Isaiah 17:13 kjv
The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
Isaiah 17:13 nkjv
The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters; But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, And be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, Like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
Isaiah 17:13 niv
Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale.
Isaiah 17:13 esv
The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm.
Isaiah 17:13 nlt
But though they thunder like breakers on a beach,
God will silence them, and they will run away.
They will flee like chaff scattered by the wind,
like a tumbleweed whirling before a storm.
Isaiah 17 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 5:30 | They roar on that day like the roaring of the sea. | God's judgment, overwhelming nations |
| Jer 51:42 | Waters rise over her head; she is covered with the flood of the sea. | Nations as destructive waters |
| Jer 49:19 | he will quickly drive them away. | swift removal of nations |
| Jer 49:20 | he will suddenly make them flee from their dens. | sudden flight of enemies |
| Psa 1:4 | like chaff that the wind drives away. | Unrighteous scattered like chaff |
| Psa 18:42 | I will scatter them as dust before the wind; | Scattering enemies like dust |
| Psa 35:5 | Let them be like chaff before the wind, | Enemies scattered like chaff |
| Psa 83:13 | like tumbleweed or like chaff blown away by the wind. | Enemies scattered like chaff |
| Isa 29:5 | But the multitude of your foes shall be like fine dust, | Enemies as dust |
| Nah 1:3 | the Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. | God's power over nations |
| Nah 1:14 | there will be no offspring to bear your name. | Removal of oppressors |
| Zec 10:10 | they will flee from the enemies who oppress them. | Flight from oppressors |
| Mal 4:1 | they will be stubble, the day that is coming shall burn them up,' | Wicked like stubble |
| Matt 3:12 | His winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor. | Judgment separating chaff |
| Luke 3:17 | His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear out his threshing floor. | Divine judgment metaphor |
| John 10:28-29 | no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. | Security of the redeemed |
| Rev 1:15 | his voice was like the sound of many waters. | Christ's glorious voice |
| Rev 18:21 | a mighty angel took a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, | Judgment on Babylon |
| Rev 19:6 | the sound of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters or the crashing of | Praise like many waters |
| Rev 21:1 | Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away... | New creation, end of judgment |
Isaiah 17 verses
Isaiah 17 13 Meaning
The people of nations shall surge like the rushing of many waters. But when he rebukes them, they will flee far away, like chaff blown by the wind from the threshing floor or like dust scattered by a storm.
Isaiah 17 13 Context
This verse is part of a prophecy concerning judgment against Damascus and Israel, particularly the northern kingdom. Assyria was a significant threat in this region during Isaiah's time. The prophecy describes a coming devastation and then a reversal where Israel's enemies are utterly routed and scattered. The verse follows imagery of invading nations ("many waters") that will then be miraculously defeated.
Isaiah 17 13 Word Analysis
- and the nations shall (Hebrew: עמים amim): Refers to peoples, communities, or gentiles. In this context, it signifies vast numbers of people.
- rush (Hebrew: הָמוֹ hamo): To make a loud noise, to resound, to rush. Implies a powerful, tumultuous movement, like a large body of water.
- like the roaring of many waters (Hebrew: כְּהַמֹּ֥ת מַיִּם־ רַבִּֽים ke-hammot mayim rabbim): A simile emphasizing overwhelming numbers and a powerful, chaotic force. It evokes the image of waves crashing with great volume and strength.
- but when he (Hebrew: כִּֽי־ יִגְעַ֣ר־ בּ֔וֹ ki yig'ar bo): Refers to God. The verb "rebuke" (יִגְעַר yig'ar) signifies a sharp reprimand or scolding, carrying divine authority and power.
- rebukes (Hebrew: יִגְעַר yig'ar): To sharply rebuke, to chide, to command authoritatively. In a divine context, it implies a word or command that carries immediate and effective power to subdue or scatter.
- them (Hebrew: בּ֔וֹ bo): Refers back to the nations previously mentioned.
- they shall flee (Hebrew: וְנָס֗וּ ve-nasu): To flee, to escape, to run away. Indicates rapid departure.
- far away (Hebrew: וְנָס֥וּ לְמֵרָח֖וֹק ve-nasu le-merahoq): Indicates a great distance, emphasizing complete rout.
- like the chaff (Hebrew: כְּמֹ֣ו קַ֖שׁ kemo qash): A simile comparing the fleeing nations to light, easily dispersed material, readily blown away.
- which is driven (Hebrew: נִדַּ֣ף niddaf): To be driven, tossed, or scattered. Passive voice, highlighting that the action is done by an external force.
- by the wind (Hebrew: הָרוּחַ haruah): Refers to the wind, often a symbol of divine power or a manifestation of God's action in the Old Testament.
- from the threshing floor (Hebrew: מִגָּרָ֣נָה miggranah): The place where grain is separated from chaff, typically by winnowing. It is a place of separation and removal.
- and like dust (Hebrew: וּכְעָ֣וּר u-ke'av ): Similar to chaff, signifying something small, insignificant, and easily scattered. The Hebrew word 'av often implies fine particles or powder.
- scattered (Hebrew: מְסוֹסָה mesosah): To be scattered abroad, dispersed, made to move like scattered fragments.
- by a storm (Hebrew: בִּסְעָרָה bis'arah): A violent wind or tempest. Emphasizes the forceful and overwhelming nature of the scattering power.
Word Group Analysis
- Nations rushing like many waters: This group portrays a formidable invading force, vast and overwhelming in its approach, seemingly unstoppable like a great flood or sea surge.
- God rebukes them: This signifies divine intervention and authority. God's spoken word or command carries immense power to instantly counter and overturn the threatening multitude.
- Fleeing like chaff and dust scattered by wind and storm: This imagery powerfully contrasts the initial might of the nations with their utter helplessness and complete disintegration when confronted by God's power. The chaff and dust are powerless against the wind and storm, representing the total annihilation or dispersal of God's enemies.
Isaiah 17 13 Bonus Section
The use of "many waters" can be understood not only as a literal description of large armies but also as a symbol for chaotic, untamable, or rebellious nations in biblical literature, often associated with the sea in its unrestrained state. God's rebuking word is a manifestation of his divine authority, capable of bringing order out of chaos. The process described here mirrors the agricultural practice of threshing, where grain is separated from the worthless chaff. God, through His judgment, separates the righteous from the wicked, scattering the wicked like worthless byproducts of the harvest. This imagery serves as a consistent theme throughout Scripture, emphasizing God's ultimate control and victory over all opposition. The reference to "dust scattered by a storm" further intensifies the imagery of complete disintegration and insignificance.
Isaiah 17 13 Commentary
This verse provides a powerful image of God's sovereignty and his ability to utterly defeat even the most formidable earthly powers. The initial surge of nations like many waters represents a significant military threat. However, God's "rebuke" is not merely a verbal reprimand but an effective act of power that causes them to scatter as helplessly as chaff blown by the wind or dust dispersed by a storm. This highlights that human power and armies, however numerous, are ultimately insignificant when set against the Almighty. The imagery of chaff and dust is profound, conveying total loss of form, purpose, and coherence. The dual simile of wind and storm underscores the totality of this divine scattering, implying both a powerful force and a destructive, overwhelming nature. It reassures believers that their ultimate security lies not in human strength but in God's decisive intervention.