Isaiah 4:1

In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothes. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Isaiah addresses the remnant of Israel during a period of severe demographic collapse. Seven women speak directly to a single surviving man, proposing a desperate arrangement to secure social standing.

The words — The verb וְ/הֶחֱזִיקוּ֩ (ve./he.che.zi.Ku) translates literally as “and they will take hold,” describing a forceful grasping. The numeral שֶׁ֨בַע (She.va') simply means “seven,” quantifying the women making this demand.

The thread — The theme of divine removal of shame echoes Genesis 30:23, while the reversal of human pride aligns with Isaiah 2:17 and the demographic scarcity described in Isaiah 13:12.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that social survival and identity depend entirely on divine intervention rather than human merit. Readers must acknowledge that communal restoration follows severe judgment.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהֶחֱזִיקוּ֩ve./he.che.zi.Kuand/ they will take hold שֶׁ֨בַעShe.va'seven נָשִׁ֜יםna.Shimwomen בְּאִ֣ישׁbe./'Ishon/ a man אֶחָ֗ד'e.Chadone בַּיּ֤וֹםba/i.Yomin the/ day הַהוּא֙ha./Hu'<the>/ that לֵאמֹ֔רle./Mor<to>/ saying לַחְמֵ֣נוּlach.Me./nuown food/ our נֹאכֵ֔לno.Khelwe will eat וְשִׂמְלָתֵ֖נוּve./sim.la.Te./nuand/ own clothing/ our נִלְבָּ֑שׁnil.Bashwe will wear רַ֗קRakonly יִקָּרֵ֤אyi.ka.Re'let it be called שִׁמְךָ֙shim./Khaname/ your עָלֵ֔ינוּ'a.Lei./nuon/ us אֱסֹ֖ף'e.Sofremove חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ׃ סcher.pa.Te./nureproach/ our

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Genesis 30:23 and she conceived and gave birth to a son. “God has taken away my shame,” she said.
Isaiah 2:17 So the pride of man will be brought low, and the loftiness of men will be humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,
Isaiah 13:12 I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.
Luke 1:25 “The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
Luke 21:22 For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.
2 Thessalonians 3:12 We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living.
1 Samuel 1:6 Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her viciously to taunt her.
Isaiah 3:25 Your men will fall by the sword, and your warriors in battle.
Isaiah 10:20 On that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer depend on him who struck them, but they will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 2:11 The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.