New Living Translation
Isaiah 29:8
8A hungry person dreams of eating but wakes up still hungry. A thirsty person dreams of drinking but is still faint from thirst when morning comes. So it will be with your enemies, with those who attack Mount Zion.”
Isaiah 29:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.
- New International Version (NIV)as when a hungry person dreams of eating, but awakens hungry still; as when a thirsty person dreams of drinking, but awakens faint and thirsty still. So will it be with the hordes of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion.
- English Standard Version (ESV)As when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he is eating, and awakes with his hunger not satisfied, or as when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he is drinking, and awakes faint, with his thirst not quenched, so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion.
- New King James Version (NKJV)It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams, And look—he eats; But he awakes, and his soul is still empty; Or as when a thirsty man dreams, And look—he drinks; But he awakes, and indeed he is faint, And his soul still craves: So the multitude of all the nations shall be, Who fight against Mount Zion.”
Context of Isaiah 29:8
6I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will act for you with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and storm and consuming fire. 7All the nations fighting against Jerusalem will vanish like a dream! Those who are attacking her walls will vanish like a vision in the night. A hungry person dreams of eating but wakes up still hungry. A thirsty person dreams of drinking but is still faint from thirst when morning comes. So it will be with your enemies, with those who attack Mount Zion.” 9Are you amazed and incredulous? Don’t you believe it? Then go ahead and be blind. You are stupid, but not from wine! You stagger, but not from liquor! 10For the Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries.
Read all of Isaiah 29Isaiah 29:8 word by word
וְהָיָ֡ה כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ יַחֲלֹ֨ם הָרָעֵ֜ב וְהִנֵּ֣ה אוֹכֵ֗ל וְהֵקִיץ֮ וְרֵיקָ֣ה נַפְשׁוֹ֒ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֨ר יַחֲלֹ֤ם הַצָּמֵא֙ וְהִנֵּ֣ה שֹׁתֶ֔ה וְהֵקִיץ֙ וְהִנֵּ֣ה עָיֵ֔ף וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ שׁוֹקֵקָ֑ה כֵּ֣ן יִֽהְיֶ֗ה הֲמוֹן֙ כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם הַצֹּבְאִ֖ים עַל־הַ֥ר צִיּֽוֹן׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- It shall even be as when an hungryרָעֵבrâ‛êb · hungryH7457
- dreamethחָלַםchâlam · to dreamH2492
- and, behold, he eatethאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- but he awakethקִיץqûts · to awakeH6974
- and his soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: appetiteH5315
- is emptyרֵיקrêyq rêq · worthlessH7386
- or as whenאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- a thirsty manצָמֵאtsâmê' · thirstyH6771
- and, behold, he drinkethשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- faintעָיֵף‛âyêph · faintH5889
- hath appetiteשָׁקַקshâqaq · to rushH8264
- so shall the multitudeהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
- of all the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- be, that fightצָבָאtsâbâ' · to serveH6633
- against mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
Cross-references for Isaiah 29:8
- Isaiah 10:7But the king of Assyria will not understand that he is my tool; his mind does not work that way. His plan is simply to destroy, to cut down nation after nation.
- 2 Chronicles 32:21And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. So Sennacherib was forced to return home in disgrace to his own land. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him there with a sword.
- Isaiah 44:12The blacksmith stands at his forge to make a sharp tool, pounding and shaping it with all his might. His work makes him hungry and weak. It makes him thirsty and faint.
Commentaries on Isaiah 29:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8It shall even be - This is a most striking figure representing the earnest desire of the Assyrian to possess the city of Jerusalem, and his utter disappointment. The comparison is elegant and beautiful in the highest degree. It is performed up to great perfection; and is perfectly suited to illustrate the object in view. The same image substantially is found in the classic writers; and this, says Lowth, may, for beauty and ingenuity, fairly come in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Like a hungry or thirsty person, the Assyrians could taste the victory over Jerusalem. Yet they never became victorious.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Their disappointment in the very height of their confident expectation of taking Jerusalem shall be as great as that of the hungry man who in a dream fancies he eats, but awakes to hunger still (Psa 73:20); their dream shall be dissipated on the fatal morning (Is 37:36). soul--simply his appetite: he is still thirsty.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 29:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 29
- 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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