Isaiah 10

Arrogant Assyria

1Woe to those who legalize injustice and write oppressive legislation! 2You rip away the rights of the poor and prey upon widows and orphans! # 10:2 Or “You make widows your spoil and orphans your prey.” 3What will come of you on your day of visitation when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? And what will you do then with all your great wealth? # 10:3 Or “glory” or “honor,” a possible metaphor for their vast armies. 4You’ll have no option but to cringe among the captives or fall among the corpses of the slain! Yet despite all this, his anger has not subsided, and his hand is poised to strike. # 10:4 Or “his hand is still reaching out.”

5Woe to arrogant Assyria, the rod of my anger! The club I place in the king’s hand is my fury. 6I am the one who has sent him against a godless nation and ordered him to attack a people who anger me. I sent him to take the spoil and seize the plunder # 10:6 See Isa. 8:1. and to trample them down like dust in the street. 7But he has no clue what he’s doing, and he has something else in mind. He plans on annihilating many nations 8and thinks, “After all, I have made my executive commanders into kings. 9Calneh # 10:9 Calneh (or Calno) means “[selfish] ambition.” It was a city in Shinar (see Gen. 10:10). will be no different than Carchemish, # 10:9 Carchemish, which means “fortress of one who subdues,” was a capital city of northern Syria, once known as the Hittite empire. whom I destroyed. I’ll destroy Hamath as I did Arpad # 10:9 Hamath means “high walls.” It was the principal city of northern Syria. Arpad means “I will spread out.” It was a Syro-Hittite city north of Aleppo in northwestern Syria. and make Samaria like Damascus. # 10:9 Samaria means “watch [guard] mountain.” It was the mountainous region north of Jerusalem also known as the northern kingdom of Israel. Damascus is not a Hebrew word (likely Aramaic); it means “alert” or “active.” Damascus is the major city of Syria and is viewed as the oldest continuously inhabited city on earth. 10Since I was able to seize kingdoms full of idols and images more powerful and more impressive than those of Jerusalem and Samaria, 11won’t I do the same thing to Jerusalem and Samaria and their idols?” # 10:11 In his blasphemous boast, the king of Assyria equated the Lord Yahweh with all the other gods and their idols that he had conquered. His arrogance would be his downfall. Although he became the rod of God’s anger to punish Judah and Israel, that same rod was now poised to strike him down.

12But when the Lord has carried out his purpose on Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will punish the king of Assyria because of his overbearing arrogance and unrestrained pride! # 10:12 Or “the pride of his exalted eyes.” 13He boasted, “Look what I have done by the strength of my hand and by my wisdom. See how clever I am! I have erased the borders of nations and plundered their treasures. I have been like a mighty conqueror, subduing those in strong fortresses. # 10:13 Or “brought down kings from their thrones.” Assyria represents human reasoning, with its high thoughts and deceptive fantasies that exalt themselves against God (see 2 Cor. 10:5). The intellect of man falls short and is inferior to the wisdom and knowledge of God. 14I seized their wealth as one who found an unprotected nest. As one who gathers eggs that have been left behind, so I gathered the wealth of the world. And the young birds could neither move a wing nor even open their mouths to peep!”

God Decrees Judgment on Assyria

15Is the axe greater than the one who wields it? Is the saw greater than the one who cuts with it? Can the axe strike without a hand to move it? Can a lifeless wooden cane walk all by itself? # 10:15 Although God used Assyria as his “axe” and his “saw” to bring about his purposes, that doesn’t mean they had reason to be proud. The same can be said of us. Although God may use us powerfully, we must give glory and credit to God and his grace. See Acts 12:23. 16Therefore, the sovereign Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies, will send a devastating plague among Assyria’s proud warriors. Yes, the “glory” # 10:16 “The ‘glory’ of Assyria” is a metaphor describing all their pomp and military might. of Assyria will be burned and go up in smoke! 17For the Light of Israel will become a fire in their midst, and the Holy One will become a flame! He will consume the thorns # 10:17 Moses knelt before the burning thorn bush, and God ignited a fire in his heart. Today God wants to light a holy flame in every heart that follows Christ. and thistles of the Assyrian king in one day! 18The splendor of his forest and orchard # 10:18 The phrase “forest and orchard” is a metaphor for Assyria’s armies (forest) and the king’s noblemen (orchard). will be completely destroyed, # 10:18 Or “from breath to flesh, it will be destroyed,” which is a metaphor for totality. like a dying man fading away. # 10:18 The Hebrew text of this last clause is uncertain. 19The forest will have so few trees left # 10:19 The fire of the glory of the Lord will consume the armies of Assyria. One angel destroyed 185,000 Assyrians in one night. See 2 Kings 19:35; Isa. 37:36–38. that even a little boy could count them.

