Isaiah 17 9

Isaiah 17:9 kjv

In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.

Isaiah 17:9 nkjv

In that day his strong cities will be as a forsaken bough And an uppermost branch, Which they left because of the children of Israel; And there will be desolation.

Isaiah 17:9 niv

In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation.

Isaiah 17:9 esv

In that day their strong cities will be like the deserted places of the wooded heights and the hilltops, which they deserted because of the children of Israel, and there will be desolation.

Isaiah 17:9 nlt

Their largest cities will be like a deserted forest,
like the land the Hivites and Amorites abandoned
when the Israelites came here so long ago.
It will be utterly desolate.

Isaiah 17 verses

Isaiah 17 9 meaning

Isaiah 17:9 proclaims that a future day will bring devastating judgment upon the fortified cities of Syria and Israel. These strongholds, once symbols of security, will be rendered utterly desolate and abandoned, becoming wild and overgrown like forests. The verse draws a stark comparison, likening this future desolation to the fate of cities previously occupied by the Hivites and Amorites, which were forsaken and laid waste as the Israelites, guided by God, entered the Promised Land. This prophetic statement signifies complete ruin and desolation brought about by divine decree.

Isaiah 17 9 Context

Isaiah chapter 17 is a prophecy primarily concerned with the judgment against Damascus, the capital of Aram (Syria), and Ephraim, the northern kingdom of Israel. This oracle dates to the period of the Syro-Ephraimite War (around 735-732 BCE). During this time, King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel formed an alliance against Judah, aiming to depose King Ahaz and force Judah to join their anti-Assyrian coalition. Ahaz, despite Isaiah's warnings, chose to appeal to Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria for help.

Verse 9, therefore, depicts the inevitable outcome for these nations. Their reliance on their fortified cities and military strength, rather than on God, would prove futile in the face of Assyrian power, which God would use as an instrument of His judgment. The reference to "Hivites and Amorites" evokes a fundamental event in Israel's history—the initial conquest of Canaan. This comparison serves as a powerful reminder of God's sovereign power to uproot nations, placing Aram and Israel under a similar historical judgment previously experienced by the idolatrous Canaanites, specifically because both Aram and Israel had forsaken God (Isa 17:10).

Isaiah 17 9 Word analysis

• בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא (ba-yom ha-hu): "In that day." This is a significant prophetic phrase, frequently used in the Old Testament to mark a specific time of God's decisive action, often a day of judgment or a day of salvation. Here, it denotes a definite, imminent, and historical judgment, specifically referring to the Assyrian invasion.
• עָרֵי מָעֻזּוֹ (arei ma'uzzo): "his strong cities" or "his cities of strength/fortress." The term מָעוֹז (ma'oz) means stronghold or refuge. It emphasizes the human-made defenses in which these nations trusted for security. The prophecy implies these very fortresses, intended for protection, will offer no defense against God's judgment.
• כְּעָזוּב הַחֹרֶשׁ (ke-'azuv ha-choresh): "like an abandoned forest/thicket." The Hebrew word עָזַב ('azav) means to abandon, forsake. חֹרֶשׁ (choresh) refers to a dense forest or thicket, often wild and untamed. The imagery vividly portrays the transformation of thriving urban centers into overgrown, unkempt wilderness, indicative of complete desertion and ruin.
• וְהָאָמִיר (ve-ha-'amir): "and the mountain thicket" or "and the high forest/top of the trees." While some ancient translations suggest "harvest" (implying the clearing of trees), the predominant interpretation, especially alongside "forest," is a desolate, wild place where only natural vegetation remains or reclaims the land. This intensifies the imagery of complete reversion to wildness and abandonment.
• אֲשֶׁר עָזְבוּ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל ('asher 'azvu mipp'nei b'nei yisrael): "which they abandoned because of the children of Israel." This clause is critical. It grounds the future judgment in a past divine act of dispossessing the Canaanites. מִפְּנֵי (mipp'nei) means "from the face of" or "because of." The "they" refers to the Hivites and Amorites. This direct comparison links the judgment of Damascus/Ephraim to a powerful, divinely-orchestrated historical precedent, showing God's consistent sovereignty over nations.
• הַחִוִּי וְהָאֱמֹרִי (ha-chivvi ve-ha-emori): "the Hivite and the Amorite." These were prominent Canaanite peoples identified in the Torah as inhabitants of the land that God promised to Abraham's descendants. Their displacement by Israel was not a human military victory alone but a divine act of judgment against their idolatry and wickedness.
• וְהָיְתָה שְׁמָמָה (ve-hayta sh'mamah): "and it will be desolation." שְׁמָמָה (sh'mamah) is a strong word denoting utter waste, ruin, and uninhabited emptiness. It is a recurring prophetic term for the extreme outcome of divine judgment, signifying irreversible destruction and removal of all life and order.

Isaiah 17 9 Bonus section

The comparison to the Hivites and Amorites goes beyond a simple historical parallel; it functions as a strong polemic against the then-contemporary idolatry and spiritual forgetfulness of both Aram and Israel. By aligning them with the original pagan inhabitants of Canaan, Isaiah de-legitimizes their perceived standing or unique status before God. It strips away any pretense of invulnerability or divine favor, even for Israel, the covenant nation. Furthermore, the description of cities returning to "forest" or "thicket" (חֹרֶשׁ וְהָאָמִיר) illustrates an extreme form of judgment often overlooked. This is not just capture or resettlement; it signifies the total obliteration of a human presence, such that nature itself reclaims what was once urbanized. This "wilderness reclaiming" motif highlights the ephemeral nature of human empires compared to the eternal sovereignty of God. The complete desolation underscores the consequence of national sin, not just individual acts. This pattern of land becoming desolate and reverting to wilderness or inhabited by wild animals is a recurring sign of severe covenant judgment throughout Scripture.

Isaiah 17 9 Commentary

Isaiah 17:9 serves as a stark prophetic warning delivered during a critical geopolitical juncture for Israel and Syria. The verse vividly portrays the comprehensive judgment that awaits Damascus and Ephraim: their meticulously constructed, strong cities, which symbolized their security and power, will crumble and be reabsorbed by the untamed wilderness. This imagery signifies not merely military defeat but utter and permanent desolation, a complete reversal of human order and civilization. The most potent aspect of this prophecy is the historical comparison to the Hivites and Amorites. This is a profound theological statement. These were peoples whose land Israel took possession of under divine command, precisely because God was judging their iniquity. By likening the fate of Damascus and Ephraim to that of the ancient Canaanites, Isaiah delivers several messages: first, God's unchanging nature as a righteous judge who uproots nations for their wickedness and idolatry (Isa 17:10). Second, it creates an ironic and bitter parallel for Israel: they, who were once agents of God's judgment against others, would now themselves face a similar desolation, losing their strong cities as a consequence of their own apostasy. Their trust in military alliances and fortifications, rather than in the Lord, sealed their fate. The verse encapsulates a divine pattern: nations that oppose God or forsake Him, regardless of their military might or perceived security, are subject to His sovereign judgment, leading to complete and enduring ruin.