New King James Version
Isaiah 4:1
1And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; Only let us be called by your name, To take away our reproach.”
Isaiah 4:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.
- New International Version (NIV)In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, "We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach."
- New Living Translation (NLT)In that day so few men will be left that seven women will fight for each man, saying, “Let us all marry you! We will provide our own food and clothing. Only let us take your name so we won’t be mocked as old maids.”
Context of Isaiah 4:1
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; Only let us be called by your name, To take away our reproach.” 2In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing For those of Israel who have escaped. 3And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.
Read all of Isaiah 4Isaiah 4:1 word by word
וְהֶחֱזִיקוּ֩ שֶׁ֨בַע נָשִׁ֜ים בְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֗ד בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לַחְמֵ֣נוּ נֹאכֵ֔ל וְשִׂמְלָתֵ֖נוּ נִלְבָּ֑שׁ רַ֗ק יִקָּרֵ֤א שִׁמְךָ֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ אֱסֹ֖ף חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And in that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- shall take holdחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
- of oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- We will eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- our own breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- and wearלָבֵשׁlâbash lâbêsh · to clotheH3847
- our own apparelשִׂמְלָהώimlâh · mantleH8071
- only let us be calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
- by thy nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- to take awayאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- our reproachחֶרְפָּהcherpâh · reproachH2781
Cross-references for Isaiah 4:1
- Isaiah 2:11The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
- Isaiah 10:20And it shall come to pass in that day That the remnant of Israel, And such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, Will never again depend on him who defeated them, But will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
- Isaiah 17:7In that day a man will look to his Maker, And his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel.
- Luke 21:22For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
- Isaiah 3:25Your men shall fall by the sword, And your mighty in the war.
- Isaiah 13:12I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:12Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
- Genesis 30:23And she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”
- 1 Samuel 1:6And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb.
- Luke 1:25“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Commentaries on Isaiah 4:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1And seven women - The division of the chapters has interrupted the prophet's discourse, and broken it off almost in the midst of the sentence. "The numbers slain in battle shall be so great, that seven women shall be left to one man." The prophet has described the greatness of this distress by images and adjuncts the most expressive and forcible. The young women, contrary to their natural modesty, shall become suitors to the men: they will take hold of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1In that day - The time of calamity referred to in the close of the previous chapter. This is a continuation of that prophecy, and there was no reason why these six verses should have been made a separate chapter. That the passage refers to the Messiah, is apparent from what has been stated in the note at the commencement of the prophecy Isaiah 2:1-4, and from the expressions which occur in the chapter itself; see the notes at Isaiah 4:2, Isaiah 4:5-6…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The havoc occasioned by war. (Is. 4:1) The times of the Messiah. (Is. 4:2-6) Verse 1 This first verse belongs to the third chapter. When the troubles should come upon the land, as the unmarried state was deemed reproachful among the Jews, these women would act contrary to common usage, and seek husbands for themselves.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1During Isaiah’s ministry, Jerusalem’s population was greatly reduced. War, famine (lack of food), and disease caused many deaths (Isaiah 3:1–3; 6:13; 14:30; 22:2; 37:4). So many men died that few were left in the city. This created a serious absence of leadership (see Isaiah 3:1–12). Without strong leaders, the city became weak and unstable. Even worse conditions were coming. In 734–732 BC, Judah faced war with an alliance(a military agreement) between…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-6Is 4:1-6. that day--the calamitous period described in previous chapter. seven--indefinite number among the Jews. So many men would be slain, that there would be very many more women than men; for example, seven women, contrary to their natural bashfulness, would sue to (equivalent to "take hold of," Is 3:6) one man to marry them. eat ... own bread--foregoing the privileges, which the law (Ex 21:10) gives to wives, when a man has more than one…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 4:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 4
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries