Bible Strands
Isaiah 9:21
Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet addresses the northern tribes and Judah during a period of fratricidal civil war and foreign invasion. The oracle pronounces the outcome of their coordinated rebellion and the unrelenting posture of divine wrath.
The words — `יַחְדָּ֥ו (yach.Dav) = together` and `הֵ֖מָּה (He.mah) = they` frame the joint assault against Judah. The text records their mutual devouring and unified opposition before stating that God’s anger remains unremoved and His hand stays upraised.
The thread — The phrase regarding unremoved anger and an upraised hand appears in Isaiah 5:25 and Isaiah 9:12, while the fratricidal slaughter parallels 2 Chronicles 28:6. These references trace a consistent pattern of sustained judgment following covenant betrayal.
Why it lands — The passage demands acknowledgment that human self-destruction does not pause divine correction. Readers must accept that rebellion invites sustained discipline rather than immediate relief.
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
Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 5:25 Therefore the anger of the LORD burns against His people; His hand is raised against them to strike them down. The mountains quake, and the corpses lie like refuse in the streets. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- 2 Chronicles 28:6 For in one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 valiant men in Judah. This happened because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers.
- Isaiah 9:12 Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have devoured Israel with open mouths. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- Galatians 5:15 But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
- Judges 7:2 Then the LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for Me to deliver Midian into their hands, lest Israel glorify themselves over Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’
- 1 Samuel 14:20 Then Saul and all his troops assembled and marched to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, with each man wielding the sword against his neighbor.
- 2 Kings 15:30 Then Hoshea son of Elah led a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah. In the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah, Hoshea attacked Pekah, killed him, and reigned in his place.
- Isaiah 9:17 Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows. For every one of them is godless and wicked, and every mouth speaks folly. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- Isaiah 10:4 Nothing will remain but to crouch among the captives or fall among the slain. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- Isaiah 11:13 Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart, and the adversaries of Judah will be cut off. Ephraim will no longer envy Judah, nor will Judah harass Ephraim.