Isaiah 29 · Verse 5

Isaiah 29:5

Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.
Isaiah 29:5, King James Version

Isaiah 29:5 in other translations

BSBBut your many foes will be like fine dust, the multitude of the ruthless like blowing chaff. Then suddenly, in an instant,
WEBBut the multitude of your foes will be like fine dust, and the multitude of the ruthless ones like chaff that blows away. Yes, it will be in an instant, suddenly.
ASVBut the multitude of thy foes shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be in an instant suddenly.
YLTAnd as small dust hath been The multitude of those scattering thee, And as chaff passing on the multitude of the terrible, And it hath been at an instant--suddenly.
DARBYAnd the multitude of thine enemies shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones as chaff that passeth away; and it shall be in an instant, suddenly.
BBEAnd the army of your attackers will be like small dust, and all the cruel ones like dry stems gone before the wind; suddenly it will come about.
WebsterMoreover, the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yes, it shall be at an instant suddenly.

What does Isaiah 29:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. Moreover--rather, "Yet"; yet in this extremity help shall come, and the enemy be scattered. strangers--foreign enemies, invaders (Is 25:2). it shall be--namely, the destruction of the enemy. at an instant--in a moment (Is 30:23).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 The multitude of thy strangers "The multitude of the proud" - For זריך zarayich, thy strangers, read זדים zedim, the proud, according to the Septuagint; parallel to and synonymous with עריצים aritsim, the terrible, in the next line: the ר resh was at first ד daleth in a MS. See note on Isa 25:2. The fifth, sixth, and seventh verses contain an admirable description of the destruction of Sennacherib's army, with a beautiful variety of the most expressive and sublime images: perhaps more adapted to show the greatness, the suddenness, and horror of the event, than the means and manner by which it was effected. Compare Isa 30:30-33.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 29:1-8

Judgements on Jerusalem and on its enemies. (Is. 29:1-8) The senselessness and hypocrisy of the Jews. (Is. 29:9-16) The conversion of the Gentiles, and future blessings for the Jews. (Is. 29:17-24) Verses 1-8 Ariel may signify the altar of burnt-offerings. Let Jerusalem know that outward religious services will not make men free from judgements. Hypocrites never can please God, nor make their peace with him. God had…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 29:1-8 →

Isaiah 29:5 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.

וְהָיָ֛הve.ha.Yahand it will beH1961
כְּאָבָ֥קke.'a.Vaklike dustH80
דַּ֖קdakfineH1851
הֲמ֣וֹןha.Mon[the] multitude ofH1995
זָרָ֑יִךְza.Ra.yikhstrangers yourH2114
וּכְמֹ֤ץu.khe.Motzand like chaffH4671
עֹבֵר֙'o.Ver[which] passes awayH5674
הֲמ֣וֹןha.Mon[the] multitude ofH1995
עָֽרִיצִ֔ים'a.ri.Tzimruthless [people]H6184
וְהָיָ֖הve.ha.Yahand it will happenH1961
לְפֶ֥תַעle.Fe.ta'to suddennessH6621
פִּתְאֹֽם\׃pit.'OmsuddenlyH6597

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

Cross references for Isaiah 29:5

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3

    For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

  • Isaiah 37:36

    Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

  • Isaiah 30:13

    Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.

  • Isaiah 31:3

    Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.

  • Isaiah 17:13-14

    The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.

  • Isaiah 25:5

    Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.

  • Psalms 76:5-6

    The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.

  • Psalms 35:5

    Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.

  • Psalms 1:4

    The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

  • Psalms 46:5-6

    God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

  • Job 21:18

    They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.

  • Isaiah 31:8

    Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the multitude.
10:16-19; 25:5; 31:3,8; 37:36
as chaff.
17:13; Job 21:18; Ps 1:4; 35:5
at an.
30:13; Ps 46:5,6; 76:5,6; 1Th 5:3

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

Context

  • Isaiah 29:4

    And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

  • Isaiah 29:5

    Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.

  • Isaiah 29:6

    Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.

Read all of Isaiah 29

Isaiah 29:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y la muchedumbre de tus extranjeros será como polvo menudo, y la multitud de los fuertes como tamo que pasa; y será repentinamente, en un momento.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et la multitude de tes ennemis sera comme une fine poussière, et la multitude des hommes terribles comme la balle menue qui passe; et cela arrivera en un moment, subitement.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber wie feiner Staub wird die Menge deiner Feinde sein, und wie dahinfahrende Spreu die Menge der Gewaltigen; und in einem Augenblick, plötzlich, wird es geschehen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et erit sicut pulvis tenuis multitudo ventilantium te, et sicut favilla pertransiens multitudo eorum qui contra te prævaluerunt;