Isaiah 10 27

Isaiah 10:27 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.

Isaiah 10:27 kjv

And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

Isaiah 10:27 nkjv

It shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

Isaiah 10:27 niv

In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be broken because you have grown so fat.

Isaiah 10:27 esv

And in that day his burden will depart from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck; and the yoke will be broken because of the fat."

Isaiah 10:27 nlt

In that day the LORD will end the bondage of his people.
He will break the yoke of slavery
and lift it from their shoulders.

Isaiah 10 27 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Isa 9:4"For You have broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder..."Previous mention of broken yokes/burdens.
Isa 11:1-2"A Shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse... The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him..."Describes the Messiah empowered by God's Spirit.
Isa 61:1"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD has anointed me..."Messiah's mission to proclaim liberty.
Jer 2:20"For long ago I broke your yoke and tore off your bonds..."God's past acts of liberation.
Jer 28:2-4"I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon... I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon."Prophecy against an oppressive yoke.
Jer 30:8"On that day I will break his yoke from off your neck..."Future deliverance from oppressors.
Hos 11:4"I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws..."God's tender guidance and liberation.
Lev 26:13"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would no longer be their slaves; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk erect."God breaking yokes from Egyptian bondage.
Deut 28:48"He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you."Yoke as a symbol of harsh judgment for disobedience.
Matt 11:28-30"Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened... For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."Contrast with Christ's easy yoke and light burden.
Gal 5:1"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."Freedom from spiritual legalism and sin.
2 Cor 3:17"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."The Spirit's role in freedom.
Rom 8:2"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death."Spiritual freedom in Christ.
Acts 15:10"Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?"Referring to the burden of legalistic Law.
Ps 2:2"The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspire together against the LORD and against His Anointed."Reference to "His Anointed" (Messiah).
1 Sam 10:1"Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head and kissed him and said, 'Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?'"Example of anointing for leadership.
Exod 6:6"Therefore say to the sons of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians...'"God's promise to free from bondage.
Pss 105:14-15"He permitted no man to oppress them... 'Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.'"God's protection of His anointed.
Zech 4:6"'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts."Emphasis on divine Spirit's power for success.
Dan 2:44"In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed..."A coming divine kingdom that will shatter others.
Col 2:13-14"He canceled out the certificate of debt... having nailed it to the cross... having disarmed the rulers and authorities..."Christ's victory over spiritual principalities.
Luke 4:18-19"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives..."Jesus' self-declaration fulfilling Isaiah 61.

Isaiah 10 verses

Isaiah 10 27 meaning

Isaiah 10:27 proclaims a divine promise of complete liberation and ultimate destruction of oppressive bondage, specifically from the Assyrian burden, through a unique divine enablement often interpreted as the Messiah's anointing or the empowering presence of God's Spirit. It signifies that God Himself will intervene to break the instruments of servitude and oppression, bringing full freedom to His people.

Isaiah 10 27 Context

Isaiah chapter 10 is part of a larger section (chapters 7-12) dealing with God's judgment and ultimate salvation, specifically addressing the Assyrian threat. The prophet describes Assyria as God's instrument, a "rod of My anger," used to punish unfaithful Israel. However, Isaiah also declares that Assyria, in its arrogant pride, will be judged for overstepping its divine mandate and for crediting its own power instead of God's. Verses 24-26 deliver comfort, promising that the remnant of Israel will no longer be terrified of Assyria, as Assyria will be broken. Verse 27, therefore, serves as the triumphant conclusion to this promise of deliverance, affirming God's decisive action to permanently remove the oppressor's yoke. Historically, Judah faced severe oppression from the Neo-Assyrian Empire during Isaiah's time, specifically during the reigns of kings Ahaz and Hezekiah. This prophecy reassured a people under immense military and economic pressure.

