Isaiah 8 15

Isaiah 8:15 kjv

And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

Isaiah 8:15 nkjv

And many among them shall stumble; They shall fall and be broken, Be snared and taken."

Isaiah 8:15 niv

Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured."

Isaiah 8:15 esv

And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken."

Isaiah 8:15 nlt

Many will stumble and fall,
never to rise again.
They will be snared and captured."

Isaiah 8 verses

Isaiah 8 15 meaning

Isaiah 8:15 vividly portrays the severe and escalating consequences for those who reject the Lord, particularly as He presents Himself as a test and a "stumbling stone." This verse illustrates a progressive series of judgments for disbelief: from initial error to complete defeat. Those who refuse to trust in God and instead rely on their own wisdom or worldly alliances will inevitably face spiritual and existential collapse, culminating in total capture and ruin.

Isaiah 8 15 Context

Isaiah 8:15 stands as a dire warning within the broader prophetic messages of Isaiah chapter 8. This chapter immediately follows Isaiah 7, where King Ahaz of Judah refuses to ask for a sign from the Lord, indicating a deep-seated unbelief amidst a national crisis—the Syro-Ephraimitic war. Judah, under attack from Aram and Israel (Ephraim), is pressured to trust in foreign alliances (specifically Assyria) rather than Yahweh. Isaiah, guided by God, assures Ahaz that these enemies will be broken, but also warns of a coming judgment through Assyria upon Judah itself due to its faithlessness. Verse 13 commands the people to "Sanctify the LORD of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread," then verse 14 states, "And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem." Verse 15 directly follows this, elaborating on the consequences for those who stumble over or reject this divine test, showing the profound danger of refusing to trust God's plan and prophetic word. It serves as a stark polemic against reliance on human strategies, fear of earthly powers, or rejection of divine revelation, instead of fearing and trusting in God alone.

Isaiah 8 15 Word analysis

• וְרַבִּים (v'rabbim): "And many." From the root rab, meaning "great, numerous." Here, it specifically refers to a substantial portion, but not all, of the people within Judah who would face these consequences. It emphasizes the widespread nature of disbelief and its resulting judgment.

• בָּם (bam): "Among them." A suffix pronoun indicating possession or relation, meaning "among the very people" mentioned in the preceding context—the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

• וְכָשְׁלוּ (v'kashlu): "And shall stumble." From the Hebrew verb כשל (kashal), meaning "to stumble, totter, falter, or be tripped." This is often used both physically and metaphorically for a moral or spiritual failure, a lapse, or an obstacle causing difficulty. It signifies an initial misstep or unexpected encounter with the "stumbling stone."

• וְנָפְלוּ (v'naflu): "And shall fall." From the Hebrew verb נפל (nafal), meaning "to fall, drop, collapse, fall prostrate, or fail." This is a more definitive action than stumbling; it implies a complete loss of balance, a downfall, or a defeat that follows the initial stumbling. It indicates failure to recover from the stumble.

• וְנִשְׁבְּרוּ (v'nishb'ru): "And be broken." From the Hebrew verb שׁבר (shabar), meaning "to break, shatter, crush, or destroy." The Nifal (passive/reflexive) stem here means they "will be broken," implying severe, irreparable damage to their being, plans, or national strength. It signifies physical or spiritual devastation.

• וְנוֹקְשׁוּ (v'nokshu): "And be snared." From the Hebrew verb יקשׁ (yaqosh), meaning "to lay a snare, trap." The Nifal stem denotes "be caught in a snare" or "be entrapped." This points to a state of being captured by an unseen or deceptive device, often referring to a hunter's trap, signifying loss of freedom or a binding predicament.

• וְנִלְכְּדוּ (v'nilk'du): "And be taken" or "And be captured." From the Hebrew verb לכד (lakad), meaning "to catch, capture, seize, or take." The Nifal stem indicates "be captured," signifying total defeat, subjugation, or imprisonment. This often refers to literal captivity or military conquest, marking the final stage of ruin.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Many of them" (וְרַבִּים בָּם): This phrase underscores that the warning and its consequences are widespread but not universal, targeting a significant segment of the population that rejects God’s counsel.
  • "Shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken": This sequence of five verbs creates a powerful, escalating portrayal of destruction. It moves from an initial, perhaps avoidable, misstep (stumble) through increasingly severe stages: a definitive collapse (fall), then shattering personal or national identity (be broken), then loss of freedom and entrapment (be snared), and finally complete subjugation or destruction (be taken/captured). This progression graphically illustrates the inevitable and ultimate doom awaiting those who harden their hearts against the Lord who acts as their "stumbling stone."

Isaiah 8 15 Bonus section

The Nifal stem (passive/reflexive) used in the verbs "be broken," "be snared," and "be taken" is significant. It implies that these consequences are not just self-inflicted but are the result of God's sovereign judgment or the natural, unavoidable outcome initiated by their actions, essentially being done to them, often by God Himself or by His permissive will allowing their enemies to act. This emphasizes the inescapable nature of their fate once they have made the choice to reject Him. The entire passage in Isaiah 8 speaks to God's holiness and His unyielding stance against unbelief, demonstrating that His presence, while a sanctuary for the faithful, becomes a source of utter destruction for the rebellious.

Isaiah 8 15 Commentary

Isaiah 8:15 serves as a profound warning that clarifies the dire implications of confronting the Lord as a "stone of stumbling and rock of offense" (v. 14). It articulates a cascading judgment for disbelief and rejection of God’s clear revelation and provision, epitomized by the prophet's message in Judah’s crisis. The escalating verbs—stumble, fall, broken, snared, and taken—are not mere synonyms but describe a distinct progression from an initial misstep to ultimate ruin. This prophetic declaration illustrates that resisting divine truth leads to not only individual moral and spiritual decay but also national vulnerability and eventual defeat. It is a timeless reminder that ignoring or actively opposing God's call for trust and obedience results in severe and compounding consequences. In its Messianic fulfillment, this verse points to the fate of all who reject Jesus Christ, who Himself became that very cornerstone over which many stumble and are ultimately broken.