The Meaning of Isaiah 9:21 Explained

Isaiah 9:21

KJV: Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

YLT: Manasseh -- Ephraim, and Ephraim -- Manasseh, Together they are against Judah, With all this not turned back hath His anger. And still His hand is stretched out!

Darby: Manasseh, Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh; and they together are against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.

ASV: Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Manasseh,  Ephraim;  and Ephraim,  Manasseh:  [and] they together  [shall be] against Judah.  For all this his anger  is not turned away,  but his hand  [is] stretched out still. 

What does Isaiah 9:21 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 9:21 mean?

Manasseh [shall devour] - Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh Together they [shall be] against Judah For all this not is turned away His anger but still His hand [is] stretched out -
מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה אֶת־ אֶפְרַ֗יִם וְאֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה יַחְדָּ֥ו הֵ֖מָּה עַל־ יְהוּדָ֑ה בְּכָל־ זֹאת֙ לֹא־ שָׁ֣ב אַפּ֔וֹ וְע֖וֹד יָד֥וֹ נְטוּיָֽה ס

מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה  Manasseh  [shall  devour] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַשֶּׁה  
Sense: the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh.
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.
אֶפְרַ֗יִם  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
וְאֶפְרַ֙יִם֙  and  Ephraim 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה  Manasseh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַשֶּׁה  
Sense: the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh.
יַחְדָּ֥ו  Together 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַחַד 
Sense: union, unitedness adv.
הֵ֖מָּה  they  [shall  be] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
עַל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
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.
יְהוּדָ֑ה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
בְּכָל־  For  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
זֹאת֙  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
שָׁ֣ב  is  turned  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אַפּ֔וֹ  His  anger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
וְע֖וֹד  but  still 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
יָד֥וֹ  His  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
נְטוּיָֽה  [is]  stretched  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, feminine singular
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation