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ISAIAH CHAPTER 3-4:1
OBSERVATION STAGE
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the
normative rules of language, context and logic 
.
.This
limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Isaiah. This
will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more
importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective
comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.
Immediately below is an excerpt that reviews the context of the previous chapter 2 which continues into chapter 3
Or
skip to the beginning of chapter 3: 
************* EXCERPT FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 2 ************
(Isa 2:10 NKJV) "Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty. (Isa 2:11 NKJV) The 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. (Isa 2:12 NKJV) For the day of the LORD of hosts Shall come upon everything (Isa 2:13 NKJV) Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up; (Isa 2:14 NKJV) Upon all the high mountains, And upon all the hills that are lifted up; (Isa 2:15 NKJV) Upon every high tower, And upon every fortified wall; (Isa 2:16 YLT) And for all ships of Tarshish, And for all desirable pictures [in the sense of coveted pictures of idols] (Isa 2:17 YLT) And bowed down [has been] the haughtiness of man, And humbled the loftiness of men, And set on high Jehovah alone [has] been in that day. (Isa 2:18 YLT) [But] the idols - they completely pass away. (Isa 2:19 NKJV) They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily. (Isa 2:20 NKJV) In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver And his idols of gold, Which they made, each for himself to worship, To the moles [i.e., dung beetles / scarabs] and bats (Isa 2:21 NKJV) To go into the clefts of the rocks, And into the crags of the rugged rocks, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily. (Isa 2:22 NKJV) Sever yourselves from such a man, Whose breath is in his nostrils; For of what account is he?" =
The timeframe of the last section of chapter 2 is the Day of the LORD - a technical term signifying the time when the LORD's Eternal Kingdom will come to the earth bringing His Righteousness and Justice to all the peoples of the world, through a future generation of His chosen people, Israel, (Isa 2:2-4). The section begins with a declaration of the LORD's judgment of mankind's haughtiness and loftiness.
Verses 10-11 indicate that at the time of the Day of the LORD those who were haughty in the sight of the LORD would hide themselves from the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty:
(Isa 2:10 NKJV) "Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty," in the sense of hiding in groveling futility in the cracks in rock formations, and in the dust, i.e., in caves underground.
(Isa 2:11 NKJV) The 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."
A key theme of the book of Isaiah is repeated: ultimately only one Person will be exalted. That One will be the LORD alone, ( cf. v. 17).
Chapter 2 does not portray the day when Babylon will conquer Jerusalem and Judah - nor when Rome destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70, nor when Germany perpetrated the Holocaust in the 20th century, nor any event in history so far, as some contend. For not all of the details of Isaiah's prophecy have been fulfilled in the timeframe allotted to signify a true fulfillment of it. Although throughout history events have occurred and will occur which have a number of similar characteristics to what Isaiah wrote; an identical match in every detail in the timeframe which Isaiah wrote has yet to occur.
On the other hand, what is implied in the Book of Isaiah is that anyone who acts in such an offensive manner to the LORD will receive the same kind of discipline / destiny as described in Isaiah's writings at the coming of the LORD, (Isa 2:10-11).
Verses 12 through 18 indicate that the Day of the LORD will come in judgment upon the cedars of Lebanon, the high mountains and hills, high towers and fortified walls, ships of Tarshiah, (referring to richly laden and far voyaging vessels), and desirable pictures, (those which are coveted as idols): All the man made things and the objects of nature which men lift up to worship and sacrifice to as an idol instead of the LORD are in view. Everything that seems to man in his arrogance to be permanent and secure, such that he trusted in it instead of the LORD will be swept away. The haughtiness - the arrogance - and the loftiness of men will be bowed down. In that Day, idols will completely pass away, (Isa 2:12-18).
Verses 19-21 repeat the message of verses 10-11 - that at the time of the Day of the LORD those who were haughty in the sight of the LORD would hide themselves from the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty when He comes - when He arises to shake the earth mightily. This repetition is to emphasize the recalcitrance of the offenders despite continual warnings and frequent discipline over the years and ages:
(Isa 2:19 NKJV) They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.
(Isa 2:20 NKJV) In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver And his idols of gold, Which they made, each for himself to worship, To the moles [i.e., dung beetles / scarabs] and bats.
The Hebrew word rendered "moles" in the NKJV literally means a digging creature. Since moles do not inhabit rocky places, it might very well refer to the dung-beetle,' known as the scarab which does inhabit rocky places. So the idol worshippers of Judah will bring their gold and silver idols which they made with them as they endeavor to escape the wrath of God when He comes to establish His Kingdom rule on earth. The bulk and weight of these idols will so burden them, impeding their "escape" that they will toss them aside where the dung beetles and bats resided. The idols to which they had so clinged to until this moment will ironically be unable to help them escape from the wrath of the LORD. In the final analysis, there will be no escaping the wrath of God for the unfaithful; for it is the LORD Who is Creator and Who controls all things. Isaiah then repeats verse 19 as verse 21, "To go into the clefts of the rocks, And into the crags of the rugged rocks, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily," to emphasize that there is no escaping the coming of the LORD, (Isa 2:19-21).
