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Selected Verse: Isaiah 17:12 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 17:12	Strong Concordance	Woe [01945] to the multitude [01995] of many [07227] people [05971], which make a noise [01993] like the noise [01993] of the seas [03220]; and to the rushing [07588] of nations [03816], that make a rushing like the rushing [07582] of mighty [03524] waters [04325]!
	King James	Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
SUDDEN DESTRUCTION OF A GREAT ARMY IN JUDEA (namely that of the Assyrian Sennacherib), AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE EVENT TO THE ETHIOPIAN AMBASSADORS. (Isa. 17:12-18:7) Woe . . . multitude--rather, "Ho (Hark)! a noise of," &c. The prophet in vision perceives the vast and mixed Assyrian hosts (Hebrew, "many peoples," see on Isa 5:26): on the hills of Judah (so "mountains," Isa 17:13): but at the "rebuke" of God, they shall "flee as chaff." to the rushing . . . that make--rather, "the roaring . . . roareth" (compare Isa 8:7; Jer 6:23).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

SUDDEN DESTRUCTION OF A GREAT ARMY IN JUDEA (namely that of the Assyrian Sennacherib), AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE EVENT TO THE ETHIOPIAN AMBASSADORS. (Isa. 17:12-18:7)

Woe . . . multitude--rather, "Ho (Hark)! a noise of," &c. The prophet in vision perceives the vast and mixed Assyrian hosts (Hebrew, "many peoples," see on Isa 5:26): on the hills of Judah (so "mountains," Isa 17:13): but at the "rebuke" of God, they shall "flee as chaff."

to the rushing . . . that make--rather, "the roaring . . . roareth" (compare Isa 8:7; Jer 6:23).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Wo to the multitude ... - The word 'woe' (הוי hôy) may be either an interjection simply directing the attention to them, or it may be a word indicating approaching calamity and judgment (see the note at Isa 5:6). Gesenius supposes that it is rather the language of compassion, on account of the evil which they threatened to bring upon the people of God, like Kg1 13:30, 'Ah! wo, my brother!' The multitude of many people - Or, the tumult of many nations - a description of the noise attending an invading army made up of many nations mingled together, such as was that of Sennacherib. Which make a noise ... - This is a beautiful description of a vast army, and of the shouting, the tumult, the din, which attends its march. The same comparison occurs in Jer 6:23; Psa 65:7 (see Eze 43:2; Rev 1:15; Rev 14:2; Rev 19:6). And to the rushing of nations - The rushing of mighty armies to conquest.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
Fourth turn: "Woe to the raoring of many nations: like the roaring of seas they roar; and to the rumbling of nations, like the rumbling of mighty waters they rumble! Nations, like the rumbling of many waters they rumble; and He threatens it: then it flies far away, and is chased like chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a cloud of dust before the gale. At eventide, behold consternation; and before the morning dawn it is destroyed: this the portion of our plunderers, and the lot of our robbers." It is the destruction of Asshur that the prophet is predicting here (as in Isa 14:24-27; Isa 29:5-8, etc.), though not of Asshur as Asshur, but of Asshur as the imperial kingdom, which embraced a multitude of nations (Isa 22:6; Isa 8:9, Isa 8:10; Isa 14:26; Isa 29:7, Isa 29:8) all gathered together under the rule of one will, to make a common attack upon the church of God. The connection between this fourth turn and the third is precisely the same as between Isa 8:9, Isa 8:10, and Isa 8:6-8. The exclamation of woe (hoi) is an expression of pain, as in Isa 10:1; and this is followed by a proclamation of the judgment of wrath. The description of the rolling wave of nations is as pictorial as the well-known illi inter sese, etc., of the Cyclops in Virgil. "It spreads and stretches out, as if it would never cease to roll, and roar, and surge, and sweep onward in its course" (Drechsler). In the expression "it" (bo) in Isa 17:13, the many surging nations are kneaded together, as it were, into one mass. It costs God simply a threatening word; and this mass all flies apart (mimmerchâk like mērâchōk, Isa 23:7), and falls into dust, and whirls about in all directions, like the chaff of threshing-floors in high situations, or like dust whirled up by the storm. The judgment commences in the evening, and rages through the night; and before the morning dawns, the army of nations raised by the imperial power is all destroyed (compare Isa 29:7, Isa 29:8, and the fulfilment in Isa 37:36). The fact that the oracle concerning Damascus in its fourth stage takes so comprehensive and, so far as Israel is concerned, so promising a form, may be explained on the ground that Syria was the forerunner of Asshur in the attack upon Israel, and that the alliance between Israel and Syria became the occasion of the complications with Asshur. If the substance of the massâ Dammesek (the oracle concerning Damascus) had been restricted to the prophecy contained in the name Mahershalal, the element of promise so characteristic of the prophecies against the nations of the world would be entirely wanting. But the shout of triumph, "This is the portion," etc., supplied a terminal point, beyond which the massa could not go without the sacrifice of its unity. We are therefore warranted in regarding Isa 18:1-7 as an independent prophecy, notwithstanding its commencement, which apparently forms a continuation of the fourth strophe of Isa 17:1-14.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

