Isaiah 10:5-34

Isaiah 10:5-34

[5] Assyrian,  the rod  of mine anger,  and the staff  in their hand  is mine indignation.  [6] I will send  him against an hypocritical  nation,  and against the people  of my wrath  will I give him a charge,  to take  the spoil,  and to take  the prey,  and to tread them down  like the mire  of the streets.  [7] Howbeit he meaneth  not so, neither doth his heart  think  so; but it is in his heart  to destroy  and cut off  nations  not a few.  [8] For he saith,  Are not my princes  altogether  kings?  [9] Is not Calno  as Carchemish?  is not Hamath  as Arpad?  is not Samaria  as Damascus?  [10] As my hand  hath found  the kingdoms  of the idols,  and whose graven images  did excel them of Jerusalem  and of Samaria;  [11] Shall I not, as I have done  unto Samaria  and her idols,  so do  to Jerusalem  and her idols?  [12] Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord  hath performed  his whole work  upon mount  Zion  and on Jerusalem,  I will punish  the fruit  of the stout  heart  of the king  of Assyria,  and the glory  of his high  looks.  [13] For he saith,  By the strength  of my hand  I have done  it, and by my wisdom;  for I am prudent:  and I have removed  the bounds  of the people,  and have robbed  and I have put down  the inhabitants  like a valiant  man: [14] And my hand  hath found  as a nest  the riches  of the people:  and as one gathereth  eggs  that are left,  have I gathered  all the earth;  and there was none that moved  the wing,  or opened  the mouth,  or peeped.  [15] Shall the axe  boast  itself against him that heweth  therewith? or shall the saw  magnify  itself against him that shaketh  it? as if the rod  should shake  itself against them that lift it up,  or as if the staff  should lift up  itself, as if it were no wood.  [16] Therefore shall the Lord,  of hosts,  send  among his fat ones  leanness;  and under his glory  he shall kindle  a burning  like the burning of a fire.  [17] And the light  of Israel  shall be for a fire,  and his Holy One  for a flame:  and it shall burn  and devour  his thorns  and his briers  in one  day;  [18] And shall consume  the glory  of his forest,  and of his fruitful field,  both soul  and body:  fainteth.  [19] And the rest  of the trees  of his forest  shall be few,  that a child  may write  them. [20] And it shall come to pass in that day,  that the remnant  of Israel,  and such as are escaped  of the house  of Jacob,  shall no more again  stay  upon him that smote  them; but shall stay  upon the LORD,  the Holy One  of Israel,  in truth.  [21] The remnant  shall return,  even the remnant  of Jacob,  unto the mighty  God.  [22] For though thy people  Israel  be as the sand  of the sea,  yet a remnant  of them shall return:  the consumption  decreed  shall overflow  with righteousness.  [23] For the Lord  GOD  of hosts  shall make  a consumption,  even determined,  in the midst  of all the land.  [24] Therefore thus saith  the Lord  of hosts,  O my people  that dwellest  in Zion,  be not afraid  of the Assyrian:  he shall smite  thee with a rod,  and shall lift up  his staff  against thee, after the manner  of Egypt.  [25] For yet a very  little while,  and the indignation  shall cease,  and mine anger  in their destruction.  [26] And the LORD  of hosts  shall stir up  a scourge  for him according to the slaughter  of Midian  at the rock  of Oreb:  and as his rod  was upon the sea,  so shall he lift it up  after the manner  of Egypt.  [27] And it shall come to pass in that day,  that his burden  shall be taken away  from off thy shoulder,  and his yoke  from off thy neck,  and the yoke  shall be destroyed  because  of the anointing.  [28] He is come  to Aiath,  he is passed  to Migron;  at Michmash  he hath laid up  his carriages:  [29] They are gone over  the passage:  they have taken up their lodging  at Geba;  Ramah  is afraid;  Gibeah  of Saul  is fled.  [30] Lift up  thy voice,  O daughter  Gallim:  cause it to be heard  unto Laish,  O poor  Anathoth.  [31] Madmenah  is removed;  the inhabitants  of Gebim  gather themselves to flee.  [32] As yet shall he remain  at Nob  that day:  he shall shake  his hand  against the mount  of the daughter  the hill  of Jerusalem.  [33] Behold, the Lord,  the LORD  of hosts,  shall lop  the bough  with terror:  and the high ones  of stature  shall be hewn down,  and the haughty  shall be humbled.  [34] And he shall cut down  the thickets  of the forest  with iron,  and Lebanon  shall fall  by a mighty one. 

What does Isaiah 10:5-34 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

This segment presents Yahweh as the transcendent God who controls the destiny of all nations. He creates history just as He created the cosmos. The victory of the Assyrians did not prove the superiority of her gods, nor did Judah"s defeat mean that Yahweh was inferior. The whole passage contrasts sovereignties: Assyria"s and Yahweh"s.