Isaiah then addresses all those who might lend an ear to the wisdom of the LORD throughout the ages: they are to sever themselves from idol worshippers; for the latter comprise men whose lives are temporal, not eternal; and whose wisdom is of no account compared to that of the LORD, (Isa 2:22).
************* END OF EXCERPT FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 2 ************
(Isa 3:1 NKJV) "For behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, Takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah The stock and the store, The whole supply of bread and the whole supply of water;
(Isa 3:2 NKJV) The mighty man and the man of war, The judge and the prophet, And the diviner and the elder;
(Isa 3:3 NKJV) The captain of fifty and the honorable man, The counselor and the skillful artisan, And the expert enchanter.
(Isa 3:4 NKJV) I will give children to be their princes, And babes shall [be ruling] over them.
(Isa 3:5 NKJV) The people will [have been] oppressed, Every one by another and every one by his neighbor; The child will be insolent toward the elder, And the base toward the honorable.
(Isa 3:6 NKJV) When a man takes hold of his brother In the house of his father, saying, 'You have clothing; You be our ruler, And let these ruins be under your power,'
(Isa 3:7 NKJV) In that day he will protest, saying, 'I cannot cure your ills, For in my house is neither food nor clothing; Do not make me a ruler of the people.'
(Isa 3:8 YLT) For stumbled [has] Jerusalem, and Judah [has] fallen, For their tongue and their doings [are] against Jehovah, To provoke the eyes of His glory.
(Isa 3:9 YLT) The appearance of their faces witnessed against them, And their sin, as Sodom, they declared, They have not hidden! [Woe] to their soul, For they have done to themselves evil.
(Isa 3:10 YLT) Say... to the righteous, that [it is] good, Because the fruit of their doings they eat.
(Isa 3:11 HOLMAN) Woe to the wicked-[it will go] badly [for them], for what they have done will be done to them.
(Isa 3:12 NKJV) As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women [have ruled] over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths.
(Isa 3:13 NKJV) The LORD stands up to plead, And stands to judge the people.
(Isa 3:14 NKJV) The LORD will enter into judgment With the elders of His people And His princes: 'For you have eaten up the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses.
(Isa 3:15 NKJV) What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the faces of the poor?' Says the Lord GOD of hosts.
(Isa 3:16 YLT) Because [the] daughters of Zion have been haughty, And they walk stretching out the neck, And deceiving [with] the eyes, Walking and mincing they go, And with their feet they make a tinkling,
(Isa 3:17 NKJV) Therefore the LORD will strike with a scab The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, And the LORD will uncover their secret parts.
(Isa 3:18 NKJV) In that day the Lord will take away the finery: The jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents;
(Isa 3:19 NKJV) The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils;
(Isa 3:20 NKJV) The headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands; The perfume boxes, the charms,
(Isa 3:21 NKJV) and the rings; The nose jewels,
(Isa 3:22 NKJV) the festal apparel, and the mantles; The outer garments, the purses,
(Isa 3:23 YLT) Of the mirrors, and of the linen garments, And of the hoods, and of the vails,
(Isa 3:24 NKJV) And so it shall be: Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; Instead of a sash, a rope; Instead of well-set hair, baldness; Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty.
(Isa 3:25 NKJV) Your men shall fall by the sword, And your mighty in the war.
(Isa 3:26 NKJV) Her gates shall [have lamented] and [shall have mourned], And she [having been] desolate shall sit on the ground.
