Isaiah 3:15
New International Version
What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

New Living Translation
How dare you crush my people, grinding the faces of the poor into the dust?” demands the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

English Standard Version
What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

Berean Standard Bible
Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

King James Bible
What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

New King James Version
What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the faces of the poor?” Says the Lord GOD of hosts.

New American Standard Bible
“What do you mean by crushing My people And oppressing the face of the poor?” Declares the Lord GOD of armies.

NASB 1995
“What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the face of the poor?” Declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

NASB 1977
“What do you mean by crushing My people, And grinding the face of the poor?” Declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

Legacy Standard Bible
What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the face of the afflicted?” Declares Lord Yahweh of hosts.

Amplified Bible
“What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the face of the poor?” Declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

Christian Standard Bible
Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor? ” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD of Armies.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD of Hosts.

American Standard Version
what mean ye that ye crush my people, and grind the face of the poor? saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD All-Powerful says, "You have crushed my people and rubbed in the dirt the faces of the poor."

English Revised Version
what mean ye that ye crush my people, and grind the face of the poor? saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The Almighty LORD of Armies asks, "How can you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor [into the ground]?"

Good News Translation
You have no right to crush my people and take advantage of the poor. I, the Sovereign LORD Almighty, have spoken."

International Standard Version
How dare you crush my people as you grind down the face of the poor?" declares the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies.

Majority Standard Bible
Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?? declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

NET Bible
Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?" The sovereign LORD who commands armies has spoken.

New Heart English Bible
What do you mean that you crush my people, and grind the face of the poor?" says the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

Webster's Bible Translation
What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

World English Bible
What do you mean that you crush my people, and grind the face of the poor?” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Why? Why do you [do this]? You bruise My people, "" And you grind the faces of the poor.” A declaration of the Lord, YHWH of Hosts, "" And YHWH says:

Young's Literal Translation
What -- to you? ye bruise My people, And the faces of the poor ye grind.' An affirmation of the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, And Jehovah saith:

Smith's Literal Translation
Why will ye crush my people and grind the faces of the poor? says the Lord Jehovah of armies.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Why do you consume my people, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord the God of hosts.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Why do you wear down my people, and grind up the faces of the poor, says the Lord, the God of hosts?

New American Bible
What do you mean by crushing my people, and grinding down the faces of the poor? says the Lord, the GOD of hosts.

New Revised Standard Version
What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord GOD of hosts.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Why did you sting my people, and shame the faces of the poor? says the LORD of hosts.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Why have you harmed my people and shamed the faces of the poor, says LORD JEHOVAH of Hosts?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
What mean ye that ye crush My people, And grind the face of the poor?' Saith the Lord, the GOD of hosts.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Why do ye wrong my people, and shame the face of the poor?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Judgment Against Judah
14The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses. 15Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Cross References
Micah 3:1-3
Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice? / You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones. / You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.”

Ezekiel 22:27-29
Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain. / Her prophets whitewash these deeds by false visions and lying divinations, saying, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ when the LORD has not spoken. / The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have exploited the foreign resident without justice.

Amos 2:6-7
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Israel, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals. / They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name.

Jeremiah 5:26-28
For among My people are wicked men; they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap to catch men. / Like cages full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become powerful and rich. / They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.

Proverbs 22:22-23
Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate, / for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.

James 5:1-6
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. / Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. / Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days. ...

Matthew 23:14
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.

Zechariah 7:9-10
“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Administer true justice. Show loving devotion and compassion to one another. / Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. And do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’

Psalm 10:8-10
He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless. / He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net. / They are crushed and beaten down; the helpless fall prey to his strength.

Luke 20:46-47
“Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. / They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

Isaiah 10:1-2
Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, / to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.

Jeremiah 22:3
This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Malachi 3:5
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.

Matthew 25:41-45
Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. / For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, / I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.’ ...


Treasury of Scripture

What mean you that you beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? said the Lord GOD of hosts.

what mean

Ezekiel 18:2
What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?

