


Isaiah 9:11
Bible Versions
Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;
So ADONAI has raised up Retzin's foes against him and spurred on his enemies -
The LORD has raised up the foes of Rezin against him and joined his enemies together.
Therefore Jehovah will set up on high against him the adversaries of Rezin, and will stir up his enemies,
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Isaiah 10:9
[Is] not Calno as Carchemish? [is] not Hamath as Arpad? [is] not Samaria as Damascus? -
Isaiah 10:11
Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? -
2 Kings 16:9
And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried [the people of] it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin. -
Isaiah 17:1
¶ The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from [being] a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. -
Isaiah 17:5
And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim. -
Isaiah 7:8
For the head of Syria [is] Damascus, and the head of Damascus [is] Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. -
Isaiah 8:4
For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.
Context of Isaiah 9:11
Isaiah 9:11 is part of a larger prophetic oracle (Isaiah 9:8–10:4) concerning God's judgment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) for its pride, rebellion, and refusal to repent. This section details a series of escalating judgments, each introduced by the phrase, "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still" (seen in Isaiah 9:12, 17, 21, and Isaiah 10:4). The specific historical backdrop for this verse is the Syro-Ephraimitic War (around 735-732 BC), where Israel (Ephraim) allied with Aram (Syria), led by King Rezin, against Judah. Despite their alliance, God declares He will turn even Rezin's own former allies or future adversaries against him, contributing to the overall divine judgment on Israel.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "set up the adversaries of Rezin against him" is significant. The Hebrew verb for "set up" (סָכַךְ - sakhakh) can mean to "fence in," "hedge," or "cover," implying a deliberate and strategic action by the Lord to surround or bring pressure upon Rezin and, by extension, his ally Israel. The subsequent phrase, "join his enemies together," further emphasizes God's ability to unite disparate forces or stir up existing enmities to fulfill His divine decree, demonstrating His complete control over the destinies of kings and kingdoms.
Practical Application
Isaiah 9:11 serves as a stark reminder of several timeless truths: