Isaiah 3:25 — Word Study
WLCמְתַ֖יִךְ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֑לוּ וּגְבוּרָתֵ֖ךְ בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
BSAYour menmath [husbands, grown males] will fallnâphal▸ [be defeated, come to an end] by the swordchereb [cutting instrument, weapon of war] and your warriorsgᵉbûwrâh [mighty, valiant ones] in battlemilchâmâh [war, conflict]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מְתַ֖יִךְ | men your | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| בַּחֶ֣רֶב | by the sword | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| יִפֹּ֑לוּ | they will fall | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וּגְבוּרָתֵ֖ךְ | and strength your | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ | in battle | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Your men will fall by the sword, and your warriors in battle. |
| KJV | Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war. |
| ASV | Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war. |
| YLT | For instead of glory, thy men by sword do fall, And thy might in battle. |
| WEB | Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty in the war. |
| BBE | Your men will be put to the sword, and your men of war will come to destruction in the fight. |
The translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse, emphasizing the fate of the men and warriors.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by two phrases that elaborate on the subjects and their fate.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָפַל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Isaiah 3:25
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Consequences of Rebelliongenerated
Isaiah 3:25 speaks of the dire consequences faced by the men and warriors of Jerusalem due to their disobedience to God. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Isaiah outlines the judgment that will befall the people, emphasizing the loss of strength and valor in battle. The surrounding verses depict a stark contrast between their former glory and the impending shame they will experience.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Chronicles 29:9 | For behold, this is why our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and daughters and wives are in captivity. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 11:22 | So this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will punish them. Their young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 14:18 | If I go out to the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, I see those ravaged by famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.’” |
| 4 | Jeremiah 18:21 | Therefore, hand their children over to famine; pour out the power of the sword upon them. Let their wives become childless and widowed; let their husbands be slain by disease, their young men struck down by the sword in battle. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 19:7 | And in this place I will ruin the plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, by the hands of those who seek their lives, and I will give their carcasses as food to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יִפֹּ֑לוּ, yi.Po.lugenerated
The verb נָפַל (naphal) means 'to fall' and conveys a sense of defeat or downfall. It can refer to physical falling, as in death in battle, or metaphorical falling, such as failing in one's duties. The parsing as imperfect third person masculine plural indicates that this action will happen to multiple subjects, emphasizing the collective fate of the men.
In this context, the word underscores the certainty of defeat for the men of Jerusalem, reinforcing the theme of judgment that runs throughout the chapter.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations are consistent in rendering the verse similarly, emphasizing the defeat of the men and warriors.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יִפֹּ֑לוּ, they will fall, governs the entire verse, linking the subjects (the men and warriors) to their fate. The structure is straightforward, with two main phrases indicating who will fall and by what means.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the subjects first, highlighting the men and warriors before detailing their downfall by the sword and in battle.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חֶרֶב as μαξαίρᾳ (maxaira), which also means 'sword' but can imply a broader range of cutting instruments. This choice reflects a similar understanding of the destructive power of weapons.
The Greek term πεσεῖται for יִפֹּ֑לוּ indicates a future event of falling, aligning with the Hebrew meaning but also suggesting a sense of inevitability in the defeat.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 3:25 warns that the men and warriors of Jerusalem will be defeated in battle. This reflects the consequences of their rebellion against God, emphasizing the loss of strength and honor.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This indicates that the men will be defeated in battle, suffering death or defeat as a consequence of their actions.
The 'warriors' refer to the valiant men who are expected to fight but will also face defeat in battle.
The sword symbolizes the instrument of judgment and destruction that will befall the people due to their rebellion.
This verse illustrates the theme of judgment and the consequences of turning away from God, which is a central message throughout the book of Isaiah.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some consequences I see in my life when I stray from following God's ways?
- How can I better understand the importance of strength and valor in my own life?
- In what ways can I prepare myself spiritually to face challenges and conflicts?
- How does this verse challenge my understanding of success and failure in my own battles?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Jerome comments on this verse, interpreting the fate of the beautiful and strong men in the context of judgment.
Your most beautiful men will fall by the sword, and your strong men in battle. For the most beautiful men, they are interpreted as seventy, and your most beautiful son, whom you love, will fall by the sword.Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 3 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 3:25 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThy men shall fall by the sword,.... Of the Romans; which would be a punishment to the women for their pride and luxury, being deprived thereby of their husbands: and thy mighty in the war; of
Read John Gill on Isaiah 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war. Thy men - of Jerusalem.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 3:25 Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.Ver. 25. Thy men shall fall by the sword.] For suffering and favouring the women’ s excesses, such as are today naked breasts and shoulders Abhorred filth! Our King Henry VI at such a sight cried, Fie, fie, ladies, in sooth you are to blame, &c.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(25-26) Thy men . . .(26) her gates . . .—The feminine pronoun in both verses points to the daughter of Zion as representing her many daughters. As in Lamentations 1:1, and as in the JUDÆA CAPTA medals that commemorated the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, she is represented as sitting on the ground desolate and afflicted.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 25. Thy mighty men.] For גבורתך geburathech an ancient MS. has גבורך gibborech. The true reading, from the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, and Chaldee, seems to be גבוריך gibborayich.
Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges25, 26. A poetic personification of Jerusalem, the mother city, mourning the loss of her sons and defenders.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThy men - This is an address to Jerusalem itself, by a change not uncommon in the writings of Isaiah. In the calamities coming on them, their strong men should be overcome, and fall in battle.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 3 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible25. And the proximate cause of all this shall be the profuse slaughter of the male population. Thy men — The men of Judah and Jerusalem, for these are here evidently addressed.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 3 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Your men will fall by the sword, and your warriors in battle.
Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty in the war.
Your men will fall by the sword, and your warriors in battle.
