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,

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

6 Yet 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.

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

8 They 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

In וְהָיָה֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular that הַה֔וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular day בַּיּ֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular the splendor כְּב֣וֹד H3519 Noun - masculine singular construct of Jacob יַעֲקֹ֑ב H3290 Noun - proper - masculine singular will fade יִדַּ֖ל H1809 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and the fat וּמִשְׁמַ֥ן H4924 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of his body בְּשָׂר֖וֹ H1320 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular will waste away יֵרָזֶֽה׃ H7329 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

as וְהָיָ֗ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular the reaper קָצִ֣יר H7105 Noun - masculine singular gathers כֶּֽאֱסֹף֙ H622 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the standing grain קָמָ֔ה H7054 Noun - feminine singular and harvests יִקְצ֑וֹר H7114 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . וְהָיָ֛ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular the ears שִׁבֳּלִ֣ים H7641 Noun - feminine plural with his arm וּזְרֹע֖וֹ H2220 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular as one gleans כִּמְלַקֵּ֥ט H3950 Preposition-k | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular heads of grain שִׁבֳּלִ֖ים H7641 Noun - feminine plural in the Valley בְּעֵ֥מֶק H6010 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of Rephaim רְפָאִֽים׃ H7497 Noun - proper - masculine plural
Verse 6

Original words

Yet gleanings עֽוֹלֵלֹת֙ H5955 Noun - feminine plural will remain וְנִשְׁאַר־ H7604 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular like an olive tree זַ֔יִת H2132 Noun - masculine singular that has been beaten כְּנֹ֣קֶף H5363 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct two שְׁנַ֧יִם H8147 Number - md or three שְׁלֹשָׁ֛ה H7969 Number - masculine singular berries גַּרְגְּרִ֖ים H1620 Noun - masculine plural atop the tree בְּרֹ֣אשׁ H7218 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct . . . אָמִ֑יר H534 Noun - masculine singular four אַרְבָּעָ֣ה H702 Number - masculine singular or five חֲמִשָּׁ֗ה H2568 Number - masculine singular on its fruitful פֹּֽרִיָּ֔ה H6509 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular branches בִּסְעִפֶ֙יהָ֙ H5585 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular the God אֱלֹהֵ֥י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ס H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

In that הַה֔וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular day בַּיּ֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular men הָאָדָ֖ם H120 Article | Noun - masculine singular will look יִשְׁעֶ֥ה H8159 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to עַל־ H5921 Preposition their Maker עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and turn their eyes וְעֵינָ֕יו H5869 Conjunctive waw | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the Holy קְד֥וֹשׁ H6918 Adjective - masculine singular construct One of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . תִּרְאֶֽינָה׃ H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Verse 8

Original words

They will not וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle look יִשְׁעֶ֔ה H8159 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the altars הַֽמִּזְבְּח֖וֹת H4196 Article | Noun - masculine plural they have fashioned מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה H4639 Noun - masculine singular construct with their hands יָדָ֑יו H3027 Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular - וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - relative or to the Asherahs וְהָאֲשֵׁרִ֖ים H842 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine plural and incense altars וְהָחַמָּנִֽים׃ H2553 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural they have made עָשׂ֤וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural with their fingers אֶצְבְּעֹתָיו֙ H676 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular . . . לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . יִרְאֶ֔ה H7200 Verb - 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.