Add parallel Print Page Options

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.”

A Promise of Restoration

But in that day, the branch[a] 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.
All who remain in Zion
    will be a holy people—
those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem
    and are recorded among the living.
The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion[b]
    and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains
    with the hot breath of fiery judgment.
Then the Lord will provide shade for Mount Zion
    and all who assemble there.
He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day
    and smoke and flaming fire at night,
    covering the glorious land.
It will be a shelter from daytime heat
    and a hiding place from storms and rain.

Footnotes

  1. 4:2 Or the Branch.
  2. 4:4 Or from the women of Zion; Hebrew reads from the daughters of Zion.

“At that time,[a] seven women will cling tightly to one man and will make him this offer:[b] ‘We’ll provide[c] our own bread. We’ll provide our own clothes. Just let us marry you[d] so we won’t be stigmatized anymore.’”[e]

The Future Glory of Jerusalem

“At that time,[f] the Lord’s branch will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors of Israel and Judah.[g] Whoever[h] survives in Zion and whoever remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who has been appointed to survive in Jerusalem— when the Lord will have washed away the filth of the women[i] of Zion, cleaning up Jerusalem’s guilt[j] by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of tempest.[k] Then the Lord will create over the entire site of Mount Zion—including over those who assemble there—a cloud by day[l] and also to serve as a refuge and shelter from storms and rain.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 4:1 Lit. day
  2. Isaiah 4:1 Lit. will say
  3. Isaiah 4:1 Lit. eat
  4. Isaiah 4:1 Lit. let your name be upon us
  5. Isaiah 4:1 I.e. by appearing to be part of a family
  6. Isaiah 4:2 Lit. In that day
  7. Isaiah 4:2 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lack and Judah
  8. Isaiah 4:3 Lit. It will come about that whoever
  9. Isaiah 4:4 Lit. daughters
  10. Isaiah 4:4 Lit. blood; i.e. guilt incurred by shedding innocent blood
  11. Isaiah 4:4 So 1QIsaa; MT reads of burning
  12. Isaiah 4:5 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX reads day, accompanied by smoke, as well as the brilliance of a flaming fire by night, because over the entire glorious area there will be a canopy and a shelter to protect from the heat of the day, and