Isaiah 9:20

20 And he shall snatch on the right hand And be hungry; He shall devour on the left hand And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat 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 as the fire; It shall devour the briers and thorns, And kindle in the thickets of the forest; They shall mount up like rising smoke.

19 Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts The land is burned up, And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother.

20 And he shall snatch on the right hand And be hungry; He shall devour on the left hand And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm.

21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.