Isaiah 10 · Verse 15

Isaiah 10:15

Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.
Isaiah 10:15, King James Version

Isaiah 10:15 in other translations

BSBDoes an axe raise itself above the one who swings it? Does a saw boast over him who saws with it? It would be like a rod waving the one who lifts it, or a staff lifting him who is not wood!
WEBShould an ax brag against him who chops with it? Should a saw exalt itself above him who saws with it? As if a rod should lift those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up someone who is not wood.
ASVShall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? shall the saw magnify itself against him that wieldeth it? as if a rod should wield them that lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up him that is not wood.
YLT--Doth the axe glorify itself Against him who is hewing with it? Doth the saw magnify itself Against him who is shaking it? As a rod waving those lifting it up! As a staff lifting up that which is not wood!
DARBY— Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? shall the saw magnify itself against him that wieldeth it? As if the rod should wield them that lift it up; as if the staff should lift up him who is not wood!
BBEWill the axe say high-sounding words against him who is using it, or the blade be full of pride against him who is cutting with it? As if a rod had the power of shaking him who is using it, or as if a stick might take up him who is not wood.
WebsterShall the ax boast itself against him that heweth with it? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that moveth it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it, or as if the staff should lift itself, as if it were no wood.

What does Isaiah 10:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. Shall the instrument boast against Him who uses it? Through free in a sense, and carrying out his own plans, the Assyrian was unconsciously carrying out God's purposes. shaketh it--moves it back and forward. staff ... lift ... itself ... no wood--rather, "as if the staff (man, the instrument of God's judgments on his fellow man) should set aside (Him who is) not wood" (not a mere instrument, as man). On "no wood" compare De 32:21, "that which is not God;" Is 31:8 shows that God is meant here by "not wood" [Maurer].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 No wood "Its master" - I have here given the meaning, without attempting to keep to the expression of the original, לא עץ lo ets, "the no-wood;" that which is not wood like itself, but of a quite different and superior nature. The Hebrews have a peculiar way of joining the negative particle לא lo to a noun, to signify in a strong manner a total negation of the thing expressed by the noun. "How hast thou given help (ללא כח lelo choach) to the no-strength? And saved the arm (לא עז lo oz) of the no-power? How hast, thou given counsel (ללא חכמה lelo chochmah) to the no-wisdom?" Job 26:2, Job 26:3. That is, to the man totally deprived of strength, power, and wisdom. "Ye that rejoice (ללא דבר lelo dabar) in nothing." Amo 6:13. That is, in your fancied strength, which is none at all, a mere nonentity. "For I am God, (ולא איש velo ish), and no-man; The Holy One in the midst of thee, yet do not frequent cities." Hos 11:9. "And the Assyrian shall fall by a sword (לא איש lo ish) of no-man; And a sword of (לא אדם lo adam) no-mortal, shall devour him." Isa 31:8. "Wherefore do ye weigh out your silver (בלוא לחם belo lechem) for the no-bread." Isa 55:2. So here לא עץ lo ets means him who is far from being an inert piece of wood, but is an animated and active being; not an instrument, but an agent.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 10:5-19

See what a change sin made. The king of Assyria, in his pride, thought to act by his own will. The tyrants of the world are tools of Providence. God designs to correct his people for their hypocrisy, and bring them nearer to him; but is that Sennacherib's design? No; he designs to gratify his own covetousness and ambition. The Assyrian boasts what great things he has done to other nations, by his own policy and…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 10:5-19 →

Isaiah 10:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הֲיִתְפָּאֵר֙ha.yit.pa.'Er¿ does it glorify itselfH6286
הַגַּרְזֶ֔ןha.gar.Zenthe axeH1631
עַ֖ל'alaboveH5921
הַחֹצֵ֣בha.cho.Tzevthe [one who] cutsH2672
בּ֑וֹbowith it
אִם\־'im-or?H518
יִתְגַּדֵּ֤לyit.ga.Deldoes it magnify itselfH1431
הַמַּשּׂוֹר֙ha.ma.sOrthe sawH4883
עַל\־'al-aboveH5921
מְנִיפ֔וֹme.ni.Fo[the] [one who] wields itH5130
כְּהָנִ֥יףke.ha.Nifas wieldsH5130
שֵׁ֙בֶט֙she.veta rodH7626
וְאֶת\־ve.'Et<and> <obj.>H853
מְרִימָ֔יוme.ri.Mav[those who] lift itH7311
כְּהָרִ֥יםke.ha.Rimas liftsH7311
מַטֶּ֖הma.Teha staffH4294
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
עֵֽץ\׃'EtzwoodH6086

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 10:15

  • Romans 9:20-21

    Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

  • Isaiah 45:9

    Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

  • Isaiah 10:5

    O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

  • Isaiah 29:16

    Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

  • Jeremiah 51:20-23

    Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid; I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers.

  • Ezekiel 28:9

    Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.

  • Psalms 17:13-14

    Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the axe.
5; Ps 17:13,14; Jer 51:20-23; Eze 28:9; Ro 9:20,21
the rod should shake itself against them. or, a rod shouldshake them. itself, as if it were no wood. or, that which is not wood.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 10:14

    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.

  • Isaiah 10:15

    Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.

  • Isaiah 10:16

    Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.

Read all of Isaiah 10

Isaiah 10:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
¿Gloriaráse el hacha contra el que con ella corta? ¿se ensoberbecerá la sierra contra el que la mueve? como si el bordón se levantase contra los que lo levantan; como si se levantase la vara: ¿no es leño?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
– La cognée se glorifiera-t-elle contre celui qui s’en sert? La scie s’élèvera-t-elle contre celui qui la manie? Comme si la verge faisait mouvoir ceux qui la lèvent, comme si le bâton levait celui qui n’est pas du bois!
German
Elberfelder 1871
Darf die Axt sich rühmen wider den, der damit haut? oder die Säge sich brüsten wider den, der sie zieht? als schwänge ein Stock die, welche ihn emporheben, als höbe ein Stab den empor, der kein Holz ist!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Numquid gloriabitur securis contra eum qui secat in ea? aut exaltabitur serra contra eum a quo trahitur? Quomodo si elevetur virga contra elevantem se, et exaltetur baculus, qui utique lignum est.