Isaiah 30:17

Fear

¹⁵ For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “By repentance and rest you would be saved; your strength would lie in quiet confidence— but you were not willing.”

¹⁶ “No,” you say, “we will flee on horses.” Therefore you will flee! “We will ride swift horses,” but your pursuers will be faster.

A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee, until you are left alone like a pole on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.

¹⁸ Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He rises to show you compassion, for the LORD is a just God. Blessed are all who wait for Him.

¹⁹ O people in Zion who dwell in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will surely be gracious when you cry for help; when He hears, He will answer you.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee, until you are left alone like a pole on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.
KJV: One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.
WEB: One thousand will flee at the threat of one. At the threat of five, you will flee until you are left like a beacon on the top of a mountain, and like a banner on a hill.
ASV: One thousand [shall flee] at the threat of one; at the threat of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill.
DARBY: One thousand [shall flee] at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as a banner on a hill.
BLB: One thousand from the face of the threat of one, from the face of the threat of five you⁺ will flee, until only you⁺ are left behind like a pole on the top of the mountain and like a banner on the hill!

ÅB: Et tusen skal flykte for en trusel fra en mann; når bare fem mann truer, skal dere flykte inntil deres levning er lik en flaggstang på toppen av et fjell og et banner på en haug.
OTB: Tusen skal flykte ved trusselen fra én; ved trusselen fra fem skal dere alle flykte, inntil dere er igjen som en flaggstang på en fjelltopp, som et banner på en høyde."
B1930: Et tusen skal flykte for en trusel fra en mann; når bare fem mann truer, skal I flykte inntil eders levning er lik en flaggstang på toppen av et fjell og et banner på en haug.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 28:25
The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them in one direction but flee from them in seven. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 32:30
How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
Read in context
Joshua 23:10
One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised.
Read in context
Leviticus 26:36
As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them.
Read in context
Leviticus 26:8
Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.
Read in context
Proverbs 28:1
The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
Read in context
John 15:2–6
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
Read in context
Romans 11:17
Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,
Read in context