Bible Strands
Isaiah 9:11
The LORD has raised up the foes of Rezin against him and joined his enemies together.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet delivers this oracle to the northern kingdom during a military crisis when Aram and Ephraim threaten Judah. The text states God actively mobilizes Rezin’s own opponents against him while the northern confederacy defiantly plans to rebuild its defenses.
The words — The verb וַיְשַׂגֵּב (va-yəśāggēḇ) literally means "he set on high" or "he raised up," describing God’s sovereign act of elevating hostile forces. It directly governs the phrase "the foes of Rezin against him," emphasizing divine orchestration of judgment.
The thread — This mobilization of foreign armies against Israel’s enemies recurs in 2 Kings 15:29 and 2 Kings 16:9, where Assyria captures Damascus and exiles Rezin’s people. The pattern continues in Isaiah 7:8, which confirms the impending shattering of Ephraim within sixty-five years.
Why it lands — The passage demands recognition that human defiance cannot override divine judgment. Readers must accept that God actively turns hostile nations against rebellious peoples to execute His purposes.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 15:29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and he took the people as captives to Assyria.
- 2 Kings 16:9 So the king of Assyria responded to him, marched up to Damascus, and captured it. He took its people to Kir as captives and put Rezin to death.
- Isaiah 7:8 For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered as a people.
- Isaiah 8:4 For before the boy knows how to cry ‘Father’ or ‘Mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”
- Isaiah 10:9 “Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?
- Isaiah 17:1 This is the burden against Damascus: “Behold, Damascus is no longer a city; it has become a heap of ruins.