Isaiah 10:17

Authorized King James Version

And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וְהָיָ֤ה
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
#2
אֽוֹר
And the light
illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)
#3
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙
of Israel
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
#4
לְאֵ֔שׁ
shall be for a fire
fire (literally or figuratively)
#5
וּקְדוֹשׁ֖וֹ
and his Holy One
sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) god (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a sanctuary
#6
לְלֶהָבָ֑ה
for a flame
flame
#7
וּבָעֲרָ֗ה
and it shall burn
to be(-come) brutish
#8
וְאָֽכְלָ֛ה
and devour
to eat (literally or figuratively)
#9
שִׁית֥וֹ
his thorns
scrub or trash, i.e., wild growth of weeds or briers (as if put on the field)
#10
וּשְׁמִיר֖וֹ
and his briers
a thorn; also (from its keenness for scratching) a gem, probably the diamond
#11
בְּי֥וֹם
day
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
#12
אֶחָֽד׃
in one
properly, united, i.e., one; or (as an ordinal) first

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The historical context of the biblical period relevant to this book's composition provides crucial background for understanding this verse. The historical and cultural milieu of the biblical world informed the author's theological expression and the audience's understanding. The the cultural context of the biblical world would have shaped how the original audience understood divine revelation. Archaeological and historical evidence reveals Archaeological discoveries continue to illuminate the historical context of biblical texts.

Questions for Reflection

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