Isaiah 4
4
One Man
1Seven women will take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own food and wear our own clothing; just take away our disgrace and let us be called by your name.” # 4:1 This chapter should be viewed as a continuation of ch. 3 regarding the daughters of Zion. The daughters of Zion can also be a metaphor for the church. There is coming a day when the church will become so destitute of answers that she will turn to one man, the Lord Jesus, and take hold of him. We have taken hold of the world, and we have taken hold of clever ideas, but the “seven women” (seven churches of Rev. 2 and 3) are about to lay hold of their Beloved. The church will long for him, that he would feed us his bread and we would wear his garments. We will want to be called by his great name. The shadow of his beauty will remove our disgrace.
The Branch of the Lord
2In that day, the branch of Yahweh
will be beautiful and glorious, # 4:2 Although the Hebrew word used here for “branch” is somewhat ambiguous, it is clearly a Messianic term (see Isa. 11:1; 53:2; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Zech. 3:8; 6:12). Jesus defines himself as the “vine,” and we who are joined to him by faith are the branches (John 15:1–6). Today, Jesus has branched out through us to bring forth the fruit of his Spirit. This is the Immanuel (“God with us”) character of Christ that increases and grows like a branch carrying his life (see Isa. 9:6–7). Our “family tree” is the branch of the Lord in his beauty. The branch of Lord that is magnificent (or “beautiful”) and “glorious” reveals Christ’s divine nature; “the fruit of the earth” represents his human nature (man was formed from the earth). Jesus is the fruit of the earth, the fruit of the womb of Mary, and the fruit on the Tree of Life. Heaven gave its beauty and the earth its fruit for you and me.
and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and glory
of the remnant of Israel.
3Then the remnant in Zion and Jerusalem, # 4:3 See Isa. 37:31–32.
those who are written for life # 4:3 The Aramaic is “written for eternal life.” Some see a reference here to a Book of Destiny or Book of Life, which has written in it the names of those made holy. Perhaps this is the same book Daniel wrote about in Dan. 12:1, or it could be the book David mentioned (see Ps. 139:16). Moses spoke to the Lord about his “book” (Ex. 32:32). We also read of the “Book of Life” (Ps. 69:28; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 20:12) that belongs to the Lamb (Rev. 13:8). For those who fear the Lord, there is kept a “scroll of remembrance” with their names written in it (Mal. 3:16). Jesus reminded his disciples that their true source of joy was not that they could cast out demons but that their names were written in the “journals of heaven” (Luke 10:20). in Jerusalem,
will be called holy.
4And the Lord has washed away
the filth # 4:4 The Hebrew word for “filth” is also translated in the Old Testament as a drunkard’s “vomit” (Isa. 28:8) and human “excrement” (Isa. 36:12). The daughters of Zion were haughty in ch. 3. Now they have become humble and repentant, needing the cleansing of the Lord. See Zech. 13:1. of the daughters of Zion # 4:4 This is a prophetic metaphor for the churches, Zion’s daughters. God’s people dwell in the Zion-realm (see Isa. 25:6 and footnote on 2:3). The Zion-realm is a synonymous term for the New Jerusalem (see Heb. 12:22).
and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem
by a Spirit of justice # 4:4 Or “judgment.” and by a Spirit of burning. # 4:4 By the Spirit of justice and by the Spirit of burning, the Lord (Adonai) will wash away the filth from the churches of Christ—even bloodstains. The Hebrew word for “Spirit” can also be translated “breath” or “blast.” The blast of justice and the blast of fire are coming to cleanse God’s people. This Spirit of justice releases holy vision to see things as God sees them. Decisions will be made by the justice of God, not the prejudices of men. It is not that he merely executes judgment but that he demonstrates perfect discernment to see what is holy and what is not. This Spirit of burning (a possible reference to the baptism of fire, see Matt. 3:11) will thoroughly cleanse God’s remnant and make them holy by refining fire (see Mal. 3:2–4). A fire of passionate love for Jesus Christ will cleanse the church. The fire of love as a seal over our hearts will keep us pure from temptation and end-time distractions (see Song. 8:6).
A Cloud and a Glow
5Then Yahweh will create over all of Mount Zion
and over every gathering a cloud of smoke by day
and a glow of flaming fire by night. # 4:5 See Ex. 13:21–22.
And all this manifestation of dazzling glory
will spread over them like a wedding canopy. # 4:5 Or “nuptial chamber.” The Hebrew word cḥuppâ always denotes the marriage chamber. As part of a Jewish wedding ceremony, the bride and bridegroom would be overshadowed by a canopy (cḥuppâ). This marriage chamber will provide peace, rest, and security for the bride of Christ.
6It will be a tabernacle # 4:6 The overshadowing tabernacle points to the Lord Jesus Christ, who “tabernacled” among us (see John 1:14). This is the same Hebrew word (sukkah) used in Amos 9:11 to describe the “tabernacle [tent] of David” that God promises to restore on the earth with night-and-day worship before the unveiled presence of God. as a shade
from the scorching heat of the day
and a safe shelter to protect them from the storm and rain. # 4:6 The remnant of the lovers of God who have taken hold of one man (Jesus) will be sheltered and protected, even in a time of judgment, just as Goshen provided a refuge for Israel during the plagues of Egypt.
