Isaiah 9:20

20 And he shall bow to the right half, and he shall hunger, and he shall eat at the left half, and he shall not be [ful]filled; each man shall devour the flesh of his arm. (And one person shall turn to the right, and he shall still have hunger, and another shall eat on the left, and he shall not be fulfilled; and everyone shall devour the flesh of their own children.)

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 why wickedness is kindled as fire; it shall devour the briars and thorns, and it shall be kindled in the thickness of the forest, and it shall be wrapped (al)together in the pride of smoke. (For wickedness is kindled like a fire; it shall devour the briars and thorns, and it shall be kindled in the thickness of the forest, and it shall be wrapped up in a pall, or in a column, of smoke.)

19 In the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land shall be troubled, and the people shall be as the meat of fire (and the people shall become food for the fire); a man shall not spare his brother.

20 And he shall bow to the right half, and he shall hunger, and he shall eat at the left half, and he shall not be [ful]filled; each man shall devour the flesh of his arm. (And one person shall turn to the right, and he shall still have hunger, and another shall eat on the left, and he shall not be fulfilled; and everyone shall devour the flesh of their own children.)

21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim shall devour Manasseh, and they together against Judah. In all these things the strong vengeance of him is not turned away, but yet his hand is stretched forth.