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!
• 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!
• New Living Translation (NLT)Listen! The armies of many nations roar like the roaring of the sea. Hear the thunder of the mighty forces as they rush forward like thundering waves.

Context of Isaiah 17:12

10For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge; therefore, though you plant pleasant plants and sow the vine-branch of a stranger, 11though you make them grow on the day that you plant them, and make them blossom in the morning that you sow, yet the harvest will flee away in a day of grief and incurable pain. 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! 13The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm. 14At evening time, behold, 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

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 boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
• Isaiah 5:26He will raise a signal for nations far away, and whistle for them from the ends of the earth; and behold, quickly, speedily they come!
• Isaiah 8:7therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks,
• Isaiah 28:17And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter."
• Psalms 18:4The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me;
• Psalms 46:1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
• Psalms 65:6the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;
• Psalms 93:3The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring.
• Jeremiah 6:23They lay hold on bow and javelin; they are cruel and have no mercy; the sound of them is like the roaring sea; they ride on horses, set in array as a man for battle, against you, O daughter of Zion!"
• Ezekiel 43:2And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory.
• Luke 21:25"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,
• Psalms 29:3The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters.
• Revelation 17:1Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great 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