New English Translation
Isaiah 9:10
10“The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with chiseled stone; the sycamore fig trees have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”
Isaiah 9:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
- New International Version (NIV)“The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place."
- New King James Version (NKJV)“The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars.”
Context of Isaiah 9:10
8The sovereign master decreed judgment on Jacob, and it fell on Israel. 9All the people were aware of it, the people of Ephraim and those living in Samaria. Yet with pride and an arrogant attitude, they said, “The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with chiseled stone; the sycamore fig trees have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.” 11Then the Lord provoked their adversaries to attack them, he stirred up their enemies – 12Syria from the east, and the Philistines from the west, they gobbled up Israelite territory. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.
Read all of Isaiah 9Isaiah 9:10 word by word
לְבֵנִ֥ים נָפָ֖לוּ וְגָזִ֣ית נִבְנֶ֑ה שִׁקְמִ֣ים גֻּדָּ֔עוּ וַאֲרָזִ֖ים נַחֲלִֽיף׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The bricksלְבֵנָהlebênâh · brickH3843
- are fallen downנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- but we will buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- with hewn stonesגָּזִיתgâzîyth · cuttingH1496
- the sycomoresשִׁקְמָהshâqâm shiqmâh · sycamoreH8256
- are cut downגָּדַעgâda‛ · to cut down/offH1438
- but we will changeחָלַףchâlaph · to passH2498
- cedarsאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
Cross-references for Isaiah 9:10
- 1 Kings 7:9All of these were built with the best stones, chiseled to the right size and cut with a saw on all sides, from the foundation to the edge of the roof and from the outside to the great courtyard.
- 1 Kings 10:27The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands.
- Malachi 1:4Edom says, “Though we are devastated, we will once again build the ruined places.” So the Lord who rules over all responds, “They indeed may build, but I will overthrow. They will be known as the land of evil, the people with whom the Lord is permanently displeased.
Commentaries on Isaiah 9:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10The bricks - "The eastern bricks," says Sir John Chardin, (see Harmer's Observ. I., p. 176), "are only clay well moistened with water, and mixed with straw, and dried in the sun." So that their walls are commonly no better than our mud walls; see Maundrell, p. 124. That straw was a necessary part in the composition of this sort of bricks, to make the parts of the clay adhere together, appears from Exodus 5. These bricks are properly opposed to hewn stone…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10The bricks are fallen down - The language of this verse is figurative; but the sentiment is plain. It contains the confession of the inhabitants of Samaria, that their affairs were in a ruinous and dilapidated state; but also their self-confident assurance that they would be able to repair the evils, and restore their nation to more than their former magnificence. Bricks, in oriental countries, were made of clay and straw, and were rarely turned. Hence…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. 10Israel believed they could replace what they lost with more costly items (see Isaiah 2:13–16; Amos 5:11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. bricks--in the East generally sun-dried, and therefore soon dissolved by rain. Granting, say the Ephraimites to the prophet's threat, that our affairs are in a ruinous state, we will restore them to more than their former magnificence. Self-confident unwillingness to see the judgments of God (Is 26:11). hewn stones--(1Ki 5:17). sycamores--growing abundantly on the low lands of Judea, and though useful for building on account of their antiseptic…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 9:10
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
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