New Living Translation
Isaiah 1:20
20But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Isaiah 1:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
- New International Version (NIV)but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Context of Isaiah 1:20
18“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. 19If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!” 21See how Jerusalem, once so faithful, has become a prostitute. Once the home of justice and righteousness, she is now filled with murderers. 22Once like pure silver, you have become like worthless slag. Once so pure, you are now like watered-down wine.
Read all of Isaiah 1Isaiah 1:20 word by word
וְאִם־תְּמָאֲנ֖וּ וּמְרִיתֶ֑ם חֶ֣רֶב תְּאֻכְּל֔וּ כִּ֛י פִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 1:20
- Isaiah 3:11But the wicked are doomed, for they will get exactly what they deserve.
- 1 Samuel 12:25But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away.”
- 2 Chronicles 36:14Likewise, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful. They followed all the pagan practices of the surrounding nations, desecrating the Temple of the Lord that had been consecrated in Jerusalem.
- Hebrews 2:1So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.
- Isaiah 40:5Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”
- Isaiah 58:14Then the Lord will be your delight. I will give you great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
- Leviticus 26:33I will scatter you among the nations and bring out my sword against you. Your land will become desolate, and your cities will lie in ruins.
- Numbers 23:19God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
- 1 Samuel 15:29And he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!”
Commentaries on Isaiah 1:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Ye shall be devoured with the sword "Ye shall be food for the sword" - The Septuagint and Vulgate read תאכלכם tochalchem, "the sword shall devour you;" which is of much more easy construction than the present reading of the text. The Chaldee seems to read תאכלו אויב בחרב bechereb oyeb teachelu, "ye shall be consumed by the sword of the enemy." The Syriac also reads בחרב beehereb and renders the verb passively. And the rhythmus seems to require this…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20But if ye refuse, ye shall be devoured with the sword - Your enemies shall come in, and lay waste the land. This prediction was fulfilled, in consequence of their continuing to rebel, when the land was desolated by Nebuchadnezzar, and the nation was carried captive to Babylon. It illustrates a general principle of the divine government, that if people persevere in rebelling against God, they shall be destroyed. The word devour is applied to the sword, as…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-20Verses 16-20 Not only feel sorrow for the sin committed, but break off the practice. We must be doing, not stand idle. We must be doing the good the Lord our God requires. It is plain that the sacrifices of the law could not atone, even for outward national crimes. But, blessed be God, there is a Fountain opened, in which sinners of every age and rank may be cleansed. Though our sins have been as scarlet and crimson, a deep dye, a double dye, first in the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20For the mouth of the LORD has spoken: This statement shows the seriousness of God's promise. The phrase appears 11 times in Isaiah.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2019-20. Temporal blessings in "the land of their possession" were prominent in the Old Testament promises, as suited to the childhood of the Church (Ex 3:17). New Testament spiritual promises derive their imagery from the former (Mt 5:5).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 1:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 1
- 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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