Fourth turn: "Woe to the raoring of many nations: like the roaring of seas they roar; and to the rumbling of nations, like the rumbling of mighty waters they rumble! Nations, like the rumbling of many waters they rumble; and He threatens it: then it flies far away, and is chased like chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a cloud of dust before the gale. At eventide, behold consternation; and before the morning dawn it is destroyed: this the portion of our plunderers, and the lot of our robbers." It is the destruction of Asshur that the prophet is predicting here (as in Isa 14:24-27; Isa 29:5-8, etc.), though not of Asshur as Asshur, but of Asshur as the imperial kingdom, which embraced a multitude of nations (Isa 22:6; Isa 8:9, Isa 8:10; Isa 14:26; Isa 29:7, Isa 29:8) all gathered together under the rule of one will, to make a common attack upon the church of God. The connection between this fourth turn and the third is precisely the same as between Isa 8:9, Isa 8:10, and Isa 8:6-8. The exclamation of woe (hoi) is an expression of pain, as in Isa 10:1; and this is followed by a proclamation of the judgment of wrath. The description of the rolling wave of nations is as pictorial as the well-known illi inter sese, etc., of the Cyclops in Virgil. "It spreads and stretches out, as if it would never cease to roll, and roar, and surge, and sweep onward in its course" (Drechsler). In the expression "it" (bo) in Isa 17:13, the many surging nations are kneaded together, as it were, into one mass. It costs God simply a threatening word; and this mass all flies apart (mimmerchâk like mērâchōk, Isa 23:7), and falls into dust, and whirls about in all directions, like the chaff of threshing-floors in high situations, or like dust whirled up by the storm. The judgment commences in the evening, and rages through the night; and before the morning dawns, the army of nations raised by the imperial power is all destroyed (compare Isa 29:7, Isa 29:8, and the fulfilment in Isa 37:36). The fact that the oracle concerning Damascus in its fourth stage takes so comprehensive and, so far as Israel is concerned, so promising a form, may be explained on the ground that Syria was the forerunner of Asshur in the attack upon Israel, and that the alliance between Israel and Syria became the occasion of the complications with Asshur. If the substance of the massâ Dammesek (the oracle concerning Damascus) had been restricted to the prophecy contained in the name Mahershalal, the element of promise so characteristic of the prophecies against the nations of the world would be entirely wanting. But the shout of triumph, "This is the portion," etc., supplied a terminal point, beyond which the massa could not go without the sacrifice of its unity. We are therefore warranted in regarding Isa 18:1-7 as an independent prophecy, notwithstanding its commencement, which apparently forms a continuation of the fourth strophe of Isa 17:1-14.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Woe - This is a new prophecy, added for the comfort of God's people. Many - Combined together against Judah. Seas - Who invade my land and people with great force, as the sea does when it enters into the land by a breach.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Wo to the multitude - The three last verses of this chapter seem to have no relation to the foregoing prophecy, to which they are joined. It is a beautiful piece, standing singly and by itself; for neither has it any connection with what follows: whether it stands in its right place, or not, I cannot say. It is a noble description of the formidable invasion and the sudden overthrow of Sennacherib; which is intimated in the strongest terms and the most expressive images, exactly suitable to the event. Like the rushing of mighty waters! - Five words, three at the end of the twelfth verse, and two at the beginning of the thirteenth, are omitted in eight MSS., with the Syriac; that is, in effect, the repetition contained in the first line of Isa 17:13 in this translation, is not made. After having observed that it is equally easy to account for the omission of these words by a transcriber if they are genuine, or their insertion if they are not genuine, occasioned by his carrying his eye backwards to the word לאמים leammim, or forwards to ישאון yeshaon, I shall leave it to the reader's judgment to determine whether they are genuine or not. Instead of כהמות cahamoth, "as the roaring," five MSS. and the Vulgate have כהמון kehamon, "as the multitude."

