Isaiah 43:17
in Isaiah 43who brings out the chariots and horses, the armies and warriors together, to lie down, never to rise again; to be extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
who bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched as a wick):
KJV
Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
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This verse in Isaiah 43
Commentary
9 notes on this verse(Verse 17) Who brought out the chariot and horse, the army and the strong: they lay down to sleep together, they will not rise again; they are broken like flax, they are extinguished. LXX: Who brings out chariots and horses, and a multitude of warriors. But they lie down, they shall not rise; they are extinguished, extinguished like flax. He submerged Pharaoh's chariots, horses, and entire army in the depths, who slept an eternal sleep. They were crushed and annihilated, like flax in a short span of time, and in an instant.
This site's exposition
who makes a way in the sea
on Isaiah 43:16-17
The LORD is named by the Red Sea crossing, who makes a way in the sea. Verse 17 recalls the other half of that crossing, the chariots and horses of Pharaoh's army. The two verses hold the whole exodus, a path for one people and ruin for the other.
This site's exposition
snuffed out like a wick
Jerome reads the lying down as an eternal sleep for the army of Pharaoh under the sea. He dwells on the speed of it. A wick of flax is extinguished in a moment, and in the same way the chariots, horses and warriors of Egypt perished in an instant.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
And as to the destruction of their enemies, who brought forth the chariot, the chariots of Pharaoh: his chosen captains are drowned in the Red Sea (Exod 15:4); as flax, cut down in a moment.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
He that did this can, if he please, make a way for you in the sea when you return out of Babylon, and will do so rather than leave you there." Note, For the encouragement of our faith and hope, it is good for us often to remember what God has done formerly for his people against his and their enemies.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Lay down - In the bottom of the sea. They never rose again to molest the Israelites. Quenched - As the wick of a candle when it is put into the water, is extinguished.
Which bringeth forth the chariot and the horse, the army and the power,.... Who brought forth the chariots and horses, and the mighty army of Pharaoh, out of Egypt, to pursue the Israelites into the Red sea, where they were drowned.
A method taken to prepare the people for their deliverance, by putting them in mind of their sins, by which they had provoked God to send them into captivity and continue them there, that they might repent and seek to God for pardoning mercy,
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
Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse - The reference here is, undoubtedly, to the occurrences which are recorded in Exo 14:4, following, when Pharaoh and his host are said to have followed the Israelites, but were all submerged in the sea. God is said to have brought them forth in accordance with the general statement so often made, that he controls and directs princes and nations (see the note at Isa 10:5-6). They shall lie down together - They shall sink together to death, as Pharaoh and his army sunk together in a watery grave.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַמּוֹצִ֥יא | hamotzi' | who sent out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| רֶֽכֶב־ | rekhev- | chariotry | H7393 → | 119 times |
| וָס֖וּס | vasus | and horse[s] | H5483 → | 140 times |
| חַ֣יִל | chayil | an army | H2428 → | 246 times |
| וְעִזּ֑וּז | veizuz | and a strong [one] | H5808 → | |
| יַחְדָּ֤ו | yachdav | together | H3162 → | 141 times |
| יִשְׁכְּבוּ֙ | yishkevu | they lay down | H7901 → | 212 times |
| בַּל־ | bal- | not | H1077 → | 73 times |
| יָק֔וּמוּ | yakumu | they rose | H6965 → | 628 times |
| דָּעֲכ֖וּ | daakhu | they were extinguished | H1846 → | |
| כַּפִּשְׁתָּ֥ה | kapishtah | like <the> wick | H6594 → | |
| כָבֽוּ׃ | khavu | they were quenched | H3518 → | 24 times |
הַמּוֹצִ֥יאwho sent out
hamotzi'H3318 →1067 times
רֶֽכֶב־chariotry
rekhev-H7393 →119 times
וָס֖וּסand horse[s]
vasusH5483 →140 times
חַ֣יִלan army
chayilH2428 →246 times
וְעִזּ֑וּזand a strong [one]
veizuzH5808 →
יַחְדָּ֤וtogether
yachdavH3162 →141 times
יִשְׁכְּבוּ֙they lay down
yishkevuH7901 →212 times
בַּל־not
bal-H1077 →73 times
יָק֔וּמוּthey rose
yakumuH6965 →628 times
דָּעֲכ֖וּthey were extinguished
daakhuH1846 →
כַּפִּשְׁתָּ֥הlike <the> wick
kapishtahH6594 →
כָבֽוּ׃they were quenched
khavuH3518 →24 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
Psalms 118:12They swarmed around me like bees, but they were extinguished like burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 1:44
Then the Amorites who lived in the hills came out against you and chased you like a swarm of bees. They routed you from Seir all the way to Hormah.
- 1 Samuel 17:45
But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies…
- Psalms 20:5
May we shout for joy at your victory and raise a banner in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your petitions.
- Ecclesiastes 7:6
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
- Psalms 20:1
May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
- Deuteronomy 1:44
Through
Isaiah 1:31The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.
it leads to
- Isaiah 66:24
“As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a…
- Malachi 4:1
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of…
- Ezekiel 32:21
Mighty chiefs will speak from the midst of Sheol about Egypt and her allies: ‘They have come down and lie with the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword.’
- Isaiah 66:24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies9
On this verse
About Isaiah
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.