Discovery BoxIsaiah 3:6 
Context3:6 Indeed, a man will grab his brother
right in his father’s house 1 and say, 2
‘You own a coat –
you be our leader!
This heap of ruins will be under your control.’ 3
Isaiah 4:1
Context4:1 Seven women will grab hold of
one man at that time. 4
They will say, “We will provide 5 our own food,
we will provide 6 our own clothes;
but let us belong to you 7 –
take away our shame!” 8
1 tn Heb “[in] the house of his father” (so ASV); NIV “at his father’s home.”
2 tn The words “and say” are supplied for stylistic reasons.
3 tn Heb “your hand”; NASB “under your charge.”
sn The man’s motives are selfish. He tells his brother to assume leadership because he thinks he has some wealth to give away.
4 tn Or “in that day” (ASV).
sn The seven to one ratio emphasizes the great disparity that will exist in the population due to the death of so many men in battle.
5 tn Heb “eat” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “buy.”
6 tn Heb “wear” (so NASB, NRSV); NCV “make.”
7 tn Heb “only let your name be called over us.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28, and BDB 896 s.v. I ָקרָא Niph. 2.d.(4). The language reflects the cultural reality of ancient Israel, where women were legally the property of their husbands.
8 sn This refers to the humiliation of being unmarried and childless. The women’s words reflect the cultural standards of ancient Israel, where a woman’s primary duties were to be a wife and mother.