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²³ They shall lay hold [02388] on bow [07198] and spear [03591]; they are cruel [0394], and have no mercy [07355]; their voice [06963] roareth [01993] like the sea [03220]; and they ride [07392] upon horses [05483], set in array [06186] as men [0376] for war [04421] against thee, O daughter [01323] of Zion [06726].

⁷ Now therefore, behold, the Lord [0136] bringeth up [05927] upon them the waters [04325] of the river [05104], strong [06099] and many [07227], even the king [04428] of Assyria [0804], and all his glory [03519]: and he shall come up [05927] over all his channels [0650], and go over [01980] all his banks [01415]:

¹³ The nations [03816] shall rush [07582] like the rushing [07588] of many [07227] waters [04325]: but God shall rebuke [01605] them, and they shall flee [05127] far off [04801], and shall be chased [07291] as the chaff [04671] of the mountains [02022] before [06440] the wind [07307], and like a rolling thing [01534] before [06440] the whirlwind [05492].

²⁶ And he will lift up [05375] an ensign [05251] to the nations [01471] from far [07350], and will hiss [08319] unto them from the end [07097] of the earth [0776]: and, behold, they shall come [0935] with speed [04120] swiftly [07031]:

⁶ And [2532] I heard [191] as it were [5613] the voice [5456] of a great [4183] multitude [3793], and [2532] as [5613] the voice [5456] of many [4183] waters [5204], and [2532] as [5613] the voice [5456] of mighty [2478] thunderings [1027], saying [3004], Alleluia [239]: for [3754] the Lord [2962] God [2316] omnipotent [3841] reigneth [936].

² And [2532] I heard [191] a voice [5456] from [1537] heaven [3772], as [5613] the voice [5456] of many [4183] waters [5204], and [2532] as [5613] the voice [5456] of a great [3173] thunder [1027]: and [2532] I heard [191] the voice [5456] of harpers [2790] harping [2789] with [1722] their [846] harps [2788]:

¹⁵ And [2532] his [846] feet [4228] like [3664] unto fine brass [5474], as [5613] if they burned [4448] in [1722] a furnace [2575]; and [2532] his [846] voice [5456] as [5613] the sound [5456] of many [4183] waters [5204].

² And, behold, the glory [03519] of the God [0430] of Israel [03478] came [0935] from the way [01870] of the east [06921]: and his voice [06963] was like a noise [06963] of many [07227] waters [04325]: and the earth [0776] shined [0215] with his glory [03519].

⁷ Which stilleth [07623] the noise [07588] of the seas [03220], the noise [07588] of their waves [01530], and the tumult [01995] of the people [03816].

³⁰ And he laid [03240] his carcase [05038] in his own grave [06913]; and they mourned [05594] over him, saying, Alas [01945], my brother [0251]!

⁶ And I will lay [07896] it waste [01326]: it shall not be pruned [02168], nor digged [05737]; but there shall come up [05927] briers [08068] and thorns [07898]: I will also command [06680] the clouds [05645] that they rain [04305] no rain [04306] upon it.

