“For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.”
For the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the members of his own household—the social disintegration extends to family relationships, where children rebel against parents and in-laws conflict with each other. The catalog of family breakdown (son against father, daughter against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law) shows the systematic destruction of the most fundamental relationships. The concluding statement that 'a man's enemies are members of his own household' establishes that intimacy has been replaced by enmity. This verse echoes Jesus's citation of this passage (Matthew 10:35-36) and shows that profound social breakdown can fracture even the most fundamental human bonds. The complete isolation described here prepares for the shift toward sole reliance on God.
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