Isaiah 29:8

Isaiah 29:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.
• New International Version (NIV)as when a hungry person dreams of eating, but awakens hungry still; as when a thirsty person dreams of drinking, but awakens faint and thirsty still. So will it be with the hordes of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion.
• English Standard Version (ESV)As when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he is eating, and awakes with his hunger not satisfied, or as when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he is drinking, and awakes faint, with his thirst not quenched, so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion.
• New King James Version (NKJV)It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams, And look—he eats; But he awakes, and his soul is still empty; Or as when a thirsty man dreams, And look—he drinks; But he awakes, and indeed he is faint, And his soul still craves: So the multitude of all the nations shall be, Who fight against Mount Zion.”

Context of Isaiah 29:8

6The Lord of Armies will punish you with thunder, earthquakes, and loud noises, with windstorms, rainstorms, and fire storms. 7The armies from all the nations will go to war against Ariel. They will go to war against it, blockade it, and torment it. All of this will be like a dream, like a vision in the night. They will be like hungry people who dream that they’re eating and wake up to find they’re hungry. They will be like thirsty people who dream that they’re drinking and wake up to find they’re lightheaded and parched with thirst. This is what will happen to the armies from all the nations that fight against Mount Zion. 9If you confuse yourselves, you will be confused. If you blind yourselves, you will be blinded. You are drunk, but not from wine. You stagger, but not from liquor. 10The Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He will shut your eyes. (Your eyes are the prophets.) He will cover your heads. (Your heads are the seers.)

Isaiah 29:8 word by word

וְהָיָ֡ה כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ יַחֲלֹ֨ם הָרָעֵ֜ב וְהִנֵּ֣ה אוֹכֵ֗ל וְהֵקִיץ֮ וְרֵיקָ֣ה נַפְשׁוֹ֒ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֨ר יַחֲלֹ֤ם הַצָּמֵא֙ וְהִנֵּ֣ה שֹׁתֶ֔ה וְהֵקִיץ֙ וְהִנֵּ֣ה עָיֵ֔ף וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ שׁוֹקֵקָ֑ה כֵּ֣ן יִֽהְיֶ֗ה הֲמוֹן֙ כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם הַצֹּבְאִ֖ים עַל־הַ֥ר צִיּֽוֹן׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• It shall even be as when an hungryרָעֵבrâ‛êb · hungryH7457
• dreamethחָלַםchâlam · to dreamH2492
• and, behold, he eatethאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• but he awakethקִיץqûts · to awakeH6974
• and his soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: appetiteH5315
• is emptyרֵיקrêyq rêq · worthlessH7386
• or as whenאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• a thirsty manצָמֵאtsâmê' · thirstyH6771
• and, behold, he drinkethשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• faintעָיֵף‛âyêph · faintH5889
• hath appetiteשָׁקַקshâqaq · to rushH8264
• so shall the multitudeהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
• of all the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• be, that fightצָבָאtsâbâ' · to serveH6633
• against mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726

Cross-references for Isaiah 29:8

• Isaiah 10:7But that’s not what they intend to do. Their minds don’t work that way. Their purpose is to destroy and put an end to many nations.
• 2 Chronicles 32:21The Lord sent an angel who exterminated all the soldiers, officials, and commanders in the Assyrian king’s camp. Humiliated, Sennacherib returned to his own country. When he went into the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him with a sword.
• Isaiah 44:12Blacksmiths shape iron into tools. They work them over the coals and shape them with hammers, working them with their strong arms. They get hungry, and their strength fails. If they don’t drink water, they will faint.

Commentaries on Isaiah 29:8

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8It shall even be … - This is a most striking figure representing the earnest desire of the Assyrian to possess the city of Jerusalem, and his utter disappointment. The comparison is elegant and beautiful in the highest degree. It is performed up to great perfection; and is perfectly suited to illustrate the object in view. The same image substantially is found in the classic writers; and this, says Lowth, may, for beauty and ingenuity, fairly come in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Like a hungry or thirsty person, the Assyrians could taste the victory over Jerusalem. Yet they never became victorious.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Their disappointment in the very height of their confident expectation of taking Jerusalem shall be as great as that of the hungry man who in a dream fancies he eats, but awakes to hunger still (Psa 73:20); their dream shall be dissipated on the fatal morning (Is 37:36). soul--simply his appetite: he is still thirsty.Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 29:8

• Dream
• Isaiah
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning

In the dictionaries

• Close
• Mouth
• Raise
• Sennacherib
• Appetite
• Empty; Emptier
• Faint
• Hunger
• Isaiah

Commentaries on Isaiah 29

• 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