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Commentary on Isaiah 17 verses 9–11
Here the prophet returns to foretel the woeful desolations that should be made in the land of Israel by the army of the Assyrians. 1. That the cities should be deserted. Even the strong cities, which should have protected the country, shall not be able to protect themselves: They shall be as a forsaken bough and an uppermost branch of an old tree, which has gone to decay, is forsaken of its leaves, and appears on the top of the tree, bare, and dry, and dead; so shall their strong cities look when the inhabitants have deserted them and the victorious army of the enemy pillaged and defaced them, Isa 17:9. They shall be as the cities (so it may be supplied) which the Canaanites left, the old inhabitants of the land, because of the children of Israel, when God brought them in with a high hand, to take possession of that good land, cities which they built not. As the Canaanites then fled before Israel, so Israel should now flee before the Assyrians. And herein the word of God was fulfilled, that, if they committed the same abominations, the land should spue them out, as it spued out the nations that were before them (Lev 18:28), and that as, while they had God on their side, one of them chased a thousand, so, when they had made him their enemy, a thousand of them should flee at the rebuke of one; so that in the cities should be desolation, according to the threatenings in the law, Lev 26:31; Deu 28:51. 2. That the country should be laid waste, Isa 17:10, Isa 17:11. Observe here, (1.) The sin that had provoked God to bring so great a destruction upon that pleasant land. It was for the iniquity of those that dwelt therein. "It is because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation and all the great salvations he has wrought for thee, hast forgotten thy dependence upon him and obligations to him, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, not only who is himself a strong rock, but who has been thy strength many a time, or thou wouldst have been sunk and broken long since." Note, The God of our salvation is the rock of our strength; and our forgetfulness and unmindfulness of him are at the bottom of all sin. Therefore have we perverted our way, because we have forgotten the Lord our God, and so we undo ourselves. (2.) The destruction itself, aggravated by the great care they took to improve their land and to make it yet more pleasant. [1.] Look upon it at the time of the seedness, and it was all like a garden and a vineyard; that pleasant land was replenished with pleasant plants, the choicest of its own growth; nay, so nice and curious were the inhabitants that, not content with them, they sent to all the neighbouring countries for strange slips, the more valuable for being strange, uncommon, far-fetched, and dear-bought, though perhaps they had of their own not inferior to them. This was an instance of their pride and vanity, and (that ruining error) their affection to be like the nations. Wheat, and honey, and oil were their staple commodities (Eze 27:17); but, not content with these, they must have flowers and greens with strange names imported from other nations, and a great deal of care and pains must be taken by hot-beds to make these plants to grow; the soil must be forced, and they must be covered with glasses to shelter them, and early in the morning the gardeners must be up to make the seed to flourish, that it may excel those of their neighbours. The ornaments of nature are not to be altogether slighted, but it is a folly to be over-fond of them, and to bestow more time, and cost, and pains about them than they deserve, as many do. But here this instance seems to be put in general for their great industry in cultivating their ground, and their expectations from it accordingly; they doubt not but their plants will grow and flourish. But, [2.] Look upon the same ground at the time of harvest, and it is all like a wilderness, a dismal melancholy place, even to the spectators, much more to the owners; for the harvest shall be a heap, all in confusion, in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. The harvest used to be a time of joy, of singing and shouting (Isa 16:10); but this harvest the hungry eat up (Job 5:5), which makes it a day of grief, and the more because the plants were pleasant and costly (Isa 17:10) and their expectations proportionably raised. The harvest had sometimes been a day of grief, if the crop was thin and the weather unseasonable; and yet in that case there was hope that the next would be better. But this shall be desperate sorrow, for they shall see not only this year's products carried off, but the property of the ground altered and their conquerors lords of it. The margin reads it, The harvest shall be removed (into the enemy's country or camp, Deu 28:33) in the day of inheritance (when thou thoughtest to inherit it), and there shall be deadly sorrow. This is a good reason why we should not lay up our treasure in those things which we may so quickly be despoiled of, but in that good part which shall never be taken away from us.
(Verses 9, 10.) On that day your fortified cities will be deserted like plowed fields and cornfields that have been deserted by the children of Israel. And it will be desolate, because you have forgotten your God, your Savior, and have not remembered your strong helper. LXX: On that day your cities will be deserted like the cities abandoned by the Amorites and the Hivites before the children of Israel. And they will be deserted because you have abandoned your God, your Savior, and have not remembered the Lord, your helper. Just as under Moses and Joshua the son of Nun, the Amorites and the Eves and the other nations dwelling in the promised land abandoned their plows and crops and heaps in the fields and fled, lest they be seized by enemies, so too the land of Judea and all its mighty cities, with the Romans ravaging Judea and besieging Jerusalem, were deserted by their inhabitants. And there is an apostrophe to the very land of Judea, that is, to those who dwelt in it. But all these things you have suffered, because you have forgotten your God and Savior, who is called Jesus, whom the Law and the Prophets constantly proclaimed would come to you; and you have not remembered your strong helper, who has always come to your aid. Therefore, the reason for the desolation of the cities of Judea is the forgetfulness of the Savior, who, at the beginning of this prophecy, said: Israel did not know me, and my people did not understand me.
(Verse 10.) Because you have forgotten your God and have not remembered your powerful helper. These things, he says, you will endure, O Israel, because you have forsaken your God, who has freed you from Egypt, who has subjected enemy nations to you; and you have not remembered your helper.
Therefore you will plant a faithful plantation, and you will sow a foreign seed. This should be read more closely and ironically. For, he says, you have forgotten your God and Savior, and you have not remembered your strong helper: should you therefore plant a faithful plantation, and not rather sow a foreign seed, which the enemy will snatch away? Or certainly like this: you have founded my sons, who are born from the stock of my people, in the land, in order to make them foreign and wicked.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 17:10 presents a powerful prophetic indictment against the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and Damascus, attributing their impending judgment and desolation to a profound spiritual amnesia and misplaced trust. The verse asserts that their failure to remember and rely on God as their ultimate source of salvation and strength has led them to seek security in futile, worldly alternatives, metaphorically described as "pleasant plants" and "strange slips." This spiritual forgetfulness and misguided dependence are portrayed as the root cause of their vulnerability and ultimate downfall, highlighting the severe consequences of abandoning divine reliance for humanistic or idolatrous solutions.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 17:10 masterfully employs several Literary Devices to convey its profound message of spiritual apostasy and its consequences. The most prominent is Metaphor, particularly in the phrases "God of thy salvation" and "rock of thy strength." God is not literally a rock, but this powerful imagery conveys His unchanging, unshakeable, and protective nature, serving as an unyielding refuge and foundation. This divine steadfastness stands in stark contrast to the fragile, human-made solutions Israel seeks. Symbolism is central to the latter part of the verse, where "pleasant plants" and "strange slips" symbolize Israel's futile and misguided attempts to find security and prosperity outside of God's covenant. The "pleasant plants" suggest superficial attractiveness and immediate gratification, while "strange slips" denote foreign, illicit, or ungodly practices and alliances that are alien to God's ways. The entire verse functions as a powerful example of Cause and Effect, explicitly stating that "because" Israel has forgotten God, "therefore" they will engage in these self-defeating actions. This highlights the direct and inevitable consequence of spiritual apostasy. Furthermore, there is an element of Irony, as Israel seeks "pleasant" things and "strength" outside of the very God who is truly pleasant and their ultimate strength, leading them to a barren and sorrowful harvest (as seen in the subsequent verse).
