The Meaning of Isaiah 9:15 Explained

Isaiah 9:15

KJV: The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

YLT: Elder, and accepted of face, he is the head, Prophet, teacher of falsehood, he is the tail.

Darby: the ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

ASV: The elder and the honorable man, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The ancient  and honourable,  he  [is] the head;  and the prophet  that teacheth  lies,  he [is] the tail. 

What does Isaiah 9:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 9:8-17 - False Leadership Brings Ruin
The grievous sins of the Chosen People are again enumerated. They defied God, Isaiah 8:9-10. They refused to repent; they were blind and deaf and profane, Isaiah 8:13. Their religious and political leaders led them astray, Isaiah 8:16. What could they expect but the letting loose of the judgments of the Almighty!
Isaiah's protests were disregarded, and 2 Kings 15:1-38 tells the sequel. It seems very terrible. But what would the forest-glades become if there were not a perfect machinery for the instant removal of all traces of disease, decay, and death! What is true in the physical is true also in the moral sphere. When a nation has ceased to help, and has commenced to impede the progress of humanity, it must be put out of the way. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 9

1  What joy shall be in the midst of afflictions, by the birth and kingdom of Christ
8  The judgments upon Israel for their pride
13  For their hypocrisy
18  And for their unrepentance

What do the individual words in Isaiah 9:15 mean?

The elder and honorable he [is] the head and the prophet who teaches lies the tail
זָקֵ֥ן וּנְשׂוּא־ פָנִ֖ים ה֣וּא הָרֹ֑אשׁ וְנָבִ֥יא מֽוֹרֶה־ שֶּׁ֖קֶר הַזָּנָֽב

זָקֵ֥ן  The  elder 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
פָנִ֖ים  honorable 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
ה֣וּא  he  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
הָרֹ֑אשׁ  the  head 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וְנָבִ֥יא  and  the  prophet 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
מֽוֹרֶה־  who  teaches 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יׄורֶה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast, pour.
שֶּׁ֖קֶר  lies 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁקֶר  
Sense: lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood.
הַזָּנָֽב  the  tail 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָנָב  
Sense: tail, end, stump.