Isaiah 10:22 kjv
For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
Isaiah 10:22 nkjv
For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, A remnant of them will return; The destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
Isaiah 10:22 niv
Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous.
Isaiah 10:22 esv
For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness.
Isaiah 10:22 nlt
But though the people of Israel are as numerous
as the sand of the seashore,
only a remnant of them will return.
The LORD has rightly decided to destroy his people.
Isaiah 10 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 10:20 | The remnant of Jacob will return… | Fulfillment of prophecy |
| Isa 11:1 | A shoot will come from Jesse’s stump… | Messiah from David’s lineage |
| Isa 11:11 | The Lord will extend his hand a second time… | Second return from exile |
| Isa 1:9 | If the Lord Almighty had not left us a few survivors… | Remnant saved from judgment |
| Isa 6:13 | Though a tenth part remain in it… | Holy seed, scattering |
| Jer 23:3 | I will gather the remnant of my flock… | God’s care for the remnant |
| Jer 31:7 | For thus says the Lord: “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob… | God’s ultimate salvation |
| Mic 5:7 | The remnant of Jacob shall be like dew from the Lord… | Faithful remnant |
| Zec 8:6 | Thus says the Lord of hosts: … it shall seem wonderful… | God’s faithfulness to remnant |
| Rom 9:27 | Isaiah cried out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved…” | Pauline application |
| Rom 11:5 | So too at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. | Grace-based remnant |
| Acts 15:17 | “‘So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by my name,’ says the Lord…” | Gentile inclusion |
| Joel 2:32 | And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. | Universal salvation call |
| Mal 3:17 | “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession…” | God’s special possession |
| Deut 4:27 | And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and there will be few of you left… | Warning of scattering |
| Ps 106:47 | Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations… | Prayer for gathering |
| Isa 49:6 | I will make you to be a light to the Gentiles… | Mission of the remnant |
| Ezek 34:12 | As a shepherd seeks out his sheep… | Shepherd searching his sheep |
| Zeph 3:13 | The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies… | Moral character of remnant |
| Nahum 1:7 | The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble… | God as refuge |
Isaiah 10 verses
Isaiah 10 22 Meaning
This verse states that despite the abundance of Israel, only a remnant will be saved. It highlights that destruction is decreed, and this righteous remnant is a result of God's judgment.
Isaiah 10 22 Context
This verse is found within Isaiah chapter 10, which primarily describes the judgment of Assyria for its pride and oppressive actions against nations, particularly Israel. However, the prophecy extends to a wider divine principle of judgment and remnant salvation that applies to all of God's dealings with His people. The context of Isaiah's prophecy often interweaves the immediate historical events with future Messianic implications and ultimate restoration.
Isaiah 10 22 Word Analysis
- כִּ֣י (kî): "For," "but," "indeed," "that." Here it serves as a conjunction introducing the reason or cause for the preceding statement about consumption.
- אִם־ (im): "if," "though." It introduces a conditional clause, though in this context, it functions more emphatically to highlight a certainty.
- כְּמִסְפַּ֤ר (kə-mis-pár): "like the number of," "as the number of." This compares the size of Israel to something vast, indicating plurality.
- הַגּוֹיִם (ha-go-yím): "the nations," "the peoples." Refers to the Gentile nations surrounding Israel, emphasizing Israel’s distinctiveness and their often numerous oppressors.
- יִֽהְיֶה־ (yih-yéh): "will be." Future tense, indicating what is to come.
- עַ֚ם ('am): "people," "nation," "folk." Used here for the people of Israel.
- לֹ֣א (lo'): "not." A strong negation.
- כִּ֤י (kî): "because," "for." Here it signifies the reason for the limited number of survivors.
- מִֽי־ (mî): "who," "of whom."
- הָעָם (hā-'am): "the people." Again referring to the people of Israel.
- עוֹד ('ōd): "still," "yet," "again." Indicates remaining time or a continuation.
- יִשָּׁאֵר (yish-ā-'ēr): "he will be left," "he will remain." From the root root שָׁאֵר (sha'ar), meaning "to leave over," "to remain." This is the core concept of the remnant.
Words-Group Analysis
- "though as the number of the nations are the sands of the sea," This idiom, drawing from natural imagery (like the sand on a seashore), powerfully conveys a vast multitude. It speaks to the initial population or the perceived potential size of Israel as God's chosen people.
- "only a remnant of them will be saved." This phrase starkly contrasts the immensity of the whole with the scarcity of the saved. The word "saved" (יִשָּׁאֵר - yish-ā-'ēr) is pivotal, indicating preservation through judgment. The negation "not" before "be left" in some translations ("they shall not be left") might reflect a deeper nuance of total consumption from which only a tiny remainder escapes, or it could be a textual variation emphasizing absolute reduction. However, the predominant understanding is a small number remaining.
Isaiah 10 22 Bonus Section
The imagery of "sands of the sea" for multitude is a common biblical trope (Gen 22:17; 32:12; Josh 11:4; Judg 7:12). The ultimate fate of the remnant is not merely survival but restoration and blessing, forming the core of God's renewed covenant people. The emphasis is on God's sovereign choice and power to preserve, even when outward circumstances suggest total obliteration. This verse serves as a foundational understanding for the doctrine of election and the saving grace of God that operates through judgment.
Isaiah 10 22 Commentary
Isaiah 10:22 is a profound statement about divine sovereignty in judgment and salvation. Even when a people are numerous, as Israel was often described, God’s judgment is so comprehensive that only a remnant survives. This isn't a random selection, but a sovereign act by God. The vastness of Israel’s population being compared to the sands of the sea emphasizes the severity of the coming judgment, indicating widespread destruction. Yet, the promise that a remnant will be saved underscores God’s faithfulness to His covenant, even amidst judgment. This theme of a remnant is crucial throughout Isaiah and is fulfilled in the Messianic age, where Jesus, the descendant of David (a remnant of Jesse's line), brings salvation to all who believe. The New Testament applies this verse directly to God's dealings with Israel, stating that salvation comes to those chosen by grace, mirroring the remnant concept.
- Practical example: Think of a vast forest, hit by a controlled burn to clear out undergrowth and diseased trees. The fire is extensive, consuming much. However, if a few resilient trees survive the inferno, they represent the remnant, destined for future regrowth.