New International VersionIn 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!”
New Living TranslationIn 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.”
English Standard VersionAnd 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.”
Berean Standard BibleIn that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothes. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!”
King James BibleAnd 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 King James VersionAnd 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.”
New American Standard BibleFor seven women will take hold of one man on 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 disgrace!”
NASB 1995For seven women will 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!”
NASB 1977For seven women will 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!”
Legacy Standard BibleAnd seven women will 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!”
Amplified BibleAnd in that day seven women will take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own food and wear [and provide] our own clothes; only let us be called by your name; take away our shame [of being unmarried].”
Christian Standard BibleOn that day seven women will seize one man, saying, “We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothing. Just let us bear your name. Take away our disgrace.”
Holman Christian Standard BibleOn that day seven women will seize one man, saying,” We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothing. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace.”
American Standard VersionAnd seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.
Contemporary English VersionWhen this happens, seven women will grab the same man, and each of them will say, "I'll buy my own food and clothes! Just marry me and take away my disgrace."
English Revised VersionAnd seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saving, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationWhen that day comes, seven women will grab one man and say, "We'll eat our own food and provide our own clothes. Just let us marry you for your name. Take away our disgrace."
Good News TranslationWhen that time comes, seven women will grab hold of one man and say, "We can feed and clothe ourselves, but please let us say you are our husband, so that we won't have to endure the shame of being unmarried."
International Standard Version"At that time, seven women will cling tightly to one man and will make him this offer: 'We'll provide our own bread. We'll provide our own clothes. Just let us marry you so we won't be stigmatized anymore.'"
NET BibleSeven women will grab hold of one man at that time. They will say, "We will provide our own food, we will provide our own clothes; but let us belong to you--take away our shame!"
New Heart English BibleSeven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, "We will eat our own bread, and wear our own clothing: only let us be called by your name. Take away our reproach."
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleIn that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothes. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!”
World English BibleSeven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread, and wear our own clothing. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our reproach.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd seven women have taken hold on one man, "" In that day, saying, “We eat our own bread, "" And we put on our own raiment, "" Only, let your name be called over us, "" Remove our reproach.”
Young's Literal Translation And taken hold have seven women on one man, In that day, saying, 'Our own bread we do eat, And our own raiment we put on, Only, let thy name be called over us, Remove thou our reproach.'
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd seven women shall lay hold upon one man in that day, saying, We will eat our bread, and we will be clothed with our garments: only thy name shall be called upon us to take away our reproach. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAND 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, take away our reproach.
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd seven women will take hold of one man, in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothing, only let us be called by your name, so as to take away our reproach.”
New American BibleSeven women will take hold of one man 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!”
New Revised Standard VersionSeven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes; just let us be called by your name; take away our disgrace.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAND 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 your name, to take away our reproach.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedAnd seven women shall seize one man in that day, and they shall say to him: “We will eat our bread and we will wear our clothes, only let us be called by your name and take away our shame!” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying: 'We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.'
Brenton Septuagint TranslationAnd seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own raiment: only let thy name be called upon us, and take away our reproach.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context A Remnant in Zion1In thatdaysevenwomenwill take holdof onemanand say,“We will eatour own breadand provideour own clothes.Justlet us be calledby your name.Take awayour disgrace!”2On that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of Israel’s survivors.…
Cross References Genesis 30:22-24Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb, / and she conceived and gave birth to a son. “God has taken away my shame,” she said. / She named him Joseph, and said, “May the LORD add to me another son.”
1 Samuel 1:6-7Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her viciously to taunt her. / And this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not eat.
Jeremiah 31:22How long will you wander, O faithless daughter? For the LORD has created a new thing in the land—a woman will shelter a man.”
Micah 7:10Then my enemy will see and will be covered with shame—she who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will see her; at that time she will be trampled like mud in the streets.
Ruth 1:11-13But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands? / Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, / would you wait for them to grow up? Would you refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, it is much more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”
1 Corinthians 7:39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.
1 Timothy 5:14So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.
Matthew 22:30In the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.
Luke 20:34-35Jesus answered, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. / But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.
