The Meaning of Isaiah 10:3 Explained

Isaiah 10:3

KJV: And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?

YLT: And what do ye at a day of inspection? And at desolation? -- from afar it cometh. Near whom do ye flee for help? And where do ye leave your honour?

Darby: And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the sudden destruction which shall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help, and where will ye leave your glory?

ASV: And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And what will ye do  in the day  of visitation,  and in the desolation  [which] shall come  from far?  to whom will ye flee  for help?  and where will ye leave  your glory? 

What does Isaiah 10:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 10:1-4 - Social Injustice Condemned
The terrible indictment of the preceding paragraphs is continued here. Notice the awful monotony of the refrain, Isaiah 9:12; Isaiah 9:17; Isaiah 9:21; Isaiah 10:4. Internal anarchy spread with the rapidity of a prairie fire. Jealousy and distrust awoke murderous hatred. Even the ties of brotherhood would not avail to arrest the knife of the assassin. In the horrors of starvation men would consume their own flesh, Isaiah 9:20. Civil strife would exhaust the forces, which, combined with God's blessing, might have arrested the invader. The weak would become the spoil of the strong; and there would be no appeal. What pathetic questions are suggested in Isaiah 10:3! What will ye do? To whom will ye flee? See Hebrews 9:26-28. What hope is there for the soul that has known and refused the offer of forgiveness in Jesus! Dear soul, make haste to the cleft of the Rock! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 10

1  The woe of tyrants
5  Assyria, the rod of hypocrites, for its pride shall be broken
20  A remnant of Israel shall be saved
23  Judah is comforted with promise of deliverance from Assyria

What do the individual words in Isaiah 10:3 mean?

And what will you do in the day of punishment and in the desolation from afar [which] will come to whom will you flee for help and where will you leave your glory
וּמַֽה־ תַּעֲשׂוּ֙ לְי֣וֹם פְּקֻדָּ֔ה וּלְשׁוֹאָ֖ה ؟ מִמֶּרְחָ֣ק תָּב֑וֹא עַל־ מִי֙ תָּנ֣וּסוּ ؟ לְעֶזְרָ֔ה וְאָ֥נָה תַעַזְב֖וּ ؟ כְּבוֹדְכֶֽם

וּמַֽה־  And  what 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
תַּעֲשׂוּ֙  will  you  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לְי֣וֹם  in  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
פְּקֻדָּ֔ה  of  punishment 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: פְּקֻדָּה  
Sense: oversight, care, custody, mustering, visitation, store.
וּלְשׁוֹאָ֖ה  and  in  the  desolation 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שֹׁוא 
Sense: ravage.
؟ מִמֶּרְחָ֣ק  from  afar 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶרְחָק  
Sense: distant place, distance, far country.
תָּב֑וֹא  [which]  will  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
מִי֙  whom 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
תָּנ֣וּסוּ  will  you  flee 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
؟ לְעֶזְרָ֔ה  for  help 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֶזְרָה  
Sense: help, succour, assistance.
וְאָ֥נָה  and  where 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: אָן  
Sense: where?, whither? (of place).
תַעַזְב֖וּ  will  you  leave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
؟ כְּבוֹדְכֶֽם  your  glory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: כָּבֹוד  
Sense: glory, honour, glorious, abundance.