(Isa 4:1 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.' "
(Isa 3:1 NKJV) "For behold, the LORD, the LORD of hosts, Takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah The stock and the store, The whole supply of bread and the whole supply of water; (Isa 3:2 NKJV) The mighty man and the man of war, The judge and the prophet, And the diviner and the elder; (Isa 3:3 NKJV) The captain of fifty and the honorable man, The counselor and the skillful artisan, And the expert enchanter. (Isa 3:4 NKJV) I will give children to be their princes, And babes shall [be ruling] over them. (Isa 3:5 NKJV) The people will [have been] oppressed, Every one by another and every one by his neighbor; The child will be insolent toward the elder, And the base toward the honorable. (Isa 3:6 NKJV) When a man takes hold of his brother In the house of his father, saying, 'You have clothing; You be our ruler, And let these ruins be under your power,' (Isa 3:7 NKJV) In that day he will protest, saying, 'I cannot cure your ills, For in my house is neither food nor clothing; Do not make me a ruler of the people.' (Isa 3:8 YLT) For stumbled [has] Jerusalem, and Judah [has] fallen, For their tongue and their doings [are] against Jehovah, To provoke the eyes of His glory. (Isa 3:9 YLT) The appearance of their faces witnessed against them, And their sin, as Sodom, they declared, They have not hidden! [Woe] to their soul, For they have done to themselves evil. (Isa 3:10 YLT) Say... to the righteous, that [it is] good, Because the fruit of their doings they eat. (Isa 3:11 HOLMAN) Woe to the wicked-[it will go] badly [for them], for what they have done will be done to them. (Isa 3:12 NKJV) As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women [have ruled] over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths. (Isa 4:1 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.' " =
The conjunction rendered "For" meaning "because" at the beginning of chapter 3 signifies a continuation of the context of the end of chapter 2 by way of providing an explanation and further details, focusing upon Jerusalem and Judah. The context of chapter 2 is best defined by the phrase rendered "The Day of the LORD" in verse 12. It signifies the coming of the LORD into the world to establish His Eternal Kingdom on the earth. This context is corroborated by verses in the last part of chapter two as follows:
(1) When the glory of the LORD and His majesty will be made manifest throughout the world, (Isa 2:10-21);
(2) When "The Day of the LORD of hosts Shall come upon everything," (Isa 2:12);
(3) When people will flee "From the terror of the LORD, And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily," (Isa 2:19);
(4) When every pretension will have been humbled and will have passed away. When no unrighteous act or attitude will go unaddressed by the LORD, (Isa 2:17).
Chapter 2 does not portray the day when Babylon will conquer Jerusalem and Judah - nor when Rome destroyed it in AD 70, nor when Germany perpetrated the Holocaust in the 20th century, nor any event in history so far, as some contend it does. For not all of the details of Isaiah's prophecy have been fulfilled in the timeframe allotted to signify a true fulfillment of that prophecy. Although throughout history events have occurred and will occur which have a number of similar characteristics to what Isaiah wrote; an identical match in every detail in the timeframe which Isaiah wrote has yet to occur.
On the other hand, what is implied is that anyone who acts in such an offensive manner to the LORD will receive the same kind of discipline / destiny as described in Isaiah's writings at the coming of the LORD.
Furthermore, chapter 4, which continues the context of chapter 3 of the Day of the LORD, provides additional details of that Day which must be fulfilled in every detail and occur in the stipulated timeframe in order for it to be the Day of the LORD:
(Isa 4:2 NKJV) "In 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.
(Isa 4:3 NKJV) And 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.
(Isa 4:4 NKJV) When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning,
(Isa 4:5 NKJV) then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering.
(Isa 4:6 NKJV) And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain."
So Isaiah chapter three begins with a focus of the Day of the LORD zoomed in upon Jerusalem and the people of Judah, "For behold, the LORD, the LORD of hosts, Takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah The stock and the store, The whole supply of bread and the whole supply of water. The mighty man and the man of war, The judge and the prophet, And the diviner and the elder; The captain of fifty and the honorable man, The counselor and the skillful artisan, And the expert enchanter." Although dependant upon them, this is not to say that all of these practices and individuals were approved by the LORD - especially those involved with divination. So because of Judah's sin the LORD, at the time of the Day of the LORD, will have taken away all the food and water - the provisions - as well as all the people that she depended upon, godly and ungodly; leaving Israel in a position of futility - no provisions, no government, no body to depend upon. Furthermore, to add to the futility, the LORD "will give children to be their princes, And babes shall [be ruling] over them." Boys and children would be unable to stop oppression and conflict. Hence "the people will [have been] oppressed, Every one by another and every one by his neighbor; The child will be insolent toward the elder, And the base toward the honorable." All of this will go against Judah at the Day of the LORD, (Isa 3:1-5).
The extent of the loss of rulership is made clear in the next two verses: "When a man takes hold of his brother In the house of his father, saying, 'You have clothing; You be our ruler, And let these ruins be under your power.' In that day he will protest, saying, 'I cannot cure your ills, For in my house is neither food nor clothing; Do not make me a ruler of the people.' So the people were so desperate for leadership that they would grab anyone who owned as little as a cloak to help resolve their problems. But Isaiah indicated that the inevitable response would be a negative one, for the situation of shortage of supplies and people was impossible to resolve when the Day of the LORD commences, (Isa 3:6-7).
And the reason for such devastating destruction upon the people of Judah was stipulated by Isaiah: "For stumbled [has] Jerusalem, and Judah [has] fallen, For their tongue and their doings [are] against Jehovah, To provoke the eyes of His glory. The appearance of their faces witnessed against them, And their sin, as Sodom, they declared, They have not hidden! [Woe] to their soul, For they have done to themselves evil." The people were so openly defiant of the LORD, they did not even make excuses for the sin. Their sins were so egregious that they were compared to the wickedness of the people of Sodom, (Isa 3:8-9).
