Isaiah 3:15

Isaiah 3:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord God of hosts.
• New International Version (NIV)What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
• English Standard Version (ESV)What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor?" declares the Lord God of hosts.
• New King James Version (NKJV)What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the faces of the poor?” Says the Lord God of hosts.

Context of Isaiah 3:15

13The Lord takes his position to judge; he stands up to pass sentence on his people. 14The Lord comes to pronounce judgment on the leaders of his people and their officials. He says, “It is you who have ruined the vineyard! You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor. Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?” The sovereign Lord who commands armies has spoken. 16The Lord says, “The women of Zion are proud. They walk with their heads high and flirt with their eyes. They skip along and the jewelry on their ankles jingles. 17So the sovereign master will afflict the foreheads of Zion’s women with skin diseases, the Lord will make the front of their heads bald.”

Isaiah 3:15 word by word

מַה־לָּכֶם֙ תְּדַכְּא֣וּ עַמִּ֔י וּפְנֵ֥י עֲנִיִּ֖ים תִּטְחָ֑נוּ נְאֻם־אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ye beatדָּכָאdâkâ' · to crushH1792
• my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• and grindטָחַןţâchan · to grindH2912
• the facesפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• of the poorעָנִי‛ânîy · afflictedH6041
• saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
• Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
• of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635

Cross-references for Isaiah 3:15

• Ezekiel 18:2“What do you mean by quoting this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “‘The fathers eat sour grapes And the children’s teeth become numb?’
• Jonah 1:6The ship’s captain approached him and said, “What are you doing asleep? Get up! Cry out to your god! Perhaps your god might take notice of us so that we might not die!”
• Isaiah 58:4Look, your fasting is accompanied by arguments, brawls, and fistfights. Do not fast as you do today, trying to make your voice heard in heaven.
• Exodus 5:14The Israelite foremen whom Pharaoh’s slave masters had set over them were beaten and were asked, “Why did you not complete your requirement for brickmaking as in the past – both yesterday and today?”
• Amos 2:6This is what the Lord says: “Because Israel has committed three covenant transgressions – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They sold the innocent for silver, the needy for a pair of sandals.
• Amos 8:4Listen to this, you who trample the needy, and do away with the destitute in the land.
• Micah 3:2yet you hate what is good, and love what is evil. You flay my people’s skin and rip the flesh from their bones.

Commentaries on Isaiah 3:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15And grind the faces - The expression and the image is strong, to denote grievous oppression but is exceeded by the prophet Micah, Micah 3:1-3; : - "Hear, I pray you, ye chiefs of Jacob, And ye princes of the house of Israel: Is it not yours to know what is right? Ye that hate good and love evil: Who tear their skins from off them, And their flesh from off their bones; Who devour the flesh of my people; And flay from off them their skin; And their bones…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15What mean ye - What is your object? Or, What advantage is it to you? Or, By what right or pretence do you do this? Beat my people to pieces - That is, that you trample on them; or cruelly oppress them; Psalm 94:5. And grind the faces of the poor - This is an expression also denoting great oppression. It is taken from the act of grinding a substance on a stone until it is worn away and nothing is left. So, by their cruel exactions, by their injustice to…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. 15The Lord cares for the poor. These were the marginalized and oppressed (people pushed aside and treated unfairly; see Isaiah 1:17). But God is their protector (see 25:4). God asked his people to share his concern for the poor. But instead of helping the poor, many Israelites exploited them to gain wealth (see Isaiah 3:14). They used their power to take advantage of those who could not defend themselves.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. What right have ye to beat, &c. (Psa 94:5; Mi 3:2, 3). grind--by exactions, so as to leave them nothing. faces--persons; with the additional idea of it being openly and palpably done. "Presence," equivalent to "face" (Hebrew).Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 3:15

• Poor
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Agriculture
• Ancient
• Base
• Bravery
• Cunning
• Fruit
• Girding
• Grind

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