Isaiah 31:8

Isaiah 31:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited.
• New International Version (NIV)“Assyria will fall by no human sword; a sword, not of mortals, will devour them. They will flee before the sword and their young men will be put to forced labor.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"And the Assyrian shall fall by a sword, not of man; and a sword, not of man, shall devour him; and he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be put to forced labor.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Then Assyria shall fall by a sword not of man, And a sword not of mankind shall devour him. But he shall flee from the sword, And his young men shall become forced labor.

Context of Isaiah 31:8

6You people of Israel, return to the one whom you have so violently rebelled against. 7When that day comes, all of you will reject the silver and gold idols that your sinful hands have made. Then Assyrians will be killed with swords not made by human hands. Swords not made by human hands will destroy them. They will flee from battle, and their young men will be made to do forced labor. 9In terror they will run to their stronghold, and their officers will be frightened at ⌞the sight of⌟ the battle flag. The Lord declares this. His fire is in Zion and his furnace is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:8 word by word

וְנָפַ֤ל אַשּׁוּר֙ בְּחֶ֣רֶב לֹא־אִ֔ישׁ וְחֶ֥רֶב לֹֽא־אָדָ֖ם תֹּֽאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ וְנָ֥ס לוֹ֙ מִפְּנֵי־חֶ֔רֶב וּבַחוּרָ֖יו לָמַ֥ס יִהְיֽוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then shall the Assyrianאַשּׁוּר'ashshûr 'ashshûr · AssyriaH804
• fallנָפַלnâphal · to fall: killH5307
• with the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• not of a mighty manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• not of a mean manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• shall devourאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• him: but he shall fleeנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• fromפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• and his young menבָּחוּרbâchûr bâchûr · youthH970
• shall be discomfitedמַסmas mis · taskworkerH4522

Cross-references for Isaiah 31:8

• Isaiah 10:16That is why the Almighty Lord of Armies will send a degenerative disease against brave men. A flame will be turned into a raging fire under his power.
• Isaiah 14:25I’ll crush Assyria on my land. I’ll trample it underfoot on my mountains. Then its yoke will be removed from my people, and its burden will be removed from their shoulders.”
• Isaiah 29:5Your many enemies will be like fine dust. Your many foes will be like husks blown by the wind. All of this will happen suddenly, unexpectedly.
• Isaiah 30:27The name of the Lord is going to come from far away. His anger is burning. His burden is heavy. His lips are filled with fury. His tongue is like a devouring flame.
• Isaiah 37:35“I will shield this city to rescue it for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.”
• 2 Kings 19:34“I will shield this city to rescue it for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.”
• 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.
• Hosea 1:7Yet, I will love the descendants of Judah. I will rescue them because I am the Lord their God. I won’t use bows, swords, wars, horses, or horsemen to rescue them.”
• Isaiah 37:37Then King Sennacherib of Assyria left. He went home to Nineveh and stayed there.

Commentaries on Isaiah 31:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Then shall the Assyrian fall, etc. - Because he was to be discomfited by the angel of the Lord, destroying in his camp, in one night, upwards of one hundred and eighty thousand men; and Sennacherib himself fell by the hands of the princes, his own sons. Not mighty men, for they were not soldiers; not mean men, for they were princes.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword - The sword is often used as an instrument of punishment. It is not meant here literally that the sword would be used, but it is employed to denote that complete destruction would come upon them. Not of a mighty man - The idea here is, that the army should not fall by the valor of a distinguished warrior, but that it should be done by the direct interposition of God (see Isaiah 37:36). Of a mean man - Of a man…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-9Verses 6-9 They have been backsliding children, yet children; let them return, and their backslidings shall be healed, though they have sunk deep into misery, and cannot easily recover. Many make an idol of their silver and gold, and by the love of that are drawn from God; but those who turn to God, will be ready to part with it. Then, when they have cast away their idols, shall the Assyrian fall by the sword of an angel, who strikes more strongly than a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-9This prophecy concerned God’s protection of Jerusalem and its rescue from the Assyrians.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Assyrian--Sennacherib, representative of some powerful head of the ungodly in the latter ages [Horsley]. sword, not of ... mighty ... mean man--but by the unseen sword of God. flee--Sennacherib alone fled homewards after his army had been destroyed (Is 37:37). young men--the flower of his army. discomfited--rather, "shall be subject to slavery"; literally, "shall be liable to tribute," that is, personal service (De 20:11; Jos 9:21) [Maurer]. Or, not so…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 31:8

• Assyria

In the dictionaries

• Assyria, Assyrian, Assyrian Empire
• Fail
• Hezekiah
• Revolt
• Discomfit; Discomfiture
• Isaiah
• Mean

Commentaries on Isaiah 31

• 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