Violence against Women. They and other scholars such as Johnny Miles conclude that this stripping of women's clothes to expose their genitals refers to sexual violence as God's punishment for women's arrogance and pride.

Verse 16

Cross reference: Psalm 75

Verse 17

Clothing and finery of the daughters of Zion

In that day the Lord will take away the finery:
HebrewTransliterationEnglish
תפארתtip̄-’e-reṯbravery/finery
עכסים‘ă-ḵā-sîmtinkling ornaments/anklets/fetters
שביסיםshə-ḇî-sîm*cauls/headbands
שהרניםsha-hă-rō-nîmround tires/crescents/crescent ornaments
נטיפותnə-ṭî-p̄ō-wṯchains/pendants
שירותshê-rō-wṯbracelets
רעלותrə-‘ā-lō-wṯ.mufflers/scarfs
פאריםpə-’ê-rîmbonnets/headdresses/caps
צעדותtsə-‘ā-ḏō-wṯarmlets/ornaments of the legs
קשריםqi-shu-rîmheadbands/sashes
בתי הנפשḇā-tê ha-ne-p̄eštablets/sachets/perfume boxes/bottles
לחשיםlə-ḥā-shîm.earrings/amulets/charms
טבעותṭa-bā-‘ō-wṯ rings
נזמי האףniz-mê hā-’āp̄.nose rings/jewels
מחלצותma-ḥă-lā-tsō-wṯfestal robes/changeable suits of apparel/fine robes
מעטפותma-‘ă-ṭā-p̄ō-wṯ,mantles/capes
מטפחותmiṭ-pā-ḥō-wṯwimples/cloaks/shawls
חריטיםḥă-rî-ṭîm.crisping pins/ purses/handbags
גליניםgil-yō-nîmglasses/mirrors/garments of gauze
סדיניםsə-ḏî-nîm,fine linens/linen garments/undergarments
צניפותtsə-nî-p̄ō-wṯhoods/turbans/tiaras
רדידיםrə-ḏî-ḏîmveils
בשםbō-shemsweet smell/fragrance/perfume
חגורהkha-ḡō-w-rāhsash/girdle/belt/apron
מעשה מקשהma-‘ă-sheh miq-shehwell-set hairdo
פתיגילpə-thî-ḡîl*stomacher/fine clothing/rich robe

* ''hapax legomenon''

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".
All the luxury the people enjoyed was itemized, and then with five times "instead", their ease would be exchanged for mourning.

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

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