Isaiah 9:10
8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,
The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
11 Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;
12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
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
- “The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with finished stone; the sycamores have been felled, but we will replace them 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.
- WEB
- “The bricks have fallen, but we will build with cut stone. The sycamore fig trees have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.”
- ASV
- The bricks are fallen, but we will build with hewn stone; the sycomores are cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.
- DARBY
- The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamore trees are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.
- BLB
- “The bricks have fallen down, and with hewn stone we will rebuild; the sycamores are cut down, and with cedars we will replace [them].”
- ÅB
- Steiner av leire er falt, men med hugne steiner vil vi bygge opp igjen; morbærtrær er hugget ned, men sedertrær vil vi sette i stedet.
- OTB
- "Mursteinene har falt, men vi vil bygge opp igjen med hugget stein; morbærtrærne er hogd ned, men vi vil erstatte dem med sedrer."
- B1930
- Stener av ler er falt, men med hugne stener vil vi bygge op igjen; morbærtrær er hugget ned, men sedertrær vil vi sette i stedet.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Malachi 1:4
Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.
Read in context1 Kings 10:27
And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.
Read in context1 Kings 7:9–12
All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court.
Read in context