Isaiah 10:24
in Isaiah 10Therefore this is what the Lord GOD of Hosts says: “O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear Assyria, who strikes you with a rod and lifts his staff against you as the Egyptians did.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Therefore thus saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian, though he smite thee with the rod, and lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.
KJV
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.
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This verse in Isaiah 10
Commentary
10 notes on this verseAfter the manner of Egypt “In the way of Egypt” - I think there is a designed ambiguity in these words. Sennacherib, soon after his return from his Egyptian expedition, which, I imagine, took him up three years, invested Jerusalem. He is represented by the prophet as lifting up his rod in his march from Egypt, and threatening the people of God, as Pharaoh and the Egyptians had done when they pursued them to the Red Sea.
This site's exposition
O My people who dwell
on Isaiah 10:24-27
The Lord tells His people "do not fear Assyria," for "in just a little while" His fury will subside. He recalls Midian struck "at the rock of Oreb." The yoke "will be broken because your neck will be too large," where the King James renders the Hebrew word as anointing.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(v. 24 seqq.) Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: Do not fear, my people who dwell in Zion, from Assyria, who shall strike you with a rod and lift up his staff against you, as the Egyptians did. For yet a little while and my indignation will be fulfilled and my anger will be directed towards their wickedness. And the Lord of hosts will raise a whip against them, as he did against Midian at the rock of Oreb, and his staff against the sea, and he will lift it up in the manner of the Egyptians.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Therefore, thus says the Lord. Here the strengthening of the people is set out, and concerning this, he does two things. First, he sets out the strengthening: be not afraid, below: fear not, you worm of Jacob, you that are dead of Israel (Isa 41:14). …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Note, It is against the mind and will of God that his people, whatever may happen, should give way to that fear which has torment and amazement. Those that dwell in Zion, where God dwells and where his people attend him, and are employed in his service, that are under the protection of the bulwarks that are round about Zion ( Ps. xlviii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Whether they were the princes and judges of Israel of Judah, or both, that the prophet denounced this woe against, is not certain: if those of Israel, these verses are to be joined with the close of the foregoing chapter, which is probable enough, because the burden of that prophecy ( for all this his anger is not turned away ) is repeated here (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Therefore - This is an inference, not from the words immediately foregoing, but from the whole prophecy. Seeing the Assyrian shall be destroyed. Smite - He shall afflict, but not destroy thee.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Therefore--Return to the main proposition, Assyria's ultimate punishment, though employed as God's "rod" to chastise Judea for a time. O my people--God's tenderness towards His elect nation. after the manner of Egypt--as Egypt and Pharaoh oppressed thee. Implying, too, as Israel was nevertheless delivered from them, so now it would be from the Assyrian Sennacherib.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Therefore ... - In this verse the prophet returns to the main subject of this prophecy, which is to comfort the people of Jerusalem with the assurance that the army of the Assyrian would be destroyed. O my people - An expression of tenderness, showing that God regarded them as his children, and notwithstanding the judgments that he would bring upon them for their sins In the midst of severe judgments, God speaks the language of tenderness; and, even when he punishes, has toward his people the feelings of a father; Heb 12:5-11. That dwelleth in Zion - literally, in mount Zion; but here taken for the whole city of Jerusalem; see the note at Isa 1:8. Be not afraid ... - For his course shall be arrested, and he shall be repelled and punished; Isa 10:25-27. He shall smite thee - He shall, indeed, smite thee, but shall not utterly destroy thee. And shall lift up his staff - Note, Isa 10:5. The “staff” here is regarded as an instrument of punishment; compare the note at Isa 9:4; and the sense is, that by his invasion, and by his exactions, he would oppress and punish the nation. After the manner of Egypt - Hebrew, ‘In the way of Egypt.’ Some interpreters have supposed that this means that Sennacherib would oppress and afflict the Jews in his going down to Egypt, or on his way there to attack the Egyptians. But the more correct interpretation is that which is expressed in our translation - “after the manner of Egypt.” That is, the nature of his oppressions shall be like those which the Egyptians under Pharaoh inflicted on the Jews. There are “two” ideas evidently implied here. (1) That the oppression would be heavy and severe. Those which their fathers experienced in Egypt were exceedingly burdensome and cruel. So it would be in the calamities that the Assyrian would bring upon them. But, (2) Their fathers had been delivered from the oppressions of the Egyptians. […]
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לָכֵ֗ן | lakhen | <to> therefore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֞ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֤י | ʾadonai | [the] Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| יְהוִה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3069 → | 306 times |
| צְבָא֔וֹת | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּירָ֥א | tira' | you be afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| עַמִּ֛י | ʾami | O people my | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| יֹשֵׁ֥ב | yoshev | [which] dwells | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| צִיּ֖וֹן | tziyon | Zion | H6726 → | 154 times |
| מֵֽאַשּׁ֑וּר | meashur | from Assyria | H804 → | 151 times |
| בַּשֵּׁ֣בֶט | bashevet | with the rod | H7626 → | 190 times |
| יַכֶּ֔כָּה | yakekah | it will strike you | H5221 → | 499 times |
| וּמַטֵּ֥הוּ | umatehu | and staff its | H4294 → | 252 times |
| יִשָּֽׂא־ | yisa'- | it will lift up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| עָלֶ֖יךָ | ʾaleikha | on you | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ | bederekh | in [the] manner of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| מִצְרָֽיִם׃ | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
לָכֵ֗ן<to> therefore
lakhenH3651 →771 times
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
אָמַ֞רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
אֲדֹנָ֤י[the] Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
יְהוִה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3069 →306 times
צְבָא֔וֹתof hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּירָ֥אyou be afraid
tira'H3372 →315 times
עַמִּ֛יO people my
ʾamiH5971 →1873 times
יֹשֵׁ֥ב[which] dwells
yoshevH3427 →1079 times
צִיּ֖וֹןZion
tziyonH6726 →154 times
מֵֽאַשּׁ֑וּרfrom Assyria
meashurH804 →151 times
בַּשֵּׁ֣בֶטwith the rod
bashevetH7626 →190 times
יַכֶּ֔כָּהit will strike you
yakekahH5221 →499 times
וּמַטֵּ֥הוּand staff its
umatehuH4294 →252 times
יִשָּֽׂא־it will lift up
yisa'-H5375 →656 times
עָלֶ֖יךָon you
ʾaleikhaH5921 →5755 times
בְּדֶ֥רֶךְin [the] manner of
bederekhH1870 →707 times
מִצְרָֽיִם׃Egypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 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
Isaiah 61:3to console the mourners in Zion—to give them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for a spirit of despair. So they will be…
it leads to
- Psalms 30:11
You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
- Jeremiah 17:7–8
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.
- John 16:20
Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
- Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom…
- Psalms 45:7
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you above your companions with the oil of joy.
- Psalms 30:11
Through
Isaiah 37:6who replied, “Tell your master that this is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid of the words you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.
it leads to
- Isaiah 7:4
and say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Do not be afraid or disheartened over these two smoldering stubs of firewood—over the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of…
- Isaiah 35:4
Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.”
- Mark 5:36
But Jesus overheard their conversation and said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; just believe.”
- Isaiah 7:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Isaiah
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PlaceUpper MesopotamiaAssyriaMesopotamian empire whose capital Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching and fell to Nahum's burden in 612 BC; the rod of God's ang…
- PlaceJerusalemZionThe eastern ridge David took from the Jebusites and made his stronghold, the name the Psalms and the prophets give the city the LO…
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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; 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.