Isaiah 7:20 kjv
In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.
Isaiah 7:20 nkjv
In the same day the Lord will shave with a hired razor, With those from beyond the River, with the king of Assyria, The head and the hair of the legs, And will also remove the beard.
Isaiah 7:20 niv
In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River?the king of Assyria?to shave your heads and private parts, and to cut off your beards also.
Isaiah 7:20 esv
In that day the Lord will shave with a razor that is hired beyond the River ? with the king of Assyria ? the head and the hair of the feet, and it will sweep away the beard also.
Isaiah 7:20 nlt
In that day the Lord will hire a "razor" from beyond the Euphrates River ? the king of Assyria ? and use it to shave off everything: your land, your crops, and your people.
Isaiah 7 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 7:1 | Ahaz to seek help from Assyria | Parallel situation of seeking foreign aid |
| 2 Kings 16:7 | Ahaz sends messengers and gifts to Tiglath-Pileser | Historical fulfillment of prophecy |
| Hos 10:5 | The calf of Beth-aven will be carried to Assyria | Similar imagery of judgment through Assyria |
| Nah 3:15 | Your armies will be a devouring fire | God using a powerful force for judgment |
| Ezek 5:1-2 | Description of God using a sword to cut hair for judgment | Comparable judgment through hair imagery |
| Jer 44:11 | God setting His face against them for disaster | God's active role in bringing judgment |
| Luke 3:17 | John the Baptist's prophecy of judgment | Echoes of divine judgment and separation |
| Rev 9:15 | The four angels released to kill a third of mankind | God's instruments of judgment, though on a larger scale |
| Isa 10:5-6 | Assyria as God's rod of anger | Assyria as an instrument of God's wrath |
| Isa 10:15 | God questioning the boasting of Assyria | God controlling even the instruments of His judgment |
| 1 Cor 3:17 | God destroying anyone who destroys the church | God's protective judgment |
| Isa 37:36 | The Angel of the Lord striking down the Assyrian army | God ultimately controlling the Assyrian threat |
| Ps 76:10 | God making the remainder of wrath serve Him | God turning even human wrath to His purposes |
| Rom 11:22 | God's severity and kindness | God's judgment as part of a larger redemptive plan |
| Amos 3:11 | Judgment coming from the north | Assyria as an enemy from the north |
| Joel 1:7 | The vine is ruined | Imagery of devastating loss and destruction |
| Hab 1:10 | Nebuchadnezzar described as mocking kings | Arrogance of conquerors judged by God |
| Deut 28:15-68 | Curses for disobedience, including being shaven | Specific judgments for Israel's covenant breaking |
| Lev 19:27 | Prohibition against shaving the sides of the head or beard | The judgment here involves a desecration of these areas |
| Isa 5:28 | Descriptions of the Assyrian army as swift and fierce | Characteristics of the instrument of judgment |
Isaiah 7 verses
Isaiah 7 20 Meaning
This verse describes God's intention to hire or engage the services of the Assyrians as a razor. This razor is to be used for shaving the head and the feet, and it will also consume the beard. This imagery signifies a comprehensive and humiliating judgment upon Israel.
Isaiah 7 20 Context
In Isaiah chapter 7, the prophecy unfolds during the Syro-Ephraimite war. The Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and Syria have joined forces to attack Judah. King Ahaz of Judah is faced with this formidable threat and is contemplating seeking military aid from the powerful Assyrian Empire. Isaiah is sent by God to deliver a message to Ahaz. God assures Ahaz that the threat from Syria and Israel will not succeed, but the king's faith is weak. This verse (Isaiah 7:20) comes after God offers Ahaz a sign. When Ahaz refuses to ask for a sign, God declares that He will give one anyway – the sign of Immanuel. Immediately following this promise, God announces the coming judgment, which is depicted in verse 20 as being executed by the king of Assyria. The broader context is God's ongoing judgment against His people for their unfaithfulness and idolatry, using foreign nations as instruments.