Jonah 1:6
So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

ye beat

Isaiah 58:4
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

Exodus 5:14
And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

Amos 2:6,7
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; …

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Isaiah 3
1. The great calamities which come by sin
10. The different rewards of the righteous and wicked
12. The oppression and covetousness of the rulers
16. The judgments which shall be for the pride of the women
25. The general desolation














Why do you crush
The Hebrew word for "crush" is "דָּכָא" (dakah), which conveys a sense of oppression and destruction. In the context of Isaiah, this word is a powerful indictment against the leaders and people of Judah who are exploiting the vulnerable. Historically, this reflects a period of social injustice where the powerful were taking advantage of the weak. The rhetorical question posed by God highlights His deep concern for justice and righteousness, emphasizing that such actions are contrary to His nature and commands.

My people
The phrase "My people" signifies a covenant relationship between God and the Israelites. It underscores God's ownership and protective concern for Israel. This relationship is rooted in the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants, where God promised to be their God and they would be His people. The use of "My" indicates a personal and possessive care, reminding the oppressors that they are harming those who belong to God Himself, thus compounding their guilt.

and grind the faces
The imagery of "grind the faces" is vivid and brutal, suggesting severe oppression and humiliation. The Hebrew word "טָחַן" (tahan) means to crush or pulverize, often used in the context of grinding grain. This metaphor illustrates the dehumanizing treatment of the poor, reducing them to nothing more than objects to be exploited. It reflects a societal breakdown where the dignity of individuals is disregarded, a situation that God finds abhorrent.

of the poor?
The "poor" in this context refers to those who are economically disadvantaged and marginalized. The Hebrew word "עָנִי" (ani) often denotes those who are afflicted or humble. Throughout Scripture, God consistently shows a special concern for the poor, commanding His people to care for them and ensure justice. This reflects God's character as a defender of the weak and a champion of justice, calling His people to emulate His compassion and righteousness.

declares the Lord GOD of Hosts
The title "Lord GOD of Hosts" (Yahweh Sabaoth) emphasizes God's supreme authority and power. "Hosts" refers to the heavenly armies, indicating that God is the commander of all celestial forces. This title reassures the oppressed that God is not only aware of their plight but also has the power to intervene and bring justice. It serves as a warning to the oppressors that they are accountable to the Almighty, who commands the armies of heaven and will act against injustice. This declaration is a call to repentance and a reminder of God's ultimate sovereignty and justice.

Verse 15. - What mean ye? i.e. "What has come over you?" or "What strange perversity has possessed yon?" (Kay). That ye beat my people to pieces, etc. The strongest possible expressions are used to mark God's abhorrence of the oppression to which the poor were subjected. Under the Law, he constituted himself the champion of such persons (see Exodus 22:22-24).

2. The sins of the women. (Vers. 16-26.) These may be summed up under the three heads of pride, wanton manners (ver. 16), and love of dress and ornament (vers. 18-23). It was natural that, with increased commerce (2 Kings 14:22; Isaiah 2:16) and more frequent communication with foreign nations, such as Assyria (2 Kings 16:7-10) and Babylon (2 Kings 20:12, 13), there should be an increase of luxury, and quite in accordance with Eastern ideas that the luxury should particularly show itself in the dress and adornment of the women. The Egyptian remains show an advanced state of luxury among the women at a time anterior to Moses; and in Assyria, though the evidence is less abundant, we find also indications of a similar kind. The Jews, whose regard for their women was high, are not likely to have been behindhand in the gallantry which shows itself in heaping ornament and the newest appliances of civilization on the weaker sex.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Why
לָּכֶם֙‪‬ (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

do you crush
תְּדַכְּא֣וּ (tə·ḏak·kə·’ū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 1792: To crumble, to bruise

My people
עַמִּ֔י (‘am·mî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

and grind
תִּטְחָ֑נוּ (tiṭ·ḥā·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2912: To grind meal, to be a, concubine

the faces
וּפְנֵ֥י (ū·p̄ə·nê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

of the poor?”
עֲנִיִּ֖ים (‘ă·nî·yîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6041: Poor, afflicted, humble

declares
נְאֻם־ (nə·’um-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

the Lord
אֲדֹנָ֥י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

GOD
יְהוִ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

of Hosts.
צְבָאֽוֹת׃ (ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 3:15 What do you mean that you crush (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 3:14
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