Isaiah 9:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.”

NIV: The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.'

NASB: 'The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with smooth stones; The sycamores have been cut down, But we will replace them with cedars.'

CSB: "The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars."

NLT: They said, 'We will replace the broken bricks of our ruins with finished stone, and replant the felled sycamore-fig trees with cedars.'

KJV: The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.

NKJV: “The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars.”

The people of Israel already had reason to be concerned. They knew about the Assyrian war machine and that it had been pointed towards them (Isaiah 9:9). Had they been smarter, the seemingly inevitable destruction would have terrified them to come. If they had shown any wisdom, they would have turned to the Lord for help in their time of greatest need.

Instead, Isaiah describes them as proud and arrogant. He shows them speaking glibly and boastfully about the aftermath of an Assyrian invasion. The prophet quotes them as saying that if the Assyrians knock down their mud-brick homes, they will rebuild with expensive and luxurious stones. And if their enemy cuts down their sycamore or fig trees, they will plant mighty cedar trees in their place. The nation is only calculating a positive for the outcome of this invasion.

In other words, the Israelites were "talking big." They were confident that the coming attack would make them stronger and wealthier in the long run. They put their hope in their own resilience, strength, and opportunism. They underestimated how committed the Lord was to bringing them to their knees. Their faithlessness and disobedience to Him would not continue unpunished.

Israel soon learn that the destruction to come would leave no room for an improved life through hard work and self-reliance. Without the Lord on their side, they would be wiped off the map (Isaiah 7:8)

Isaiah 9:8–21 returns to describing the judgment coming upon Israel in Isaiah's time. Despite the arrogance of the people, the enemies of their allies will devour them. When the people do not repent, the Lord will wipe out their leaders. He will have no compassion for the sinful people in every level of society. Wickedness burns through the people like a wildfire, turning human lives into fuel. Sinfulness causes people to devour each other and even themselves in trying to satisfy sin's appetite. The Lord will judge Israel for all of it.

Isaiah 9 begins prophecy about a future when darkness will be lifted from Israel. The nation will be free, prosperous, and at permanent peace. This will happen because God will send a child who will become a king on David's throne. More than a man, this king will be called Mighty God and Prince of Peace and will rule forever. In Isaiah's day, though, God's judgment will soon fall on Israel. He will wipe out their leaders. Wickedness burns through the nation like fire.

Isaiah 9 begins with what may be the conclusion of the previous chapter. Isaiah 8 ended with the description of the darkness experienced by those in Israel who reject the Lord. The prophet describes a day in Israel's far future when the gloom will lift and glory will return. A child will become king of Israel, but He will also be the Everlasting Father who will rule forever. However, In Isaiah's time, the Lord will judge Israel with destruction from other nations. The following chapter pronounces disaster for the people who persist in sin.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).