Isaiah Chapter 8 · Verse 21
And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.
Original Language Analysis
וְעָ֥בַר
And they shall pass
H5674
וְעָ֥בַר
And they shall pass
Strong's:
H5674
Word #:
1 of 13
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in
נִקְשֶׁ֣ה
through it hardly bestead
H7185
נִקְשֶׁ֣ה
through it hardly bestead
Strong's:
H7185
Word #:
3 of 13
properly, to be dense, i.e., tough or severe (in various applications)
וְהָיָ֨ה
H1961
וְהָיָ֨ה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
5 of 13
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
כִֽי
H3588
כִֽי
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
6 of 13
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
יִרְעַ֜ב
and it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry
H7456
יִרְעַ֜ב
and it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry
Strong's:
H7456
Word #:
7 of 13
to hunger
וְהִתְקַצַּ֗ף
they shall fret
H7107
וְהִתְקַצַּ֗ף
they shall fret
Strong's:
H7107
Word #:
8 of 13
to crack off, i.e., (figuratively) burst out in rage
וְקִלֵּ֧ל
themselves and curse
H7043
וְקִלֵּ֧ל
themselves and curse
Strong's:
H7043
Word #:
9 of 13
to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.)
וּבֵאלֹהָ֖יו
and their God
H430
וּבֵאלֹהָ֖יו
and their God
Strong's:
H430
Word #:
11 of 13
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
Historical Context
Fulfilled in Israel's final days before Assyrian conquest (722 BC) and Judah's suffering during Babylonian siege (586 BC). Historical records describe famine, cannibalism, and complete societal breakdown during these sieges (2 Kings 6:28-29; Lamentations 4:10). Rather than repenting, people blasphemed God. Jesus prophesied similar responses during Jerusalem's destruction in AD 70 (Luke 21:20-24). Human nature's default in crisis is to blame God rather than seek Him in repentance.
Questions for Reflection
- How do people today respond to hardship by blaming God rather than seeking Him?
- What is the difference between genuine prayer in crisis and angry accusations toward God?
- How can we guard our hearts against bitterness when experiencing God's discipline?
Analysis & Commentary
This verse describes the despair of those who reject God's word and pursue forbidden knowledge. 'Hardly bestead' means severely pressed or distressed; 'hunger' suggests spiritual emptiness and dissatisfaction. When hungry and oppressed, they become enraged, cursing both their earthly king and God. The phrase 'look upward' might suggest a last desperate prayer, but it's not genuine worship—it's rage. This illustrates the Reformed doctrine of total depravity: without grace, humanity's response to suffering is rebellion, not repentance. Self-chosen spiritual darkness produces bitterness toward God.