Isaiah 17:5 kjv
And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.
Isaiah 17:5 nkjv
It shall be as when the harvester gathers the grain, And reaps the heads with his arm; It shall be as he who gathers heads of grain In the Valley of Rephaim.
Isaiah 17:5 niv
It will be as when reapers harvest the standing grain, gathering the grain in their arms? as when someone gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
Isaiah 17:5 esv
And it shall be as when the reaper gathers standing grain and his arm harvests the ears, and as when one gleans the ears of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
Isaiah 17:5 nlt
The whole land will look like a grainfield
after the harvesters have gathered the grain.
It will be desolate,
like the fields in the valley of Rephaim after the harvest.
Isaiah 17 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 17:5 | As when the harvest reapers gather the standing grain | Isa 17:5 |
| Jeremiah 5:17 | Your harvest will be devoured, as locusts devour the standing grain | Jer 5:17 |
| Amos 9:9 | "I will scatter you among the nations, like grain is sifted through a sieve" | Amos 9:9 |
| Hosea 1:5 | I will break the kingdom of Israel. | Hos 1:5 |
| Zechariah 11:1 | "Wail, O cypress tree, for the cedar has fallen" | Zech 11:1 |
| Leviticus 26:16 | I will bring upon you terror... your crops will be eaten by enemies | Lev 26:16 |
| Deuteronomy 28:48 | You will serve your enemies in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and in want | Deut 28:48 |
| Judges 6:11 | Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress to keep it from the Midianites | Judg 6:11 |
| Psalm 37:2 | They will soon be cut down like grass. | Ps 37:2 |
| Psalm 105:34 | He spoke, and locusts came, and young locusts without number | Ps 105:34 |
| Nahum 3:15 | "Thresh there, O Nineveh; prepare your cattle stalls!" | Nah 3:15 |
| Matthew 24:22 | "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive." | Matt 24:22 |
| Luke 21:24 | They will fall by the sword and will be taken captive to all nations | Luke 21:24 |
| Revelation 9:4 | They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. | Rev 9:4 |
| Revelation 18:17 | "In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!" | Rev 18:17 |
| 2 Kings 19:30 | Those who survive in Jerusalem will cling to life, a remnant. | 2 Kin 19:30 |
| Isaiah 1:7 | Your land is laid waste, your cities burned with fire. | Isa 1:7 |
| Isaiah 3:1 | The Lord, the Lord Almighty, is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support. | Isa 3:1 |
| Isaiah 10:22 | Though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. | Isa 10:22 |
| Isaiah 24:1 | The Lord is about to lay waste the earth and devastate it. | Isa 24:1 |
| Isaiah 27:13 | And in that day a great trumpet will be blown. | Isa 27:13 |
Isaiah 17 verses
Isaiah 17 5 Meaning
The verse describes a severe famine that will be so devastating that only a few young animals will survive. It highlights the complete desolation and emptiness that will afflict the land.
Isaiah 17 5 Context
This verse is part of a larger prophecy against Damascus, the capital city of Syria. Isaiah is pronouncing judgment upon this ancient city. The preceding verses speak of its destruction and downfall. The chapter links the fate of Damascus to the judgment on Israel and other nations. The imagery of the harvest being reaped signifies a time of severe judgment and removal.
Isaiah 17 5 Word analysis
"As": Comparison; simile introduced.
"when": Temporal indicator.
"the harvest": Hebrew: קָצִיר (qatsir) - harvest, reaping; grain or produce after it has been cut. Denotes a time of reaping the consequences of actions.
"reapers": Hebrew: קֹצְרִים (qotsrim) - reapers, those who harvest. Those who carry out the act of reaping, symbolizing instruments of judgment.
"gather": Hebrew: אָסַף (asaf) - to gather, collect, take away, consume. Indicates a deliberate and thorough taking.
"the standing grain": Hebrew: שִׁבֳּלִים (shibbōlim) - ears of grain, ears of corn. Refers to the ripe crop ready for harvesting. The loss of this represents total depletion.
"and": Conjunction, linking the two parts of the simile.
"as": Comparison; simile.
"the ears": Hebrew: זְרוֹעֹת (zerō't) - arms, branches. Here referring to the arms or branches holding the grain.
"of a field": Hebrew: שָׂדַי (saday) - field, open country. The place where the grain grows.
"harvested": Hebrew: קָצְרָה (qatsrah) - was reaped. Passive participle of קָצַר (qatsar) - to reap. Reinforces the idea of being cut down.
"and": Conjunction.
"his arm": Hebrew: זְרוֹעֹו (zero'o) - his arm. Referring to the reaper's arm, symbolizing the strength and action of judgment.
"shall search": Hebrew: יְדֻרַשׁ (yĕdurash) - shall be sought out, searched for, enquired of. Implies a meticulous and complete scouring.
"for the chief ears": Hebrew: רֹאשׁ־שִׁבֳּלִים (rosh-shibbōlim) - head of ears, chief ears, spike of grain. The prime portion of the grain, the best and most substantial parts.
Group Analysis (verse structure): The verse presents a dual simile comparing the desolation of Damascus to the thoroughness of a harvest. First, the grain itself is gathered. Then, the searching of the field and the "arms" or reapers looking for the "chief ears" emphasizes an even more exhaustive process, leaving nothing behind. This signifies a complete stripping and removal.
Isaiah 17 5 Bonus Section
The imagery of harvesting often carries a double meaning in the Bible: sometimes representing judgment (as here) and other times representing God's blessing and the ingathering of His people. In this context, it is unequivocally a picture of judgment and destruction. The meticulousness of the harvest—searching even for the "chief ears"—suggests a judgment that is precise and leaves no remnant for recovery, underscoring the severity of God's pronouncement against Damascus for its sins against His people.
Isaiah 17 5 Commentary
This verse vividly portrays the completeness of God's judgment upon Damascus. The comparison to a harvest highlights the finality of the destruction. Not only will the bulk of the produce be taken, but even the "chief ears" – the most valuable and remaining parts – will be diligently searched for and removed. This suggests that no one or nothing will escape the devastation. The prophecy signifies a profound emptiness and a loss that leaves the land barren, echoing themes of judgment found throughout Scripture.