EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Isaiah 3:4
4The Lord says, ‘I will cause boys to become their leaders who will rule them badly.
Isaiah 3:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
- New International Version (NIV)“I will make mere youths their officials; children will rule over them.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And I will make boys their princes, and infants shall rule over them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“I will give children to be their princes, And babes shall rule over them.
Context of Isaiah 3:4
2He will take away the brave men and the soldiers, the judges and the prophets, their leaders and the people who have visions of future things, 3the army officers and the city officers, the wise advisors, and those who use magic to do clever things. The Lord says, ‘I will cause boys to become their leaders who will rule them badly. 5People will be cruel to each other. Men will argue against one another and neighbours will fight each other. Young people will insult older people. And useless people will speak against people that they should respect. 6A man will go to his father's house and he will take hold of his brother. The man will say to him, “Look, you have a coat. So you should be our leader! You can rule over the few buildings that remain in our city!”
Read all of Isaiah 3Isaiah 3:4 word by word
וְנָתַתִּ֥י נְעָרִ֖ים שָׂרֵיהֶ֑ם וְתַעֲלוּלִ֖ים יִמְשְׁלוּ־בָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 3:4
- 1 Kings 3:7Lord my God, I am only a young man. I have not learned how to rule well. But you have now made me become king, as my father David was king.
- 2 Chronicles 33:1Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king. He ruled as king in Jerusalem for 55 years.
- 2 Chronicles 34:1Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled as king in Jerusalem for 31 years.
- 2 Chronicles 36:2Jehoahaz was 23 years old when he became king. He ruled as king in Jerusalem for three months.
- Ecclesiastes 10:16A country is in terrible trouble if its ruler is young and foolish. If its leaders go to parties all day, a country is in trouble.
Commentaries on Isaiah 3:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4I will give children to be their princes "I will make boys their princes" - This also was fully accomplished in the succession of weak and wicked princes, from the death of Josiah to the destruction of the city and temple, and the taking of Zedekiah, the last of them, by Nebuchadnezzar. Babes shall rule over them - Dymennysche men schul lordschopen to hem. - Old MS. Bible.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And I will give children - Not children in respect to age so much as in regard to talent for governing. I will commit the land to the government of weak and imbecile princes. This would naturally occur when the wise and great were removed; compare Ecclesiastes 10:16: Wo to thee, O land, when thy king is a child;‘ compare Isaiah 3:12. And babes shall rule - That is, babes in experience and knowledge. This was fully accomplished in the succession of weak…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Conditions would be so severe that even boys and toddlers could become candidates for office. Isaiah might have meant that adult leaders would be so reduced in number that only children would be left to take on the role. Alternatively, he might have meant that the new leaders would be as immature, unwise, strong-willed, and inexperienced as children.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. children--in ability for governing; antithesis to the "ancient" (see Is 3:12; Ec 10:16). babes--in warlike might; antithesis to "the mighty" and "man of war."Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 3:4
In the dictionaries
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
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