The Meaning of Isaiah 7:17 Explained

Isaiah 7:17

KJV: The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

YLT: Jehovah bringeth on thee, and on thy people, And on the house of thy father, Days that have not come, Even from the day of the turning aside of Ephraim from Judah, By the king of Asshur.

Darby: Jehovah will bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days which have not come since the day when Ephraim turned away from Judah even the king of Assyria.

ASV: Jehovah will bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah- even the king of Assyria.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The LORD  shall bring  upon thee, and upon thy people,  and upon thy father's  house,  days  that have not come,  from the day  that Ephraim  departed  from Judah;  [even] the king  of Assyria. 

What does Isaiah 7:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Yahweh would bring on Judah a worse threat than Judah had faced ever since Israel"s United Kingdom had split in Rehoboam"s day, namely: the king of Assyria. Even though Syria and Israel would disappear as threats to Judah, Ahaz had done the wrong thing in failing to trust God, because Assyria would pose an even worse threat. He had "taken a tiger by the tail." [1]
"Whatever a man trusts in place of God will one day turn to devour him." [2]

Context Summary

Isaiah 7:1-17 - The Sign Of Immanuel
A new cycle of prophecy begins here, covering the reign of Ahaz. The complete history which illustrates these chapters is given in 2 Chronicles 28:5. The invasion of Judah by Syria and Samaria was permitted because a severe warning was needed to enforce Isaiah's remonstrances and appeals. See 2 Kings 15:37. The Holy City, as Isaiah predicted, was not to be trodden by the invader, though it would pass through severe suffering and anxiety. This immunity, which neither Ahaz nor his people deserved, was secured by Isaiah's faith and prayer, pleading as he did, God's ancient covenant.
This great prophecy of the coming Immanuel must have greatly encouraged that generation, as it has all succeeding ones. It inspired Psalms 46:1-11. What greater comfort have we than that Jesus is the companion of our pilgrimage? See Matthew 1:21-23. Though the corn-lands were desolate, the cattle on the mountain-pastures would yield butter and the wild bees honey; and this would supply the nation's needs till the invader had withdrawn. Though God chastens us, He will not forget our daily bread. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 7

1  Ahaz, being troubled with fear of Rezin and Pekah, is comforted by Isaiah
10  Ahaz, having liberty to choose a sign, and refusing it, has for a sign, Christ promised
17  His judgment is prophesied to come by Assyria

What do the individual words in Isaiah 7:17 mean?

Will bring Yahweh upon you and your people and house of your father days that not have come since the day that departed Ephraim from Judah - the king of Assyria -
יָבִ֨יא יְהוָ֜ה עָלֶ֗יךָ וְעַֽל־ עַמְּךָ֮ וְעַל־ בֵּ֣ית אָבִיךָ֒ יָמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־ בָ֔אוּ לְמִיּ֥וֹם סוּר־ אֶפְרַ֖יִם מֵעַ֣ל יְהוּדָ֑ה אֵ֖ת מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר פ

יָבִ֨יא  Will  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עָלֶ֗יךָ  upon  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
עַמְּךָ֮  your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בֵּ֣ית  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אָבִיךָ֒  of  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
יָמִים֙  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בָ֔אוּ  have  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לְמִיּ֥וֹם  since  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-l, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
סוּר־  that  departed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
אֶפְרַ֖יִם  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
יְהוּדָ֑ה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מֶ֥לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אַשּֽׁוּר  of  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation