The Meaning of Isaiah 7:20 Explained

Isaiah 7:20

KJV: In the same day shall the Lord shave with a rasor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.

YLT: In that day doth the Lord shave, By a razor that is hired beyond the river, By the king of Asshur, The head, and the hair of the feet, Yea, also the beard it consumeth.

Darby: In that day will the Lord, with a razor which is hired beyond the river, with the king of Assyria, shave the head and the hair of the feet, yea, the beard also will it take away.

ASV: In that day will the Lord shave with a razor that is hired in the parts beyond the River, even with the king of Assyria, the head and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the beard.

Discover Isaiah 7:20

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Isaiah 7:20?

MEANING: What does Isaiah 7:20 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Isaiah 7:20 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Isaiah 7:20?

What is the context of Isaiah 7:20?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, [namely], by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.

What does Isaiah 7:20 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Judah"s Sovereign would particularly use Assyria, as a barber uses a razor, to remove all the "hair" from Judah, to completely humiliate her (cf. 2 Samuel 10:4-5). Prisoners and slaves were shaved as a mark of dishonor, and this condition signified insult and disrespect. ^[1] Ahaz was already negotiating to hire Tiglath-pileser III, the king of Assyria, perhaps secretly at this time, to come and help Judah against the Syro-Ephraimitic alliance. However, Yahweh would "hire" the Assyrians (King Sennacherib) to do His will, implying that He would pay them for their efforts, which He did, not Ahaz.

Context Summary

Isaiah 7:18-25 - A Foreign Foe-God's Instrument

Ahaz, as we have seen, summoned the king of Assyria to his aid. This policy, dictated by human prudence, was fraught with vast peril. He and his advisers would rue their choice, and would have to pay dearly for introducing Assyria into the complicated politics of these minor states. Though this policy might effect a temporary success, like that which Isaiah indicated in the naming of his newborn child, yet ultimately it would work out disastrously, in the depopulation and desolation of the country. The impoverished peasants would have one cow instead of a herd, and two sheep instead of a flock. Is not this true of all the expedients which we substitute for faith in God? At first they promise well but they disappoint and fail. It is the old lesson: "Lean not to thine own understanding," Proverbs 3:5. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 7

¹ Ahaz, being troubled with fear of Rezin and Pekah, is comforted by Isaiah
¹⁰ Ahaz, having liberty to choose a sign, and refusing it, has for a sign, Christ promised
¹⁷ His judgment is prophesied to come by Assyria

What do the individual words in Isaiah 7:20 mean?

in day that will shave the Lord with a razor hired with those from beyond the River with the king of Assyria - the head and the hair of the legs and also the beard will remove -

בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֡וּא יְגַלַּ֣ח אֲדֹנָי֩ בְּתַ֨עַר הַשְּׂכִירָ֜ה בְּעֶבְרֵ֤י נָהָר֙ בְּמֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר אֶת־ הָרֹ֖אשׁ וְשַׂ֣עַר הָרַגְלָ֑יִם וְגַ֥ם הַזָּקָ֖ן תִּסְפֶּֽה ס

בַּיּ֣וֹם	in day
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular Root: יׄום Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֡וּא	that
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular Root: הוּא Sense: he, she, it.
יְגַלַּ֣ח	will shave
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: גָּלַח Sense: to poll, shave, shave off, be bald.
אֲדֹנָי֩	the Lord
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: אֲדֹנָי Sense: my lord, lord.
בְּתַ֨עַר	with a razor
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular Root: תַּעַר Sense: razor, sheath (making naked).
הַשְּׂכִירָ֜ה	hired
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular Root: שָׂכִיר Sense: hired.
בְּעֶבְרֵ֤י	with those from beyond
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct Root: עֵבֶר Sense: region beyond or across, side.
נָהָר֙	the River
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: נָהָר Sense: stream, river.
בְּמֶ֣לֶךְ	with the king
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct Root: מֶלֶךְ Sense: king.
אַשּׁ֔וּר	of Assyria
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular Root: אַשּׁוּר Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
אֶת־	-
Parse: Direct object marker Root: אֹות Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָרֹ֖אשׁ	the head
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular Root: רֹאשׁ Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וְשַׂ֣עַר	and the hair
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct Root: שֵׂעָר Sense: hair.
הָרַגְלָ֑יִם	of the legs
Parse: Article, Noun, fd Root: רֶגֶל Sense: foot.
וְגַ֥ם	and also
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction Root: גַּם Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
הַזָּקָ֖ן	the beard
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular Root: זָקָן Sense: beard, chin.
תִּסְפֶּֽה	will remove
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular Root: סָפָה Sense: to sweep or snatch away, catch up, destroy, consume.
ס	-
Parse: Punctuation

What are the major concepts related to Isaiah 7:20?

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