Isaiah 3:12

Isaiah 3:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
• New International Version (NIV)Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. My people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path.
• English Standard Version (ESV)My people—infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your guides mislead you and they have swallowed up the course of your paths.
• New King James Version (NKJV)As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths.”

Context of Isaiah 3:12

10Tell the righteous that it will go well for them, for they will eat the fruit of their labor. 11Woe to the wicked — it will go badly for them, for what they have done will be done to them. Youths oppress my people, and women rule over them. My people, your leaders mislead you; they confuse the direction of your paths. 13The Lord rises to argue the case and stands to judge the people. 14The Lord brings this charge against the elders and leaders of his people: “You have devastated the vineyard. The plunder from the poor is in your houses.

Isaiah 3:12 word by word

עַמִּי֙ נֹגְשָׂ֣יו מְעוֹלֵ֔ל וְנָשִׁ֖ים מָ֣שְׁלוּ ב֑וֹ עַמִּי֙ מְאַשְּׁרֶ֣יךָ מַתְעִ֔ים וְדֶ֥רֶךְ אֹֽרְחֹתֶ֖יךָ בִּלֵּֽעוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• childrenעָלַל‛âlal · act the childH5953
• their oppressorsנָגַשׂnâgaώ · to oppressH5065
• and womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• ruleמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
• they which leadאָשַׁר'âshar 'âshêr · to blessH833
• to errתָּעָהtâ‛âh · to go astrayH8582
• and destroyבָּלַעbâla‛ · to swallow upH1104
• the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• of thy pathsאֹ֫רַח'ôrach · wayH734

Cross-references for Isaiah 3:12

• Isaiah 3:4“I will make youths their leaders, and unstable rulers will govern them.”
• 2 Kings 11:1When Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs.
• Nahum 3:13Look, your troops are like women among you; your land’s city gates are wide open to your enemies. Fire will devour the bars of your gates.
• Isaiah 9:15The head is the elder, the honored one; the tail is the prophet, the one teaching lies.
• Numbers 6:23“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. You should say to them,
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it like this. But what will you do at the end of it?
• Matthew 15:14Leave them alone! They are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Commentaries on Isaiah 3:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Err "Pervert" - בלעו billeu, "swallow." Among many unsatisfactory methods of accounting for the unusual meaning of this word in this place, I choose Jarchi's explication, as making the best sense. "Read בללו billalu, 'confound.' Syriac." - Dr. Judd. "Read בהלו beholu, 'disturb or trouble.'" - Secker. So Septuagint. This verse might be read, "The collectors of grapes shall be their oppressors; and usurers (noshim, instead of nashim, women) shall rule over…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12As for my people, children are their oppressors - This refers, doubtless, to their civil rulers. They who “ought” to have been their “protectors,” oppressed them by grievous taxes and burdens. But whether this means that the rulers of the people were “literally” minors, or that they were so in “disposition and character,” has been a question. The original word is in the singular number (מעולל me‛ôlēl ), and means a “child,” or an infant. It may…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-15Verses 10-15 The rule was certain; however there might be national prosperity or trouble, it would be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked. Blessed be God, there is abundant encouragement to the righteous to trust in him, and for sinners to repent and return to him. It was time for the Lord to show his might. He will call men to a strict account for all the wealth and power intrusted to and abused by them. If it is sinful to disregard the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-12These verses continue discussing judgment against Israel's leaders (see Isaiah 1:23–25). Removing leaders at all levels would let the mob take over. Chaos and famine would turn Judah and Jerusalem into a social wasteland.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. (See Is 3:4). oppressors--literally, "exactors," that is, exacting princes (Is 60:17). They who ought to be protectors are exactors; as unqualified for rule as "children," as effeminate as "women." Perhaps it is also implied that they were under the influence of their harem, the women of their court. lead--Hebrew, "call thee blessed"; namely, the false prophets, who flatter the people with promises of safety in sin; as the political "rulers" are meant…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 3:12

• Minister, Christian
• Rulers
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Ancient
• Base
• Bravery
• Cunning
• Fruit
• Girding
• Grind
• Ornament
• Stay
• Stomacher

Commentaries on Isaiah 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings