New King James Version
Isaiah 17:12
12Woe to the multitude of many people Who make a noise like the roar of the seas, And to the rushing of nations That make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
Isaiah 17:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
- New International Version (NIV)Woe to the many nations that rage— they rage like the raging sea! Woe to the peoples who roar— they roar like the roaring of great waters!
- English Standard Version (ESV)Ah, the thunder of many peoples; they thunder like the thundering of the sea! Ah, the roar of nations; they roar like the roaring of mighty waters!
- New Living Translation (NLT)Listen! The armies of many nations roar like the roaring of the sea. Hear the thunder of the mighty forces as they rush forward like thundering waves.
Context of Isaiah 17:12
10Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, And have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold, Therefore you will plant pleasant plants And set out foreign seedlings; 11In the day you will make your plant to grow, And in the morning you will make your seed to flourish; But the harvest will be a heap of ruins In the day of grief and desperate sorrow. Woe to the multitude of many people Who make a noise like the roar of the seas, And to the rushing of nations That make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! 13The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters; But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, And be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, Like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. 14Then behold, at eventide, trouble! And before the morning, he is no more. This is the portion of those who plunder us, And the lot of those who rob us.
Read all of Isaiah 17Isaiah 17:12 word by word
ה֗וֹי הֲמוֹן֙ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים כַּהֲמ֥וֹת יַמִּ֖ים יֶהֱמָי֑וּן וּשְׁא֣וֹן לְאֻמִּ֔ים כִּשְׁא֛וֹן מַ֥יִם כַּבִּירִ֖ים יִשָּׁאֽוּן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Woeהוֹיhôy · woe!H1945
- to the multitudeהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
- of manyרַבrab · manyH7227
- peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- make a noiseהָמָהhâmâh · to roarH1993
- of the seasיָםyâm · seaH3220
- and to the rushingשָׁאוֹןshâ'ôn · roarH7588
- of nationsלְאֹםle'ôm le'ôm · peopleH3816
- make a rushing like the rushingשָׁאָהshâ'âh · to crashH7582
- of mightyכַּבִּירkabbîyr · mightyH3524
- watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
Cross-references for Isaiah 17:12
- Isaiah 9:5For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle, And garments rolled in blood, Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.
- Isaiah 5:26He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, And will whistle to them from the end of the earth; Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly.
- Isaiah 8:7Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings up over them The waters of the River, strong and mighty— The king of Assyria and all his glory; He will go up over all his channels And go over all his banks.
- Isaiah 28:17Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place.
- Psalms 18:4The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
- Psalms 46:1God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
- Psalms 65:6Who established the mountains by His strength, Being clothed with power;
- Psalms 93:3The floods have lifted up, O Lord, The floods have lifted up their voice; The floods lift up their waves.
- Jeremiah 6:23They will lay hold on bow and spear; They are cruel and have no mercy; Their voice roars like the sea; And they ride on horses, As men of war set in array against you, O daughter of Zion.”
- Ezekiel 43:2And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory.
- Luke 21:25“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
- Psalms 29:3The voice of the Lord is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The Lord is over many waters.
- Revelation 17:1Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,
Commentaries on Isaiah 17:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Wo to the multitude - The three last verses of this chapter seem to have no relation to the foregoing prophecy, to which they are joined. It is a beautiful piece, standing singly and by itself; for neither has it any connection with what follows: whether it stands in its right place, or not, I cannot say. It is a noble description of the formidable invasion and the sudden overthrow of Sennacherib; which is intimated in the strongest terms and the most…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Wo to the multitude - The word woe‘ (הוי hôy ) may be either an interjection simply directing the attention to them, or it may be a word indicating approaching calamity and judgment (see the note at Isaiah 5:6). Gesenius supposes that it is rather the language of compassion, on account of the evil which they threatened to bring upon the people of God, like 1 Kings 13:30, Ah! wo, my brother!‘ The multitude of many people - Or, the tumult of many nations…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-14Verses 12-14 The rage and force of the Assyrians resembled the mighty waters of the sea; but when the God of Israel should rebuke them, they would flee like chaff, or like a rolling thing, before the whirlwind. In the evening Jerusalem would be in trouble, because of the powerful invader, but before morning his army would be nearly cut off. Happy are those who remember God as their salvation, and rely on his power and grace. The trouble of the believers…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12At times, the sea represents opposition to God (see Job 7:12; 26:12; Psalms 46:3; 93:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Woe ... multitude--rather, "Ho (Hark)! a noise of," &c. The prophet in vision perceives the vast and mixed Assyrian hosts (Hebrew, "many peoples," see on Is 5:26): on the hills of Judah (so "mountains," Is 17:13): but at the "rebuke" of God, they shall "flee as chaff." to the rushing ... that make--rather, "the roaring ... roareth" (compare Is 8:7; Jr 6:23).Read the comment
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries