Isaiah 29 8

Isaiah 29:8 kjv

It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

Isaiah 29:8 nkjv

It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams, And look?he eats; But he awakes, and his soul is still empty; Or as when a thirsty man dreams, And look?he drinks; But he awakes, and indeed he is faint, And his soul still craves: So the multitude of all the nations shall be, Who fight against Mount Zion."

Isaiah 29:8 niv

as when a hungry person dreams of eating, but awakens hungry still; as when a thirsty person dreams of drinking, but awakens faint and thirsty still. So will it be with the hordes of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion.

Isaiah 29:8 esv

As when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he is eating, and awakes with his hunger not satisfied, or as when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he is drinking, and awakes faint, with his thirst not quenched, so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion.

Isaiah 29:8 nlt

A hungry person dreams of eating
but wakes up still hungry.
A thirsty person dreams of drinking
but is still faint from thirst when morning comes.
So it will be with your enemies,
with those who attack Mount Zion."

Isaiah 29 verses

Isaiah 29 8 meaning

Isaiah 29:8 presents a vivid simile describing the futility and ultimate disappointment of nations that attempt to overthrow Jerusalem, God's chosen city and people (Zion). Like a person who dreams of eating when hungry or drinking when thirsty, only to wake up still starving or parched, these enemies will envision victory and satisfaction against Zion. However, their hopes will prove to be a mere illusion, dissipating upon the arrival of reality, leaving them empty, weary, and their desires intensified and unfulfilled. It underscores that any opposition against God's purposes will result in utter disillusionment and defeat.

Isaiah 29 8 Context

Isaiah 29 is a multifaceted chapter primarily focused on God's judgment and ultimate redemption concerning Jerusalem, referred to as Ariel (meaning "lion of God" or "altar hearth"). The initial verses (29:1-8) detail a prophecy concerning Jerusalem's distress, impending siege by Assyria, and the resulting humiliation, likening it to a "vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed" (29:11). This spiritual dullness and stupor afflicting God's own people precede the prophecy against their enemies. Verses 9-16 describe Jerusalem's spiritual blindness and hypocritical worship.

Verse 8 specifically pivots from Jerusalem's internal struggles to the external enemies threatening it. It falls within the broader context of prophecies foretelling both Judah's chastisement and its eventual vindication through divine intervention. Historically, this primarily references the Assyrian threat under Sennacherib in Isaiah's time, where Jerusalem faced overwhelming odds but was miraculously delivered by God (Isaiah 37). Culturally, Jerusalem (Zion) was God's chosen dwelling place and the capital of His covenant people. Any attack on Zion was seen as an attack on God Himself, making the outcome inevitable. The "multitude of all the nations" here signifies the combined forces or collective spirit of opposition to God's reign and people.

Isaiah 29 8 Word analysis

• It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty:

  • hungry man (Hebrew: ra'ev): Denotes deep, physical need. Represents a universal, urgent, and undeniable desire for satisfaction.
  • dreameth (Hebrew: יַחֲלֹם, yaḥălom): The act of dreaming implies an internal, subjective experience. It is a mental construction, detached from external reality, suggesting illusion or false perception.
  • he eateth (Hebrew: יֹאכֵל, yoḵēl): Describes the perception of fulfillment within the dream. The momentary, imagined satisfaction appears real but lacks substance.
  • awaketh (Hebrew: יָקִיץ, yaqits): The abrupt transition back to reality. It marks the moment of disillusionment when the true state of affairs is confronted.
  • his soul is empty (Hebrew: וְנַפְשׁוֹ רֵקָה, wə-nap̄šōw rêqâ): The nephesh (soul, life-force, inner being) remains devoid. The emptiness is internal and profound, signifying no real nourishment was gained, leaving the individual exactly as they were, if not worse.
    • Words-group: hungry man dreameth... awaketh, and his soul is empty: This first analogy vividly contrasts an imagined state of gratification with a stark return to unfulfilled longing. The perceived satisfaction is momentary and completely insubstantial. The 'empty soul' suggests a deep-seated lack, far beyond mere physical emptiness, reaching into one's very being.

