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 you have failed to remember the rock of your strength; therefore you will plant beautiful plants and set out cuttings from exotic vines. 11On the day that you plant, you will help them to grow, and in the morning you will help your seed to sprout, but the harvest will vanish on the day of disease and incurable pain. Ah! The roar of many peoples — they roar like the roaring of the seas. The raging of the nations — they rage like the rumble of rushing water. 13The nations rage like the rumble of a huge torrent. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills and like tumbleweeds before a gale. 14In the evening — sudden terror! Before morning — it is gone! This is the fate of those who plunder us and the lot of those who ravage us.

Isaiah 17:12 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Woeהוֹיhôy · woe!H1945
• to the multitudeהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
• of manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• make a noiseהָמָהhâmâh · to roarH1993
• of the seasיָםyâm · seaH3220
• and to the rushingשָׁאוֹןshâ'ôn · roarH7588
• of nationsלְאֹםle'ôm le'ôm · peopleH3816
• make a rushing like the rushingשָׁאָהshâ'âh · to crashH7582
• of mightyכַּבִּירkabbîyr · mightyH3524
• watersמַיmayim · waterH4325

Cross-references for Isaiah 17:12

• Isaiah 9:5For every trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire.
• Isaiah 5:26He raises a signal flag for the distant nations and whistles for them from the ends of the earth. Look — how quickly and swiftly they come!
• Isaiah 8:7the Lord will certainly bring against them the mighty rushing water of the Euphrates River — the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will overflow its channels and spill over all its banks.
• Isaiah 28:17And I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the mason’s level.” Hail will sweep away the false refuge, and water will flood your hiding place.
• Psalms 18:4The ropes of death were wrapped around me; the torrents of destruction terrified me.
• Psalms 46:1God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.
• Psalms 65:6You establish the mountains by your power; you are robed with strength.
• Psalms 93:3The floods have lifted up, Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their pounding waves.
• Jeremiah 6:23They grasp bow and javelin. They are cruel and show no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, lined up like men in battle formation against you, Daughter Zion.
• Ezekiel 43:2and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice sounded like the roar of a huge torrent, and the earth shone with his glory.
• Luke 21:25“Then there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and there will be anguish on the earth among nations bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
• Psalms 29:3The voice of the Lord is above the waters. The God of glory thunders — the Lord, above the vast water,
• Revelation 17:1Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute who is seated 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