Isaiah 10 27 Word analysis

  • And it shall come to pass in that day (וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, wəhāyāh bayyôm hahûʾ):
    • "that day": A recurring eschatological phrase in prophetic literature, referring to a specific future time when God acts decisively, bringing judgment, deliverance, or both. While it refers primarily to God's coming intervention against Assyria, its recurring use gives it broader theological significance pointing to the ultimate "day of the Lord."
  • that his burden (סֻבָּלוֹ, subbālô):
    • "burden" (subbāl): Derived from the root sāval (to carry), it refers to a heavy load or forced labor, symbolizing oppression, servitude, and hardship. This was the crushing weight of tribute and control imposed by Assyria.
  • shall be taken away from off thy shoulder (יָסוּר מֵעַל שִׁכְמֶךָ, yāsûr mēʿal shikhmeḵā):
    • "taken away" (yāsûr): To depart, be removed, signifying complete cessation of the burden.
    • "shoulder" (shekhem): The part of the body upon which burdens or yokes are laid. Metaphorically, it represents the place of responsibility, strength, or subjugation.
  • and his yoke (וְעֻלּוֹ, wəʿullô):
    • "yoke" (ʿol): A wooden bar fitted over the neck of oxen or slaves to harness them for work, symbolizing bondage, submission, servitude, and tyrannical control.
  • from off thy neck (מֵעַל צַוָּארֶךָ, mēʿal tzawwāʾareḵā):
    • "neck" (tzawwāʾar): The part of the body that carries the yoke. It signifies the point of physical submission and often, by extension, the spirit of rebellion or, in this case, subjugation.
  • and the yoke shall be destroyed (וְחֻבַּל עֹל, wəḥubbal ʿol):
    • "destroyed" (ḥubbal): The Pual form of the verb ḥāval, which can mean to bind, spoil, or destroy. In this context, it implies a violent breaking or shattering of the yoke, rendering it completely useless and ineffective. It's not just removed but broken irrevocably.
  • because of the anointing (מִפְּנֵי שָׁמֶן, mippenê shāmen):
    • "because of" (mippenê): Literally "from the face of" or "on account of."
    • "the anointing" (shāmen): This is the most critically debated and profound phrase. Shāmen literally means "oil," specifically anointing oil. This can be interpreted in several ways:
      1. Divine Anointing of a King/Messiah: Most prominently, it points to God's "Anointed One" (מָשִׁיחַ, Mashiach - Messiah), whose anointing signifies divine empowerment to deliver His people. This aligns with other Messiah prophecies in Isaiah (9, 11, 42, 61) and God's pattern of delivering Israel through anointed leaders (judges, kings). The "Anointing" could refer to the Spirit of God upon this deliverer (Isa 11:2).
      2. Anointing on Israel/Remnant: The oil might symbolize God's blessing, abundance, and favor on His people, making them so "fat" or prosperous spiritually and materially that the oppressive yoke cannot fit or stay on them; it bursts because of their abundance.
      3. The Divine Spirit: Anointing often signifies the Holy Spirit (Isa 61:1, Lk 4:18). The power of the Holy Spirit, not human might, breaks the bondage.
      4. Healing Oil/Miraculous Power: In a lesser view, the "anointing oil" might represent the supernatural, healing power of God that drives away sickness and bondage, much like healing balms.The prevailing and strongest interpretation, especially in light of the larger context of Isaiah's messianic prophecies, links "the anointing" to the presence and power of the divinely chosen Messiah, operating under the Spirit of the Lord, as the ultimate agent of deliverance.

Isaiah 10 27 Bonus section

The Hebrew word šāmen (שָׁמֶן) translated as "anointing" literally means "oil" and can refer to richness or fatness. Early Jewish interpreters, such as Targum Jonathan, paraphrase this phrase as "the abundance of glory." This interpretation aligns with the idea that the "fatness" or prosperity of the Lord's people would be so great that the oppressive yoke could no longer fit or bear upon them, causing it to burst. This emphasizes God's abundant blessing and protective favor as a source of liberation. However, the consistent prophetic theme in Isaiah concerning a future Davidic king "anointed" by the Spirit of the Lord, strongly positions the Messianic interpretation as the most profound fulfillment, encompassing both spiritual and physical deliverance. This prophecy not only points to the specific deliverance from Assyria for Judah but also resonates forward to the ultimate salvation brought by Jesus Christ, whose entire ministry began with His anointing by the Spirit and declaration of liberation for the oppressed (Luke 4:18-19).

Isaiah 10 27 Commentary

Isaiah 10:27 presents a powerful and hopeful image of divine liberation. It's a declaration of God's active involvement in breaking the oppressive chains placed upon His people. The "burden" and "yoke" vividly illustrate the harsh subjugation experienced under the Assyrian empire, encompassing forced labor, tribute, and loss of sovereignty. God's promise is not just for the burden to be lightened, but for it to be completely "taken away" and for the "yoke" to be utterly "destroyed," signifying a permanent and absolute end to the oppression.

The climactic phrase, "because of the anointing," carries profound theological weight. While some historical interpretations connect "anointing" to a prosperous state (fatness, oil) that physically breaks the yoke, the most robust and widely accepted understanding links it to the Anointed One – the Messiah – or the Holy Spirit dwelling among His people. In the context of Isaiah's rich messianic prophecies (e.g., chapters 9 and 11), this "anointing" refers to the unique divine empowerment of the promised Davidic King, Jesus Christ. He, imbued with the Spirit of the Lord, is the ultimate breaker of yokes—whether physical oppression, the burden of sin, or spiritual bondage. This verse assures that ultimate freedom is not achieved through human might or political maneuvering, but solely through the Spirit-empowered action of God's chosen Deliverer.

Practical Examples:

  • A believer facing a debilitating addiction or emotional burden might find strength in this verse, trusting that the Spirit's anointing can break that spiritual yoke.
  • Churches or communities suffering under systemic oppression can draw hope that divine intervention, guided by God's truth and Spirit, can lead to liberation.