Isaiah 7 20 Word Analysis
"and it shall come to pass": (Hebrew: וְהָיָה - v'hayah) – A common prophetic formula introducing a future event, emphasizing its certainty.
"in that day": (Hebrew: בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא - bayom hahū) – Refers to a specific future time of divine action or judgment.
"the Lord": (Hebrew: יְהוָה - YHWH) – The covenant name of God, underscoring His active and personal involvement in history.
"shall hire": (Hebrew: יִשְׂכֹּר - yiskor) – To hire, pay wages. Here, it signifies God's sovereign decision to employ and empower the king of Assyria as an agent for His purposes.
"with the razor": (Hebrew: בַּתַּ֪חַ֫וּר - battachur) – Can mean a razor, a barber's razor. This is the instrument of judgment, indicating a process of removal and humiliation.
"that is beyond the river": (Hebrew: מֵעֵבֶר לַנָּהָר - me'ever lannahar) – This refers to the region west of the Euphrates River, specifically Mesopotamia, where the Assyrian Empire was centered. It identifies the origin of the "razor."
"namely": (Hebrew: כִּי־ - ki-) – Introduces an explanation or further specification of the "razor."
"the king of Assyria": (Hebrew: מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר - melekh-Asshūr) – Identifies the specific agent of God's judgment.
"to shave withal": (Hebrew: לְגַלַּ֤חַֽ׃ - legallach) – The act of shaving. The object of this shaving is specified in the following clause.
"shall he shave": The emphasis is on the totality of the shaving action.
"thy head, and the hair of thy feet": Refers to shaving the entire body. Shaving the head was a sign of mourning or subjugation. Shaving the feet is an unusual expression, potentially emphasizing a complete stripping bare, or perhaps a poetic hyperbole for utter humiliation and devastation.
"and it shall also consume the beard": The beard was a sign of dignity and honor in ancient Near Eastern cultures. To have one's beard consumed or removed was a deep humiliation. This emphasizes the thoroughness of the judgment, leaving nothing honorable untouched.
Group Analysis: The Assyrian as God's hired razor: The entire verse employs a powerful metaphor. God doesn't just send Assyria; He hires them. This highlights God's absolute sovereignty over even pagan nations. The "razor" is the tool of judgment, and its "work" (shaving head, hair of feet, consuming beard) illustrates the comprehensive, shameful, and degrading nature of the judgment to come upon Judah, through the invading Assyrian army. The reference to "beyond the river" situates the instrument of judgment geographically.
Isaiah 7 20 Bonus Section
The specific imagery of shaving the head, feet, and beard relates to cultural understandings of honor and shame. A shaved head could signify a slave or captive. The beard was a significant symbol of male virility and honor. To have it shaved off or consumed was an extreme humiliation. Leviticus 19:27 explicitly prohibits the Israelites from shaving the "corners" of their beards, marking this area as culturally sensitive. Therefore, God using the Assyrians to shave these parts signifies a desecration of their cultural and personal identity, directly tied to their covenant disobedience. The "hair of the feet" is less clear but amplifies the totality of the debasement; it is as if their very walking and grounding is to be exposed and shamed. The "king of Assyria" is portrayed not as an independent actor but as a hired tool in God's hand. This perspective is echoed in Isaiah 10:5-15, where Assyria is called the "rod of God's anger," yet God will also hold them accountable for their arrogance.
Isaiah 7 20 Commentary
This verse vividly illustrates God's absolute sovereignty over all nations and rulers. He uses even wicked empires like Assyria as instruments to carry out His judgment against His own people when they turn away from Him. The imagery of shaving and consuming the beard conveys the complete devastation, humiliation, and stripping away of honor that the Assyrian invasion will bring upon Judah. It’s a stern warning about the consequences of unfaithfulness and reliance on foreign alliances rather than on God. The judgment described is total, affecting every aspect of their national life and dignity.