1 Corinthians 7:8-9Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am. / But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
1 Corinthians 7:28But if you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
1 Corinthians 7:32-34I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord. / But the married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife, / and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the work of the Lord, how she can be holy in both body and spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband.
1 Corinthians 7:36-38However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married. / But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well. / So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.
1 Corinthians 11:3But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
Ephesians 5:22-24Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. / For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior. / Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Treasury of Scripture 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 your name, to take away our reproach. and in Isaiah 2:11,17 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day… Isaiah 10:20 And it shall come to pass in that day,that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. Isaiah 17:7 At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. seven Isaiah 3:25,26 Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war… Isaiah 13:12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. we will eat 2 Thessalonians 3:12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. let us be called by thy name. to take away. Genesis 30:23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: 1 Samuel 1:6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. Luke 1:25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked onme, to take away my reproach among men. Jump to Previous ApparelBreadClothingEatHoldReproachSevenWearWomenJump to Next ApparelBreadClothingEatHoldReproachSevenWearWomenIsaiah 4 1.In the extremity of evils, Christ's kingdom shall be a sanctuary.In that dayThis phrase often refers to a future time of judgment or restoration in biblical prophecy. In Isaiah, "that day" frequently points to the Day of the Lord, a time when God will intervene decisively in human history. It can indicate both immediate historical events and eschatological fulfillment. seven women will take hold of one man
The number seven often symbolizes completeness or perfection in the Bible. Here, it suggests a significant imbalance between men and women, likely due to the devastation of war, where many men have died. This scenario reflects a desperate situation where women seek security and social standing through marriage, even if it means sharing one husband. and say, “We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothes.
This indicates a reversal of traditional marital roles, where a husband would typically provide for his wife. The women's willingness to support themselves highlights their desperation to remove the stigma of being unmarried. It also reflects the economic hardship and societal collapse following judgment. Just let us be called by your name.
Being called by a man's name signifies marriage and the social protection it affords. In ancient Israel, a woman's identity and security were closely tied to her marital status. This plea underscores the cultural importance of marriage and the shame associated with being unmarried. Take away our disgrace!”
The disgrace refers to the social stigma of being unmarried and childless, which was significant in ancient Near Eastern cultures. This plea for the removal of disgrace can also be seen as a metaphor for Israel's spiritual condition, seeking redemption and restoration. The concept of disgrace and its removal is echoed in other scriptures, such as in the redemptive work of Christ, who takes away the shame of sin. Persons / Places / Events 1. Seven WomenSymbolic of a large number, representing the desperation and societal imbalance due to the scarcity of men, likely caused by war or judgment. 2. One ManRepresents the few surviving men after a period of judgment, highlighting the dire circumstances and the reversal of traditional roles. 3. DisgraceRefers to the shame and social stigma of being unmarried or childless in ancient Israelite society, which was seen as a curse or judgment from God. Teaching Points Cultural Context and JudgmentUnderstand the cultural significance of marriage and family in ancient Israel. The desperation of the women reflects the severe consequences of God's judgment on the nation. Symbolism of NumbersThe number seven often symbolizes completeness or perfection in the Bible. Here, it underscores the totality of the societal collapse and the depth of the women's desperation. Role Reversal and Self-SufficiencyThe women's willingness to provide for themselves challenges traditional gender roles, highlighting the extremity of the situation. It prompts reflection on how societal norms can shift in times of crisis. Seeking Identity and HonorThe desire to be called by a man's name reflects a search for identity and honor. This can be related to our spiritual identity in Christ, where we seek to be called by His name and find our worth in Him. God's Redemptive PlanDespite the judgment, Isaiah 4 continues with a message of hope and restoration. This reminds us of God's faithfulness and His ultimate plan to redeem and restore His people. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 4
In Isaiah 4:1, how could seven women outnumber men to such an extreme level, and is there any historical or scientific evidence for such a ratio?
How do claims in Isaiah 4 regarding future restoration align or conflict with other Old Testament prophecies about judgment and destruction?
