God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 3:4
4“I will make boys their leaders. Children will govern them.”
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
2⌞He will take their⌟ heroes and soldiers, judges and prophets, fortunetellers and statesmen, 3military leaders and civilian leaders, counselors, skilled workers, and experts in magic. “I will make boys their leaders. Children will govern them.” 5People will oppress each other, and everyone will oppress his neighbor. The young will make fun of the old, and common people will make fun of their superiors. 6A person will grab one of his relatives from his father’s family and say, “You have a coat. You’ll be our leader. This pile of ruins will be under your control.”
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 3:7“Lord my God, although I’m young and inexperienced, you’ve made me king in place of my father David.
- 2 Chronicles 33:1Manasseh was 12 years old when he began to rule, and he ruled for 55 years in Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 34:1Josiah was 8 years old when he began to rule, and he was king for 31 years in Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 36:2Jehoahaz was 23 years old when he became king, and he was king in Jerusalem for 3 months.
- Ecclesiastes 10:16How horrible it will be for any country where the king used to be a servant and where the high officials throw parties in the morning.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries