Isaiah 10 14

Isaiah 10:14 kjv

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.

Isaiah 10:14 nkjv

My hand has found like a nest the riches of the people, And as one gathers eggs that are left, I have gathered all the earth; And there was no one who moved his wing, Nor opened his mouth with even a peep."

Isaiah 10:14 niv

As one reaches into a nest, so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations; as people gather abandoned eggs, so I gathered all the countries; not one flapped a wing, or opened its mouth to chirp.'?"

Isaiah 10:14 esv

My hand has found like a nest the wealth of the peoples; and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved a wing or opened the mouth or chirped."

Isaiah 10:14 nlt

I have robbed their nests of riches
and gathered up kingdoms as a farmer gathers eggs.
No one can even flap a wing against me
or utter a peep of protest."

Isaiah 10 verses

Isaiah 10 14 Meaning

Isaiah 10:14 declares that just as a hand finds a sparrow's nest and takes its eggs, so the Assyrian king (referred to as "he") has plundered all the lands. It highlights the ruthless efficiency and complete devastation wrought by the conquering army, seizing all possessions without opposition.

Isaiah 10 14 Context

This verse appears in Isaiah chapter 10, which is largely focused on the impending judgment of God against the oppressive Assyrian empire. The Assyrians, led by their king (often identified as Sennacherib, though the text generalizes this arrogance to the entire empire), had become a formidable military power that threatened and subjugated many nations, including Israel and Judah. This chapter addresses the Assyrian king's boastful pride and self-reliance, contrasting it with God's ultimate sovereignty and his use of the Assyrians as an instrument of judgment against the sinfulness of other nations. However, God's judgment extends to the Assyrians themselves because of their cruelty and hubris. The sparrow's nest imagery serves as a vivid metaphor within this broader theme of divine justice and retribution against the arrogant oppressor.

Isaiah 10 14 Word Analysis

• וְ (wə): "And." A conjunctive particle connecting this verse to the preceding one, showing a cause-and-effect or a further explanation.
• כִּי (kî): "for" or "because." Introduces a reason or explanation.
• יָדוֹ (yāḏô): "his hand." Possessive form of "yad" (hand). The hand represents agency, power, and action.
• יִמְצָא (yimṣāʾ): "will find" or "finds." The root is "matsa" (to find). The perfect tense can indicate a completed action or a state of being, implying that his hand is always capable of finding and taking.
• כָל־ (kāl-): "all" or "every." Emphasizes totality and completeness.
• בֵית־ (bêṯ-): "house" or "nest." From "bayith" (house). Here, in the context of birds, it specifically means nest.
• צִפּוֹר (ṣippôr): "bird" or "sparrow." The feminine singular form of the word for bird.
• וּבְכָל־ (ū·ḇə·ḵāl-): "and over all." Continues the distributive sense.
• מַעֲמַד (maʿămāḏ): "standing place," "station," "position." Can refer to occupied territory or conquered land.
• הָאָרֶץ (hāʾāreṣ): "the earth" or "the land." The definite article "ha-" combined with "erets" (land/earth). Refers to the whole earth or, more specifically in context, all the lands that were subject to the Assyrian conquest.
• וּבְכָל־ (ū·ḇə·ḵāl-): "and of all." Another instance of "and over all."
• נְקִיבָה (nəḵîḇāh): "a plundered place," "emptied," "taken." This word implies a complete emptying or plundering of a place.
• וְלֹא־ (wəlōʾ-): "and not."
• יֶשׁ־ (yeš-): "there is." Indicates existence or possession.
• שָׁם (šām): "there."
• מַגִּיד (maggîḏ): "one who declares" or "announces." From "nagad" (to tell, declare). Refers to someone who can proclaim or make known.

Words-group analysis:

• "his hand will find all the nest of the bird": This phrase uses a strikingly gentle image ("nest of the bird," possibly a sparrow) to highlight the thoroughness of destruction. Even the smallest, most protected dwelling place is found and taken. The smallness and defenselessness of the sparrow's nest underscore the utter vulnerability of the Assyrians' victims.
• "and over all the earth to seize the plundered": The repetition of "and over all" emphasizes the vastness and comprehensive nature of the Assyrian conquest. "Seize the plundered" implies that they are not just taking things but taking from places that have already been despoiled or are characterized by their plunderability. It suggests a systematic stripping bare.
• "and there is not one who declares": This signifies the absence of any who can intervene, protest, or even report the atrocities. The devastation is so complete that there is no one left to bear witness or offer aid. It implies a state of utter helplessness and silence in the face of oppression.

Isaiah 10 14 Bonus Section

The imagery of the sparrow is significant. In ancient Near Eastern thought, sparrows were sometimes associated with vulnerability but also with familial care. Jesus Himself references sparrows to illustrate God's intimate knowledge and care for His people (Matthew 10:29-31; Luke 12:6-7), noting that not one falls without the Father's notice. Isaiah 10:14 thus presents a stark contrast: what God observes with care, the Assyrians plunder without mercy. This verse has been interpreted by some scholars as a reflection of the divine allowance for human cruelty as part of a larger plan of judgment, without excusing the perpetrators' malice. The complete "emptying" implied by "nəḵîḇāh" is a motif seen elsewhere in prophetic literature, signifying total destruction and desolation as a consequence of sin.

Isaiah 10 14 Commentary

The imagery of a hand effortlessly taking eggs from a bird's nest powerfully illustrates the ease with which the Assyrian king despoiled nations. It's not a violent struggle but a simple, almost casual act of taking what belongs to others. This highlights the Assyrian military's overwhelming superiority and their callous disregard for the inhabitants. The verse contrasts this brutal efficiency with the natural fragility of a nest, emphasizing the ruthlessness of their actions. God is allowing this, using the Assyrians as a rod of judgment, but their subsequent pride will bring about their own destruction. This serves as a reminder that no earthly power, however mighty, is truly independent of God.