As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
Parallel translations
- WEB As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. My people, those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.
- BSB Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths.
- NKJV As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths.”
- NASB My people! Their oppressors treat them violently, And women rule over them. My people! Those who guide you lead you astray And confuse the direction of your paths.
- NLT Childish leaders oppress my people, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you; they send you down the wrong road.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God laments that children oppress His people and weak leaders mislead them off the right path. Poor leadership leads the nation astray.
Overview
The reference to children and inexperienced rulers echoes the judgment of verse 4. Leaders who should guide instead cause the people to err and ruin their way. This grieves God, who longs to lead His people rightly, a desire fulfilled in the Good Shepherd.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Isa 3:4And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
- Nah 3:13Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars.
- Isa 28:14–15Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
- 2 Kgs 11:1And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.
- Jer 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
- Matt 15:14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
- Num 6:23–27Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
- Isa 9:15–16The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
- Matt 23:13But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 3:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.