Isaiah 10:19

19 The trees that remain in the forest will be so few that a child could count them.

Isaiah 10:19 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 10:19

And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few
Which were left unconsumed, that escaped this destruction, those of the Assyrian army that fled with Sennacherib their king; which, the Rabbins say F18, were no more than ten, as Jarchi and Kimchi observe; yea, some say there were but five left who escaped, and name them, Sennacherib and his two sons, Nebuchadnezzar and Nebuzaradan: that a child may write them;
count them, and take down their names; and it may be understood of a military muster, and the sense be, that the army should be reduced to so small a number by this stroke upon them, that there would be no need of an able muster master to take the account of them, a child would be equal to such a task. The Targum is,

``and the rest of his warriors shall fail, that the people shall be a small number, and shall be reckoned a weak kingdom.''

FOOTNOTES:

F18 T. Bab. ib. fol. 95. 2. Praefat. Echa Rabbati, fol. 41. 1.

Isaiah 10:19 In-Context

17 Israel's light will become a flame. Its Holy One will become a fire. He will burn up and devour the weeds and thornbushes in one day.
18 The majestic forest and the orchard will destroy both body and soul. They will be like a sick person wasting away.
19 The trees that remain in the forest will be so few that a child could count them.
20 At that time the remaining few Israelites, the survivors of Jacob's descendants will no longer depend on the one who struck them. They will only depend on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.
21 A few, the remaining few of Jacob, will return to the mighty God.
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