The Meaning of Isaiah 9:20 Explained

Isaiah 9:20

KJV: And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

YLT: And cutteth down on the right, and hath been hungry, And he devoureth on the left, And they have not been satisfied, Each the flesh of his own arm they devour.

Darby: and he snatcheth on the right hand, and is hungry, and eateth on the left hand; and they are not satisfied. They eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

ASV: And one shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

Discover Isaiah 9:20

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Isaiah 9:20?

MEANING: What does Isaiah 9:20 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Isaiah 9:20 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Isaiah 9:20?

What is the context of Isaiah 9:20?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

What does Isaiah 9:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 9:18-21 - Social Injustice Condemned

The terrible indictment of the preceding paragraphs is continued here. Notice the awful monotony of the refrain, Isaiah 9:12; Isaiah 9:17; Isaiah 9:21; Isaiah 10:4. Internal anarchy spread with the rapidity of a prairie fire. Jealousy and distrust awoke murderous hatred. Even the ties of brotherhood would not avail to arrest the knife of the assassin. In the horrors of starvation men would consume their own flesh, Isaiah 9:20. Civil strife would exhaust the forces, which, combined with God's blessing, might have arrested the invader. The weak would become the spoil of the strong; and there would be no appeal. What pathetic questions are suggested in Isaiah 10:3! What will ye do? To whom will ye flee? See Hebrews 9:26-28. What hope is there for the soul that has known and refused the offer of forgiveness in Jesus! Dear soul, make haste to the cleft of the Rock! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 9

¹ What joy shall be in the midst of afflictions, by the birth and kingdom of Christ
⁸ The judgments upon Israel for their pride
¹³ For their hypocrisy
¹⁸ And for their unrepentance

What do the individual words in Isaiah 9:20 mean?

And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and He shall devour the left hand and not be satisfied every man the flesh of his own arm shall eat

וַיִּגְזֹ֤ר עַל־ יָמִין֙ וְרָעֵ֔ב וַיֹּ֥אכַל שְׂמֹ֖אול וְלֹ֣א שָׂבֵ֑עוּ אִ֥ישׁ בְּשַׂר־ זְרֹע֖וֹ יֹאכֵֽלוּ

וַיִּגְזֹ֤ר	And he shall snatch
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: גָּזַר Sense: to cut, divide, cut down, cut off, cut in two, snatch, decree.
יָמִין֙	the right hand
Parse: Noun, feminine singular Root: יָמִין Sense: right, right hand, right side.
וְרָעֵ֔ב	and be hungry
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular Root: רָעֵב Sense: to be hungry, be voracious.
וַיֹּ֥אכַל	and He shall devour
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: אָכַל Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
שְׂמֹ֖אול	the left hand
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: שְׂמֹאל Sense: the left, the left hand, the left side.
וְלֹ֣א	and not
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle Root: הֲלֹא Sense: not, no.
שָׂבֵ֑עוּ	be satisfied
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural Root: שָׂבַע Sense: to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited.
אִ֥ישׁ	every man
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: אִישׁ Sense: man.
בְּשַׂר־	the flesh
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct Root: בָּשָׂר Sense: flesh.
זְרֹע֖וֹ	of his own arm
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular Root: זְרֹועַ Sense: arm, forearm, shoulder, strength.
יֹאכֵֽלוּ	shall eat
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: אָכַל Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.

What are the major concepts related to Isaiah 9:20?

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Similar Scriptures for Isaiah 9:20

		Isaiah 49:26 [6]
		Isaiah 8:21 [2]
		Jeremiah 19:9 [2]
		Lamentations 4:10 [2]
		Leviticus 26:26-29 [2]