Isaiah 17:12

Isaiah 17:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
• New International Version (NIV)Woe to the many nations that rage— they rage like the raging sea! Woe to the peoples who roar— they roar like the roaring of great waters!
• English Standard Version (ESV)Ah, the thunder of many peoples; they thunder like the thundering of the sea! Ah, the roar of nations; they roar like the roaring of mighty waters!
• New King James Version (NKJV)Woe to the multitude of many people Who make a noise like the roar of the seas, And to the rushing of nations That make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!

Context of Isaiah 17:12

10For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and failed to remember the Rock of your refuge. Therefore, though you cultivate delightful plots and set out cuttings from exotic vines— 11though on the day you plant you make them grow, and on that morning you help your seed sprout— yet the harvest will vanish on the day of disease and incurable pain. Alas, the tumult of many peoples; they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters. 13The nations rage like the rush of many waters. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweeds before a gale. 14In the evening, there is sudden terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us and the lot of those who plunder us.

Isaiah 17:12 word by word

ה֗וֹי הֲמוֹן֙ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים כַּהֲמ֥וֹת יַמִּ֖ים יֶהֱמָי֑וּן וּשְׁא֣וֹן לְאֻמִּ֔ים כִּשְׁא֛וֹן מַ֥יִם כַּבִּירִ֖ים יִשָּׁאֽוּן׃Read the interlinear

• Alasהוֹיhôy · woe!H1945
• the tumultהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
• of manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• peoplesעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• they rageהָמָהhâmâh · to roarH1993
• seasיָםyâm · seaH3220
• and clamoringשָׁאוֹןshâ'ôn · roarH7588
• nationsלְאֹםle'ôm le'ôm · peopleH3816
• like the crashingשָׁאָהshâ'âh · to crashH7582
• of mightyכַּבִּירkabbîyr · mightyH3524
• watersמַיmayim · waterH4325

Cross-references for Isaiah 17:12

• Isaiah 9:5For every trampling boot of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
• Isaiah 5:26He lifts a banner for the distant nations and whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Behold—how speedily and swiftly they come!
• Isaiah 8:7the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates— the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.
• Isaiah 28:17I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place.
• Psalms 18:4The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.
• Psalms 46:1God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
• Psalms 65:6You formed the mountains by Your power, having girded Yourself with might.
• Psalms 93:3The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves.
• Jeremiah 6:23They grasp the bow and spear; they are cruel and merciless. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses, lined up like men in formation against you, O Daughter of Zion.”
• Ezekiel 43:2and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory.
• Luke 21:25There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves.
• Psalms 29:3The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is heard over many waters.
• Revelation 17:1Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.

Commentaries on Isaiah 17:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Wo to the multitude - The three last verses of this chapter seem to have no relation to the foregoing prophecy, to which they are joined. It is a beautiful piece, standing singly and by itself; for neither has it any connection with what follows: whether it stands in its right place, or not, I cannot say. It is a noble description of the formidable invasion and the sudden overthrow of Sennacherib; which is intimated in the strongest terms and the most…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Wo to the multitude … - The word woe‘ (הוי hôy ) may be either an interjection simply directing the attention to them, or it may be a word indicating approaching calamity and judgment (see the note at Isaiah 5:6). Gesenius supposes that it is rather the language of compassion, on account of the evil which they threatened to bring upon the people of God, like 1 Kings 13:30, Ah! wo, my brother!‘ The multitude of many people - Or, the tumult of many nations…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-14Verses 12-14 The rage and force of the Assyrians resembled the mighty waters of the sea; but when the God of Israel should rebuke them, they would flee like chaff, or like a rolling thing, before the whirlwind. In the evening Jerusalem would be in trouble, because of the powerful invader, but before morning his army would be nearly cut off. Happy are those who remember God as their salvation, and rely on his power and grace. The trouble of the believers…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12At times, the sea represents opposition to God (see Job 7:12; 26:12; Psalms 46:3; 93:3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Woe ... multitude--rather, "Ho (Hark)! a noise of," &c. The prophet in vision perceives the vast and mixed Assyrian hosts (Hebrew, "many peoples," see on Is 5:26): on the hills of Judah (so "mountains," Is 17:13): but at the "rebuke" of God, they shall "flee as chaff." to the rushing ... that make--rather, "the roaring ... roareth" (compare Is 8:7; Jr 6:23).Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Rebuke
• Ruinous
• Rushing
• Evil
• Ezekiel
• Isaiah
• Noise

Commentaries on Isaiah 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings