Isaiah 3

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 (1Qlsa^a; 356-100 BCE;[3] all verses) and 4QIsa^b (4Q56; with extant verses 14–22);[4][5] as well as codices, such as Codex Cairensis (895 CE), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), Codex Leningradensis (1008).[6]

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 (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).[7]

For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water[9]

• "For": translated from כי‎, ki,[10] as the opening word to the chapter, connecting to the last verse in the previous chapter (2:22), justifying "the call to stop trusting in man."[1]
• "The Lord, the LORD of hosts" (NIV: "The Lord, the LORD Almighty): translated from האדון יהוה צבאות‎, ha-’ā-ḏō-wn YHWH tsə-ḇā-’ō-wṯ[10]
• "The stay and the staff" (ESV: "support and supply"): translated from משען ומשענה‎, mash-‘ên ū-mash-‘ê-nāh,[10] 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.[11] 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".[12] Both alludes to "the structure of the society, without which there would be chaos."[13]

King James Version

What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.[14]

New International Version

What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?" declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.[15]

• "What mean ye" (NIV: "What do you mean"): from the Hebrew word written (כ) as מלכם‎, but read (ק) as מה ־לכם‎, mah-lakem,[16] lit. "What is to you?" according to Rashi.[17]
• "Beat ... to pieces" (NIV: "crushing"): translated from תדכאו‎, derived from the root word דָּכָא‎, daka, also meaning "to bruise, to break in pieces, to oppress, to contrite".[16]
• "The Lord GOD of hosts" (NIV: "The Lord, the LORD Almighty): translated from אדני יהוה צבאות‎, ’ă-ḏō-nāy YHWH tsə-ḇā-’ō-wṯ[16]

Moreover the Lord says:

“Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,

And walk with outstretched necks

And wanton eyes,

Walking and mincing as they go,

Making a jingling with their feet. (NKJV) [19]

Cross reference: Psalm 75

And so it shall be:

Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench;

Instead of a sash, a rope;

Instead of well-set hair, baldness;

Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth;

And branding instead of beauty.[22]

• "Branding": or "burning scar":[23] from כִּי‎, ki, a noun form only used here in the whole Bible which is "an unexceptionable formation" from כָּוָה‎, kawah (Isaiah 43:2; Proverbs 6:28; Exodus 21:25; Leviticus 13:24).[24] It is used here, with the reverse word order compared to the previous four sets of items, to achieve a rhyme (ki ṯa-ḥaṯ yō-p̄î) to end the list and to give "the effect of a tailing off into sadness".[24]

All the luxury the people enjoyed was itemized (verses 18–23), and then with five times "instead" (verse 24), their ease would be exchanged for mourning.[25]

Your men shall fall by the sword,

And your mighty in the war.[26]

• "Mighty": lit. "strength".[27] This verse shows that "sin ends in death."[24]

• Isaiah 3: Hebrew with Parallel English

• Isaiah 3 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate