Focused Passage

Isaiah 9:13-17

The Great Light, the Royal Child, and the Unrelenting Judgment on Proud Israel

The chapter moves from gloom to light, from oppression to joy, from war to peace, from royal child to endless Davidic reign, and then from Israel’s proud response to repeated judgment, failed leadership, social devouring, and the LORD’s upraised hand.

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

13 But the people did not return to Him who struck them; they did not seek the LORD of Hosts.

14 So the LORD will cut off Israel’s head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day.

15 The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies.

16 For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.

17 Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows. For every one of them is godless and wicked, and every mouth speaks folly. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 13

Original words

But the people וְהָעָ֥ם H5971 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular did not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle return שָׁ֖ב H7725 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to עַד־ H5704 Preposition Him who struck them הַמַּכֵּ֑הוּ H5221 Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker they did not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle seek דָרָֽשׁוּ׃ס H1875 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֖וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural
Verse 14

Original words

So the LORD יְהוָ֜ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular will cut off וַיַּכְרֵ֨ת H3772 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Israel’s מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֗ל H3478 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular head רֹ֧אשׁ H7218 Noun - masculine singular and tail וְזָנָ֛ב H2180 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular [both] palm branch כִּפָּ֥ה H3712 Noun - feminine singular and reed וְאַגְמ֖וֹן H100 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular in a single אֶחָֽד׃ H259 Number - masculine singular day י֥וֹם H3117 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

The head הָרֹ֑אשׁ H7218 Article | Noun - masculine singular is the elder זָקֵ֥ן H2205 Adjective - masculine singular and honorable וּנְשׂוּא־ H5375 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular construct פָנִ֖ים פָנִ֖ים H6440 Noun - masculine plural man ה֣וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular and the tail הַזָּנָֽב׃ H2180 Article | Noun - masculine singular is the prophet וְנָבִ֥יא H5030 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular - ה֥וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular who teaches מֽוֹרֶה־ H3384 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular lies שֶּׁ֖קֶר H8267 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 16

Original words

For וַיִּֽהְי֛וּ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural those who guide מְאַשְּׁרֵ֥י H833 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct this people הָֽעָם־ H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . הַזֶּ֖ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular mislead them מַתְעִ֑ים H8582 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural and those they mislead וּמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖יו H833 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular are swallowed up מְבֻלָּעִֽים׃ H1104 Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural
Verse 17

Original words

Therefore עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּ֨ן H3651 Adverb the Lord אֲדֹנָ֗י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker takes no לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle pleasure יִשְׂמַ֣ח׀ H8055 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in עַל־ H5921 Preposition their young men בַּחוּרָ֜יו H970 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular He has no לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle compassion יְרַחֵ֔ם H7355 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular on their fatherless יְתֹמָ֤יו H3490 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker widows אַלְמְנֹתָיו֙ H490 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular For כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction every one of them כֻלּוֹ֙ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular is godless חָנֵ֣ף H2611 Noun - masculine singular and wicked וּמֵרַ֔ע H7489 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular and every וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct mouth פֶּ֖ה H6310 Noun - masculine singular speaks דֹּבֵ֣ר H1696 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular folly נְבָלָ֑ה H5039 Noun - feminine singular Despite all בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct this זֹאת֙ H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular His anger אַפּ֔וֹ H639 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular is not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle turned away שָׁ֣ב H7725 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular His hand יָד֥וֹ H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular is still וְע֖וֹד H5750 Conjunctive waw | Adverb upraised נְטוּיָֽה׃ H5186 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine 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.