Isaiah 17:4

And in that day it shall come to pass, [that] the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean.

And in that day {H3117} it shall come to pass, that the glory {H3519} of Jacob {H3290} shall be made thin {H1809}, and the fatness {H4924} of his flesh {H1320} shall wax lean {H7329}.

"When that day comes, Ya'akov's glory will wane, and his full body grow thin,

“In that day the splendor of Jacob will fade, and the fat of his body will waste away,

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean.

Isaiah 17:4 is part of a prophetic oracle primarily directed against Damascus (Syria) and Ephraim (the Northern Kingdom of Israel), predicting their coming desolation and judgment. This specific verse vividly describes the decline of Israel's strength and prosperity.

Context

Chapter 17 of Isaiah focuses on the impending judgment upon both Damascus and Ephraim, who had formed an unholy alliance against Judah (as described in Isaiah 7). The prophecies in this chapter foresee their downfall, largely at the hands of the Assyrian Empire, which was a dominant power in the region during Isaiah's time. Verses 1-3 speak of the destruction of Damascus, while verses 4-6 shift the focus to Israel's own diminishing state, a direct consequence of their idolatry and unfaithfulness to God.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment: The verse clearly pronounces God's judgment upon the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Jacob) for their apostasy and reliance on foreign alliances rather than on God.
  • Loss of Prosperity and Strength: The imagery of "the glory of Jacob shall be made thin" and "the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean" powerfully conveys a severe reduction in their national prosperity, population, and military might. What was once abundant and robust will become weak and emaciated.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: This prophecy serves as a stark reminder of the consequences when a nation, particularly one chosen by God, turns away from Him and pursues its own ways, leading to a loss of divine favor and protection.

Linguistic Insight

The term "Jacob" here is a common prophetic reference to the nation of Israel, particularly the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim, which was often synonymous with Israel. The word "glory" (Hebrew: kavod) signifies honor, wealth, strength, and even the divine presence. To have this kavod "made thin" (Hebrew: dal) or "wax lean" (Hebrew: razah) uses vivid agricultural and physiological metaphors to depict a complete reversal of fortune, from abundance to scarcity, from health to emaciation. This imagery resonates with warnings found in passages like Deuteronomy 28 regarding the curses for disobedience.

Practical Application

Isaiah 17:4 offers timeless lessons for individuals and nations:

  • Warning Against False Security: It cautions against placing trust in worldly power, alliances, or material wealth instead of relying on God. Israel's "fatness" was not enough to save them from divine judgment when they turned from Him.
  • Consequences of Spiritual Decline: The verse highlights that spiritual unfaithfulness often leads to tangible decline in other areas of life. When our "glory" or well-being is not rooted in God, it can quickly "wax lean."
  • Call to Repentance: While a prophecy of judgment, it implicitly calls for a return to God. True and lasting prosperity, for a nation or an individual, comes from faithfulness to the Lord, as seen in the promises of future glory for Zion.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 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.

  • Deuteronomy 32:15

    ¶ But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered [with fatness]; then he forsook God [which] made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

  • Deuteronomy 32:27

    Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, [and] lest they should say, Our hand [is] high, and the LORD hath not done all this.

  • Isaiah 9:8

    ¶ The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

  • Zephaniah 2:11

    The LORD [will be] terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and [men] shall worship him, every one from his place, [even] all the isles of the heathen.

  • Ezekiel 34:20

    Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, [even] I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.

  • Isaiah 24:16

    ¶ From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, [even] glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

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