Restoration Promised

20In that day, neither the remnant of Israel nor the survivors of the house of Jacob will lean anymore upon the one who abused them, # 10:20 That is, Assyria. but they will lean fully # 10:20 Or “sincerely.” on the faithfulness of the Lord Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel. 21A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob’s tribes to the mighty God. 22Though your people Israel were as many as the sand on the seashore, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, and it will be overflowing with righteousness. 23For the Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies, will complete the destruction he has decreed upon the whole land.

24So hear what the Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies, has to say: “My Zion-people, do not be gripped with fear over the Assyrians who oppress and abuse you, # 10:24 Or “who beat you with a rod and lift up their staff against you.” as the Egyptians did long ago. 25After only a brief moment, I will end my indignation against you, and it will fall upon them to their destruction!”

26The Lord Yahweh, who commands angel armies, will wield his whip against them, as when he struck Midian at the rock of Oreb. # 10:26 The rock of Oreb (“raven”) is the place where Gideon killed two fleeing Midianite princes (see Judg. 7:25). Isaiah mentioned both the rock of Oreb and the victory at the Red Sea to illustrate how God will completely subdue his enemies. And once again he will raise his rod over the waters, as he did in Egypt.

27In that day the Lord will remove the heavy burden from your shoulders and break off the yoke of bondage from your necks because of the heavy anointing upon you! # 10:27 Or “because of oil [anointing].” Oil is a frequent symbol of the anointing of God. Although the meaning of the Hebrew text of this clause is uncertain, some scholars see the imagery of an ox who grew so fat that it shattered the yoke on his neck. Assyria’s yoke of bondage would be broken off Judah because they would grow fat and heavy with the anointing of God’s restored favor.

28The Assyrian army # 10:28 Or “he.” By implication and context, this is the king of Assyria with his armies. attacked Aiath; # 10:28 Aiath (or Ai) was a city east of Bethel and near Jericho. It means “heap of ruins.” In vv. 28–31, the Hebrew text contains no conjunctions and is in a very disjointed, short, hard-hitting style. There is much scholarly debate about when this invasion took place. Perhaps the names of the locations give us hints about the things God will “invade” inside of believers today. The “heap of ruins” could be an apt picture of our flesh life.

they passed over into Migron # 10:28 Migron means “threshing floor.” God takes the hearts of his chosen ones through the threshing floor by the Holy Spirit.

and stored their equipment at Michmash. # 10:28 Michmash is a city about ten miles (sixteen kilometers) north of Jerusalem, believed to be modern-day Mukhmas. Michmash means “hidden.” God will go after our hidden issues.

29They went through the pass

and spent the night at Geba. # 10:29 Or “Gibeah.” Gibeah means “uphill,” a picture of striving in the flesh.

Ramah # 10:29 Ramah means “high place.” It is an obvious metaphor for lofty and arrogant attitudes that are “raised up in defiance of the true knowledge of God” (2 Cor. 10:5). was alarmed and trembled.

Those in Gibeah, the city of Saul, ran for their lives.

30Cry aloud, O daughter of Gallim! # 10:30 Gallim means “heaps [of waves, stones, etc.]” or possibly “springs.” It represents the flow of life that does not originate with God but with the self.

Listen, O Laishah! # 10:30 Or “Laish.” Laish is the Hebrew word for “lion.” The lion’s den is a picture of the realm of demonic power (see Song. 4:8). Poor Anathoth! # 10:30 Or “Answer [her], O Anathoth!” Anathoth means “answers to prayers.”

31Madmenah # 10:31 Madmenah means “dung heap.” See Phil. 3:8. is retreating;

the residents of Gebim # 10:31 Gebim means “pits” or “ditches.” are hiding.

32This very day, # 10:32 Or “While it is still day.” standing at Nob, # 10:32 Nob was the city of priests, which the Talmud and Jerome’s translation state was within sight of Jerusalem. Nob means “higher place.” he will shake his fist

at the mountain of the daughter of the house of Zion—

at the hill of Jerusalem.

33Behold, the Sovereign Lord of Angel Armies

is about to cut off the branches with terrifying power.

He will cut down the exalted heights of the high,

and all the lofty will be brought low.

34He will slash the thickets of the forest as with an axe,

and Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.

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Isaiah 10: TPT

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Isaiah 10

Woes on the Wicked

1Ah! Those who decree decrees of evil,

and writers who have written harm,

2to guide the needy away from legal claims,#Hebrew “claim”

and to rob the justice from the poor of my people,

to make widows their spoil;

and they plunder orphans.

3And what will you do at the day of punishment,

and at calamity? It comes from afar!

To whom will you flee for help,

and where will you leave your wealth,

4save that they bow down under the prisoners

and fall under the slain?#Literally “except he will bow down under a prisoner and under slain they will fall”; “under” could also mean “in the place of”

In all of this his anger has not turned away,

and still his hand is stretched out.

