Isaiah 10:16
in Isaiah 10Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts will send a wasting disease among Assyria’s stout warriors, and under his pomp will be kindled a fire like a burning flame.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Therefore will the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory there shall be kindled a burning like the burning of fire.
KJV
Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.
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This verse in Isaiah 10
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThe Lord “Jehovah” - For אדני Adonai, fifty-two MSS., eleven editions, and two of my own, ancient, read יהוה, Yehovah, as in other cases. And under his glory - That is, all that he could boast of as great and strong in his army, (Sal. ben Melec in loc.), expressed afterwards, Isa 10:18, by the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field.
This site's exposition
Does an axe raise itself
on Isaiah 10:15-16
The central image asks whether an axe can raise itself above the one who swings it, turning the boast back on the boaster. The rod and staff of verse 5 return as tools mistaking themselves for the hand. An axe has no glory of its own, whatever cutting it does.
This site's exposition
will send a wasting disease
The fulfilment is told at 37:36, where the angel of the LORD struck down the Assyrian camp. Wesley read the fire as the ruin of the army and of the glory of its princes. The stout warriors waste away from within.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 16 and following) Therefore, the Lord of hosts will send wasting sickness among his fat ones, and under his glory a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire. And the light of Israel will become a fire, and his Holy One a flame, and it will burn and devour his thorns and briers in one day. The glory of his forest and of his fruitful land the Lord will destroy, both soul and body, and it will be as when a sick man wastes away.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Therefore the sovereign Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall send leanness. Here he threatens punishment. And concerning this, he does three things: first, he threatens the judgment of punishment; second, he determines the manner of punishment: and under his glory; third, the effect of punishment: …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The Lord - The sovereign Lord of thine and all other armies, shall strip him and all his princes, of their wealth, and might, and glory; and destroy his numerous army, as the fire doth those combustible things which are cast into it.
Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The robust and choice soldiers of Assyria (Ps 78:31, where "fattest" answers in the parallelism to "chosen," or "young men," Margin). leanness--carrying out the image on "fat ones." Destruction (Ps 106:15). Fulfilled (Isa 37:36). his glory--Assyria's nobles.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Therefore shall the Lord - Hebrew, אדון 'ādôn. The Lord of hosts - In the present Hebrew text, the original word is also אדני 'ădonāy, but fifty-two manuscripts and six editions read Jehovah. On the meaning of the phrase, “the Lord of hosts,” see the note at Isa 1:9. This verse contains a threatening of the punishment that would come upon the Assyrian for his insolence and pride, and the remainder of the chapter is mainly occupied with the details of that punishment. The punishment here threatened is, that while he appeared to be a victor, and was boasting of success and of his plunder, God would send leanness - as a body becomes wasted with disease. His fat ones - That is, those who had fattened on the spoils of victory; his vigorous, prosperous, and flourishing army. The prophet here evidently intends to describe his numerous army glutted with the trophies of victor, and revelling on the spoils. Leanness - They shall be emaciated and reduced; their vigor and strength shall be diminished. In Psa 106:15, the word “leanness,” רזון râzôn, is used to denote destruction, disease. In Mic 6:10, it denotes diminution, scantiness - ‘the scant ephah.’ Here it denotes, evidently, that the army which was so large and vigorous, should waste away as with a pestilential disease; compare Isa 10:19. The “fact” was, that of that vast host few escaped. The angel of the Lord killed 185,000 men in a single night; 2Ki 18:35; see the notes at Isa. 38:36. And under his glory - That is, beneath the boasted honor, might, and magnificence of the proud monarch. He shall kindle - That is, God shall suddenly and entirely destroy his magnificence and pride, as when a fire is kindled beneath a magnificent temple. […]
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לָ֠כֵן | lakhen | <to> therefore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| יְשַׁלַּ֨ח | yeshalach | he will send | H7971 → | 845 times |
| הָאָד֜וֹן | haadon | the lord | H113 → | 333 times |
| יְהוָ֧ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְבָא֛וֹת | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
| בְּמִשְׁמַנָּ֖יו | bemishmanav | on fat ones his | H4924 → | |
| רָז֑וֹן | razon | leanness | H7332 → | |
| וְתַ֧חַת | vetachat | and under | H8478 → | 505 times |
| כְּבֹד֛וֹ | kevodo | glory his | H3519 → | 200 times |
| יֵקַ֥ד | yekad | it will burn | H3344 → | 9 times |
| יְקֹ֖ד | yekod | a burning | H3350 → | |
| כִּיק֥וֹד | kikod | like [the] burning of | H3350 → | |
| אֵֽשׁ׃ | ʾesh | fire | H784 → | 378 times |
לָ֠כֵן<to> therefore
lakhenH3651 →771 times
יְשַׁלַּ֨חhe will send
yeshalachH7971 →845 times
הָאָד֜וֹןthe lord
haadonH113 →333 times
יְהוָ֧הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְבָא֛וֹתof hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
בְּמִשְׁמַנָּ֖יוon fat ones his
bemishmanavH4924 →
רָז֑וֹןleanness
razonH7332 →
וְתַ֧חַתand under
vetachatH8478 →505 times
כְּבֹד֛וֹglory his
kevodoH3519 →200 times
יֵקַ֥דit will burn
yekadH3344 →9 times
יְקֹ֖דa burning
yekodH3350 →
כִּיק֥וֹדlike [the] burning of
kikodH3350 →
אֵֽשׁ׃fire
ʾeshH784 →378 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 12:23Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
it leads to
- Acts 10:25–26
As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.
- Psalms 115:1
Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your loving devotion, because of Your faithfulness.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4
He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
- Acts 14:14–15
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
- Daniel 5:18–24
As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
- Acts 10:25–26
Through
Isaiah 9:5For every trampling boot of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 1:8
in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
- Psalms 46:9
He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:8
Through
Psalms 106:15So He granted their request, but sent a wasting disease upon them.
it leads to
- Numbers 11:31–34
Now a wind sent by the LORD came up, drove in quail from the sea, and brought them near the camp, about two cubits above the surface of the ground, for a day’s journey…
- Numbers 11:31–34
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Isaiah
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.