Bird's-eye view
Isaiah 4:1 is a verse of covenantal desperation, a direct and jarring consequence of the divine judgment detailed in the preceding chapter. Having pronounced a thoroughgoing judgment that would strip Judah of its leadership, its men of war, and its societal structure, the prophet now paints a stark picture of the resulting social collapse. The pride of the daughters of Zion, meticulously cataloged in their luxurious apparel and haughty demeanor at the end of chapter 3, is here brought to its lowest point of humiliation. This verse is not a standalone curiosity but the punchline to a long and devastating divine pronouncement. It reveals the profound social chaos that results when God removes the pillars of a society. The desperation of the women is not primarily romantic but existential; it is a cry to have their reproach, their shame in a patriarchal society that has been denuded of its men, taken away. It is a picture of a world turned upside down, a world where the normal blessings of stability and family have been obliterated by sin and its consequences.
Ultimately, this grim snapshot of judgment serves to prepare the ground for the glorious announcement of the Messiah that immediately follows in verse 2. The severity of the curse highlights the sheer grace of the coming blessing. Before the Branch of the Lord can be beautiful and glorious, the proud branches of Judah must be shown for what they are: brittle, fruitless, and destined for the fire. This verse, then, is the dark velvet upon which the diamond of the gospel will be placed.
Outline
- 1. The Aftermath of Judgment (Isa 4:1)
- a. A Day of Covenantal Reversal (Isa 4:1a)
- b. A Desperate Plea (Isa 4:1b)
- c. The Cry Against Reproach (Isa 4:1c)
Context In Isaiah
This single verse serves as the hinge between the sweeping judgments of Isaiah 3 and the messianic hope of Isaiah 4:2-6. Chapter 3 describes the Lord taking away from Jerusalem and Judah "the stay and the staff," meaning every form of societal support (Isa 3:1). This culminates in a specific and withering denunciation of the proud and decadent "daughters of Zion" (Isa 3:16-24). The Lord promises to strip them of their fine apparel and replace their beauty with burning and stench. The chapter concludes with the stark statement that their men will fall by the sword, and the city gates will lament and mourn. Isaiah 4:1 is the direct, logical, and tragic outcome of this specific judgment. The scarcity of men, prophesied in chapter 3, creates the social crisis described in 4:1. It is the final stroke in Isaiah's portrait of a society brought to ruin by its own sin and God's righteous judgment, setting the stage for the radical, grace-based solution of the Messiah, the Branch of the Lord.
Key Issues
- The Nature of Covenantal Judgment
- The Social Consequences of War
- The Biblical Concept of Reproach
- The Relationship Between Law and Gospel in Prophecy
- The Role of Women as a Barometer of Societal Health
The Great Humbling
One of the central themes in Scripture is that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. The third chapter of Isaiah is a detailed case study in this principle. The men of Judah were proud of their political and military might, and God promised to remove it. The women of Zion were proud of their beauty, their wealth, and their status, and God promised to strip them of it all. The judgment is not arbitrary; it is always fitting. It is an ironic reversal. The punishment is tailored to fit the crime.
Isaiah 4:1 is the culmination of this humbling. It shows us what happens when a culture built on pride is finally brought low. The desperation depicted here is the necessary precondition for true salvation. A man who thinks he can stand on his own will never cry out for a savior. A society that glories in its own strength and prosperity will never look for the Branch of the Lord. This verse, in all its starkness, is a picture of a people who have been emptied of their self-reliance. Their worldly supports are gone. Their men are dead. Their honor is turned to shame. And it is only when they are brought to this point of utter destitution that the promise of a glorious Savior can begin to make sense.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1 And seven women will take hold of one man in that day, saying,
The phrase in that day links this scene directly to the judgment just described. This is not some far-flung future, but the immediate consequence of the men of Judah falling by the sword (Isa 3:25). The number seven here is likely representative, signifying a great multitude, an overwhelming majority. It paints a picture of a catastrophic demographic collapse. The ratio of women to men has been thrown into complete disarray because of war. The verb "take hold" is aggressive, almost desperate. This is not a picture of courtship; it is a picture of frantic appeal. The normal societal roles are inverted. Instead of a man seeking a wife, we have a crowd of women seizing upon a single, fortunate survivor. This is what happens when God removes the blessing of peace and societal order. The natural, creational patterns of life are thrown into chaos.
“We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes,
This is the heart of their desperate proposal. Under normal circumstances, and according to God's law, a husband was responsible for the provision and protection of his wife. He was to provide her with food and clothing (Ex. 21:10). But these women are so desperate that they are willing to waive that right. They are offering a form of marriage that absolves the man of his primary duties. "We will not be a burden to you," they are saying. "We will provide for ourselves." This demonstrates the depth of their humiliation. They are willing to settle for the mere form of marriage without its substance, its normal benefits and protections. Their desire is not for comfort or provision, but for something far more fundamental.
only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach!”
Here is the true motive. Their plea is for a name, an identity, a covering. To be called by a man's name meant to belong to his household, to be under his nominal headship and protection. Their cry, take away our reproach, is the key to the entire verse. In that culture, for a woman to be unmarried and childless was a profound shame, a reproach. It meant she was outside the covenantal structure of family, without an inheritance, without a future, and without honor. This was a deep-seated cultural and theological reality. Think of Rachel crying to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!" (Gen. 30:1). Or Hannah's sorrow over her barrenness (1 Sam. 1). What these women want is the removal of this public disgrace. They want the dignity and status that came with being married, even if it is a marriage in name only. Their affliction is not primarily economic, but social and spiritual. It is the shame of being left out, of being uncovered. This is a powerful illustration of how our deepest needs are not merely for food and clothing, but for identity, belonging, and the removal of our shame. And this, in the final analysis, is what only Christ can truly provide.
Application
This verse is a stark and sober warning against societal pride. When a nation forgets God, when its men become arrogant and its women become decadent, judgment is not far behind. And that judgment often takes the form of dismantling the very structures in which the society placed its trust. For Judah, it was their military men and their social status. For us, it might be our economy, our political stability, or our cultural influence. God has a way of pulling the rug out from under our proudest achievements.
On a more personal level, this verse speaks to the universal human condition. We are all, before Christ, in a state of reproach. We are spiritually destitute, without a name, and covered in the shame of our sin. Like these women, we have nothing to offer God. We cannot provide for ourselves. Our only hope is to "take hold" of the one Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, and plead with Him to take away our reproach. The good news of the gospel is that He does not require us to provide our own bread or our own clothes. He is the Bread of Life, and He provides for us a robe of perfect righteousness. We come to Him with nothing but our shame, and He gives us His name. He calls us His own. He brings us into His household, and in Him, all our reproach is taken away forever. The desperation of these women in Isaiah's day should drive us to a similar, though far more hopeful, desperation for Christ.