The Meaning of Isaiah 27:8 Explained

Isaiah 27:8

KJV: In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.

YLT: In measure, in sending it forth, thou strivest with it, He hath taken away by His sharp wind, In the day of an east wind,

Darby: In measure, when sending her away, didst thou contend with her: he hath taken her away with his rough wind in the day of the east wind.

ASV: In measure, when thou sendest them away, thou dost content with them; he hath removed them with his rough blast in the day of the east wind.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In measure,  when it shooteth forth,  thou wilt debate  with it: he stayeth  his rough  wind  in the day  of the east wind. 

What does Isaiah 27:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord had scattered His people when they needed punishment, but He had not destroyed them. Since Isaiah used a feminine suffix here, it is possible that he alluded to a husband sending his wife away in divorce. He had let the fierce winds of His anger blow on them, but, as with the sirocco, His anger eventually subsided.

Context Summary

Isaiah 27:1-13 - God's Care For His Vineyard
Throughout these chapters we must remember that the doom of Babylon and the restoration of God's people are symbolical of other events, for which the world is preparing. Then Babylon the Great shall give place to the Holy City, which comes down out of heaven from God. Egypt and Babylon are represented by the leviathan, a general term applicable to any great water animal. The one had its Nile, the other its Euphrates. Parallel with the destruction of our foes is God's care of His own people. The Church is His vineyard. We do not keep Him, but He, us. Not for a moment does He relax His care. Those who oppose His purposes are trampled down as briars beneath the booted foot. In Isaiah 5:6 we have a prevision of the ultimate mission of the Hebrew race.
Note the difference in Isaiah 27:7-11 between punishment and chastisement. The former is irremediable and destructive, the latter is always in measure. The rough wind is stayed in the day of the east wind. Its object is to purge away our sins. After the captivity idolatry ceased out of Israel. How tenderly God gathers His wanderers-one by one as hand-picked fruit; even those who had wandered farthest and were ready to perish! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 27

1  The Deliverance of Israel

What do the individual words in Isaiah 27:8 mean?

In measure by sending it away You contended with it He removes [it] by His wind rough in the day of the east wind
בְּסַּאסְּאָ֖ה בְּשַׁלְחָ֣הּ תְּרִיבֶ֑נָּה הָגָ֛ה בְּרוּח֥וֹ הַקָּשָׁ֖ה בְּי֥וֹם קָדִֽים

בְּסַּאסְּאָ֖ה  In  measure 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: סַאסְּאָה  
Sense: (Pilpel) to drive away.
בְּשַׁלְחָ֣הּ  by  sending  it  away 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
תְּרִיבֶ֑נָּה  You  contended  with  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: רִיב  
Sense: to strive, contend.
הָגָ֛ה  He  removes  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָגָה  
Sense: (Qal) to remove, drive out.
בְּרוּח֥וֹ  by  His  wind 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
הַקָּשָׁ֖ה  rough 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: קָשֶׁה  
Sense: hard, cruel, severe, obstinate.
בְּי֥וֹם  in  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
קָדִֽים  of  the  east  wind 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָדִים  
Sense: east, east wind.