Isaiah 8:8
Isaiah 8:8 in Multiple Translations
It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel!
And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.
and it shall sweep onward into Judah; it shall overflow and pass through; it shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of its wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.
And it will come on into Judah; rushing on and overflowing, till the waters are up to the neck; ***and his outstretched wings will be covering the land from side to side: for God is with us.
It will sweep on into Judah, overflowing and flooding through, reaching up to the neck. Like outspread wings it will engulf the whole of your land, Immanuel!
And shall breake into Iudah, and shall ouerflowe and passe through, and shall come vp to the necke, and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanu-el.
And it hath passed on into Judah, It hath overflown and passed over, Unto the neck it cometh, And the stretching out of its wings Hath been the fulness of the breadth of thy land, O Emmanu-El!
It will sweep onward into Judah. It will overflow and pass through. It will reach even to the neck. The stretching out of its wings will fill the width of your land, O Immanuel.
And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the extension of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.
And shall pass through Juda, overflowing, and going over shall reach even to the neck. And the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Emmanuel.
Those soldiers will go all over Judah— like a river whose water [MET] rises as high as a person’s neck. Their army will spread over the land quickly, like an eagle, and they will cover your entire land! But I will be with you!’ ”
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 8:8
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Isaiah 8:8 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/חָלַ֤ף
בִּֽ/יהוּדָה֙
שָׁטַ֣ף
וְ/עָבַ֔ר
עַד
צַוָּ֖אר
יַגִּ֑יעַ
וְ/הָיָה֙
מֻטּ֣וֹת
כְּנָפָ֔י/ו
מְלֹ֥א
רֹֽחַב
אַרְצְ/ךָ֖
עִמָּ֥נוּ
אֵֽל
וְ/חָלַ֤ף
châlaph
H2498
to pass
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
בִּֽ/יהוּדָה֙
Yᵉhûwdâh
H3063
Judah
Prep | N-proper
שָׁטַ֣ף
shâṭaph
H7857
to overflow
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
וְ/עָבַ֔ר
ʻâbar
H5674
to pass
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
עַד
ʻad
H5704
till
Prep
צַוָּ֖אר
tsavvâʼr
H6677
neck
N-ms
יַגִּ֑יעַ
nâgaʻ
H5060
to touch
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms
וְ/הָיָה֙
hâyâh
H1961
to be
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
מֻטּ֣וֹת
muṭṭâh
H4298
spread
N-fp
כְּנָפָ֔י/ו
kânâph
H3671
wing
N-fp | Suff
מְלֹ֥א
mᵉlôʼ
H4393
fullness
N-ms
רֹֽחַב
rôchab
H7341
width
N-ms
אַרְצְ/ךָ֖
ʼerets
H776
land
N-cs | Suff
עִמָּ֥נוּ
ʻImmânûwʼêl
H6005
Immanuel
N-proper
אֵֽל
ʻImmânûwʼêl
H6005
Immanuel
N-proper
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 8:8
וְ/חָלַ֤ף
châlaph
H2498
"to pass"
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
This Hebrew verb means to pass or change, like something sliding by quickly. It is used in the Bible to describe things like grass growing, time passing, or people moving on. It can also mean to overstep or transgress.
Definition: 1) to pass on or away, pass through, pass by, go through, grow up, change, to go on from 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pass on quickly 1a2) to pass away (vanish) 1a3) to come on anew, sprout again (of grass) 1a4) to pass through 1a5) to overstep, transgress 1b) (Piel) to cause to pass, change 1c) (Hiph) 1c1) to change, substitute, alter, change for better, renew 1c2) to show newness (of tree) Aramaic equivalent: cha.laph (חֲלַף "to pass" H2499)
Usage: Occurs in 27 OT verses. KJV: abolish, alter, change, cut off, go on forward, grow up, be over, pass (away, on, through), renew, sprout, strike through. See also: Genesis 31:7; Job 20:24; Psalms 90:5.
בִּֽ/יהוּדָה֙
Yᵉhûwdâh
H3063
"Judah"
Prep | N-proper
Judah is the name of the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob. It is also the name of the region where the tribe lived. The name means 'praised' and is first mentioned in Genesis.
Definition: § Judah = "praised" the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob
Usage: Occurs in 754 OT verses. KJV: Judah. See also: Genesis 29:35; 1 Samuel 23:3; 2 Kings 14:13.
שָׁטַ֣ף
shâṭaph
H7857
"to overflow"
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
This verb means to overflow or gush, often used to describe a strong flow of water. It can also imply cleansing or conquering, as seen in various Old Testament passages, including Psalm 69. The word is used to describe powerful natural events.
Definition: 1) to wash, rinse, overflow, engulf, rinse or wash off 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to overflow 1a2) to flow, run 1a3) to rinse or wash off 1b) (Niphal) to be swept away, be rinsed out 1c) (Pual) to be rinsed, be scoured and rinsed
Usage: Occurs in 30 OT verses. KJV: drown, (over-) flow(-whelm, rinse, run, rush, (throughly) wash (away). See also: Leviticus 6:21; Isaiah 28:17; Psalms 69:3.
וְ/עָבַ֔ר
ʻâbar
H5674
"to pass"
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
This verb can mean to cross over or transition from one thing to another, and is sometimes used to describe being arrogant or crossing a boundary.
Definition: 1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over 1a2) to pass beyond 1a3) to pass through, traverse 1a3a) passers-through (participle) 1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant) 1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by 1a4a) passer-by (participle) 1a4b) to be past, be over 1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance 1a6) to pass away 1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory) 1a6b) to vanish 1a6c) to perish, cease to exist 1a6d) to become invalid, become obsolete (of law, decree) 1a6e) to be alienated, pass into other hands 1b) (Niphal) to be crossed 1c) (Piel) to impregnate, cause to cross 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to pass over, cause to bring over, cause to cross over, make over to, dedicate, devote 1d2) to cause to pass through 1d3) to cause to pass by or beyond or under, let pass by 1d4) to cause to pass away, cause to take away 1e) (Hithpael) to pass over
Usage: Occurs in 493 OT verses. KJV: alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) [phrase] proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, [phrase] raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, [phrase] shave, cause to (make) sound, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath. See also: Genesis 8:1; Deuteronomy 27:2; 1 Samuel 25:19.
עַד
ʻad
H5704
"till"
Prep
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Definition: prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)
Usage: Occurs in 1128 OT verses. KJV: against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet. See also: Genesis 3:19; Exodus 32:20; Numbers 23:24.
צַוָּ֖אר
tsavvâʼr
H6677
"neck"
N-ms
This term describes a necklace or ornament worn around the neck, signifying beauty and status, as in Ezekiel 23:25. It represents the adornment of God's people.
Definition: 1) neck, back of neck 1a) neck, back of neck (of man) 1b) neck (of animals) Aramaic equivalent: tsav.var (צַוַּאר "neck" H6676)
Usage: Occurs in 38 OT verses. KJV: neck. See also: Genesis 27:16; Song of Solomon 7:5; Psalms 75:6.
יַגִּ֑יעַ
nâgaʻ
H5060
"to touch"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to touch or reach something, and can also mean to strike or defeat someone. It is used in Exodus to describe God's power and in Psalms to describe human emotions. The word has various translations, including beat, bring, and plague.
Definition: 1) to touch, reach, strike 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to touch 1a2) to strike 1a3) to reach, extend to 1a4) to be stricken 1a4a) stricken (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be stricken, be defeated 1c) (Piel) to strike 1d) (Pual) to be stricken (by disease) 1e) (Hiphil) to cause to touch, reach, approach, arrive 1e1) to cause to touch, apply 1e2) to reach, extend, attain, arrive, come 1e3) to approach (of time) 1e4) to befall (of fate)
Usage: Occurs in 142 OT verses. KJV: beat, ([idiom] be able to) bring (down), cast, come (nigh), draw near (nigh), get up, happen, join, near, plague, reach (up), smite, strike, touch. See also: Genesis 3:3; 2 Chronicles 3:12; Psalms 32:6.
וְ/הָיָה֙
hâyâh
H1961
"to be"
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Usage: Occurs in 3131 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.
מֻטּ֣וֹת
muṭṭâh
H4298
"spread"
N-fp
This word means to spread or stretch something out, often used to describe physical expansion. It can refer to something being stretched out or extended, such as arms or hands. In the Bible, it is used to describe physical movement or action.
Definition: spreading, outspreading, spreading out
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: stretching out. See also: Isaiah 8:8.
כְּנָפָ֔י/ו
kânâph
H3671
"wing"
N-fp | Suff
The Hebrew word for wing, used to describe the edge or extremity of something, like a bird's wing or the corner of a garment. It appears in the Bible to describe various objects and locations, including the wing of a bird.
Definition: 1) wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt 1a) wing 1b) extremity 1b1) skirt, corner (of garment)
Usage: Occurs in 85 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] bird, border, corner, end, feather(-ed), [idiom] flying, [phrase] (one an-) other, overspreading, [idiom] quarters, skirt, [idiom] sort, uttermost part, wing(-ed). See also: Genesis 1:21; Psalms 139:9; Psalms 17:8.
מְלֹ֥א
mᵉlôʼ
H4393
"fullness"
N-ms
Fullness means having everything that is needed, like a full container or a complete amount. It can also mean a large quantity, like a multitude of things.
Definition: 1) fulness, that which fills 1a) fulness, handful 1b) mass, multitude 1c) fulness, that which fills, entire contents 1d) full length, full line
Usage: Occurs in 36 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] all along, [idiom] all that is (there-) in, fill, ([idiom] that whereof...was) full, fulness, (hand-) full, multitude. See also: Genesis 48:19; Psalms 89:12; Psalms 24:1.
רֹֽחַב
rôchab
H7341
"width"
N-ms
This Hebrew word means width or breadth, used to describe physical size or space. It appears in the Bible to describe the width of the earth or a room. In the KJV, it is translated as breadth or broad.
Definition: breadth, width, expanse
Usage: Occurs in 89 OT verses. KJV: breadth, broad, largeness, thickness, wideness. See also: Genesis 6:15; Ezekiel 40:13; Isaiah 8:8.
אַרְצְ/ךָ֖
ʼerets
H776
"land"
N-cs | Suff
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Definition: : soil 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.
עִמָּ֥נוּ
ʻImmânûwʼêl
H6005
"Immanuel"
N-proper
Immanuel is a name that means God with us, and it is a special title given to Jesus. It is first mentioned in the book of Isaiah as a prophecy of the Messiah who would be born of a virgin. The name Immanuel symbolizes God's presence with humanity.
Definition: A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Isa.7.14; son of: Joseph (G2501) and Mary (G3137); brother of: James (G2385I), Joseph (G2500), Simon (G4613H) and Jude (G2455I) Also named: Emmanouēl (Ἐμμανουήλ "Immanuel" G1694) § Immanuel = "God with us" or "with us is God" symbolic and prophetic name of the Messiah, the Christ, prophesying that He would be born of a virgin and would be 'God with us'
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: Immanuel. See also: Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 8:8.
אֵֽל
ʻImmânûwʼêl
H6005
"Immanuel"
N-proper
Immanuel is a name that means God with us, and it is a special title given to Jesus. It is first mentioned in the book of Isaiah as a prophecy of the Messiah who would be born of a virgin. The name Immanuel symbolizes God's presence with humanity.
Definition: A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Isa.7.14; son of: Joseph (G2501) and Mary (G3137); brother of: James (G2385I), Joseph (G2500), Simon (G4613H) and Jude (G2455I) Also named: Emmanouēl (Ἐμμανουήλ "Immanuel" G1694) § Immanuel = "God with us" or "with us is God" symbolic and prophetic name of the Messiah, the Christ, prophesying that He would be born of a virgin and would be 'God with us'
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: Immanuel. See also: Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 8:8.
Study Notes — Isaiah 8:8
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- Cross References
- Isaiah 8:8 Summary
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- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 8:8
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- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 8:8
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 8:8
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 8:8
- Sermons on Isaiah 8:8
Context — Assyrian Invasion Prophesied
6“Because this people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoiced in Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
7the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates — the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.
8It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel!
9Huddle together, O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered! 10Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us. ”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 7:14 | Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel. |
| 2 | Isaiah 30:28 | His breath is like a rushing torrent that rises to the neck. He comes to sift the nations in a sieve of destruction; He bridles the jaws of the peoples to lead them astray. |
| 3 | Matthew 1:23 | “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us” ). |
| 4 | Isaiah 28:14–22 | Therefore hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem. For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.” So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place. Your covenant with death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be trampled by it. As often as it passes through, it will carry you away; it will sweep through morning after morning, by day and by night.” The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror. Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket too small to wrap around you. For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim. He will rouse Himself as in the Valley of Gibeon, to do His work, His strange work, and to perform His task, His disturbing task. So now, do not mock, or your shackles will become heavier. Indeed, I have heard from the Lord GOD of Hosts a decree of destruction against the whole land. |
| 5 | Isaiah 36:1–22 | In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked and captured all the fortified cities of Judah. And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh, with a great army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And he stopped by the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder, went out to him. The Rabshakeh said to them, “Tell Hezekiah that this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What is the basis of this confidence of yours? You claim to have a strategy and strength for war, but these are empty words. In whom are you now trusting, that you have rebelled against me? Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is He not the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before this altar’? Now, therefore, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them! For how can you repel a single officer among the least of my master’s servants when you depend on Egypt for chariots and horsemen? So now, was it apart from the LORD that I have come up against this land to destroy it? The LORD Himself said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’” Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.” But the Rabshakeh replied, “Has my master sent me to speak these words only to you and your master, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are destined with you to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?” Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out loudly in Hebrew: “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he cannot deliver you. Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and his own fig tree, and drink water from his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? Who among all the gods of these lands has delivered his land from my hand? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?” But the people remained silent and did not answer a word, for Hezekiah had commanded, “Do not answer him.” Then Hilkiah’s son Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Asaph’s son Joah the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they relayed to him the words of the Rabshakeh. |
| 6 | Isaiah 22:1–7 | This is the burden against the Valley of Vision: What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the rooftops, O city of commotion, O town of revelry? Your slain did not die by the sword, nor were they killed in battle. All your rulers have fled together, captured without a bow. All your fugitives were captured together, having fled to a distant place. Therefore I said, “Turn away from me, let me weep bitterly! Do not try to console me over the destruction of the daughter of my people.” For the Lord GOD of Hosts has set a day of tumult and trampling and confusion in the Valley of Vision— of breaking down the walls and crying to the mountains. Elam takes up a quiver, with chariots and horsemen, and Kir uncovers the shield. Your choicest valleys are full of chariots, and horsemen are posted at the gates. |
| 7 | Ezekiel 17:3 | and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers of many colors, came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar. |
| 8 | Isaiah 29:1–9 | Woe to you, O Ariel, the city of Ariel where David camped! Year upon year let your festivals recur. And I will constrain Ariel, and there will be mourning and lamentation; she will be like an altar hearth before Me. I will camp in a circle around you; I will besiege you with towers and set up siege works against you. You will be brought low, you will speak from the ground, and out of the dust your words will be muffled. Your voice will be like a spirit from the ground; your speech will whisper out of the dust. But your many foes will be like fine dust, the multitude of the ruthless like blowing chaff. Then suddenly, in an instant, you will be visited by the LORD of Hosts with thunder and earthquake and loud noise, with windstorm and tempest and consuming flame of fire. All the many nations going out to battle against Ariel— even all who war against her, laying siege and attacking her— will be like a dream, like a vision in the night, as when a hungry man dreams he is eating, then awakens still hungry; as when a thirsty man dreams he is drinking, then awakens faint and parched. So will it be for all the many nations who go to battle against Mount Zion. Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not from strong drink. |
| 9 | Isaiah 10:28–32 | Assyria has entered Aiath and passed through Migron, storing their supplies at Michmash. They have crossed at the ford: “We will spend the night at Geba.” Ramah trembles; Gibeah of Saul flees. Cry aloud, O Daughter of Gallim! Listen, O Laishah! O wretched Anathoth! Madmenah flees; the people of Gebim take refuge. Yet today they will halt at Nob, shaking a fist at the mount of Daughter Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem. |
Isaiah 8:8 Summary
Isaiah 8:8 describes a powerful and overwhelming invasion of Judah by the king of Assyria, symbolizing God's judgment on those who reject His gentle guidance and provision. The image of the floodwaters 'reaching up to the neck' signifies a deep and overwhelming challenge, similar to the descriptions of judgment in Daniel 9:26. Despite this, God promises to be with His people, as emphasized in the title 'Immanuel' (Matthew 1:23), and encourages them to trust in His presence and protection, as seen in Isaiah 8:10 and Psalm 23:4. This verse reminds us that even in the midst of difficulty and uncertainty, we can trust in God's sovereignty and promise of salvation, as fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the phrase 'the gently flowing waters of Shiloah' in the preceding verse mean in relation to the 'mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates' in Isaiah 8:7?
The gently flowing waters of Shiloah represent the gentle and peaceful presence of God, as seen in Isaiah 8:6, whereas the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates symbolize the powerful and overwhelming judgment of God through the king of Assyria, as mentioned in Isaiah 8:7, similar to the judgment described in Jeremiah 51:42.
Who is Immanuel, and why is this title used in Isaiah 8:8?
Immanuel, meaning 'God is with us,' refers to Jesus Christ, as explained in Matthew 1:23, which quotes Isaiah 7:14, emphasizing God's presence and promise of protection and salvation, even in the midst of judgment and turmoil.
What does the image of the floodwaters 'reaching up to the neck' signify in Isaiah 8:8?
The floodwaters reaching up to the neck signify a deep and overwhelming invasion, similar to the descriptions of judgment in Daniel 9:26 and Ezekiel 26:3, representing the severe consequences of rejecting God's gentle guidance and provision, as seen in Isaiah 8:6-7.
How does this verse relate to the overall message of Isaiah?
Isaiah 8:8 contributes to the book's central theme of God's judgment and redemption, emphasizing the consequences of disobedience, as seen in Isaiah 3:1-4:1, and the promise of a Messiah who would bring salvation, as prophesied in Isaiah 9:6-7 and fulfilled in Jesus Christ, as described in John 1:14 and Romans 11:26-27.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways in which I have rejected the 'gently flowing waters' of God's presence and provision in my life, and how can I return to a place of humility and dependence on Him?
- How do I respond to the overwhelming challenges and pressures of life, and what does it mean for me to trust in God's presence and promise of protection, as emphasized in Isaiah 8:10 and Psalm 23:4?
- In what ways can I be a source of hope and comfort to others who are facing the 'floodwaters' of difficulty and despair, and how can I point them to the promise of Immanuel, 'God is with us'?
- What are some practical ways I can 'devise a plan' that is grounded in faith and trust in God's sovereignty, rather than relying on my own strength and wisdom, as cautioned against in Isaiah 8:9-10 and Proverbs 3:5-6?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 8:8
And he shall pass through Judah,.... That is, the king of Assyria, compared to a river of mighty waters; who should not only run over and possess the land of Israel, or the ten tribes, but should
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 8:8
And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 8:8
He; or, it, to wit, the river, which yet designs the same person and thing, to wit, the invasion of the king of Assyria. Shall pass through Judah; and when he shall have finished his work against you, he shall invade the land of Judah, as Sennacherib did some few years after his conquest of Samaria, ,13. He shall reach even to the neck; so as they shall be in great danger of being drowned or destroyed. He persists in the metaphor of a river swelling so high as to reach to a man’ s neck, and be ready to overwhelm him. Such was the danger of Judah’ s land, when Sennacherib took all the fenced cities of Judah, , and sent his army against Jerusalem. Of his wings; of his forces, or of the wings of his army, as they anciently were and still are called. Of thy land, O Immanuel; of the land of Judah, so called because the Messiah, who is called by God himself Immanuel, , should certainly be born, and live, and die there. And this is added emphatically for the consolation of God’ s people, to assure them, that notwithstanding this dreadful scourge, yet God would make a difference between Israel and Judah; and whereas Israel should be so broken by the Assyrian, that they should not be a people, as was threatened, , Judah should be restored and preserved, for the sake of the Messiah, to be the place of his birth and ministry, according to that famous prophecy, .
