New Living Translation
Isaiah 17:6
6Only a few of its people will be left, like stray olives left on a tree after the harvest. Only two or three remain in the highest branches, four or five scattered here and there on the limbs,” declares the Lord, the God of Israel.
Isaiah 17:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the Lord God of Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)Yet some gleanings will remain, as when an olive tree is beaten, leaving two or three olives on the topmost branches, four or five on the fruitful boughs,” declares the Lord, the God of Israel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Gleanings will be left in it, as when an olive tree is beaten— two or three berries in the top of the highest bough, four or five on the branches of a fruit tree, declares the Lord God of Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Yet gleaning grapes will be left in it, Like the shaking of an olive tree, Two or three olives at the top of the uppermost bough, Four or five in its most fruitful branches,” Says the Lord God of Israel.
Context of Isaiah 17:6
4“In that day Israel’s glory will grow dim; its robust body will waste away. 5The whole land will look like a grainfield after the harvesters have gathered the grain. It will be desolate, like the fields in the valley of Rephaim after the harvest. Only a few of its people will be left, like stray olives left on a tree after the harvest. Only two or three remain in the highest branches, four or five scattered here and there on the limbs,” declares the Lord, the God of Israel. 7Then at last the people will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. 8They will no longer look to their idols for help or worship what their own hands have made. They will never again bow down to their Asherah poles or worship at the pagan shrines they have built.
Read all of Isaiah 17Isaiah 17:6 word by word
וְנִשְׁאַר־בּ֤וֹ עֽוֹלֵלֹת֙ כְּנֹ֣קֶף זַ֔יִת שְׁנַ֧יִם שְׁלֹשָׁ֛ה גַּרְגְּרִ֖ים בְּרֹ֣אשׁ אָמִ֑יר אַרְבָּעָ֣ה חֲמִשָּׁ֗ה בִּסְעִפֶ֙יהָ֙ פֹּֽרִיָּ֔ה נְאֻם־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Yet gleaning grapesעֹלֵלוֹת‛ôlêlâh · gleaningH5955
- shall be leftשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
- in it, as the shakingנֹ֫קֶףnôqeph · shakingH5363
- of an olive treeזַ֫יִתzayith · oliveH2132
- twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- berriesגַּרְגַּרgargar · berryH1620
- in the topרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
- of the uppermost boughאָמִיר'âmîyr · topH534
- fourאַרְבַּע'arba‛ 'arbâ‛âh · fourH702
- fiveחָמֵשׁchâmêsh chămishshâh · fiveH2568
- in the outmost fruitfulפָּרָהpârâh · be fruitfulH6509
- branchesסָעִיףsâ‛îyph · cleftH5585
- thereof, saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for Isaiah 17:6
- Isaiah 1:9If the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah.
- Isaiah 10:22But though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant of them will return. The Lord has rightly decided to destroy his people.
- Isaiah 24:13Throughout the earth the story is the same— only a remnant is left, like the stray olives left on the tree or the few grapes left on the vine after harvest.
- Deuteronomy 4:27For the Lord will scatter you among the nations, where only a few of you will survive.
- Judges 8:2But Gideon replied, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t even the leftover grapes of Ephraim’s harvest better than the entire crop of my little clan of Abiezer?
- 1 Kings 19:18Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”
- Ezekiel 36:8“But the mountains of Israel will produce heavy crops of fruit for my people—for they will be coming home again soon!
- Ezekiel 37:19say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take Ephraim and the northern tribes and join them to Judah. I will make them one piece of wood in my hand.’
- Ezekiel 39:29And I will never again turn my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
- Obadiah 1:5“If thieves came at night and robbed you (what a disaster awaits you!), they would not take everything. Those who harvest grapes always leave a few for the poor. But your enemies will wipe you out completely!
- Micah 7:1How miserable I am! I feel like the fruit picker after the harvest who can find nothing to eat. Not a cluster of grapes or a single early fig can be found to satisfy my hunger.
- Romans 9:27And concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out, “Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant will be saved.
- Romans 11:4And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”
Commentaries on Isaiah 17:6
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Yet gleaning-grapes - They shall not all be removed, or destroyed. A “few” shall be left, as a man who is gathering grapes or olives will leave a few that are inaccessible on the topmost boughs, or the furthest branches. Those would be usually the poorest, and so it may be implied that those left in Israel would be among the poorer inhabitants of the land. Two or three - A very few - such as would be left in gathering grapes, or in endeavoring to shake…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Although the God of Israel judged the wickedness of Israel, he was still its God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. in it--that is, in the land of Israel. two or three ... in the top--A few poor inhabitants shall be left in Israel, like the two or three olive berries left on the topmost boughs, which it is not worth while taking the trouble to try to reach.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 17:6
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
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