Isaiah went on to write, "Say... to the righteous, that [it is] good, Because the fruit of their doings [their good works] they eat. Woe to the wicked-[it will go] badly [for them], for what they have done will be done to them, As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women [have ruled] over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths." So the righteous need not fear the LORD, for they will receive the fruit of their doings. But woe to the wicked, for it will go badly for them because they will have done to them what they have done to others. And as for the people of the LORD - those who have been so unfaithful to Him - children are their oppressors, And women have ruled over them - evidently causing hardship. The LORD mourned the destiny of His people, lamenting that those that led them, caused them to sin, destroying the way of their paths, (Isa 3:10-12).
(Isa 3:13 NKJV) "The LORD stands up to plead, And stands to judge the people. (Isa 3:14 NKJV) The LORD will enter into judgment With the elders of His people And His princes: 'For you have eaten up the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses. (Isa 3:15 NKJV) What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the faces of the poor?' Says the Lord GOD of hosts." =
Isaiah chapter 3 continues the context of chapter 2 of the Day of the LORD's coming into the world, but with a focus upon Jerusalem and Judah. In that day, the LORD will have taken away food, water and individuals which that generation of the people of Jerusalem and Judah depended upon for leadership. Note that the Masoretic Text in Isa 3:15 reads "peoples," and the LXX reads "people" - the latter best fitting the context. This would leave them in a position of futility: rampant oppression, children insolent toward their elders, the vile impudent toward the honorable. For Jerusalem had stumbled, Judah had fallen - their tongue and deeds were against the LORD - which they did openly before Him. They were as evil as Sodom. The righteous will receive the fruit of their good works, but woe to the wicked. They will have done to them what they had done to others. Children would be their oppressors; and women their rulers, (Isa 3:13-15).
(Isa 3:16 YLT) "Because [the] daughters of Zion have been haughty, And they walk stretching out the neck, And deceiving [with] the eyes, Walking and mincing they go, And with their feet they make a tinkling, (Isa 3:17 NKJV) Therefore the LORD will strike with a scab The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, And the LORD will uncover their secret parts. (Isa 3:18 NKJV) In that day the Lord will take away the finery: The jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents; (Isa 3:19 NKJV) The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils; (Isa 3:20 NKJV) The headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands; The perfume boxes, the charms, (Isa 3:21 NKJV) and the rings; The nose jewels, (Isa 3:22 NKJV) the festal apparel, and the mantles; The outer garments, the purses, (Isa 3:23 YLT) Of the mirrors, and of the linen garments, And of the hoods, and of the vails, (Isa 3:24 NKJV) And so it shall be: Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; Instead of a sash, a rope; Instead of well-set hair, baldness; Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty. (Isa 3:25 NKJV) Your men shall fall by the sword, And your mighty in the war. (Isa 3:26 NKJV) Her gates shall [have lamented] and [shall have mourned], And she [having been] desolate shall sit on the ground. (Isa 4:1 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.' " =
Isaiah chapter 3 continues the context of chapter 2 of the day of the LORD's coming into the world to establish His Eternal Kingdom rule but with a focus upon Jerusalem and that future generation of Judah. Isaish 3:16-4:1 stipulates that the LORD would single out the haughty behavior of the daughters of Zion i.e., that generation of the women of Israel, at the time of the Day of the LORD, evidently to make them particular examples for judgment as a reflection of how all of His people would be conducting themselves. For the women of that future generation of people would indeed reflect the kind of society they lived in and were ruled by. Isaiah wrote, "Because the daughters of Zion have been haughty, And they walk stretching out the neck - [in the sense of holding ones head arrogantly high, i.e., ones nose in the air], And deceiving [with] the eyes, [in the sense of wanton deception] Walking and mincing they go, [in the sense of taking small haughty steps to show themselves off in a wanton manner] And with their feet they make a tinkling, [in the sense of the tinkling of the bangles they wear on their angles to get attention]" So, instead of pride, wealth and beauty, the women of Zion would have sores on their heads and be bald, evidently due to disease or mourning. The LORD would uncover their sinful secrets, evidently making them public. The women would lose all of their finery and jewelry. Instead of fragrance, they would have an awful odor. They would wear a rope instead of a sash, a sackcloth instead of a robe; and be branded, disfiguring their beauty. The sackcloth would be a sign of their mourning for their men, (husbands, brothers, friends), who would have died by the sword. The city would be lamenting and mourning their extreme destitution. At that time, for the lack of available men, the women would compete desperately and disgracefully to gain a husband to take care of them, (Isa 3:16-4:1).