The Meaning of Isaiah 10:10 Explained

Isaiah 10:10

KJV: As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;

YLT: As my hand hath got to the kingdoms of a worthless thing, and their graven images, Greater than Jerusalem and than Samaria,

Darby: As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and their graven images exceeded those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

ASV: As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As my hand  hath found  the kingdoms  of the idols,  and whose graven images  did excel them of Jerusalem  and of Samaria; 

What does Isaiah 10:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 10:5-19 - The Mighty Laid Low
This question is addressed to the Assyrian invader, described as God's staff and rod. He was the means of inflicting deserved penalty on the world of that age, and especially on the Chosen People. He had no thought of this, but considered himself free to wreak his will without reference to that Higher Power whose agent he was. But the ruthless manner in which he carried out his work was destined to come under the divine judgment, Isaiah 10:12-15.
The capture of Jerusalem seemed as sure as the taking of a nest of eggs. The strongest barriers that the nations could oppose to his arms had fallen before the Assyrian king; and surely the Hebrew city should not escape. But God had yet to be reckoned with, Isaiah 10:16-19. The conception here is borrowed from a forest fire, which begins among the brushwood and presently consumes the loftiest and stoutest trees; so would the fire of destruction be kindled during the attack on the Holy City, which finally would involve the whole Assyrian empire. Let us not fear the wrath of man. God makes some portion of it to praise Him, and He restrains the remainder. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 10

1  The woe of tyrants
5  Assyria, the rod of hypocrites, for its pride shall be broken
20  A remnant of Israel shall be saved
23  Judah is comforted with promise of deliverance from Assyria

What do the individual words in Isaiah 10:10 mean?

as has found my hand the kingdoms of the idols and Whose carved images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria
כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ מָצְאָ֣ה יָדִ֔י לְמַמְלְכֹ֖ת הָאֱלִ֑יל וּפְסִ֣ילֵיהֶ֔ם מִירֽוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וּמִשֹּׁמְרֽוֹן

מָצְאָ֣ה  has  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
יָדִ֔י  my  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
לְמַמְלְכֹ֖ת  the  kingdoms 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
הָאֱלִ֑יל  of  the  idols 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱלִיל  
Sense: of nought, good for nothing, worthless.
וּפְסִ֣ילֵיהֶ֔ם  and  Whose  carved  images 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: פָּסִיל  
Sense: image, idol, graven image.
מִירֽוּשָׁלִַ֖ם  excelled  those  of  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
וּמִשֹּׁמְרֽוֹן  and  Samaria 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שֹׁמְרֹון  
Sense: the region of northern Palestine associated with the northern kingdom of the 0 tribes of Israel which split from the kingdom after the death of Solomon during the reign of his son Rehoboam and were ruled by Jeroboam.