Isaiah 17:5
in Isaiah 17as the reaper gathers the standing grain and harvests the ears with his arm, as one gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the standing grain, and his arm reapeth the ears; yea, it shall be as when one gleaneth ears in the valley of Rephaim.
KJV
And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.
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This verse in Isaiah 17
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And it shall be ... - This is the other figure by which the prophet sets forth the calamities that were coming upon Ephraim - an image designed to denote the fact that the inhabitants and wealth of the land would be collected and removed, as the farmer gathers his harvest, and leaves only that which is inaccessible in the upper boughs of the tree, or the gleanings in the field.
This site's exposition
the splendor of Jacob will fade
on Isaiah 17:4-6
Jacob's splendor fades and the figure turns at once to harvest. Yet gleanings remain, "two or three berries atop the tree, four or five on its fruitful branches," the remnant figure Isaiah keeps returning to. Gill and Delitzsch note that the deliberate smallness of the count names a remnant preserved.
This site's exposition
as the reaper gathers the standing grain
Clarke names the reaper as the king of Assyria, who strips the land of its people as a harvester strips a field. Henry adds that Israel had ripened itself for this harvest by its sins. Only stray ears remain for the gleaner.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
By this it is clearly promised that the glory of Israel and all her riches will be taken away, and only a few, who like the few berries on an olive branch can be counted easily, will be left. These are the ones who believe in the Lord. Just after this there is a prophecy of the entire human race turning away from the error of idolatry and recognizing the God of Israel.
(Verse 5, 6.) And it shall be like one gathering in the harvest what remains, and his arm shall gather the ears: and it shall be like one seeking the ears in the Valley of Raphaim. And there shall be left in it like a cluster of grapes, and like the beating of olives of two or three olive trees at the top of the branch, or four or five on its fruitful heights, says the Lord God of Israel. Those who understand the present devastation of Damascus under the Roman kingdom, contend that these things are signified about the Apostles, that just as few ears of wheat and olives usually remain in the field or on the trees, so the remnant of Israel shall be saved; especially because it follows: On that day, man shall turn to his maker, and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel, that is, to Christ. Two olives, and three, and four, and five, are interpreted as the fourteen Apostles, that is, the twelve who were chosen, and the thirteenth James, who is called the brother of the Lord; Paul also, the Apostle, the vessel of election (Acts 7). However, those who think that what was said is accomplished during the time of the Assyrians, want this to be understood, that under the Assyrian captivity Damascus was not completely destroyed, but some were transferred to Cyrene, and the other part of the worshipers of the land was left behind, which was also destroyed later by the Babylonian ravages: until it was restored again under the Macedonians and the Ptolemies, and in the coming of Christ it was indeed a city, but not of such power as it had been before. And there will be so few senses left in Damascus as there usually remain few ears of grain in the broad and mighty valley of Raphaim that the poor gather, or few olives left in the olive tree that have escaped the scrutiny of the harvester.
(Verse 5) And it shall be like the gleaning of a harvest, what remains, and his arm shall gather the ears of grain, and it shall be like one seeking grain in the valley of Rephaim.
The Medieval Church1 voice
As to the first, he sets out scarcity of ears of corn after the harvest, which are gathered by the harvester himself, and thus, the scarcity of the remnant of the ten tribes, shall be as when someone gathers in the harvest that which remains …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The corn is the glory of the fields ( Ps. lxv. 13 ); but, when it is reaped and gone, where is the glory? The people had by their sins made themselves ripe for ruin, and their glory was as quickly, as easily, as justly, and as irresistibly, cut down and taken away, as the corn is out of the field by the husbandman.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
As when the harvestman gathereth “As when one gathereth” - That is, the king of Assyria shall sweep away the whole body of the people, as the reaper strippeth off the whole crop of corn; and the remnant shall be no more in proportion than the scattered ears left to the gleaner. The valley of Rephaim near Jerusalem was celebrated for its plentiful harvest; it is here used poetically for any fruitful country. One MS., and one ancient edition, has באסף beesoph, “In gathering,” instead of כאסף keesoph, “AS the gathering.”
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָיָ֗ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כֶּֽאֱסֹף֙ | keesof | like [the] gathering of | H622 → | 200 times |
| קָצִ֣יר | katzir | a harvest of | H7105 → | 54 times |
| קָמָ֔ה | kamah | standing grain | H7054 → | |
| וּזְרֹע֖וֹ | uzeroo | and arm his | H2220 → | 91 times |
| שִׁבֳּלִ֣ים | shibolim | ears of grain | H7641 → | 19 times |
| יִקְצ֑וֹר | yiktzor | someone will reap | H7114 → | 49 times |
| וְהָיָ֛ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כִּמְלַקֵּ֥ט | kimlaket | like [one who] gathers | H3950 → | |
| שִׁבֳּלִ֖ים | shibolim | ears of grain | H7641 → | 19 times |
| בְּעֵ֥מֶק | beemek | in [the] valley of | H6010 → | 69 times |
| רְפָאִֽים׃ | refaim | Rephaim | H7497 → |
וְהָיָ֗הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
כֶּֽאֱסֹף֙like [the] gathering of
keesofH622 →200 times
קָצִ֣ירa harvest of
katzirH7105 →54 times
קָמָ֔הstanding grain
kamahH7054 →
וּזְרֹע֖וֹand arm his
uzerooH2220 →91 times
שִׁבֳּלִ֣יםears of grain
shibolimH7641 →19 times
יִקְצ֑וֹרsomeone will reap
yiktzorH7114 →49 times
וְהָיָ֛הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
כִּמְלַקֵּ֥טlike [one who] gathers
kimlaketH3950 →
שִׁבֳּלִ֖יםears of grain
shibolimH7641 →19 times
בְּעֵ֥מֶקin [the] valley of
beemekH6010 →69 times
רְפָאִֽים׃Rephaim
refaimH7497 →
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
Matthew 13:30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat into my barn.’”
it leads to
- Matthew 3:12
His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
- 1 Timothy 5:24
The sins of some men are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others do not surface until later.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
- Malachi 3:18
So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
- John 15:6
If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
- Matthew 3:12
Through
Joel 3:13Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full; the wine vats overflow because their wickedness is great.
it leads to
- Revelation 14:15–20
Then another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the One seated on the cloud, “Swing Your sickle and reap, because the time has come to harvest; for…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hosea 6:11
Also for you, O Judah, a harvest is appointed, when I restore My people from captivity.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 4:29
And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
- Revelation 14:15–20
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); Eusebius of Caesarea, PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.