The Meaning of Isaiah 4:1 Explained

Isaiah 4:1

KJV: And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

YLT: And taken hold have seven women on one man, In that day, saying, 'Our own bread we do eat, And our own raiment we put on, Only, let thy name be called over us, Remove thou our reproach.'

Darby: And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, Our own bread will we eat, and with our own garments will we be clothed; only let us be called by thy name; take away our reproach!

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And in that day  seven  women  shall take hold  of one  man,  saying,  We will eat  our own bread,  and wear  our own apparel:  only let us be called  by thy name,  to take away  our reproach. 

What does Isaiah 4:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This verse brings to a high point the horrors that were to come. War has always resulted in the decimation of the male population. For example, approximately one million French, one million German, and half a million English male soldiers died in World War I. So many men would die in Israel that women would be desperate for male companionship and support. They would be willing to humiliate themselves to escape the reproach of being unmarried and childless. Long gone is the hope to gain a man through seduction of the eyes (cf. Isaiah 3:16). Now even begging and pleading would be ineffective. Women providing their own food and clothing is the reverse of God"s intention in marriage (cf. Exodus 21:10). Likewise, women taking men"s places and leading them, as Eve led Adam ( Genesis 3), illustrates a desperate situation.
"Here is the final end of our desire to avoid dependence. We will become dependent in the most degrading and disadvantageous ways." [1]
All this will happen on "that day" ( Isaiah 3:7; Isaiah 3:18; Isaiah 4:1), namely, when God judges His people for trusting in other human beings-and themselves-rather than Him. Many of the judgments prophesied in this section took place during the Babylonian Captivity, and during the Assyrian Captivity of the Northern Kingdom, but "that day" also anticipates Tribulation times.

Context Summary

Isaiah 4:1-6 - Vanity And Selfish Luxury Condemned
This paragraph opens with the majestic figure of Jehovah Himself, who arises to judge the misrulers and plead the cause of the poor. The prophet enumerates the trinkets of the women of Israel, who had given themselves up to luxury and corruption. Woman is the priestess and prophetess of the home and religion, and when she forsakes the level of spiritual influence for that of physical adornment, the salt has lost its savor and the whole commonwealth suffers. The manhood of a land is lost, morally and spiritually when woman falls from her high estate; and there could be no hope for Jerusalem until the divine fire had consumed the filth of her daughters, and the oppressive selfishness of her sons. Then once more each home in Jerusalem would have the same blessed signs of the divine presence as had once been granted to the Tabernacle-the shadowing cloud by day and the gleam of the Shekinah-fire by night. Let us claim these for our homes also! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 4

1  In the extremity of evils, Christ's kingdom shall be a sanctuary

What do the individual words in Isaiah 4:1 mean?

And shall take hold seven women of man one in day that saying our own food we will eat and our own apparel wear only let be called by your name us to take away our reproach -
וְהֶחֱזִיקוּ֩ שֶׁ֨בַע נָשִׁ֜ים בְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֗ד בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לַחְמֵ֣נוּ נֹאכֵ֔ל וְשִׂמְלָתֵ֖נוּ נִלְבָּ֑שׁ רַ֗ק יִקָּרֵ֤א שִׁמְךָ֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ אֱסֹ֖ף חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ ס

וְהֶחֱזִיקוּ֩  And  shall  take  hold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
שֶׁ֨בַע  seven 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
נָשִׁ֜ים  women 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
בְּאִ֣ישׁ  of  man 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶחָ֗ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
בַּיּ֤וֹם  in  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַהוּא֙  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לַחְמֵ֣נוּ  our  own  food 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
נֹאכֵ֔ל  we  will  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
וְשִׂמְלָתֵ֖נוּ  and  our  own  apparel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: שִׂמְלָה  
Sense: wrapper, mantle, covering garment, garments, clothes, raiment, a cloth.
נִלְבָּ֑שׁ  wear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: לָבַשׁ  
Sense: to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed.
רַ֗ק  only 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רַק  
Sense: only, altogether, surely.
יִקָּרֵ֤א  let  be  called 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
שִׁמְךָ֙  by  your  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
עָלֵ֔ינוּ  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אֱסֹ֖ף  to  take  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ  our  reproach 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: חֶרְפָּה  
Sense: reproach, scorn.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation