Isaiah 4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 4

The havoc occasioned by war, and those other calamities which the prophet had been describing in the preceding chapter, are represented as so terribly great that seven women should be left to one man, Isaiah 4:1 . Great blessedness of the remnant that shall be accounted worthy to escape these judgments, Isaiah 4:2-4 . The privileges of the Gospel set forth by allusions to the glory and pomp of the Mosaic dispensation, Isaiah 4:5 , Isaiah 4:6 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 4:1

And seven women - The division of the chapters has interrupted the prophet's discourse, and broken it off almost in the midst of the sentence. "The numbers slain in battle shall be so great, that seven women shall be left to one man." The prophet has described the greatness of this distress by images and adjuncts the most expressive and forcible. The young women, contrary to their natural modesty, shall become suitors to the men: they will take hold of them, and use the most pressing... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 4:2

The branch of the Lord "the branch of Jehovah" - The Messiah of Jehovah, says the Chaldee. And Kimchi says, The Messiah, the Son of David. The branch is an appropriate title of the Messiah; and the fruit of the land means the great Person to spring from the house of Judah, and is only a parallel expression signifying the same; or perhaps the blessings consequent upon the redemption procured by him. Compare Isaiah 45:8 ; (note), where the same great event is set forth under similar images,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 4:3

Written among the living - That is, whose name stands in the enrolment or register of the people; or every man living, who is a citizen of Jerusalem. See Ezekiel 13:9 , where, "they shall not be written in the writing of the house of Israel," is the same with what immediately goes before, "they shall not be in the assembly of my people." Compare Psalm 69:28 ; Psalm 87:6 ; Exodus 32:32 . To number and register the people was agreeable to the law of Moses, and probably was always... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 4:4

The spirit of burning - Means the fire of God's wrath, by which he will prove and purify his people; gathering them into his furnace, in order to separate the dross from the silver, the bad from the good. The severity of God's judgments, the fiery trial of his servants, Ezekiel ( Ezekiel 22:18-22 ;) has set forth at large, after his manner, with great boldness of imagery and force of expression. God threatens to gather them into the midst of Jerusalem, as into the furnace; to blow the fire... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 4:5

And the Lord will create - One MS., the Septuagint, and the Arabic, have יביא yabi , He shall bring: the cloud already exists; the Lord will bring it over. This is a blessed promise of the presence of God in all the assemblies of his people. Every dwelling place "the station" - The Hebrew text has, every station: but four MSS. (one ancient) omit כל col , all; very rightly, as it should seem: for the station was Mount Zion itself, and no other. See Exodus 15:17 . And the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 4:6

A tabernacle - In countries subject to violent tempests, as well as to intolerable heat, a portable tent is a necessary part of a traveller's baggage, for defense and shelter. And to such tents the words of the text make evident allusion. They are to be met with in every part of Arabia and Egypt, and in various other places in the East. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 4:1

Seven women shall take hold of one man. This verse has been well called a "companion picture to Isaiah 3:6 , Isaiah 3:7 ." 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 4:1

Depopulation and its doctrine. This passage belongs to the two concluding verses of the last chapter; but as it is the most striking of the three, we may allow it to be our starting-point in gleaning the thoughts which the whole scene suggests. These are— I. EXTREME DESOLATION WROUGHT IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF . GOD . The land is stripped by war of its male population ( Isaiah 3:25 ); those who gather at the gates bewail the humiliation under which they smart, the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 4:1

Immortality in a continued race. "Take thou away our reproach." This verse has been much misconceived. Its figures are Eastern, and their interpretation depends on our knowledge of the condition and sentiments of Eastern women. It is simply a forcible description of the calamities brought upon a nation by continued war. The men were to fall by the sword; and the slaughter was to be so great that the number of women should far exceed the number of men who should survive. Now, to be... read more

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