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 17:10 serves as a stark reminder of the foundational biblical truth that true security, lasting peace, and genuine salvation are found exclusively in God. When humanity forgets or neglects the Lord, who is the "rock of their strength," they inevitably turn to futile, self-devised methods for security, which are ultimately "strange" and unproductive. This verse underscores the covenant relationship God desires with His people—one of exclusive trust, dependence, and active remembrance. It warns against the spiritual danger of syncretism, idolatry, and reliance on human ingenuity or foreign powers, emphasizing that such actions are not merely pragmatic errors but profound theological betrayals with severe consequences. The vivid imagery of planting and slips highlights the futility and ultimate barrenness of trying to cultivate life and blessing from sources alien to God, ultimately leading to a harvest of sorrow and desolation rather than sustenance.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 17:10 serves as a timeless mirror, inviting us to critically examine the foundations of our own trust and security. In a world constantly offering appealing but fleeting solutions, it challenges us to ask whether we are truly "mindful of the rock of our strength"—the unchanging, sovereign God—or if we are, like ancient Israel, planting "pleasant plants" and setting "strange slips." This spiritual tendency can manifest in various ways: relying on financial security, career success, human relationships, political ideologies, or even self-help philosophies as our ultimate source of peace, stability, and significance, rather than the living God. The verse calls us to a radical reorientation, reminding us that any effort to build life and find lasting satisfaction apart from God is ultimately futile and will yield a harvest of disappointment, bitterness, or emptiness. True salvation and strength are not found in our own ingenuity or worldly alliances, but in a vibrant, active, and remembering relationship with the God who saves and sustains.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean that Israel "forgotten the God of thy salvation"?
Answer: This phrase signifies more than a simple lapse of memory. It indicates a profound spiritual neglect and a deliberate turning away from active dependence on God. Israel had forgotten God's historical acts of deliverance (their "salvation" from Egypt, their provision in the wilderness, their victories in Canaan) and His enduring covenant faithfulness. This forgetfulness led to a practical abandonment of their relationship with Him, causing them to seek security and strength from other sources, which the Bible often equates with idolatry or misplaced trust. It's a failure to acknowledge God's ongoing role as their protector, provider, and ultimate deliverer, a betrayal of the covenant relationship He initiated.
What are the "pleasant plants" and "strange slips" mentioned in the verse?
Answer: These are powerful metaphors for the futile and ungodly methods Israel employed to secure itself apart from God. "Pleasant plants" (Hebrew: nit'ei na'amanim) refer to seemingly attractive or desirable solutions that offer immediate gratification or perceived security, but are ultimately superficial, lacking divine blessing and true root. They represent human-devised plans that appear good but are spiritually barren. "Strange slips" (Hebrew: zemorat zar) refer to cuttings from a foreign or alien source, symbolizing practices, alliances, or beliefs that are not of God. This could include forming political alliances with pagan nations (like Assyria or Egypt), adopting idolatrous worship practices, or relying solely on human strength and wisdom. These efforts are "strange" because they are alien to God's covenant ways and are destined to fail, bearing no lasting fruit. The very next verse, Isaiah 17:11, vividly describes the sorrowful and desolate harvest of these misguided plantings.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 17:10, with its indictment of Israel for forgetting "the God of thy salvation" and "the rock of thy strength," finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. Israel's failure to trust in their divine Rock foreshadows humanity's universal tendency to seek salvation and strength apart from God, constructing our own "pleasant plants" and "strange slips" of self-reliance, worldly systems, or false gods. However, the New Testament reveals that God Himself provided the true and ultimate "Rock of salvation" in Jesus Christ. As 1 Corinthians 10:4 declares, "that Rock was Christ." He is the unshakeable foundation upon which genuine life and eternal security are built, the one who truly takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Those who forget Him or seek alternative saviors are indeed planting futile seeds that will yield a harvest of sorrow. In contrast, those who build their lives on Christ, the cornerstone rejected by human builders but chosen by God (1 Peter 2:7), find eternal salvation and an unyielding strength that transcends all earthly vulnerabilities. He is the living water (John 4:10), the true vine (John 15:1), from whom all true spiritual fruit flows, providing the ultimate antidote to the barrenness of "strange slips" planted in forgetfulness.