New Living Translation
Isaiah 4:1
1In 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.”
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 King James Version (NKJV)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.”
Context of Isaiah 4:1
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.” 2But in that day, the branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of all who survive in Israel. 3All who remain in Zion will be a holy people— those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem and are recorded among the living.
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 2:11Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment.
- Isaiah 10:20In that day the remnant left in Israel, the survivors in the house of Jacob, will no longer depend on allies who seek to destroy them. But they will faithfully trust the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 17:7Then at last the people will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.
- Luke 21:22For those will be days of God’s vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled.
- Isaiah 3:25The men of the city will be killed with the sword, and her warriors will die in battle.
- Isaiah 13:12I will make people scarcer than gold— more rare than the fine gold of Ophir.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:12We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living.
- Genesis 30:23She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. “God has removed my disgrace,” she said.
- 1 Samuel 1:6So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children.
- Luke 1:25“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”
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
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