Isaiah 10:19

19 And the remnants of the tree(s) of his forest shall be numbered for (such) fewness, and a child shall write them (so that even 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.''

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Isaiah 10:19 In-Context

17 And the light of Israel shall be in fire, and the Holy of it in flame; and the thorn of him and briar shall be kindled and devoured in one day. (And the light of Israel shall be a fire, and its Holy One shall be a flame; and his thorns and briars shall be kindled and devoured in one day.)

18 And the glory of his forest, and of his Carmel, shall be wasted, from the soul unto [the] flesh; and he shall be fleeing away for dread. (And the glory of his forest, and of his plentiful land, shall be destroyed, from the soul unto the flesh; and he shall flee away out of fear.)

19 And the remnants of the tree(s) of his forest shall be numbered for (such) fewness, and a child shall write them (so that even a child could count them).

20 And it shall be in that day, the remnant of Israel, and they that fled of the house of Jacob, shall not add for to trust on him that smiteth them; but it shall trust on the holy Lord of Israel, in truth. (And it shall be on that day, that the remnant of Israel, yea, they of the house of Jacob who fled, shall no longer trust him who striketh them; but they shall truly trust the Holy Lord of Israel.)

21 The remnants, I say, the remnants of Jacob, shall be converted to the strong Lord. (The remnants, I say, the remnants of Jacob, shall turn again to the strong Lord/shall return to the strong Lord.)