Isaiah 9:20

20 ¹They slice meat on the right, but are still hungry, and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied; ²each devours the flesh of his own arm,

Isaiah 9:20 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 9:20

And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry
Either with his hand, and rob and plunder all within his reach; or, with his teeth, as cannibals, or beasts of prey, catch at, tear, and rend in pieces, whatever comes in their way; and yet hungry after more, and unsatisfied, as follows: and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied;
ravage and spoil on every side, and yet not content. The Targum is,

``he shall spoil on the south, and be hungry; and he shall destroy on the north, and not be satisfied:''

they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm;
destroy their near relations, who are their own flesh and blood, or take away their substance from them; so the Targum,

``they shall spoil every man the substance of his neighbour:''

which will give some light to ( Revelation 17:16 ) .

Isaiah 9:20 In-Context

18 For wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briers and thorns; it kindles the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke.

19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts the land is scorched, and the people are like fuel for the fire; no one spares another.

20 They slice meat on the right, but are still hungry, and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied; each devours the flesh of his own arm,

21 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim devours Manasseh; together they are against Judah. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 8:21
• 2. Isaiah 49:26; See Deuteronomy 28:53-57