Your men will fall by the sword, your strong men will die in battle.
Tyndale line
Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
Thy men shall fall by the sworde, and thy strength in the battell.
Strictly literal
Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the fight;
For instead of glory, thy men by sword do fall, And thy might in battle.
For instead of glory, your men fall by sword, || And your might in battle.
Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty ones in the war.
Your men will fall by the sword, and your strong men will fall in war.
From the Latin
Thy fairest men also shall fall by the sword, and thy valiant ones in battle.
Simplified
Your men will be killed by the sword; your soldiers will die in battle.
Your men will be put to the sword, and your men of war will come to destruction in the fight.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls agree closely, with the latter confirming the wording of the Hebrew. The Septuagint matches four out of the five words, indicating a strong alignment in the core message, though its phrasing differs.
מְתַ֖יִךְ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֑לוּ וּגְבוּרָתֵ֖ךְ בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
4 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
מתי׳ך בחרב יפולו וגבורותי׳ך במלחמה
5 words on the leather.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 3:25
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
מַת (mat) refers to a male or man, often used in both prose and poetry. The term emphasizes adult males and can imply a group of men, sometimes with less focus on gender. It is derived from a related word, but its usage is primarily in the plural form.
[מַת] n.m. male, man
males, men
usu. less emphasis on sex
elsewhere only poet.
base
H4962 [מַת] male, man
4962 math math
from the same as 4970; properly, an adult (as of full
length); by implication, a man (only in the plural):--+ few,
X friends, men, persons, X small.
see HEBREW for 04970
מַת (mat) — man.
1) male, man
1a) males, men
1b) few men (in prose)
1b1) less emphasis on sex
1c) men (poetic)
1c1) less emphasis on sex
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2fs
חֶ֫רֶב (chereb) means 'sword' and can also refer to other cutting instruments like knives and tools. It is derived from a root meaning 'drought,' highlighting its destructive nature. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote weapons.
חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)
base
H2719 חֶ֫רֶב sword (as weapon)
2719 chereb kheh'-reb
from 2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its
destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp
implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.
see HEBREW for 02717
חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) — sword.
1) sword, knife
1a) sword
1b) knife
1c) tools for cutting stone
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
sord.
See ARMOR, III, 5.
Sword
Of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5).
It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12; 78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov. 12:18). The word of God is likened also to a…
[ARMS, ARMOR]
נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.
נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie
Qal 366
fall, by accident
Esp. of violent death
fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
fig. = experience calamity
fall, of a city
Fall prostrate
fall = prostrate oneself before
fall upon one's neck, in embrace
Fall upon = attack
desert or fall away to, go over to
Fig., of deep sleep
Other idiomatic uses
= lie; = lie prostrate
Hiph.
cause to fall
Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
Esp. of casting lot
Fig., let drop, cause to fail
cause deep sleep to fall
Other idioms
Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself
base
H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident
. . Esp. of violent death
. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
. fig. = experience calamity
. fall, of a city
. . Fall prostrate
. fall = prostrate oneself before
. fall upon one's neck, in embrace
. . Fall upon = attack
. desert or fall away to, go over to
. Fig., of deep sleep
. Other idiomatic uses
. = lie; = lie prostrate
. . cause to fall
. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
. Esp. of casting lot
. Fig., let drop, cause to fail
. cause deep sleep to fall
. Other idioms
. throw, or prostrate oneself
5307 naphal naw-fal'
a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications
(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be
accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide
(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall
(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have
(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay
(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,
lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make
to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.
see HEBREW for 06419
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.
: fall/drop/fail
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before
1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of
1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result
1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to
1a7) to lie, lie prostrate
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate
1b2) to overthrow
1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot
1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)
1b5) to cause to fall
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon
1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself
1d) (Pilel) to fall
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.
: deserting
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
fol (vb.): The idea of falling is most frequently expressed in Hebrew by naphal, but also by many other words; in Greek by pipto, and its compounds. The uses of the word in Scripture are very varied. There is the literal falling by descent; the falling of the countenance in sorrow, shame, anger, etc. (Ge 4:5,6); the falling in battle (Ge 14:10; Nu 14:3, etc.); the falling into trouble, etc. (Pr 24:16,17); prostration in supplication and reverence (Ge 17:3; Nu 14:5, etc.); falling of the Spirit of Yahweh (Eze 11:5…
גְּבוּרָה (gbuwrah) refers to strength or might, encompassing concepts of valor and bravery. It is derived from a root related to force and power, often used in a figurative sense. The term can denote not only human strength but also the might of God, highlighting its significance in both personal and divine contexts.
גְּבוּרָה 61 n.f. strength, might
strength
might, valour
might of God
base
H1369 גְּבוּרָה strength, might
1369 gbuwrah gheb-oo-raw'
feminine passive participle from the same as 1368; force
(literally or figuratively); by implication, valor, victory:--
force, mastery, might, mighty (act, power), power, strength.
see HEBREW for 01368
גְּבוּרָה (ge.vu.rah) — might.
1) strength, might
1a) strength
1b) might, valour, bravery
1c) might, mighty deeds (of God)
Aramaic equivalent: ge.vu.rah (גְּבוּרָה "might" H1370)
Conj | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncfsc/Sp2fs
מִלְחָמָה (milchamah) means 'battle' or 'war.' It is derived from the root word for fighting and encompasses both specific engagements and the broader concept of warfare. The entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
מִלְחָמָה 319 n.f. battle, war
base
H4421 מִלְחָמָה battle, war
4421 milchamah mil-khaw-maw'
from 3898 (in the sense of fighting); a battle (i.e. the
engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare):--battle,
fight(-ing), war((-rior)).
see HEBREW for 03898
מִלְחָמָה (mil.cha.mah) — battle.
battle, war
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
See WAR.