The Meaning of Isaiah 13:17 Explained

Isaiah 13:17

KJV: Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

YLT: Lo, I am stirring up against them the Medes, Who silver esteem not, And gold -- they delight not in it.

Darby: Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who do not regard silver, and as for gold, they have no delight in it.

ASV: Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who shall not regard silver, and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, I will stir up  the Medes  against them, which shall not regard  silver;  and [as for] gold,  they shall not delight  in it. 

What does Isaiah 13:17 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 13

1  God musters the armies of his wrath
6  He threatens to destroy Babylon by the Medes
19  The desolation of Babylon

What do the individual words in Isaiah 13:17 mean?

Behold I will stir up against them - the Medes who silver not will regard and [as for] gold they will delight in it
הִנְנִ֛י מֵעִ֥יר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם אֶת־ מָדָ֑י אֲשֶׁר־ כֶּ֙סֶף֙ לֹ֣א יַחְשֹׁ֔בוּ וְזָהָ֖ב יַחְפְּצוּ־ בֽוֹ

הִנְנִ֛י  Behold 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
מֵעִ֥יר  I  will  stir  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עוּר 
Sense: to rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite.
עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם  against  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
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.
מָדָ֑י  the  Medes 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מָדַי  
Sense: a people descended from the son of Japheth and who inhabited the territory of Media.
כֶּ֙סֶף֙  silver 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
יַחְשֹׁ֔בוּ  will  regard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
וְזָהָ֖ב  and  [as  for]  gold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
יַחְפְּצוּ־  they  will  delight 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָפֵץ 
Sense: to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with.
בֽוֹ  in  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular