Focused Passage

Isaiah 17:4-8

The Oracle Against Damascus, the Fading Glory of Jacob, and the Rebuke of the Raging Nations

The chapter moves from Damascus becoming a heap of ruins, to deserted cities and lost fortified strength, to Ephraim’s fading glory, to a small remnant like gleanings after harvest, to people looking to their Maker, to the rejection of man-made altars and Asherah poles, to the reason for judgment: forgetting God the Savior, and finally to the roaring nations being rebuked and driven away like chaff.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

4“In that day the splendor of Jacob will fade, and the fat of his body will waste away,

5as the reaper gathers the standing grain and harvests the ears with his arm, as one gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.

6Yet gleanings will remain, like an olive tree that has been beaten—two or three berries atop the tree, four or five on its fruitful branches,” declares the LORD, the God of Israel.

7In that day men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.

8They will not look to the altars they have fashioned with their hands or to the Asherahs and incense altars they have made with their fingers.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 4

Original words

Inוְהָיָה֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularthatהַה֔וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singulardayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularthe splendorכְּב֣וֹדH3519Noun - masculine singular constructof Jacobיַעֲקֹ֑בH3290Noun - proper - masculine singularwill fadeיִדַּ֖לH1809Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand the fatוּמִשְׁמַ֥ןH4924Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof his bodyבְּשָׂר֖וֹH1320Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwill waste awayיֵרָזֶֽה׃H7329Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

asוְהָיָ֗הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularthe reaperקָצִ֣ירH7105Noun - masculine singulargathersכֶּֽאֱסֹף֙H622Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructthe standing grainקָמָ֔הH7054Noun - feminine singularand harvestsיִקְצ֑וֹרH7114Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .וְהָיָ֛הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularthe earsשִׁבֳּלִ֣יםH7641Noun - feminine pluralwith his armוּזְרֹע֖וֹH2220Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularas one gleansכִּמְלַקֵּ֥טH3950Preposition-k | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularheads of grainשִׁבֳּלִ֖יםH7641Noun - feminine pluralin the Valleyבְּעֵ֥מֶקH6010Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof Rephaimרְפָאִֽים׃H7497Noun - proper - masculine plural
Verse 6

Original words

Yet gleaningsעֽוֹלֵלֹת֙H5955Noun - feminine pluralwill remainוְנִשְׁאַר־H7604Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularlike an olive treeזַ֔יִתH2132Noun - masculine singularthat has been beatenכְּנֹ֣קֶףH5363Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructtwoשְׁנַ֧יִםH8147Number - mdor threeשְׁלֹשָׁ֛הH7969Number - masculine singularberriesגַּרְגְּרִ֖יםH1620Noun - masculine pluralatop the treeבְּרֹ֣אשׁH7218Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct. . .אָמִ֑ירH534Noun - masculine singularfourאַרְבָּעָ֣הH702Number - masculine singularor fiveחֲמִשָּׁ֗הH2568Number - masculine singularon its fruitfulפֹּֽרִיָּ֔הH6509Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularbranchesבִּסְעִפֶ֙יהָ֙H5585Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Godאֱלֹהֵ֥יH430Noun - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃סH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

In thatהַה֔וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singulardayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularmenהָאָדָ֖םH120Article | Noun - masculine singularwill lookיִשְׁעֶ֥הH8159Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singulartoעַל־H5921Prepositiontheir Makerעֹשֵׂ֑הוּH6213Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand turn their eyesוְעֵינָ֕יוH5869Conjunctive waw | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe Holyקְד֥וֹשׁH6918Adjective - masculine singular constructOne of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .תִּרְאֶֽינָה׃H7200Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Verse 8

Original words

They will notוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlelookיִשְׁעֶ֔הH8159Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe altarsהַֽמִּזְבְּח֖וֹתH4196Article | Noun - masculine pluralthey have fashionedמַעֲשֵׂ֣הH4639Noun - masculine singular constructwith their handsיָדָ֑יוH3027Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular-וַאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - relativeor to the Asherahsוְהָאֲשֵׁרִ֖יםH842Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine pluraland incense altarsוְהָחַמָּנִֽים׃H2553Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine pluralthey have madeעָשׂ֤וּH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralwith their fingersאֶצְבְּעֹתָיו֙H676Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular. . .לֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .יִרְאֶ֔הH7200Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.