God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 9:16
16Those who guide these people lead them astray. Those who are guided by them will be destroyed.
Isaiah 9:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
- New International Version (NIV)Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray.
- English Standard Version (ESV)for those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed.
Context of Isaiah 9:16
14So in one day the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branches and cattails. 15Respected and honored leaders are the head. Prophets who teach lies are the tail. Those who guide these people lead them astray. Those who are guided by them will be destroyed. 17That is why the Lord isn’t happy with their young men, nor will he show compassion for their orphans and widows. Every one of them is a godless evildoer, and every mouth speaks foolishness. Even after all this, his anger will not disappear, and he is still ready to use his power. 18Surely wickedness burns like fire. It burns up briars and thorns. It sets the underbrush in the forest on fire, and it whirls upward in clouds of smoke.
Read all of Isaiah 9Isaiah 9:16 word by word
וַיִּֽהְי֛וּ מְאַשְּׁרֵ֥י הָֽעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה מַתְעִ֑ים וּמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖יו מְבֻלָּעִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 9:16
- Isaiah 3:12“Children will oppress my people. Women will rule them. My people, your guides mislead you, and you don’t know which way to go.”
- Matthew 15:14Leave them alone! They are blind leaders. When one blind person leads another, both will fall into the same pit.”
- Matthew 23:16“How horrible it will be for you, you blind guides! You say, ‘To swear an oath by the temple doesn’t mean a thing. But to swear an oath by the gold in the temple means a person must keep his oath.’
- Numbers 6:23“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you will bless the Israelites. Say to them:
- 1 Kings 8:55Then he stood and in a loud voice blessed the entire assembly of Israel,
- 2 Chronicles 30:27Then the Levitical priests blessed the people. Their voices were heard, and their prayers went to God’s holy place in heaven.
- Hebrews 7:7No one can deny that the more important person blesses the less important person.
Commentaries on Isaiah 9:16
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16For the leaders of this people - Note, Isaiah 3:12. Hebrew They that call this people blessed‘ - referring more particularly to the false prophets. They that are led of them - Hebrew, They that are called blessed by them.‘ Are destroyed - Hebrew, Are swallowed up;‘ see the note at Isaiah 3:12. They are ruined; or swallowed up as in a vast whirlpool or vortex.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. 13-17God used punishment to call his people to repentance. Repentance means turning away from sin and turning back to God. His goal was not to destroy Israel, but to correct them and bring them back to himself. However, Israel had become apostate. This means they had turned away from the Lord and rejected him. They refused to repent or to seek the Lord.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1713-17. Second strophe. turneth not--the design of God's chastisements; not fulfilled in their case; a new cause for punishment (Jr 2:20; 5:3).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 9:16
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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