Are there any inconsistencies between Ezekiel's vision (Ezekiel 1) and visions of divine glory in other scriptural passages, such as Isaiah 6 or Revelation 4?
If historically attributed to King Solomon, how does Song of Solomon 4 mesh with the accounts of his many wives and concubines in other biblical texts (e.g., 1 Kings 11:3)?IV. (1)And in that day seven women . . .--The chapter division wrongly separates this verse from the foregoing. It comes as the climax of the chastisement of the daughters of Zion, as the companion picture toIsaiah 3:6. As men sought eagerly, yet in vain, a protector, so women should seek for a husband. Those who had been wooed and courted, and had been proudly fastidious, should supplicate in eager rivalry (the seven women to one man implies a land depopulated by war, and so making polygamy natural) for the protection of marriage, and that not on the usual conditions of having food and clothing found for them (Exodus 21:10), but as working for their own livelihood. To take away our reproach.--Better, as an imperative,take thou away.The reproach is that of being childless. From the Jewish standpoint that was not only the great sorrow, but the great shame, of womanhood, implying, as men thought, a sin of which it was the chastisement (Genesis 30:23;1Samuel 1:6;Luke 1:25). . . . Verse 1. - Seven women shall take hold of one man. This verse has been well called a "companion picture to Isaiah 3:6, 7." As there, in the evil time of God's judgment, the despairing men are represented as" taking hold" of a respectable man to make him their judge, so now the despairing women "take hold" of such a man and request him to allow them all to be regarded as his wives. There has been such a destruction - men are become so scarce - that no otherwise can women escape the shame and reproach of being unwedded and childless. Our own bread will we eat. They do not ask him to support them; they are able and willing to support themselves. To take away; rather, take thou away - the imperative mood, not the infinitive. Our reproach. Children were regarded as such a blessing in the ancient times that to be childless was a misfortune and a subject of reproach. Hagar "despised" the barren Sarai ( Genesis 16:4). Her "adversary provoked Hannah sore, because the Lord had shut up her womb" ( 1 Samuel 1:6). Compare the lament of Antigone, who views it as a disgrace that she descends to the tomb unwed (Soph., 'Antig.,' 11. 813-816). Among the Jews childlessness was a special reproach, because it took away all possibility of the woman being in the line of the Messiah's descent (comp. Isaiah 54:1-4).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew On thatהַהוּא֙(ha·hū)Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931:He, self, the same, this, that, as, aredayבַּיּ֤וֹם(bay·yō·wm)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117:A daysevenשֶׁ֨בַע(še·ḇa‘)Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7651:Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite numberwomenנָשִׁ֜ים(nā·šîm)Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 802:Woman, wife, femalewill take holdוְהֶחֱזִיקוּ֩(wə·he·ḥĕ·zî·qū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2388:To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquerof oneאֶחָ֗ד(’e·ḥāḏ)Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259:United, one, firstmanבְּאִ֣ישׁ(bə·’îš)Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376:A man as an individual, a male personand say,לֵאמֹ֔ר(lê·mōr)Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559:To utter, say“We will eatנֹאכֵ֔ל(nō·ḵêl)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 398:To eatour own breadלַחְמֵ֣נוּ(laḥ·mê·nū)Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 3899:Food, bread, grainand provideנִלְבָּ֑שׁ(nil·bāš)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 3847:Wrap around, to put on a, garment, clotheour own clothes.וְשִׂמְלָתֵ֖נוּ(wə·śim·lā·ṯê·nū)Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 8071:A dress, a mantleJustרַ֗ק(raq)Adverb
Strong's 7535:But, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, neverthelesslet us be calledיִקָּרֵ֤א(yiq·qā·rê)Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121:To call, proclaim, readby your name.שִׁמְךָ֙(šim·ḵā)Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8034:A nameTake awayאֱסֹ֖ף(’ĕ·sōp̄)Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 622:To gather for, any purpose, to receive, take away, removeour disgrace!”חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ׃(ḥer·pā·ṯê·nū)Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 2781:Contumely, disgrace, the pudenda
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OT Prophets: Isaiah 4:1 Seven women shall take hold of one (Isa Isi Is) |