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 8:8
Isaiah 8:8 And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach [even] to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.Ver. 8. And he shall pass through Judah.] After Israel subdued; but yet with a difference, for the Israelites and Syrians were utterly drowned with this proud flood, but the Jews were only drenched. It "reached but to the neck," their head was ever above water; and that because Immanuel, better than any Christopher, bore them up. And the stretching out of his wings.] That is, of his immense forces; the Assyrian, by another allegory, being here compared to an eagle, which covereth her whole prey with her wings. Shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.] Shall surely, unless thou, O Lord Christ (who art king of this country by a specialty), shalt please to prevent it. Learn we likewise in all our straits or ailments to run to our Immanuel, and implore his help, remembering that he is God with us, he is a man amidst us, cum Patre dator, inter nos petitor, as Augustine hath it; he gives with the Father, he prays with the suitor; he will deliver and defend his subjects and suppliants.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 8:8
(8) The stretching out of his wings.—The metaphor within a metaphor is quite after the manner of Isaiah. The armies of Assyria are like a river in flood; the outspread waters on either side of the main stream are like the expanded wings of a great bird sweeping down on its prey. Shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.—The prophet has not forgotten, however, the nomen et omen of the earthly child, now growing towards the time when he would be able to “choose the good and refuse the evil.” The land over which the flood sweeps belongs to Him who is, in very deed, “God with us.” In Psalms 46:1-4 we have the prophecy turned into a hymn, or, less probably, the hymn which was the germ of the prophecy. The parallelism, in any case, is so clear as to make it certain that the two were contemporary, and refer to the same events. The same may be said, perhaps, of all the psalms of the sons of Korah. The hope of the psalmist fastens on the thought, “the Lord of hosts is with us” (Psalms 46:7; Psalms 46:11).
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 8:8
Verse 8. He shall reach even to the neck] He compares Jerusalem, says Kimchi, to the head of the human body. As when the waters come up to a man's neck, he is very near drowning, (for a little increase of them would go over his head,) so the king of Assyria coming up to Jerusalem was like a flood reaching to the neck-the whole country was overflowed, and the capital was in imminent danger. Accordingly the Chaldee renders reaching to the neck by reaching to Jerusalem.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 8:8
8. And he shall pass through Judah] Better as R.V., And he shall sweep onward into Judah. overflow and go over are rightly taken as synonyms (not as R.V.). shall reach even to the neck] (cf. Isaiah 30:28). Judah is in the utmost extremity of danger, yet is not wholly submerged. shall fill … land] lit. “shall be the filling (as in ch. Isaiah 6:3) of the breadth of thy land.” “Wings” cannot mean “masses of water branching off from the main current”; nor is there any evidence that the Hebrews spoke of the “wings” of an army, as we do. The figure of the deluge seems abruptly changed to that of a huge bird of prey, overshadowing the whole land with its extended wings. of thy land, O Immanuel] Without any change of the original consonantal text we might read, as at the end of Isa 8:10, “… of the land. For with us is God!” The change is perhaps not imperatively required even if Immanuel be an ordinary child; whereas, on the view that he is the Messiah, the apostrophe becomes natural. Still there remains a suspicion that the last part may be a gloss introduced from Isaiah 8:10.
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 8:8
He shall ... - That is, the Assyrians - though still retaining the idea of an overflowing stream, or a deluge of waters.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 8:8
8. He shall pass through Judah — This calamity shall come when the Assyrian shall be on his way to conquer Egypt. Israel and Syria fallen, Judah will secretly seek protection from Egypt.
Sermons on Isaiah 8:8
| Sermon | Description | |
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The Folly of Ahaz by Steve Gallagher | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the historical context of the reign of King Ahaz and the events that occurred during a 16-year period. He emphasizes the importance of underst |
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Let God Be in You by Major Ian Thomas | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that God has chosen individuals from seemingly ordinary and unpromising backgrounds to serve Him. He encourages the audience, whether they a |
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Christ the Man #1 by Major Ian Thomas | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of learning and remembering spiritual principles. He highlights the story of a man who relied on the Lord and experienced divi |
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God's Four Warnings by Keith Daniel | In this sermon, the preacher highlights four significant moments in the Bible where God looked and warned humanity. The first moment is when God created the lights in the heavens t |
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(Guidelines) Fulfilled Prophecy by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the speaker presents fulfilled prophecy as the conclusive proof that the Bible is the Word of God. He explains that one fourth of the Bible is prophetic, denouncing |
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Midrash - Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth by Jacob Prasch | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the belief that God has a son. While acknowledging that God does not have a son in the sense of human procreation, the speaker argues that it |
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First Epistle of John - Part 1 by Keith Daniel | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of repentance and turning away from a life of sin. He highlights the power of God's forgiveness and the ability to overcome f |