Christian Standard Bible
Isaiah 9:10
10“The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”
Isaiah 9:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
- New International Version (NIV)“The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place."
- New King James Version (NKJV)“The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars.”
Context of Isaiah 9:10
8The Lord sent a message against Jacob; it came against Israel. 9All the people — Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria — will know it. They will say with pride and arrogance, “The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.” 11The Lord has raised up Rezin’s adversaries against him and stirred up his enemies. 12Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have consumed Israel with open mouths. In all this, his anger has not turned away, and his hand is still raised to strike.
Read all of Isaiah 9Isaiah 9:10 word by word
לְבֵנִ֥ים נָפָ֖לוּ וְגָזִ֣ית נִבְנֶ֑ה שִׁקְמִ֣ים גֻּדָּ֔עוּ וַאֲרָזִ֖ים נַחֲלִֽיף׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The bricksלְבֵנָהlebênâh · brickH3843
- are fallen downנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- but we will buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- with hewn stonesגָּזִיתgâzîyth · cuttingH1496
- the sycomoresשִׁקְמָהshâqâm shiqmâh · sycamoreH8256
- are cut downגָּדַעgâda‛ · to cut down/offH1438
- but we will changeחָלַףchâlaph · to passH2498
- cedarsאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
Cross-references for Isaiah 9:10
- 1 Kings 7:9All of these buildings were of costly stones, cut to size and sawed with saws on the inner and outer surfaces, from foundation to coping and from the outside to the great courtyard.
- 1 Kings 10:27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills.
- Malachi 1:4Though Edom says, “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of Armies says this: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called a wicked country and the people the Lord has cursed forever.
Commentaries on Isaiah 9:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10The bricks - "The eastern bricks," says Sir John Chardin, (see Harmer's Observ. I., p. 176), "are only clay well moistened with water, and mixed with straw, and dried in the sun." So that their walls are commonly no better than our mud walls; see Maundrell, p. 124. That straw was a necessary part in the composition of this sort of bricks, to make the parts of the clay adhere together, appears from Exodus 5. These bricks are properly opposed to hewn stone…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10The bricks are fallen down - The language of this verse is figurative; but the sentiment is plain. It contains the confession of the inhabitants of Samaria, that their affairs were in a ruinous and dilapidated state; but also their self-confident assurance that they would be able to repair the evils, and restore their nation to more than their former magnificence. Bricks, in oriental countries, were made of clay and straw, and were rarely turned. Hence…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-21Verses 8-21 Those are ripening apace for ruin, whose hearts are unhumbled under humbling providences. For that which God designs, in smiting us, is, to turn us to himself; and if this point be not gained by lesser judgments, greater may be expected. The leaders of the people misled them. We have reason to be afraid of those that speak well of us, when we do ill. Wickedness was universal, all were infected with it. They shall be in trouble, and see no way…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10Israel believed they could replace what they lost with more costly items (see Isaiah 2:13–16; Amos 5:11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. bricks--in the East generally sun-dried, and therefore soon dissolved by rain. Granting, say the Ephraimites to the prophet's threat, that our affairs are in a ruinous state, we will restore them to more than their former magnificence. Self-confident unwillingness to see the judgments of God (Is 26:11). hewn stones--(1Ki 5:17). sycamores--growing abundantly on the low lands of Judea, and though useful for building on account of their antiseptic…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 9:10
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 9
- 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
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