¹ The burden [04853] of Damascus [01834]. Behold, Damascus [01834] is taken away [05493] from being a city [05892], and it shall be a ruinous [04654] heap [04596].
² The cities [05892] of Aroer [06177] are forsaken [05800]: they shall be for flocks [05739], which shall lie down [07257], and none shall make them afraid [02729].
³ The fortress [04013] also shall cease [07673] from Ephraim [0669], and the kingdom [04467] from Damascus [01834], and the remnant [07605] of Syria [0758]: they shall be as the glory [03519] of the children [01121] of Israel [03478], saith [05002] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635].
⁴ And in that day [03117] it shall come to pass, that the glory [03519] of Jacob [03290] shall be made thin [01809], and the fatness [04924] of his flesh [01320] shall wax lean [07329].
⁵ And it shall be as when the harvestman [07105] gathereth [0622] the corn [07054], and reapeth [07114] the ears [07641] with his arm [02220]; and it shall be as he that gathereth [03950] ears [07641] in the valley [06010] of Rephaim [07497].
⁶ Yet gleaning grapes [05955] shall be left [07604] in it, as the shaking [05363] of an olive tree [02132], two [08147] or three [07969] berries [01620] in the top [07218] of the uppermost bough [0534], four [0702] or five [02568] in the outmost fruitful [06509] branches [05585] thereof, saith [05002] the LORD [03068] God [0430] of Israel [03478].
⁷ At that day [03117] shall a man [0120] look [08159] to his Maker [06213], and his eyes [05869] shall have respect [07200] to the Holy [06918] One of Israel [03478].
⁸ And he shall not look [08159] to the altars [04196], the work [04639] of his hands [03027], neither shall respect [07200] that which his fingers [0676] have made [06213], either the groves [0842], or the images [02553].
⁹ In that day [03117] shall his strong [04581] cities [05892] be as a forsaken [05800] bough [02793], and an uppermost branch [0534], which they left [05800] because [06440] of the children [01121] of Israel [03478]: and there shall be desolation [08077].
¹⁰ Because thou hast forgotten [07911] the God [0430] of thy salvation [03468], and hast not been mindful [02142] of the rock [06697] of thy strength [04581], therefore shalt thou plant [05193] pleasant [05282] plants [05194], and shalt set [02232] it with strange [02114] slips [02156]:
¹¹ In the day [03117] shalt thou make thy plant [05194] to grow [07735], and in the morning [01242] shalt thou make thy seed [02233] to flourish [06524]: but the harvest [07105] shall be a heap [05067] in the day [03117] of grief [02470] and of desperate [0605] sorrow [03511].
¹² Woe [01945] to the multitude [01995] of many [07227] people [05971], which make a noise [01993] like the noise [01993] of the seas [03220]; and to the rushing [07588] of nations [03816], that make a rushing like the rushing [07582] of mighty [03524] waters [04325]!
¹³ The nations [03816] shall rush [07582] like the rushing [07588] of many [07227] waters [04325]: but God shall rebuke [01605] them, and they shall flee [05127] far off [04801], and shall be chased [07291] as the chaff [04671] of the mountains [02022] before [06440] the wind [07307], and like a rolling thing [01534] before [06440] the whirlwind [05492].
¹⁴ And behold at eveningtide [06256] [06153] trouble [01091]; and before the morning [01242] he is not. This is the portion [02506] of them that spoil [08154] us, and the lot [01486] of them that rob [0962] us.

¹ Woe [01945] to the land [0776] shadowing [06767] with wings [03671], which is beyond [05676] the rivers [05104] of Ethiopia [03568]:
² That sendeth [07971] ambassadors [06735] by the sea [03220], even in vessels [03627] of bulrushes [01573] upon [06440] the waters [04325], saying, Go [03212], ye swift [07031] messengers [04397], to a nation [01471] scattered [04900] and peeled [04178], to a people [05971] terrible [03372] from their beginning hitherto [01973]; a nation [01471] meted out [06978] and trodden down [04001], whose land [0776] the rivers [05104] have spoiled [0958] !
³ All ye inhabitants [03427] of the world [08398], and dwellers [07931] on the earth [0776], see [07200] ye, when he lifteth up [05375] an ensign [05251] on the mountains [02022]; and when he bloweth [08628] a trumpet [07782], hear [08085] ye.
⁴ For so [03541] the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto me, I will take my rest [08252], and I will consider [05027] in my dwelling place [04349] like a clear [06703] heat [02527] upon herbs [0216], and like a cloud [05645] of dew [02919] in the heat [02527] of harvest [07105].
⁵ For afore [06440] the harvest [07105], when the bud [06525] is perfect [08552], and the sour grape [01155] is ripening [01580] in the flower [05328], he shall both cut off [03772] the sprigs [02150] with pruning hooks [04211], and take away [05493] and cut down [08456] the branches [05189].
⁶ They shall be left [05800] together [03162] unto the fowls [05861] of the mountains [02022], and to the beasts [0929] of the earth [0776]: and the fowls [05861] shall summer [06972] upon them, and all the beasts [0929] of the earth [0776] shall winter [02778] upon them.
⁷ In that time [06256] shall the present [07862] be brought [02986] unto the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] of a people [05971] scattered [04900] and peeled [04178], and from a people [05971] terrible [03372] from their beginning hitherto [01973]; a nation [01471] meted out [06978] and trodden under foot [04001], whose land [0776] the rivers [05104] have spoiled [0958], to the place [04725] of the name [08034] of the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], the mount [02022] Zion [06726].

³⁶ Then the angel [04397] of the LORD [03068] went forth [03318], and smote [05221] in the camp [04264] of the Assyrians [0804] a hundred [03967] and fourscore [08084] and five [02568] thousand [0505]: and when they arose early [07925] in the morning [01242], behold, they were all dead [04191] corpses [06297].

⁸ It shall even be as when an hungry [07457] man dreameth [02492], and, behold, he eateth [0398]; but he awaketh [06974], and his soul [05315] is empty [07386]: or as when [0834] a thirsty man [06771] dreameth [02492], and, behold, he drinketh [08354]; but he awaketh [06974], and, behold, he is faint [05889], and his soul [05315] hath appetite [08264]: so shall the multitude [01995] of all the nations [01471] be, that fight [06633] against mount [02022] Zion [06726].

