This verse isn't just describing a sudden defeat; it highlights the utter insignificance of the enemy's multitude. Even though they are a vast, "terrible" force, God's judgment will make them as inconsequential as dust and chaff, vanishing "in an instant, suddenly" as if they never mattered at all.
But the multitude of your foreign foes shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the ruthless like passing chaff. And in an instant, suddenly, you will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage unfolds in the wake of judgment being pronounced on Ariel (Jerusalem), which will be besieged and brought low by foreign armies. But the prophet pivots, shifting to describe how these very enemies, who seem so mighty and terrifying, will be utterly and suddenly vanquished. The focus here is not on Jerusalem's suffering, but on the miraculous, swift destruction of its oppressors, signaling a future deliverance.
Ever felt overwhelmed by forces that seem impossibly strong? This verse paints a vivid picture of how God views formidable enemies.
Isaiah uses powerful imagery to describe the enemies who oppress God's people. They are compared to 'small dust' and 'passing chaff.'
Insignificant and Transient
The key here is that these powerful, 'terrible' enemies, who seem so imposing and threatening, are, in God's sight, as good as gone. Their might is an illusion compared to His divine power.
Disaster often feels like it creeps up on you. But sometimes, God's deliverance is like a lightning strike – immediate and surprising.
The verse climaxes with the phrase 'And in an instant, suddenly.' This isn't just a poetic flourish; it's a theological statement about God's timing and power.
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God's Sovereign Timing
This suddenness underscores that God is in control of history. He orchestrates events, and when His appointed time arrives, His actions are decisive and immediate. The destruction of Sennacherib's army, which devastated Jerusalem's attackers overnight, is a prime example of this 'instant' deliverance.
Understand the original words
zar · Hebrew Adjective
Those who are strangers to the covenant of God, often representing enemies who oppose the people of God and bring them under judgment.
arits · Hebrew Adjective
People who act with cruel, violent, or unyielding harshness, often representing those who have abandoned the fear of God and behave with total disregard for the vulnerable.
mots · Hebrew Noun
The outer husk of grain separated from the kernel; in Scripture, it serves as a common metaphor for the transitory, worthless, and easily scattered nature of the wicked when exposed to God's judgment.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun (Proper)
The covenant name of the one true God of Israel, revealing His personal nature, self-existence, and faithfulness to His covenant promises.
tsaba' · Hebrew Noun
A title for God emphasizing His sovereignty and supreme authority over all heavenly and earthly armies, highlighting His power to execute judgment or salvation.
This verse vividly describes the swift and unexpected downfall of the powerful Assyrian army that was threatening Jerusalem. The prophet uses powerful imagery of dust and chaff to show how God can instantly scatter even the most formidable human forces.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. This event created immense fear and pressure on Judah.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Destruction of Assyrian Army
The massive Assyrian army besieging Jerusalem is suddenly and miraculously destroyed overnight. The exact cause is debated, but biblical accounts attribute it to an angel of the Lord.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Withdrawal from Jerusalem
Following the sudden devastation of his army, Sennacherib withdraws his forces from Jerusalem, lifting the siege and saving the city.
This passage uses the same imagery of chaff being driven away by the wind to describe the fate of the wicked, reinforcing the idea of swift and utter destruction for God's enemies.
Isaiah 10:12-19This section describes God's judgment on Assyria for its pride, showing how a mighty army can be suddenly reduced and brought low, mirroring the sudden scattering mentioned in Isaiah 29:5.
Isaiah 17:13-14Here, hostile nations are compared to reeds and chaff before the wind, illustrating the swift and complete defeat that God brings upon those who oppose Him, much like the 'small dust' and 'chaff' in Isaiah 29:5.
2 Kings 19:35-36This passage recounts the historical event of the Assyrian army's sudden destruction by an angel of the Lord, which is widely understood to be the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 29:5-7.
Daniel 2:21This verse speaks to God's sovereign power over earthly kingdoms, showing that He 'removes kings and sets up kings,' which aligns with the sudden and decisive way God can bring down even the most formidable enemies as described in Isaiah 29:5.
bensonIsaiah 29:5: "Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly."
Isaiah 29:5-7 . Moreover — Or, rather, But, the multitude of thy strangers — Of the strangers that encamp and fight against thee; shall be like small dust — Dispersed by the least breath of air; and the multitude of the terrible ones — Of the Assyrian army, terrible for courage and ferocity; shall be…
cambridgeIsaiah 29:5: "Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly."
5 . thy strangers ] the barbarians who assail thee. the terrible ones ] or the tyrants . 5–8 . The discomfiture and dispersion of Zion’s enemies in the hour of their triumph.
This verse isn't just describing a sudden defeat; it highlights the utter insignificance of the enemy's multitude. Even though they are a vast, "terrible" force, God's judgment will make them as inconsequential as dust and chaff, vanishing "in an instant, suddenly" as if they never mattered at all.
This passage unfolds in the wake of judgment being pronounced on Ariel (Jerusalem), which will be besieged and brought low by foreign armies. But the prophet pivots, shifting to describe how these very enemies, who seem so mighty and terrifying, will be utterly and suddenly vanquished. The focus here is not on Jerusalem's suffering, but on the miraculous, swift destruction of its oppressors, signaling a future deliverance.
This passage unfolds in the wake of judgment being pronounced on Ariel (Jerusalem), which will be besieged and brought low by foreign armies. But the prophet pivots, shifting to describe how these very enemies, who seem so mighty and terrifying, will be utterly and suddenly vanquished. The focus here is not on Jerusalem's suffering, but on the miraculous, swift destruction of its oppressors, signaling a future deliverance.
"But the multitude of your foreign foes shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the ruthless like passing chaff. And in an instant, suddenly, you will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake a…" — This verse isn't just describing a sudden defeat; it highlights the utter insignificance of the enemy's multitude. Even though they are a vast, "terrible" force, God's judgment will make them as in…
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Last reviewed October 2026