Judgment on Assyria’s Arrogance

5Ah! Assyria, the rod of my anger,

and a staff is in their hand: my wrath!

6I send him against a godless nation,

and I command him against the people of my wrath,

to capture spoil

and to carry off plunder,

and to make them#Hebrew “him” a trampling place,

like the clay of the streets.

7But he does not think this,#Or “so”

and his heart does not plan this.

For it is in his heart to destroy

and to cut off not a few nations.

8For he says, “Are not my commanders altogether kings?

9Is not Calno like Carchemish?

Is not Hamath like Arpad?

Is not Samaria like Damascus?

10As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols#Hebrew “idol”

—and their images were greater than those of#Literally “from” Jerusalem and Samaria—

11shall I not do to Jerusalem and its idols

what I have done to Samaria and her idols?”

12And this shall happen: when the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion#Literally “the mountain of Zion” and Jerusalem, “I will punish the arrogance#Literally “fruit of the greatness of the heart” of the king of Assyria and his haughtiness.”#Literally “the pride of the height of his eyes”

13For he says,

“I have done it by the strength of my hand

and by my wisdom, for I have understanding,

and I have removed the boundaries of peoples,

and I have plundered their stores,

and like a bull I have brought down the inhabitants.#Or, “those sitting,” that is, rulers sitting on thrones

14And my hand has found, like a nest, the wealth of the peoples,

and like the gathering of forsaken eggs, I myself have gathered all the earth.

And there was no fluttering wing or open mouth or chirp.”

15Does the ax boast against the one who cuts with it,

or the saw magnify itself against the one who moves it to and fro?

As if a rod should move the one who lifts it!#Literally “As a rod waving even the one who lifts it up”

As if a staff should lift up that which is not wood!#Literally “As a staff lifting up not wood”

16Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, will send leanness among his sturdy warriors,

and a burning like the burning of fire will burn under his glory.

17And the light of Israel will become like a fire,

and his holy one like a flame,

and it will burn and devour his thorns#Hebrew “thorn” and briers#Hebrew “brier” in one day.

18And he will destroy the glory of his forest and orchard completely,#Literally “from soul and to body”

and it will be like the wasting away of one who is sick.

19And the rest of the trees#Hebrew “tree” of his forest will be a small number,

and a boy can write them down.

The Return of the Remnant

20And this shall happen: on that day, the remnant of Israel and the survivors#Hebrew “survivor” of the house of Jacob will not continue to lean on the one who struck it

but will lean on Yahweh, the holy one of Israel, in truth.

21A remnant will return—

the remnant of Jacob—to the mighty God.

22For though your people Israel was like the sand of the sea,

only a remnant of it will return.

Annihilation is determined,

overflowing with righteousness.

23For the Lord Yahweh of hosts is about to make a complete destruction

and a determined end in the midst of all the earth.

24Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh of hosts:

“My people who live in Zion,

you must not be afraid of Assyria.

It beats you with the rod,

and it lifts up its staff against you as the Egyptians did.#Literally “in the way of Egypt”

25My indignation will come to an end in just a very little while,#Literally “for still a little a trifle”

and my anger will be directed to their destruction.”

26And Yahweh of hosts is going to swing a whip against him,

as when Midian was defeated at the rock of Oreb;

and his staff will be over the sea,

and he will lift him up as he did in Egypt.#Literally “in the way of Egypt”

27And this shall happen: on that day,

he will remove his burden from your shoulder

and his yoke from your neck,

and a yoke will be destroyed because of fat.#The meaning of this phrase is uncertain, leading to the conjecture that it belongs with the next verse and by a different word division could mean “he has gone up from Jeshimon”; alternatively, “fat” could be a metaphor for prosperity

28He has come to Aiath,

he has passed through Migron;

at Micmash he deposited his baggage.

29They crossed over the pass;

Geba is a place of overnight lodging for us.

Ramah trembles;

Gibeah of Saul has fled.

30Daughter of Gallim, cry out with your voice;

Laishah, listen!

Anathoth is poor.#Or with different vocalization, “Answer her, Anathoth!” which fits the parallelism better

31Madmenah flees!

The inhabitants of Gebim bring themselves into safety!

32This day#Literally “Yet today” taking a stand#Literally “to stand” at Nob,

he will shake his fist at the mountain of the daughter#Following the reading tradition (Qere); the consonantal text has “house” of Zion,

at the hill of Jerusalem.

33Look! The Lord Yahweh of hosts is about to lop off the branches#Hebrew “branch” with great power,

and the towering trees#Literally “the haughty of the height” will be felled,

and the tall trees#Literally “height” will be brought low.

34And he will cut down the thickets of the forest with the axe,

and Lebanon will fall by the mighty one.

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