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Isaiah 4: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationIsaiah 4
4
1 Seven women will grab hold of
one man at that time.#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.
They will say, “We will provide#tn Heb “eat” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “buy.” our own food,
we will provide#tn Heb “wear” (so NASB, NRSV); NCV “make.” our own clothes;
but let us belong to you#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. –
take away our shame!”#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.
The Branch of the Lord
2 At that time#tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
the crops given by the Lord will bring admiration and honor;#tn Heb “and the vegetation of the Lord will become beauty and honor.” Many English versions understand the phrase צֶמַח יְהוָה (tsemakh yÿhvah) as a messianic reference and render it, “the Branch of the Lord” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT, and others). Though צֶמַח (tsemakh) is used by later prophets of a royal descendant (Jer 23;5; 33:15; Zech 3:8; 6:12), those passages contain clear contextual indicators that a human ruler is in view and that the word is being used in a metaphorical way of offspring. However, in Isa 4:2 there are no such contextual indicators. To the contrary, in the parallel structure of the verse צֶמַח יְהוָה corresponds to “produce of the land,” a phrase that refers elsewhere exclusively to literal agricultural produce (see Num 13:20, 26; Deut 1:25). In the majority of its uses צֶמַח refers to literal crops or vegetation (in Ps 65:10 the Lord is the source of this vegetation). A reference to the Lord restoring crops would make excellent sense in Isa 4 and the prophets frequently included this theme in their visions of the future age (see Isa 30:23-24; 32:20; Jer 31:12; Ezek 34:26-29; and Amos 9:13-14).
the produce of the land will be a source of pride and delight
to those who remain in Israel.#tn Heb “and the fruit of the land will become pride and beauty for the remnant of Israel.”
3 Those remaining in Zion,#tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2. those left in Jerusalem,#map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
will be called “holy,”#tn Or “set apart,” cf. CEV “special.”
all in Jerusalem who are destined to live.#tn Heb “all who are written down for life in Jerusalem.” A city register is envisioned; everyone whose name appears on the roll will be spared. This group comprises the remnant of the city referred to earlier in the verse.
4 At that time#tn Heb “when” (so KJV, NAB, NASB); CEV “after”; NRSV “once.” the sovereign master#tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonai). will wash the excrement#tn The word refers elsewhere to vomit (Isa 28:8) and fecal material (Isa 36:12). Many English versions render this somewhat euphemistically as “filth” (e.g., NAB, NIV, NRSV). Ironically in God’s sight the beautiful jewelry described earlier is nothing but vomit and feces, for it symbolizes the moral decay of the city’s residents (cf. NLT “moral filth”). from Zion’s women,
he will rinse the bloodstains from Jerusalem’s midst,#sn See 1:21 for a related concept.
as he comes to judge
and to bring devastation.#tn Heb “by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.” The precise meaning of the second half of the verse is uncertain. רוּחַ (ruakh) can be understood as “wind” in which case the passage pictures the Lord using a destructive wind as an instrument of judgment. However, this would create a mixed metaphor, for the first half of the verse uses the imagery of washing and rinsing to depict judgment. Perhaps the image would be that of a windstorm accompanied by heavy rain. רוּחַ can also mean “spirit,” in which case the verse may be referring to the Lord’s Spirit or, more likely, to a disposition that the Lord brings to the task of judgment. It is also uncertain if בָּעַר (ba’ar) here means “burning” or “sweeping away, devastating.”
5 Then the Lord will create
over all of Mount Zion#tn Heb “over all the place, Mount Zion.” Cf. NLT “Jerusalem”; CEV “the whole city.”
and over its convocations
a cloud and smoke by day
and a bright flame of fire by night;#tn Heb “a cloud by day, and smoke, and brightness of fire, a flame by night.” Though the accents in the Hebrew text suggest otherwise, it might be preferable to take “smoke” with what follows, since one would expect smoke to accompany fire.sn The imagery of the cloud by day and fire by night recalls the days of Moses, when a cloud and fire were tangible reminders that the Lord was guiding and protecting his people (Exod 13:21-22; 14:19, 24). In the future age envisioned in Isa 4, the Lord’s protective presence will be a reality.
indeed a canopy will accompany the Lord’s glorious presence.#tn Heb “indeed (or “for”) over all the glory, a canopy.” This may allude to Exod 40:34-35, where a cloud overshadows the meeting tent as it is filled with God’s glory.
6 By day it will be a shelter to provide shade from the heat,
as well as safety and protection from the heavy downpour.#tn Heb “a shelter it will be for shade by day from heat, and for a place of refuge and for a hiding place from cloudburst and rain.” Since both of the last nouns of this verse can mean rain, they can either refer to the rain storm and the rain as distinct items or together refer to a heavy downpour. Regardless, they do not represent unrelated phenomena.
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