Isaiah 10:18
in Isaiah 10The splendor of its forests and orchards, both soul and body, it will completely destroy, as a sickness consumes a man.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he will consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and it shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth.
KJV
And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth.
⋯
This verse in Isaiah 10
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The glory of his forest - In these expressions, the army of Sennacherib is compared with a beautiful grove thick set with trees; and as all the beauty of a grove which the fire overruns is destroyed, so, says the prophet, it will be with the army of the Assyrian under the judgments of God. If the ‘briers and thorns’ Isa 10:17 refer to the common soldiers of his army, then the glory of the forest - the tall, majestic trees - refer to the princes and nobles. But this mode of interpretation should not be pressed too far.
This site's exposition
And the Light of Israel
on Isaiah 10:17-19
The Light of Israel becomes "a fire, and its Holy One a flame," the title turned against the invader. Assyria's host, pictured as forest, is consumed until a child could count the trees. The imagery prepares the next chapter, a stump left behind, out of which the Branch will grow.
This site's exposition
both soul and body
Barnes read the forest and orchard as the army of Sennacherib, set as thick as trees in a grove. Wesley added that the soldiers stood as thick as ears of grain in a field. Soul and body means the whole of it.
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
And he shall run away through fear. Here the effect of the punishment is set out. And first, the effect on the enemy as to their flight: and he shall run away through fear.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Secondly, That those few who remained should be quite dispirited: They shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth. When he either falls or flees, and his colours are taken by the enemy, this discourages the whole army, and puts them all into confusion. Upon the whole matter we must say, Who is able to stand before this great and holy Lord God?
The glory - Of his great army, which may not unfitly be compared to a forest, for the numbers of men, who stood as thick as trees do in a forest. Field - Of his soldiers, who stood as thick as ears of corn in a fruitful field.
And shall consume the glory of his forest,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It is an overflowing consumption, that shall overspread the land, and, like a mighty torrent or inundation, bear down all before it. Though it overflows, it is not at random, but in righteousness, which signifies both wisdom and equity.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
glory of his forest--The common soldiers, the princes, officers, &c., all alike together, shall be consumed (see on Isa 9:18). in one day-- (Isa 37:36). fruitful field--literally, "Carmel," a rich mountain in the tribe of Asher.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּכְב֤וֹד | ukhevod | and [the] splendor of | H3519 → | 200 times |
| יַעְרוֹ֙ | ya'ro | forest his | H3293 → | 59 times |
| וְכַרְמִלּ֔וֹ | vekharmilo | and orchard his | H3759 → | 17 times |
| מִנֶּ֥פֶשׁ | minefesh | from breath | H5315 → | 754 times |
| וְעַד־ | vead- | and unto | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| בָּשָׂ֖ר | basar | flesh | H1320 → | 270 times |
| יְכַלֶּ֑ה | yekhaleh | it will bring to an end | H3615 → | 208 times |
| וְהָיָ֖ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כִּמְסֹ֥ס | kimsos | as wastes away | H4549 → | 21 times |
| נֹסֵֽס׃ | noses | [one who] is sick | H5263 → |
וּכְב֤וֹדand [the] splendor of
ukhevodH3519 →200 times
יַעְרוֹ֙forest his
ya'roH3293 →59 times
וְכַרְמִלּ֔וֹand orchard his
vekharmiloH3759 →17 times
מִנֶּ֥פֶשׁfrom breath
minefeshH5315 →754 times
וְעַד־and unto
vead-H5704 →1261 times
בָּשָׂ֖רflesh
basarH1320 →270 times
יְכַלֶּ֑הit will bring to an end
yekhalehH3615 →208 times
וְהָיָ֖הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
כִּמְסֹ֥סas wastes away
kimsosH4549 →21 times
נֹסֵֽס׃[one who] is sick
nosesH5263 →
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
Jeremiah 21:14I will punish you as your deeds deserve, declares the LORD. I will kindle a fire in your forest that will consume everything around you.’”
it leads to
- Isaiah 3:10–11
Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
- Jeremiah 32:19
the One great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are on all the ways of the sons of men, to reward each one according to his ways and according to the fruit…
- Proverbs 1:31
So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
- Isaiah 3:10–11
Through
2 Kings 19:28Because your rage and arrogance against Me have reached My ears, I will put My hook in your nose and My bit in your mouth; I will send you back the way you came.’
it leads to
- Ezekiel 29:4
But I will put hooks in your jaws and cause the fish of your streams to cling to your scales. I will haul you up out of your rivers, and all the fish of…
- Ezekiel 38:4
I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws, and bring you out with all your army—your horses, your horsemen in full armor, and a great company armed with shields and bucklers, all…
- 2 Kings 19:33
He will go back the way he came, and he will not enter this city,’ declares the LORD.
- Amos 4:2
The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness: “Behold, the days are coming when you will be taken away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.
- Ezekiel 29:4
Through
2 Kings 19:23Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut…
it leads to
- Psalms 20:7
Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
- Psalms 20:7
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 Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; 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.