• or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, his soul is faint, and he hath longing:

  • thirsty man (Hebrew: צָמֵא, tsāmê): Another fundamental human need, emphasizing an intense craving, a longing for replenishment.
  • he drinketh (Hebrew: יִשְׁתֶּה, yišteh): The imagined act of satisfying the thirst within the dream. Again, temporary and false.
  • his soul is faint (Hebrew: וְנַפְשׁוֹ עַיֵפָה, wə-nap̄šōw ʿăyēp̄â): The inner being is exhausted and weak, reflecting profound weariness from prolonged deprivation. The Hebrew word 'ayēphah (faint, weary, exhausted) highlights physical and spiritual depletion.
  • he hath longing (Hebrew: וְשֹׁקֵקָה, wə-šōqēqâ): This word signifies a yearning, a panting, an intense desire. It emphasizes that the original craving is not only not met but is amplified and becomes more persistent upon awakening, indicating a deeper, more painful dissatisfaction than before the dream.
    • Words-group: thirsty man dreameth... awaketh, and his soul is faint, and he hath longing: This second analogy reinforces the first but with an added layer of suffering. The 'faint soul' points to actual physical/spiritual depletion, and 'longing' explicitly states that the desire isn't just unmet but actively persists and even intensifies, suggesting a worse state after the delusion.

• so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

  • multitude of all the nations (Hebrew: כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם, kāl-hag·gō·wîm): Refers to the collective, formidable opposition. The term goyim ("nations," "Gentiles") often carries connotations of those outside of God's covenant, arrayed against His purposes.
  • fight against (Hebrew: הַצֹּבְאִים, haṣ·ṣō·ḇə·’îm): Implies active, military aggression or warfare, indicating a direct challenge to Zion's existence and God's authority.
  • mount Zion (Hebrew: הַר־צִיּוֹן, har-tsî·yō·wn): The sacred hill in Jerusalem, symbolizing the dwelling place of God, His covenant people, and His Kingdom. Attacking Zion is, by extension, attacking God Himself and His divine plan.
    • Words-group: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion: This conclusive statement directly applies the powerful dream analogy to the enemies of Zion. Their anticipated victory and spoils will be nothing more than a delusion, ultimately resulting in a profound and aggravated state of emptiness, failure, and frustration, intensified by the stark contrast between their illusion and the harsh reality of God's steadfast protection over Zion. This constitutes a direct polemic against any nation believing in its own military might against divine power.

Isaiah 29 8 Bonus section

The passage speaks not only of historical conflicts like the Assyrian siege but carries significant eschatological weight, hinting at all future spiritual and physical battles against God's ultimate kingdom, represented by Zion. It implies a timeless principle: human effort and ambition, when set against divine will, are ultimately vaporous and produce no lasting satisfaction. The spiritual dimension is key; just as the hungry man's body is untouched by his dream meal, the spiritual core of those who oppose God remains empty and unfed by their temporal achievements or illusory victories. This underscores a broader biblical truth that true sustenance and satisfaction come only from God and His righteous ways (Jn 6:35), not from conquest or earthly gain achieved through rebellion against Him.

Isaiah 29 8 Commentary

Isaiah 29:8 functions as a solemn divine verdict, delivered through a relatable, psychological metaphor. It reveals the utter futility of opposing God's chosen place and people. The hunger and thirst represent the ambitions, desires, and perceived needs of the nations hostile to Zion—their longing for power, dominance, or spoils. Their "dream" is the illusion of triumph over God's established order. While they may feel they are succeeding, even taste victory in their plans and early skirmishes, this is merely a fleeting mental construct.

The "awakening" is the inevitable clash with the reality of God's power and sovereignty, which dismantles their false hopes. The crucial element is the aftermath: the state of being worse than before. Their souls are not just hungry or thirsty, but "empty" and "faint," filled with "longing." This suggests that the disillusionment is more painful because of the previous, fleeting hope. It’s not just a return to the status quo, but a plunge into deepened despair and intensified craving for what they failed to grasp. This teaches us that opposition to God, though it may momentarily appear promising, ultimately leaves the aggressor spiritually, morally, and often materially bankrupt. For those who belong to God, it offers reassurance that despite fierce opposition, God protects His own.