Isaiah 51:20

Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.

Thy sons {H1121} have fainted {H5968}, they lie {H7901} at the head {H7218} of all the streets {H2351}, as a wild bull {H8377} in a net {H4364}: they are full {H4392} of the fury {H2534} of the LORD {H3068}, the rebuke {H1606} of thy God {H430}.

Your children lie helpless at every street corner, like an antelope trapped in a net; they are full of ADONAI's fury, the rebuke of your God.

Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street, like an antelope in a net. They are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God.

Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of Jehovah, the rebuke of thy God.

Commentary

Commentary on Isaiah 51:20 (KJV)

Isaiah 51:20 paints a vivid and distressing picture of a people in utter despair and defeat. The prophet describes the "sons" (representing the people of Jerusalem or Judah) as having "fainted" and lying helpless "at the head of all the streets," a place of public humiliation. The powerful imagery of a "wild bull in a net" conveys their trapped, exhausted, and subdued state, their former strength rendered useless. The verse starkly reveals the cause of their suffering: they are "full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God," signifying divine judgment for their disobedience.

Context

This verse is situated within a larger section of Isaiah (chapters 40-55) known as the "Book of Comfort" or "Second Isaiah," primarily addressed to the exiles in Babylon or those anticipating such a devastating judgment. While much of this section speaks of hope, restoration, and God's faithfulness, verses like 51:20 serve as a grim reminder of the severe consequences of Israel's turning away from God. It describes the dire circumstances of the people under the weight of God's wrath, a situation of profound national distress and captivity, perhaps referencing the destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent Babylonian exile, where the city's inhabitants faced such public desolation. For a wider view of Jerusalem's lamentable state during this period, consider Lamentations 1:1.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Consequences: The central theme is the direct and inescapable result of God's "fury" and "rebuke." This suffering is not random but a consequence of disobedience, demonstrating God's justice.
  • Helplessness and Despair: The imagery of fainting and being trapped like a wild bull vividly conveys the profound weakness, exhaustion, and inability of the people to help themselves in the face of divine wrath.
  • Public Humiliation: Lying "at the head of all the streets" signifies a public display of their defeat and shame, a stark contrast to their former glory.
  • God's Sovereignty in Judgment: Even in their suffering, the verse underscores that God is ultimately in control, and their plight is directly from His hand.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "fury" is chemah (ื—ึตืžึธื”), which often denotes a burning, intense anger or wrath, frequently associated with divine judgment.
  • "Rebuke" is ga'arah (ื’ึผึทืขึฒืจึธื”), implying a strong, severe scolding or reprimand that carries significant, often destructive, force.
  • The "wild bull" (ta'o or te'o) likely refers to a species of wild ox or antelope, known for its strength and untamed nature. Its capture in a "net" emphasizes the complete subjugation and helplessness of those who were once powerful.

Practical Application

Isaiah 51:20 serves as a powerful reminder of the seriousness of sin and the reality of divine judgment. While the immediate context is historical Israel, the principle remains: consequences follow disobedience, and God's justice is sure. However, it's crucial to read this verse in light of the broader message of Isaiah, which also promises comfort, redemption, and a new covenant. Just two verses later, in Isaiah 51:22, God declares He will take the "cup of trembling" from His people, signifying an end to their suffering and a restoration of hope. This teaches us that even in the midst of severe trials or the consequences of our actions, God's ultimate desire is to deliver and restore those who turn to Him.

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Cross-References

  • Lamentations 2:11

    Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.

  • Lamentations 2:12

    They say to their mothers, Where [is] corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom.

  • Jeremiah 14:16

    And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

  • Revelation 14:10

    The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

  • Isaiah 5:25

    Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases [were] torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still.

  • Isaiah 8:21

    And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.

  • Isaiah 51:17

    ยถ Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, [and] wrung [them] out.