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Selected Verse: Isaiah 3:4 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 3:4	Strong Concordance	And I will give [05414] children [05288] to be their princes [08269], and babes [08586] shall rule [04910] over them.
	King James	And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
children--in ability for governing; antithesis to the "ancient" (see Isa 3:12; Ecc 10:16). babes--in warlike might; antithesis to "the mighty" and "man of war."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

children--in ability for governing; antithesis to the "ancient" (see Isa 3:12; Ecc 10:16).

babes--in warlike might; antithesis to "the mighty" and "man of war."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And I will give children - Not children in respect to age so much as in regard to talent for governing. I will commit the land to the government of weak and imbecile princes. This would naturally occur when the wise and great were removed; compare Ecc 10:16 : 'Wo to thee, O land, when thy king is a child;' compare Isa 3:12. And babes shall rule ... - That is, babes in experience and knowledge. This was fully accomplished in the succession of weak and wicked princes that succeeded Isaiah, until the time of Zedekiah, the last of them, when the temple was taken by Nebuchadnezzar. - "Lowth."

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
Thus robbed of its support, and torn out of its proper groove, the kingdom of Judah would fall a prey to the most shameless despotism: "And I give them boys for princes, and caprices shall rule over them." The revived "Solomonian" glory is followed, as before, by the times of Rehoboam. The king is not expressly named. This was intentional. He had sunk into the mere shadow of a king: it was not he who ruled, but the aristocratic party that surrounded him, who led him about in leading strings as unum inter pares. Now, if it is a misfortune in most cases for a king to be a child (na'ar, Ecc 10:16), the misfortune is twice as great when the princes or magnates who surround and advise him are youngsters (ne'ârim, i.e., young lords) in a bad sense. It produces a government of tâlulim. None of the nouns in this form have a personal signification. According to the primary meaning of the verbal stem, the word might signify childishnesses, equivalent to little children (the abstract for the concrete, like τἀπαιδικά amasius), as Ewald supposes; or puppets, fantocci, poltroons, or men without heart or brain, as Luzzatto maintains. But the latter has no support in the general usage of the language, and the verb yimshelu (shall rule) does not necessarily require a personal subject (cf., Psa 19:14; Psa 103:19). The word tâlulim is formed from the reflective verb hithallel, which means to meddle, to gratify one's self, to indulge one's caprice. Accordingly tâlulim itself might be rendered vexationes (Isa 66:4). Jerome, who translates the word effeminati, appears to have thought of התעלּל in an erotic sense. The Sept. rendering, ἐμπαῖκται is better, though ἐμπαίγματα would be more exact. When used, as the word is here, along with ne'arim, it signifies outbursts of youthful caprice, which do injury to others, whether in joke or earnest. Neither law nor justice would rule, but the very opposite of justice: a course of conduct which would make subjects, like slaves, the helpless victims at one time of their lust (Jdg 19:25), and at another of their cruelty. They would be governed by lawless and bloodstained caprice, of the most despotic character and varied forms. And the people would resemble their rulers: their passions would be let loose, and all restraints of modesty and decorum be snapt asunder.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

Thus robbed of its support, and torn out of its proper groove, the kingdom of Judah would fall a prey to the most shameless despotism: "And I give them boys for princes, and caprices shall rule over them." The revived "Solomonian" glory is followed, as before, by the times of Rehoboam. The king is not expressly named. This was intentional. He had sunk into the mere shadow of a king: it was not he who ruled, but the aristocratic party that surrounded him, who led him about in leading strings as unum inter pares. Now, if it is a misfortune in most cases for a king to be a child (na'ar, Ecc 10:16), the misfortune is twice as great when the princes or magnates who surround and advise him are youngsters (ne'ârim, i.e., young lords) in a bad sense. It produces a government of tâlulim. None of the nouns in this form have a personal signification. According to the primary meaning of the verbal stem, the word might signify childishnesses, equivalent to little children (the abstract for the concrete, like τἀπαιδικά amasius), as Ewald supposes; or puppets, fantocci, poltroons, or men without heart or brain, as Luzzatto maintains. But the latter has no support in the general usage of the language, and the verb yimshelu (shall rule) does not necessarily require a personal subject (cf., Psa 19:14; Psa 103:19). The word tâlulim is formed from the reflective verb hithallel, which means to meddle, to gratify one's self, to indulge one's caprice. Accordingly tâlulim itself might be rendered vexationes (Isa 66:4). Jerome, who translates the word effeminati, appears to have thought of התעלּל in an erotic sense. The Sept. rendering, ἐμπαῖκται is better, though ἐμπαίγματα would be more exact. When used, as the word is here, along with ne'arim, it signifies outbursts of youthful caprice, which do injury to others, whether in joke or earnest. Neither law nor justice would rule, but the very opposite of justice: a course of conduct which would make subjects, like slaves, the helpless victims at one time of their lust (Jdg 19:25), and at another of their cruelty. They would be governed by lawless and bloodstained caprice, of the most despotic character and varied forms. And the people would resemble their rulers: their passions would be let loose, and all restraints of modesty and decorum be snapt asunder.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
I will give children to be their princes "I will make boys their princes" - This also was fully accomplished in the succession of weak and wicked princes, from the death of Josiah to the destruction of the city and temple, and the taking of Zedekiah, the last of them, by Nebuchadnezzar. Babes shall rule over them - Dymennysche men schul lordschopen to hem. - Old MS. Bible.

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¹⁶ Woe [0337] to thee, O land [0776], when thy king [04428] is a child [05288], and thy princes [08269] eat [0398] in the morning [01242]!

¹² As for my people [05971], children [05953] are their oppressors [05065], and women [0802] rule [04910] over them. O my people [05971], they which lead [0833] thee cause thee to err [08582], and destroy [01104] the way [01870] of thy paths [0734].

¹⁶ Woe [0337] to thee, O land [0776], when thy king [04428] is a child [05288], and thy princes [08269] eat [0398] in the morning [01242]!

²⁵ But the men [0582] would [014] not hearken [08085] to him: so the man [0376] took [02388] his concubine [06370], and brought [03318] her forth [02351] unto them; and they knew [03045] her, and abused [05953] her all the night [03915] until the morning [01242]: and when the day [07837] began to spring [05927], they let her go [07971].

⁴ I also will choose [0977] their delusions [08586], and will bring [0935] their fears [04035] upon them; because when I called [07121], none did answer [06030]; when I spake [01696], they did not hear [08085]: but they did [06213] evil [07451] before mine eyes [05869], and chose [0977] that in which I delighted [02654] not.

¹⁹ The LORD [03068] hath prepared [03559] his throne [03678] in the heavens [08064]; and his kingdom [04438] ruleth [04910] over all.

¹⁴ Let the words [0561] of my mouth [06310], and the meditation [01902] of my heart [03820], be acceptable [07522] in thy sight [06440], O LORD [03068], my strength [06697], and my redeemer [01350].

¹⁶ Woe [0337] to thee, O land [0776], when thy king [04428] is a child [05288], and thy princes [08269] eat [0398] in the morning [01242]!