Isaiah 17:9

Isaiah 17:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.
• New International Version (NIV)In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation.
• English Standard Version (ESV)In that day their strong cities will be like the deserted places of the wooded heights and the hilltops, which they deserted because of the children of Israel, and there will be desolation.
• New King James Version (NKJV)In that day his strong cities will be as a forsaken bough And an uppermost branch, Which they left because of the children of Israel; And there will be desolation.

Context of Isaiah 17:9

7On that day man will look to his Maker And his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel. 8And he will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, Nor will he look to that which his fingers have made, Even the Asherim and incense altars. On that day their strong cities will be like abandoned places in the forest, Or like branches which they abandoned before the sons of Israel; And the land will be a desolation. 10For you have forgotten the God of your salvation And have not remembered the rock of your refuge. Therefore you plant delightful plants And set them with vine shoots of a strange god. 11On the day that you plant it you carefully fence it in, And in the morning you bring your seed to blossom; But the harvest will flee On a day of illness and incurable pain.

Isaiah 17:9 word by word

בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא יִהְי֣וּ׀ עָרֵ֣י מָעֻזּ֗וֹ כַּעֲזוּבַ֤ת הַחֹ֙רֶשׁ֙ וְהָ֣אָמִ֔יר אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָזְב֔וּ מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָיְתָ֖ה שְׁמָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• On that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• their strongמָעוֹזmâ‛ôz mâ‛ûz mâ‛ôz mâ‛ûz · securityH4581
• citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• abandonedעֲזוּבָה‛ăzûbâh · desolationH5805
• in the forestחֹ֫רֶשׁchôresh · woodH2793
• Or like branchesאָמִיר'âmîyr · topH534
• whichאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• they abandonedעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
• beforeמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: becauseH6440
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• the land will be a desolationשְׁמָמָהshemâmâh shimâmâh · devastationH8077

Cross-references for Isaiah 17:9

• Isaiah 17:4Now on that day the glory of Jacob will fade, And the fatness of his flesh will become lean.
• Isaiah 6:11Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered, “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, Houses are without people And the land is utterly desolate,
• Isaiah 7:16For before the boy knows enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be abandoned.
• Isaiah 9:9And all the people know it, That is, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, Asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart:
• Isaiah 24:1Behold, the Lord lays the earth waste, devastates it, twists its surface, and scatters its inhabitants.
• Isaiah 27:10For the fortified city is isolated, A homestead deserted and abandoned like the desert; There the calf will graze, And there it will lie down and feed on its branches.
• Isaiah 28:1Woe to the proud crown of the habitually drunk of Ephraim, And to the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley Of those who are overcome with wine!
• Hosea 10:14An uproar will arise among your people, And all your fortresses will be destroyed, As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle, When mothers were slaughtered with their children.
• Hosea 13:15Though he flourishes among the reeds, An east wind will come, The wind of the Lord coming up from the wilderness; And his fountain will become dry And his spring will dry up; It will plunder his treasury of every precious article.
• Amos 3:11Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: “An enemy, one surrounding the land, Will take down your fortifications from you, And your citadels will be looted.”
• Amos 7:9The high places of Isaac will become deserted, And the sanctuaries of Israel will be in ruins. Then I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
• Micah 5:11I will also eliminate the cities of your land, And tear down all your fortifications.
• Micah 6:16The statutes of Omri And every work of the house of Ahab are maintained, And you walk by their plans. Therefore I will give you up for destruction, And your inhabitants for derision, And you will suffer the taunting of My people.”
• Micah 7:13And the earth will become a wasteland because of her inhabitants, On account of the fruit of their deeds.

Commentaries on Isaiah 17:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9As a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch "the Hivites and the Amorites" - והאמיר החרש hachoresh vehaamir . No one has ever yet been able to make any tolerable sense of these words. The translation of the Septuagint has happily preserved what seems to be the true reading of the text, as it stood in the copies of their time; though the words are now transposed, either in the text or in their Version; ̔ ̔ ̔ , "the Amorites and the Hivites." It is…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9His strong cities - The cities of the united kingdoms of Damascus and Samaria. Be as a forsaken bough - There has been much difficulty in the interpretation of this passage. Lowth says, No one has ever been able to make any tolerable sense of these words;‘ and proposes himself the translation, In that day shall his strongly fenced cities become Like the desertion of the Hivites and the Amorites; Following in this the translation of the Septuagint, but…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9The Hivites and Amorites were part of the original people living in Canaan. The Israelites were to destroy them when they conquered the land (see Deuteronomy 20:17).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. forsaken bough--rather "the leavings of woods," what the axeman leaves when he cuts down the grove (compare Is 17:6). which they left because of--rather, "which (the enemies) shall leave for the children of Israel"; literally, "shall leave (in departing) from before the face of the children of Israel" [Maurer]. But a few cities out of many shall be left to Israel, by the purpose of God, executed by the Assyrian.Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 17:9

• Church
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• That Day
• Rebuke
• Ruinous
• Rushing
• Evil
• Ezekiel

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