The Meaning of Isaiah 10:14 Explained

Isaiah 10:14

KJV: And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.

YLT: And my hand as to a nest Getteth to the wealth of the peoples, And as a gathering of forsaken eggs All the earth I -- I have gathered, And there hath not been one moving wing, Or opening mouth, or whispering.'

Darby: and my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the peoples, and as one gathereth forsaken eggs, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or chirped.

ASV: and my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the peoples; and as one gathereth eggs that are forsaken, have I gathered all the earth: and there was none that moved the wing, or that opened the mouth, or chirped.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And my hand  hath found  as a nest  the riches  of the people:  and as one gathereth  eggs  [that are] left,  have I gathered  all the earth;  and there was none that moved  the wing,  or opened  the mouth,  or peeped. 

What does Isaiah 10:14 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 10:14 mean?

And has found like a nest My hand the riches of the people and as one gathers eggs [that are] left all the earth I have gathered and no one there was who moved [his] wing nor opened [his] mouth and with even a peep
וַתִּמְצָ֨א כַקֵּ֤ן ׀ יָדִי֙ לְחֵ֣יל הָֽעַמִּ֔ים וְכֶאֱסֹף֙ בֵּיצִ֣ים עֲזֻב֔וֹת כָּל־ הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲנִ֣י אָסָ֑פְתִּי וְלֹ֤א הָיָה֙ נֹדֵ֣ד כָּנָ֔ף וּפֹצֶ֥ה פֶ֖ה וּמְצַפְצֵֽף

וַתִּמְצָ֨א  And  has  found 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
כַקֵּ֤ן ׀  like  a  nest 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֵן  
Sense: nest.
יָדִי֙  My  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
לְחֵ֣יל  the  riches 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
הָֽעַמִּ֔ים  of  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וְכֶאֱסֹף֙  and  as  one  gathers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
בֵּיצִ֣ים  eggs 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: בֵּיצָה  
Sense: egg.
עֲזֻב֔וֹת  [that  are]  left 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, feminine plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
הָאָ֖רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אָסָ֑פְתִּי  have  gathered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
וְלֹ֤א  and  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הָיָה֙  there  was 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
נֹדֵ֣ד  who  moved 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָדַד  
Sense: to retreat, flee, depart, move, wander abroad, stray, flutter.
כָּנָ֔ף  [his]  wing 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: כָּנָף  
Sense: wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt.
וּפֹצֶ֥ה  nor  opened 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: פָּצָה  
Sense: to part, open, separate, set free.
פֶ֖ה  [his]  mouth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
וּמְצַפְצֵֽף  and  with  even  a  peep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָפַף  
Sense: (Pilpel) to chirp, peep.