Isaiah 4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 4
1 Seven women will take hold of one man[a]
on that day, saying:
“We will eat our own food
and wear our own clothing;
Only let your name be given us,
put an end to our disgrace!”
Jerusalem Purified
2 [b]On that day,
The branch[c] of the Lord will be beauty and glory,
and the fruit of the land will be honor and splendor
for the survivors of Israel.
3 Everyone who remains in Zion,
everyone left in Jerusalem
Will be called holy:
everyone inscribed for life[d] in Jerusalem.(A)
4 When the Lord washes away
the filth of the daughters of Zion,
And purges Jerusalem’s blood from her midst
with a blast of judgment, a searing blast,(B)
5 Then will the Lord create,
over the whole site of Mount Zion
and over her place of assembly,
A smoking cloud by day
and a light of flaming fire by night.(C)
6 For over all, his glory will be shelter and protection:
shade from the parching heat of day,
refuge and cover from storm and rain.(D)
Footnotes
- 4:1 Seven women…one man: deportation (cf. note on 3:1–12) would result in a disproportion of the sexes and leave the female population without enough male partners. The women are willing to marry, not for support, but to avoid disgrace.
- 4:2–6 Usually judged a later addition to the oracles of Isaiah. It relieves the threatening tone of the surrounding chaps. 3 and 5.
- 4:2 Branch: the term (Heb. semah) that is sometimes used of the ideal Davidic king of the future (cf. Jer 23:5; 33:15; Zec 3:8; 6:12). However, the parallel “fruit of the land” does not favor that usage here.
- 4:3 Inscribed for life: in God’s list of the elect; cf. Ex 32:32.
Isaiah 4
New King James Version
Jerusalem’s Glorious Future
4 And (A)in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying,
“We will (B)eat our own food and wear our own apparel;
Only let us be called by your name,
To take away (C)our reproach.”
The Renewal of Zion
2 In that day (D)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.
3 And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem (E)will be called holy—everyone who is (F)recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 When (G)the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the [a]blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, 5 then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, (H)a cloud and smoke by day and (I)the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a [b]covering. 6 And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, (J)for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 4:4 bloodshed
- Isaiah 4:5 canopy
Isaiah 4
Christian Standard Bible
4 On that day seven women
will seize one man,(A) saying,
“We will eat our own bread
and provide our own clothing.
Just let us bear your name.
Take away our disgrace.”(B)
Zion’s Future Glory
2 On that day the Branch[a] of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious,(C) and the fruit of the land(D) will be the pride and glory(E) of Israel’s survivors.(F) 3 Whoever remains in Zion and whoever is left in Jerusalem(G) will be called holy(H)—all in Jerusalem written in the book of life[b](I)— 4 when the Lord has washed away the filth(J) of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodguilt(K) from the heart of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment(L) and a spirit of burning.(M) 5 Then the Lord will create(N) a cloud of smoke by day(O) and a glowing flame of fire by night over the entire site of Mount Zion and over its assemblies. For there will be a canopy over all the glory,[c] 6 and there will be a shelter for shade from heat by day and a refuge and shelter from storm and rain.(P)
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