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Isaiah 4

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1
And 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. ​

The Glorious Branch and God's Protective Presence 2–6

2
In that day shall the branch of Jehovah be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. ​
3
And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem; ​
4
when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of justice, and by the spirit of burning. ​
5
And Jehovah will create over the whole habitation of mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be spread a covering. ​
6
And there shall be a pavilion for a shade in the day-time from the heat, and for a refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Isaiah 4

Verse 1

seven women shall take hold of one man — 'In that day' follows 3:25, 'Thy men shall fall by the sword'. A husband owed 'her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage' (Ex 21:10), and the women give up the first two claims. To be 'called by thy name' removes the 'reproach' (cherpah) of being unmarried and childless, the reproach Rachel names in Gen 30:23.

Verse 2

the branch of the LORD — Tsemach, a sprout, is the name Jeremiah and Zechariah give to the coming king: 'a righteous Branch' (Jer 23:5), 'my servant the BRANCH' (Zech 3:8). Here it stands beside 'the fruit of the earth' for 'them that are escaped' (peletah) of Israel, the survivors of the judgment of 3:25–26.

Verse 3

written among the living — Chay, 'the living', is the word of 'the book of the living' (Ps 69:28), the book Moses asks not to be blotted from (Ex 32:32). 'Holy' (qadosh) was Israel's calling at Sinai, 'an holy nation' (Ex 19:6). The seventy are told to rejoice that 'your names are written in heaven' (Luke 10:20).

Verse 4

the spirit of judgment, and… the spirit of burning — The 'daughters of Zion' washed here are those of 3:16, 'haughty' and 'mincing'. 'Filth' (tso'ah) is the word of Prov 30:12, 'not washed from their filthiness'. The same work is announced in 1:25, 'purely purge away thy dross', and 1:27, 'Zion shall be redeemed with judgment'.

Verse 5

create upon every dwelling place — 'Create' is bara, the verb of 'I create new heavens and a new earth' (65:17). 'Dwelling place' (makon) is the word for the place the LORD made 'for thee to dwell in' (Ex 15:17). The cloud by day and fire by night recall Ex 13:21; 'defence' is chuppah, a canopy, the bridegroom's 'chamber' of Ps 19:5.