Isaiah 6 · Verse 13

Isaiah 6:13

But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.
Isaiah 6:13, King James Version

Isaiah 6:13 in other translations

BSBAnd though a tenth remains in the land, it will be burned again. As the terebinth and oak leave stumps when felled, so the holy seed will be a stump in the land.”
WEBIf there is a tenth left in it, that also will in turn be consumed, as a terebinth, and as an oak whose stump remains when they are cut down, so the holy seed is its stump.”
ASVAnd if there be yet a tenth in it, it also shall in turn be eaten up: as a terebinth, and as an oak, whose stock remaineth, when they are felled; so the holy seed is the stock thereof.
YLTAnd yet in it a tenth, and it hath turned, And hath been for a burning, As a teil-tree, and as an oak, that in falling, Have substance in them, The holy seed is its substance!'
DARBYBut a tenth part shall still be therein, and it shall return and be eaten; as the terebinth and as the oak whose trunk remaineth after the felling: the holy seed shall be the trunk thereof.
BBEAnd even if there is still a tenth part in it, it will again be burned, like a tree of the woods whose broken end is still in the earth after the tree has been cut down (the holy seed is the broken end).
WebsterBut yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil-tree, and as an oak whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance of it.

What does Isaiah 6:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. and it shall return, and ... be eaten--Rather, "but it shall be again given over to be consumed": if even a tenth survive the first destruction, it shall be destroyed by a second (Is 5:25; Eze 5:1-5, 12), [Maurer and Horsley]. In English Version, "return" refers to the poor remnant left in the land at the Babylonish captivity (2Ki 24:14; 25:12), which afterwards fled to Egypt in fear (2Ki 25:26), and subsequently returned thence along with others who had fled to Moab and Edom (Jr 40:11, 12), and suffered under further divine judgments. tell--rather, "terebinth" or "turpentine tree" (Is 1:29). substance ... when ... cast ... leaves--rather, "As a terebinth or oak in which, when they are cast down (not 'cast their leaves,' Job 14:7), the trunk or stock remains, so the holy seed (Ezr 9:2) shall be the stock of that land." The seeds of vitality still exist in both the land and the scattered people of Judea, waiting for the returning spring of God's favor (Ro 11:5, 23-29). According to Isaiah, not all Israel, but the elect remnant alone, is destined to salvation. God shows unchangeable severity towards sin, but covenant faithfulness in preserving a remnant, and to it Isaiah bequeaths the prophetic legacy of the second part of his book (the fortieth through sixty-sixth chapters).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 A tenth - This passage, though somewhat obscure, and variously explained by various interpreters, has, I think, been made so clear by the accomplishment of the prophecy, that there remains little room to doubt of the sense of it. When Nebuchadnezzar had carried away the greater and better part of the people into captivity, there was yet a tenth remaining in the land, the poorer sort left to be vinedressers and husbandmen, under Gedaliah, 2Kgs 25:12, 2Kgs 25:22, and the dispersed Jews gathered themselves together, and returned to him, Jer 40:12; yet even these, fleeing into Egypt after the death of Gedaliah, contrary to the warning of God given by the prophet Jeremiah, miserably perished there. Again, in the subsequent and more remarkable completion of the prophecy in the destruction of Jerusalem, and the dissolution of the commonwealth by the Romans, when the Jews, after the loss of above a million of men, had increased from the scanty residue that was left of them, and had become very numerous again in their country; Hadrian, provoked by their rebellious behavior, slew above half a million more of them, and a second time almost extirpated the nation. Yet after these signal and almost universal destructions of that nation, and after so many other repeated exterminations and massacres of them in different times and on various occasions since, we yet see, with astonishment, that the stock still remains, from which God, according to his promise frequently given by his prophets, will cause his people to shoot forth again, and to flourish. - L. A tenth, עשיריה asiriyah. The meaning, says Kimchi, of this word is, there shall yet be in the land ten kings from the time of declaring this prophecy. The names of the ten kings are Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Jostah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiachin, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah; then there shall be a general consumption, the people shall be carried into captivity, and Jerusalem shall be destroyed. For בם bam, in them, above seventy MSS., eleven of Kennicott's, and thirty-four of De Rossi's, read בה bah, in it; and so the Septuagint.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 6:9-13

God sends Isaiah to foretell the ruin of his people. Many hear the sound of God's word, but do not feel the power of it. God sometimes, in righteous judgment, gives men up to blindness of mind, because they will not receive the truth in the love of it. But no humble inquirer after Christ, need to fear this awful doom, which is a spiritual judgment on those who will still hold fast their sins. Let every one pray for…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 6:9-13 →

Isaiah 6:13 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.

וְע֥וֹדve.'odand stillH5750
בָּהּ֙bah[will be] in it
עֲשִׂ֣רִיָּ֔ה'a.Si.ri.Yaha tenth [part]H6224
וְשָׁ֖בָהve.Sha.vahand it will returnH7725
וְהָיְתָ֣הve.ha.ye.Tahand it will becomeH1961
לְבָעֵ֑רle.va.'Er<into> burningH1197
כָּאֵלָ֣הka.'e.Lahlike <the> terebinthH424
וְכָאַלּ֗וֹןve.kha.'a.Lonand like <the> oakH437
אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.SherwhichH834
בְּשַׁלֶּ֙כֶת֙be.sha.Le.khetin [the] fellingH7995
מַצֶּ֣בֶתma.Tze.veta stumpH4678
בָּ֔םBam[is] in them
זֶ֥רַעZe.ra'[will be] offspring ofH2233
קֹ֖דֶשׁKo.deshholinessH6944
מַצַּבְתָּֽהּ\׃\ \פma.tzav.Tahstump itsH4678

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

Cross references for Isaiah 6:13

  • Job 14:7-9

    For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

  • Romans 11:5-6

    Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

  • Genesis 22:18

    And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

  • Romans 11:16-29

    For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. …

  • Isaiah 65:8-9

    Thus saith the Lord, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.

  • Galatians 3:28-29

    There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

  • Isaiah 1:9

    Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

  • Galatians 3:16-19

    Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

  • Ezra 9:2

    For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

  • Mark 13:20

    And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

  • Malachi 2:15

    And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

  • Isaiah 10:20-22

    And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
But yet.
1:9; 4:3; 10:20-22; Mt 24:22; Mr 13:20; Ro 11:5,6,16-29
and it shall return, etc. or, when it is returned, and hathbeen broused. teil-tree. The teil-tree is the linden or lime-tree, a species very common in Palestine; the leaf of which resembles that of the laurel, and its flower that of the olive. But the original {ailah,} which our translators render the oak, (but here distinguished from {allon,} the oak,) and Bp. Lowth the {ilex,} in ch. 1:29, 30, probably denotes, as Celsius contends, the {terebinth.} It is an evergreen of moderate size, but having the top and branches large in proportion to the trunk; leaves, like those of the olive, but green intermixed with red and purple; flowers, like those of the vine, growing in bunches, and purple; fruit, of a ruddy purple, the size of a juniper berry, hanging in clusters, very juicy, and containing a single seed of the size of a grape stone; wood, hard and fibrous, from which a resin distils; with an excresence scattered among the leaves, of the size of a chestnut, of a purple colour, variegated with green and white.
substance. or, stock, or stem.
Job 14:7-9
so the holy.
65:8,9; Ge 22:18; Ezr 9:2; Mal 2:15; Joh 15:1-3; Ro 9:5; 11:5,24
Ga 3:16-19,28,29

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

Context

  • Isaiah 6:12

    And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

  • Isaiah 6:13

    But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

Read all of Isaiah 6

Isaiah 6:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pues aun quedará en ella una décima parte, y volverá, bien que habrá sido asolada: como el olmo y como el alcornoque, de los cuales en la tala queda el tronco, así será el tronco de ella la simiente santa.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais il y aura encore là un dixième; et il reviendra et il sera brouté, comme le térébinthe et le chêne, dont le tronc reste quand ils sont abattus: la semence sainte en sera le tronc.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ist noch ein Zehntel darin, so wird es wiederum vertilgt werden, gleich der Terebinthe und gleich der Eiche, von welchen, wenn sie gefällt sind, ein Wurzelstock bleibt; ein heiliger Same ist sein Wurzelstock.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et adhuc in ea decimatio, et convertetur, et erit in ostensionem sicut terebinthus, et sicut quercus quæ expandit ramos suos; semen sanctum erit id quod steterit in ea.