The Meaning of Isaiah 17:9 Explained

Isaiah 17:9

KJV: In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.

YLT: In that day are the cities of his strength As the forsaken thing of the forest, And the branch that they have left, Because of the sons of Israel, It also hath been a desolation.

Darby: In that day shall his strong cities be as the forsaken tract in the woodland, and the mountain-top which they forsook before the children of Israel; and there shall be desolation.

ASV: In that day shall their strong cities be as the forsaken places in the wood and on the mountain top, which were forsaken from before the children of Israel; and it shall be a desolation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In that day  shall his strong  cities  be as a forsaken  bough,  and an uppermost branch,  which they left  because  of the children  of Israel:  and there shall be desolation. 

What does Isaiah 17:9 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 17

1  Syria and Israel are threatened
6  A remnant shall forsake idolatry
9  The rest shall be plagued for their impiety
12  The woe of Israel's enemies

What do the individual words in Isaiah 17:9 mean?

In day that will be cities his strong as forsaken a bough and an uppermost bough which they left because of the sons of Israel and there will be desolation
בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא יִהְי֣וּ ׀ עָרֵ֣י מָעֻזּ֗וֹ כַּעֲזוּבַ֤ת הַחֹ֙רֶשׁ֙ וְהָ֣אָמִ֔יר אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָזְב֔וּ מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָיְתָ֖ה שְׁמָמָֽה

בַּיּ֨וֹם  In  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֜וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יִהְי֣וּ ׀  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
עָרֵ֣י  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
מָעֻזּ֗וֹ  his  strong 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מָעֹוז 
Sense: place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold.
כַּעֲזוּבַ֤ת  as  forsaken 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, feminine singular construct
Root: עֲזוּבָה  
Sense: forsakenness, desolation.
הַחֹ֙רֶשׁ֙  a  bough 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹרֶשׁ 
Sense: wood, wooded height, forest, wooded area.
וְהָ֣אָמִ֔יר  and  an  uppermost  bough 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָמִיר  
Sense: top, summit.
עָזְב֔וּ  they  left 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
מִפְּנֵ֖י  because 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בְּנֵ֣י  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וְהָיְתָ֖ה  and  there  will  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
שְׁמָמָֽה  desolation 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שְׁמָמָה 
Sense: devastation, waste, desolation.