New American Standard Bible 1995
Isaiah 10:15
15Is the 1axe to 2boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it? That would be like 3a 4club wielding those who lift it, Or like 5a rod lifting him who is not wood.
Isaiah 10:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.
- New International Version (NIV)Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it, or the saw boast against the one who uses it? As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up, or a club brandish the one who is not wood!
- English Standard Version (ESV)Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!
- New King James Version (NKJV)Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!
Context of Isaiah 10:15
13For he has said, “By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this, For I have understanding; And I removed the boundaries of the peoples And plundered their treasures, And like a mighty man I brought down their inhabitants, 14And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest, And as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth; And there was not one that flapped its wing or opened its beak or chirped.” Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it? That would be like a club wielding those who lift it, Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood. 16Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors; And under his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame. 17And the light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame, And it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day.
Read all of Isaiah 10Isaiah 10:15 word by word
הֲיִתְפָּאֵר֙ הַגַּרְזֶ֔ן עַ֖ל הַחֹצֵ֣ב בּ֑וֹ אִם־יִתְגַּדֵּ֤ל הַמַּשּׂוֹר֙ עַל־מְנִיפ֔וֹ כְּהָנִ֥יף שֵׁ֙בֶט֙ וְאֶת־מְרִימָ֔יו כְּהָרִ֥ים מַטֶּ֖ה לֹא־עֵֽץ׃Read the interlinear
- axeגַּרְזֶןgarzen · axeH1631
- boastפָּאַרpâ'ar · to beautifyH6286
- itself overעַל‛al · uponH5921
- the one who chopsחָצַבchâtsab châtsêb · to hewH2672
- Is the sawמַשּׂוֹרmaώώôr · sawH4883
- to exaltגָּדַלgâdal · to magnifyH1431
- the one who wieldsנוּףnûph · to waveH5130
- clubשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribe: staffH7626
- those who liftרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
- a rodמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribe: rodH4294
- is not woodעֵץ‛êts · tree: woodH6086
Cross-references for Isaiah 10:15
- Isaiah 10:5Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hands is My indignation,
- Psalms 17:13Arise, O Lord, confront him, bring him low; Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword,
- Jeremiah 51:20He says, “You are My war-club, My weapon of war; And with you I shatter nations, And with you I destroy kingdoms.
- Ezekiel 28:9Will you still say, “I am a god,” In the presence of your slayer, Though you are a man and not God, In the hands of those who wound you?
- Romans 9:20On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?
Commentaries on Isaiah 10:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15No wood "Its master" - I have here given the meaning, without attempting to keep to the expression of the original, עץ לא lo ets, "the no-wood;" that which is not wood like itself, but of a quite different and superior nature. The Hebrews have a peculiar way of joining the negative particle לא lo to a noun, to signify in a strong manner a total negation of the thing expressed by the noun. "How hast thou given help (כח ללא lelo choach ) to the no-strength?…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Shall the axe - In this verse God reproves the pride and arrogance of the Assyrian monarch. He does it by reminding him that he was the mere instrument in his hand, to accomplish his purposes; and that it was just as absurd for him to boast of what he had done, as it would be for the axe to boast when it had been welded with effect. In the axe there is no wisdom, no skill, no power; and though it may lay the forest low, yet it is not by any skill or…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-19Verses 5-19 See what a change sin made. The king of Assyria, in his pride, thought to act by his own will. The tyrants of the world are tools of Providence. God designs to correct his people for their hypocrisy, and bring them nearer to him; but is that Sennacherib's design? No; he designs to gratify his own covetousness and ambition. The Assyrian boasts what great things he has done to other nations, by his own policy and power. He knows not that it is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15axe … saw … rod … staff: These tools are only as effective as the person using them. Assyria thought it was independent of God's influence. However, their victories were possible only with his permission and to fulfill his purposes (Isaiah 10:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Shall the instrument boast against Him who uses it? Through free in a sense, and carrying out his own plans, the Assyrian was unconsciously carrying out God's purposes. shaketh it--moves it back and forward. staff ... lift ... itself ... no wood--rather, "as if the staff (man, the instrument of God's judgments on his fellow man) should set aside (Him who is) not wood" (not a mere instrument, as man). On "no wood" compare De 32:21, "that which is not…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 10:15
In the dictionaries
Notes
Commentaries on Isaiah 10
- 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
New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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