Isaiah 3:3
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counselor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
American King James Version (AKJV)
The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counselor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
American Standard Version (ASV)
the captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counsellor, and the expert artificer, and the skilful enchanter.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
The captain of fifty, and the man of high position, and the wise guide, and the wonder-worker, and he who makes use of secret powers.
Webster's Revision
The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counselor, and the skillful artificer, and the eloquent orator.
World English Bible
the captain of fifty, the honorable man, the counselor, the skilled craftsman, and the clever enchanter.
English Revised Version (ERV)
the captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the skilful enchanter.
Barnes's Isaiah 3:3 Bible Commentary
The captain of fifty - By this was probably denoted an officer in the army. The idea is, that the commanders of the various divisions of the army should be taken away.
The honourable man - Hebrew פנים נשׂוּא nes'û' pânı̂ym. "The man of elevated countenance." That is, the man high in office. He was so called from the aspect of dignity which a man in office would assume. In the previous chapter, the phrase is used to denote rather the "pride" which attended such officers, than the dignity of the office itself.
And the counselor - Note, Isaiah 1:26.
The cunning artificer - Hebrew, The man wise in mechanic arts: skilled in architecture, etc.
And the eloquent orator - לחשׁ נבון nebôn lâchash. literally, skilled or learned in whispering, in conjuration, in persuasion. The word לחשׁ lachash denotes properly a whispering, sighing, or calling for help; (Isaiah 26:16, 'they have poured out a prayer,' לחשׁ lachash - a secret speech, a feeble sigh for aid.) It is applied to the charm of the serpents - the secret breathing or gentle noise by which the charm is supposed to be effected; Psalm 58:6; Jeremiah 8:17; Ecclesiastes 10:11. In Isaiah 3:20 of this chapter it denotes a charm or amulet worn by females; see the note at that verse. It is also applied to magic, or conjuration - because this was usually done by gentle whispering, or incantation; see the note at Isaiah 8:19. From this use of the word, it comes to denote one that influences another; one who persuades him in any way, as an orator does by argument and entreaty. Ancient orators also probably sometimes used a species of recitative, or measured cadence, not unlike that employed by those who practiced incantations. Jerome says that it means here, 'a man who is learned, and acquainted with the law, and the prophets.' Chaldee, 'The prudent in council.' It "may" be used in a good sense here; but if so, it is probably the only place where the word is so used in the Old Testament. A prophecy similar to this occurs in Hosea 3:4 : 'For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim.'
