Isaiah 10 16

Isaiah 10:16 kjv

Therefore shall the Lord, 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.

Isaiah 10:16 nkjv

Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Will send leanness among his fat ones; And under his glory He will kindle a burning Like the burning of a fire.

Isaiah 10:16 niv

Therefore, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors; under his pomp a fire will be kindled like a blazing flame.

Isaiah 10:16 esv

Therefore the Lord GOD of hosts will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors, and under his glory a burning will be kindled, like the burning of fire.

Isaiah 10:16 nlt

Therefore, the Lord, the LORD of Heaven's Armies,
will send a plague among Assyria's proud troops,
and a flaming fire will consume its glory.

Isaiah 10 verses

Isaiah 10 16 meaning

Isaiah 10:16 pronounces God's judgment against Assyria, an empire that had been a tool for God's purposes but grew arrogant, attributing its military success to its own power and wisdom. The verse declares that the Lord, the absolute Sovereign over all armies, will bring a debilitating weakness ("leanness") upon their strongest, most formidable elements ("stout ones"). Furthermore, He will ignite a consuming destruction ("a burning like the burning of a fire") upon the very essence of their pride and might ("under His glory"), shattering what they most valued. This judgment illustrates God's sovereignty over nations, demonstrating that even those He uses are held accountable for their pride and evil intentions.

Isaiah 10 16 Context

Isaiah 10:16 is a pivotal verse marking a shift in the prophet's focus within chapter 10. Prior to this verse (10:5-15), God describes Assyria as a "rod of My anger," divinely appointed to punish rebellious Israel. However, Assyria, unaware of its role as a mere instrument, proudly boasts of its military might and wisdom, conquering nations by its own strength (10:7-14). It elevates itself above the True God. Verse 15 warns against the arrogance of an axe boasting against the one who wields it. Therefore, 10:16 introduces God's ensuing judgment upon Assyria for its hubris and ambition, showing that even His chosen instruments are accountable. Historically, Assyria was the dominant and ruthless power in the ancient Near East during Isaiah's ministry (8th century BCE), known for its devastating military campaigns and brutal tactics. This pronouncement directly confronts their perceived invincibility and self-reliance.

Isaiah 10 16 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵן, lakhen): This connective indicates a direct consequence or result. It links the preceding verses, which detail Assyria's unwarranted pride and overextension, to the divine judgment now being pronounced.
• The Lord (הָאָדוֹן, Ha'Adon): Emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty and mastery. He is the ultimate ruler, contrasted with Assyria's self-proclaimed dominion.
• the LORD of hosts (יְהוִה צְבָאוֹת, Yahweh Ts'va'ot): Yahweh is God's covenant name, underscoring His self-existence and faithfulness. Ts'va'ot means "hosts" or "armies," indicating His command over all celestial and earthly forces. This dual name powerfully asserts God's omnipotence and supreme authority, particularly over military powers like Assyria.
• Will send (שָׁלַח, shalach): Conveys active divine agency. God is not merely allowing events to unfold; He is directly initiating and implementing this judgment.
• leanness (רָזוֹן, razon): Meaning emaciation, wasting away, or depletion. This is a metaphorical judgment, contrasting sharply with Assyria's robust "stoutness." It implies a loss of strength, vitality, prosperity, or even population (numbers in battle).
• among His stout ones (בְּמִשְׁמַנָּיו, b'mishman'naw): Mishman refers to fatness, prosperity, strength. "His stout ones" here signifies Assyria's strongest warriors, their powerful leaders, or their general state of opulence and presumed invincibility. God targets the very core of what they boasted in.
• And under His glory (וְתַחַת כְּבוֹדוֹ, v'tachat k'vodo): "His" refers to Assyria's glory. K'vod means honor, splendor, wealth, reputation, or the visible manifestation of power. To strike "under" their glory means to attack its foundation or essence—the very source of their perceived strength and public admiration, bringing about its destruction from within or at its very core.
• He will kindle (יַצִּית, yatztzit): To ignite or set on fire. Another act of direct divine intervention and judgment, emphasizing an active and destructive force.
• a burning (דַּלֶּקֶת, dalleqet): Refers to inflammation, fever, or a consuming fire. This term underscores the intensity and destructiveness of the coming judgment.
• like the burning of a fire (כִּדְלֵקַת אֵשׁ, kidleqat esh): Reinforces the previous term with clear, powerful imagery of total devastation and divine wrath. Fire is a common biblical metaphor for purification, but here unequivocally signifies severe judgment and complete consumption.

Words-group analysis

• The Lord, the LORD of hosts, Will send leanness: This phrase highlights that the absolute and omnipotent God, not human opposition, initiates Assyria's weakening. He is sovereign over armies and actively judges the proud.
• leanness among His stout ones: This presents an ironic reversal. Assyria, proud of its robust strength and numerous forces ("stout ones"), will be divinely inflicted with a wasting away. Their strength will turn into weakness.
• under His glory He will kindle a burning: The judgment directly targets the root of Assyria's national pride and military splendor. The very foundation of their power and fame will be set ablaze, ensuring a complete and public downfall. The metaphor of fire emphasizes consuming destruction.

Isaiah 10 16 Bonus section

The imagery in Isaiah 10:16 is a vivid illustration of poetic justice. Assyria prided itself on its "stoutness"—its military muscle and the abundant resources gained from conquest, akin to a well-fed beast. God's response of "leanness" (רָזוֹן) directly opposes this. This thinning out would manifest as a debilitating loss of vigor, numbers, or prosperity. Similarly, Assyria's "glory" (כְּבוֹדוֹ) encompassed its magnificent kings, impressive fortifications, vast riches, and its reputation for terror and conquest. The "burning" (דַּלֶּקֶת) striking under this glory suggests a foundational or internal destruction, not just an external attack. It signifies that the core pillars of their strength and the very fabric of their self-worth would be ignited by God's wrath, leaving nothing but ruin where once was splendor. This divine reversal underscores that true glory belongs solely to God, and human glory, when boasted in, is transient and susceptible to His consuming fire.

Isaiah 10 16 Commentary

Isaiah 10:16 declares that the prideful empire of Assyria, which acted as God's instrument for judgment but then boasted as if by its own power, will face divine retribution. The Sovereign Lord, whose name signifies His absolute power over all armies, will bring about a paradoxical decline: a wasting sickness or loss of strength ("leanness") among its most formidable elements ("stout ones"). This reverses their perceived invincibility. Moreover, the very source of their honor and military renown ("His glory") will be consumed by a destructive fire of God's judgment. This concise verse asserts God's ultimate control, revealing that no human empire, no matter how mighty, can usurp divine authority without consequence. It is a powerful lesson in humility for nations and individuals alike.