Isaiah 7:21
And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep;
Original Language Analysis
וְהָיָ֖ה
H1961
וְהָיָ֖ה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 9
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
בַּיּ֣וֹם
And it shall come to pass in that day
H3117
בַּיּ֣וֹם
And it shall come to pass in that day
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
2 of 9
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
הַה֑וּא
H1931
הַה֑וּא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
3 of 9
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
יְחַיֶּה
shall nourish
H2421
יְחַיֶּה
shall nourish
Strong's:
H2421
Word #:
4 of 9
to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive
אִ֛ישׁ
that a man
H376
אִ֛ישׁ
that a man
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
5 of 9
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
עֶגְלַ֥ת
cow
H5697
עֶגְלַ֥ת
cow
Strong's:
H5697
Word #:
6 of 9
a (female) calf, especially one nearly grown (i.e., a heifer)
בָּקָ֖ר
a young
H1241
בָּקָ֖ר
a young
Strong's:
H1241
Word #:
7 of 9
a beeve or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd
Cross References
Historical Context
Post-invasion Judah was devastated, with much of the population killed or exiled. Survivors subsisted on minimal agriculture, confirming prophetic imagery.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the remnant principle provide hope even within descriptions of severe judgment?
- What does preservation of minimal sustenance teach about God's faithfulness to maintain His people?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The preservation of 'a man' with 'a young cow, and two sheep' depicts drastic reduction: from agricultural abundance to bare subsistence. The small-scale farming suggests massive depopulation and economic collapse—only scattered survivors remain. Yet even in judgment, provision continues; the remnant survives. This pattern of preserved remnant pervades Isaiah (1:9; 10:20-22; 37:31-32), demonstrating that judgment, though severe, doesn't entirely destroy—anticipating God's faithfulness to preserve a people for Himself.