⁷ And the multitude [01995] of all the nations [01471] that fight [06633] against Ariel [0740], even all that fight [06638] against her and her munition [04685], and that distress [06693] her, shall be as a dream [02472] of a night [03915] vision [02377].

⁷ Is this your joyous [05947] city, whose antiquity [06927] is of ancient [06924] days [03117]? her own feet [07272] shall carry [02986] her afar off [07350] to sojourn [01481].

¹ Woe [01945] unto them that decree [02710] unrighteous [0205] decrees [02711], and that write [03789] grievousness [05999] which they have prescribed [03789];

⁶ Forasmuch [03282] as this people [05971] refuseth [03988] the waters [04325] of Shiloah [07975] that go [01980] softly [0328], and rejoice [04885] in Rezin [07526] and Remaliah's [07425] son [01121];
⁷ Now therefore, behold, the Lord [0136] bringeth up [05927] upon them the waters [04325] of the river [05104], strong [06099] and many [07227], even the king [04428] of Assyria [0804], and all his glory [03519]: and he shall come up [05927] over all his channels [0650], and go over [01980] all his banks [01415]:
⁸ And he shall pass [02498] through Judah [03063]; he shall overflow [07857] and go over [05674], he shall reach [05060] even to the neck [06677]; and the stretching out [04298] of his wings [03671] shall fill [04393] the breadth [07341] of thy land [0776], O Immanuel [06005] [0410].

¹⁰ Take [05779] counsel [06098] together [05779], and it shall come to nought [06565]; speak [01696] the word [01697], and it shall not stand [06965]: for God [0410] is with us.

⁹ Associate [07489] yourselves, O ye people [05971], and ye shall be broken in pieces [02865]; and give ear [0238], all [03605] ye of far [04801] countries [0776]: gird [0247] yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces [02865]; gird [0247] yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces [02865].

²⁶ This is the purpose [06098] that is purposed [03289] upon the whole earth [0776]: and this is the hand [03027] that is stretched out [05186] upon all the nations [01471].

¹⁰ Take [05779] counsel [06098] together [05779], and it shall come to nought [06565]; speak [01696] the word [01697], and it shall not stand [06965]: for God [0410] is with us.

⁶ And Elam [05867] bare [05375] the quiver [0827] with chariots [07393] of men [0120] and horsemen [06571], and Kir [07024] uncovered [06168] the shield [04043].

⁵ Moreover the multitude [01995] of thy strangers [02114] shall be like small [01851] dust [080], and the multitude [01995] of the terrible ones [06184] shall be as chaff [04671] that passeth away [05674]: yea, it shall be at an instant [06621] suddenly [06597].
⁶ Thou shalt be visited [06485] of the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] with thunder [07482], and with earthquake [07494], and great [01419] noise [06963], with storm [05492] and tempest [05591], and the flame [03851] of devouring [0398] fire [0784].
⁷ And the multitude [01995] of all the nations [01471] that fight [06633] against Ariel [0740], even all that fight [06638] against her and her munition [04685], and that distress [06693] her, shall be as a dream [02472] of a night [03915] vision [02377].
⁸ It shall even be as when an hungry [07457] man dreameth [02492], and, behold, he eateth [0398]; but he awaketh [06974], and his soul [05315] is empty [07386]: or as when [0834] a thirsty man [06771] dreameth [02492], and, behold, he drinketh [08354]; but he awaketh [06974], and, behold, he is faint [05889], and his soul [05315] hath appetite [08264]: so shall the multitude [01995] of all the nations [01471] be, that fight [06633] against mount [02022] Zion [06726].

²⁴ The LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] hath sworn [07650], saying [0559], Surely as I have thought [01819], so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed [03289], so shall it stand [06965]:
²⁵ That I will break [07665] the Assyrian [0804] in my land [0776], and upon my mountains [02022] tread him under foot [0947]: then shall his yoke [05923] depart [05493] from off them, and his burden [05448] depart [05493] from off their shoulders [07926].
²⁶ This is the purpose [06098] that is purposed [03289] upon the whole earth [0776]: and this is the hand [03027] that is stretched out [05186] upon all the nations [01471].
²⁷ For the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] hath purposed [03289], and who shall disannul [06565] it? and his hand [03027] is stretched out [05186], and who shall turn it back [07725]?