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

10You have forgotten the God of your salvation. You haven’t remembered the rock, your stronghold. Instead, you have planted the best plants and have set out the imported grapevines. 11On the day you plant, you will make it grow. On the morning you set out the seedling, you will make it sprout. But the harvest will become a [rotting] pile on a day of grief and incurable pain. How horrible it will be for many people! They will roar like the roaring sea. The noise that the people make will be like the noise from rushing water. 13The people will make noise like raging water. But the Lord will yell at them, and they will run far away. They will be chased away like husks on the mountains being blown by the wind, like whirling dust being blown by a storm. 14In the evening there will be sudden terror. Before morning they will be gone. This will be the fate of those who looted us, the destiny of those who robbed 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 9:5Every warrior’s boot marching to the sound of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel in the fire.
• Isaiah 5:26The Lord raises up a flag for the nations far away. With a whistle he signals those at the ends of the earth. Look, they are coming very quickly!
• Isaiah 8:7That is why the Lord is going to bring against them the raging and powerful floodwaters of the Euphrates River— the king of Assyria with all his power. It will overflow all its channels and go over all its banks.
• Isaiah 28:17I will make justice a measuring line and righteousness a plumb line. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and floodwaters will wash away your hiding place.
• Psalms 18:4The ropes of death had become tangled around me. The torrents of destruction had overwhelmed me.
• Psalms 46:1God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
• Psalms 65:6the one who set the mountains in place with his strength, the one who is clothed with power,
• Psalms 93:3The ocean rises, O Lord. The ocean rises with a roar. The ocean rises with its pounding waves.
• Jeremiah 6:23Its people take hold of bows and spears. They are cruel and have no compassion. They sound like the roaring sea. They ride on horses. They march like soldiers ready for battle against my people Zion.
• Ezekiel 43:2I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the sound of rushing water, and the earth was shining because of his glory.
• Luke 21:25“Miraculous signs will occur in the sun, moon, and stars. The nations of the earth will be deeply troubled and confused because of the roaring and tossing of the sea.
• Psalms 29:3The voice of the Lord rolls over the water. The God of glory thunders. The Lord shouts over raging water.
• Revelation 17:1One of the seven angels who held the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of that notorious prostitute who sits on raging 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