Isaiah 3 12

Isaiah 3:12 kjv

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.

Isaiah 3:12 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."

Isaiah 3:12 niv

Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. My people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path.

Isaiah 3:12 esv

My people ? infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your guides mislead you and they have swallowed up the course of your paths.

Isaiah 3:12 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.

Isaiah 3 verses

Isaiah 3 12 Meaning

Isaiah 3:12 expresses the LORD’s lament and a prophetic indictment against the leaders of Judah. It reveals that the very individuals entrusted with guiding the people are instead actively causing them to stray from the right path, effectively obliterating the righteous way of life the nation should follow. This leads to the people’s moral and spiritual ruin.

Isaiah 3 12 Context

Isaiah chapter 3 is part of a larger prophecy (chapters 2-5) pronouncing God's judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem for their profound sin. The nation is depicted as facing complete collapse due to their spiritual adultery, social injustice, and corrupt leadership. Chapter 3 specifically focuses on the societal breakdown, detailing the removal of wise and capable leaders, leading to an oppressive and chaotic rule. Verse 12 serves as a stark indictment against those remaining in authority—political, social, and possibly religious leaders—who, instead of providing righteous guidance, are actively deceiving the people, thus dismantling the very moral and spiritual framework of the nation. This destructive leadership, a direct consequence of Judah's widespread rebellion against God, is portrayed as contributing directly to the coming divine chastisement.

Isaiah 3 12 Word analysis

• O my people (עַמִּי, ʿammī): This is a cry of divine lament and intimate ownership. "My people" highlights the covenant relationship between God and Israel, underscoring the tragedy of their leaders' betrayal. It signifies a personal sorrow on the part of the Lord, similar to a parent mourning their child's straying.

• they which lead thee (מְאַשְּׁרֶיךָ, mǝʾaššǝreyḵā): This word is derived from the root ʾašar, which can mean "to make happy/blessed," "to declare blessed," or "to guide/direct." In this context, it carries a severe irony. These are the ones who should pronounce blessing or provide proper direction, perhaps through flattery or by making the people feel secure in their sinful ways, leading to false assurance. Alternatively, they are simply those who are "directing" or "guiding" the nation. The tragic reality is that these very "guides" are misleading.

• cause thee to err (מַתְעִים, matʿîm): This participle comes from the verb ta’ah, meaning "to wander," "to stray," or "to lead astray." It denotes an active, deliberate action of misdirection, not merely passive negligence. This suggests a deviation from the divinely appointed path, both morally and spiritually.

• and destroy the way of thy paths (וְדֶרֶךְ אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ בִּלֵּעוּ, wǝdereḵ ʾorḥōteykā billǝʿû):

  • the way (וְדֶרֶךְ, wǝdereḵ): Refers to the course of life, moral conduct, or the customary path. In biblical terms, "the way" often denotes the way of righteousness, God's commandments, or proper living (e.g., "the way of the LORD").
  • of thy paths (אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ, ʾorḥōteykā): A poetic synonym for "way" (dereḵ), emphasizing the habitual walk or daily practices.
  • destroy (בִּלֵּעוּ, billǝʿû): From the verb balʿa, meaning "to swallow up," "to devour," "to consume," or "to obliterate." This is a powerful, active verb implying complete annihilation. It's not merely misleading; it's the removal or rendering obsolete of the very possibility of finding and walking in the true way. The leaders don't just guide them wrongly; they actively make the true path disappear or impassable. This suggests the dismantling of societal structures, laws, and spiritual guidance that once supported adherence to God’s righteous path.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err": This phrase expresses the deep paradox and tragedy. Those who should bring peace and prosperity or offer true guidance (those "leading/blessing") are precisely the ones causing fundamental spiritual and moral wandering. It's a lament over a reversal of roles where blessing becomes a curse.
  • "and destroy the way of thy paths": This intensified statement goes beyond simple error. It portrays an act of total demolition. The very framework, knowledge, and practice of righteous living – the paths prescribed by God for His covenant people – are being utterly consumed or obliterated by their leadership. It signifies not just straying but the systematic removal of the means to return.

Isaiah 3 12 Bonus section

The leadership condemned in this verse includes not only political rulers but likely also false prophets and unfaithful priests. Their corruption mirrors the pervasive sin throughout the society. This profound ethical and spiritual betrayal stands in stark contrast to the divine call for righteous leadership as exemplified by Moses, Samuel, and ultimately, by the Messiah. True leadership, as demonstrated by Christ, gathers the lost sheep, points them to life-giving truth, and lays down His life for the way (John 10). The "destruction of the way" in Isaiah 3:12 suggests a scenario where societal structures and religious teaching have become so perverted that it is difficult for anyone to discern or follow God's truth, leading to widespread spiritual blindness and ultimately, God's corrective judgment.

Isaiah 3 12 Commentary

Isaiah 3:12 encapsulates a critical indictment against Judah’s leadership. The verse highlights God's sorrow over His "people," a term reflecting their unique covenant relationship, now threatened by internal decay. The leaders, meant to bless, guide, and ensure the people walk in God's ways, are instead leading them profoundly astray. The term translated "lead thee" (mǝʾaššǝreyḵā) contains a poignant irony; those who make the people feel "blessed" or who direct them are, in fact, deceiving them with false assurances, flattering their pride, or pursuing self-serving agendas that deviate from God’s truth. This isn't just a passive failing; the leaders actively "cause them to err," a deliberate misdirection that veers the nation from divine instruction. Furthermore, this erroneous guidance doesn't just misplace; it "destroys the way of thy paths," signifying a complete annihilation of the established moral and spiritual blueprint for living. The true way of righteousness, of justice and faith in the Lord, becomes inaccessible or even unrecognizable. This wholesale destruction of the proper path, led by those in authority, leaves the people adrift, without guidance, and vulnerable to divine judgment, demonstrating the grave spiritual consequences of corrupt leadership.