Isaiah 29 · Verse 8

Isaiah 29:8

It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.
Isaiah 29:8, King James Version

Isaiah 29:8 in other translations

BSBas when a hungry man dreams he is eating, then awakens still hungry; as when a thirsty man dreams he is drinking, then awakens faint and parched. So will it be for all the many nations who go to battle against Mount Zion.
WEBIt will be like when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he eats; but he awakes, and his hunger isn’t satisfied; or like when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he drinks; but he awakes, and behold, he is faint, and he is still thirsty. The multitude of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion will be like that.
ASVAnd it shall be as when a hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.
YLTAnd it hath been, as when the hungry dreameth, And lo, he is eating, And he hath waked, and empty is his soul, And as when the thirsty dreameth, And lo, he is drinking, and he hath waked, And lo, he is weary, and his soul is longing, So is the multitude of all the nations Who are warring against mount Zion.
DARBYIt shall even be as when the hungry dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; and he awaketh, and his soul is empty; or as when the thirsty dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; and he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul craveth: so shall the multitude of all the nations be that war against mount Zion.
BBEAnd it will be like a man desiring food, and dreaming that he is feasting; but when he is awake there is nothing in his mouth: or like a man in need of water, dreaming that he is drinking; but when he is awake he is feeble and his soul is full of desire: so will all the nations be which make war on Mount Zion.
WebsterIt shall even be as when a hungry man dreameth, and behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

What does Isaiah 29:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. Their disappointment in the very height of their confident expectation of taking Jerusalem shall be as great as that of the hungry man who in a dream fancies he eats, but awakes to hunger still (Psa 73:20); their dream shall be dissipated on the fatal morning (Is 37:36). soul--simply his appetite: he is still thirsty.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · 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 29:8 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.

וְהָיָ֡הve.ha.Yahand it will beH1961
כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ka.'a.Sherjust asH834
יַחֲלֹ֨םya.cha.Lomhe dreamsH2492
הָרָעֵ֜בha.ra.'Evthe hungry [person]H7457
וְהִנֵּ֣הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
אוֹכֵ֗ל'o.Khel[he is] eatingH398
וְהֵקִיץ֮ve.he.Kitzand he awakesH6974
וְרֵיקָ֣הve.rei.Kahand [is] emptyH7386
נַפְשׁוֹ֒naf.Shoappetite hisH5315
וְכַאֲשֶׁ֨רve.kha.'a.Sherand just asH834
יַחֲלֹ֤םya.cha.Lomhe dreamsH2492
הַצָּמֵא֙ha.tza.Me'the thirsty [person]H6771
וְהִנֵּ֣הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
שֹׁתֶ֔הsho.Teh[he is] drinkingH8354
וְהֵקִיץ֙ve.he.Kitzand he awakesH6974
וְהִנֵּ֣הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
עָיֵ֔ף'a.Yef[he is] faintH5889
וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹve.naf.Shoand throat hisH5315
שׁוֹקֵקָ֑הsho.ke.Kah[is] longingH8264
כֵּ֣ןkensoH3651
יִֽהְיֶ֗הyih.Yehit will beH1961
הֲמוֹן֙ha.mOn[the] multitude ofH1995
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הַגּוֹיִ֔םha.go.Yimthe nationsH1471
הַצֹּבְאִ֖יםha.tzoe.'Imwhich wage warH6633
עַל\־'al-onH5921
הַ֥רhar[the] mountain ofH2022
צִיּֽוֹן\׃\ \סtzi.YonZionH6726

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

Cross references for Isaiah 29:8

  • Isaiah 44:12

    The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

  • Psalms 73:20

    As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

  • Isaiah 10:7-16

    Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; …

  • 2 Chronicles 32:21

    And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
as when.
10:7-16; 2Ch 32:21
behold.
44:12

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

Context

  • Isaiah 29:7

    And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.

  • Isaiah 29:8

    It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

  • Isaiah 29:9

    Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

Read all of Isaiah 29

Isaiah 29:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y será como el que tiene hambre y sueña, y parece que come; mas cuando despierta, su alma está vacía; ó como el que tiene sed y sueña, y parece que bebe; mas cuando se despierta, hállase cansado, y su alma sedienta: así será la multitud de todas las gentes que pelearán contra el monte de Sión.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et ce sera comme celui qui rêve ayant faim, et voici, il mange, et il se réveille, et son âme est vide, – et comme celui qui rêve ayant soif, et voici, il boit, et il se réveille, et voici, il est las et son âme est altérée: ainsi il arrivera à la multitude de toutes les nations qui font la guerre contre la montagne de Sion.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und es wird geschehen, gleichwie der Hungrige träumt, und siehe, er ißt-und er wacht auf, und seine Seele ist leer; und gleichwie der Durstige träumt, und siehe, er trinkt-und er wacht auf, und siehe, er ist matt und seine Seele lechzt: also wird die Menge all der Nationen sein, welche Krieg führen wider den Berg Zion.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et sicut somniat esuriens, et comedit, cum autem fuerit expergefactus, vacua est anima ejus; et sicut somniat sitiens et bibit, et postquam fuerit expergefactus, lassus adhuc sitit, et anima ejus vacua est: sic erit multitudo omnium gentium quæ dimicaverunt contra montem Sion.