Isaiah 9:11
What does Isaiah 9:11 mean?
A plain-English look at Isaiah 9:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Isaiah 9:11 means
Because of Israel's unyielding pride and defiance, this verse declares God's active intervention to raise up enemies against them. Jehovah Himself will instigate hostility, setting up the "adversaries of Rezin" to come against Israel. Rezin was the king of Aram (Syria), who had previously allied with Israel against Judah. God will now stir up these past allies' enemies, turning their own political landscape against them. This shows that the calamities they experience are not random misfortune but orchestrated divine judgment, a direct consequence of their unrepentant heart.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Therefore Jehovah will set up on high against him the adversaries of Rezin, and will stir up his enemies,
KJV
King James Version · 1611Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Therefore Jehovah will set up on high against him the adversaries of Rezin, and will stir up his enemies,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For this cause the Lord has made strong the haters of Israel, driving them on to make war against him;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And Jehovah setteth the adversaries of Rezin on high above him, And his enemies he joineth together,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And the Lord shall set up the enemies of Rasin over him, and shall bring on his enemies in a crowd:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And Jehovah will set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and arm his enemies,
Context
Following the display of Israel's arrogant defiance in verse 10, this verse explains God's immediate response: He will actively raise up their enemies. It reveals the mechanism of God's judgment, directly linking their stubbornness to divine retribution. This context is important because it shifts from their defiant words to God's decisive action, setting the stage for the specific enemies and the continuous nature of His wrath.
v.10The bricks are fallen, but we will build with hewn stone; the sycomores are cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.
v.11This passage
v.12the Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 7:8
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken in pieces, so that it shall not be a people:
- Isaiah 17:1
The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
- Isaiah 10:9
Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
- 2 Kings 15:29
In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maacah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
- Isaiah 8:4
For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and, My mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be carried away before the king of Assyria.
- 2 Kings 16:9
And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.
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