Isaiah 3:12 - Exposition

As for my people . Return is now made to the sins of the dwellers in Jerusalem, and the first thing noted is that the people suffer from the childishness and effeminacy of their rulers. The rulers are called "oppressors" by the way here, the sin of oppression being dwelt on later ( Isaiah 3:14 , Isaiah 3:15 ). Here the emphatic words are "children," "women." Children (see Isaiah 3:4 ). The rulers are "children," or rather "babes"—foolish, capricious, cowardly. It is not clear that any prince in particular is meant; rather, by the plural form, the upper class generally seems to be intended, as in Isaiah 1:10 , Isaiah 1:17 , Isaiah 1:23 , etc. Women ; comp. Herod; 8.88, where Xerxes says that "his men have shown themselves women, and his women men;" and see also Virg; ' AE neid '—

" O vere Phrygia, neque enim Phryges ."

The rulers were womanly, i.e. weak, wavering, timid, impulsive, passionate, and are therefore called actual "women." There is no allusion to female sovereigns. They which lead thee cause thee to err ; or, they which direct thee lead thee astray . Professing to point out the right path, they led men away from it. Destroy the way ; literally, swallow it up , or obliterate it .