Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet uses a vivid image of an antelope trapped in a net, not a wild bull, to convey the utter helplessness and despair of the people. This wasn't a fierce struggle, but a desperate, exhausted surrender to the overwhelming power of God's judgment. The text reveals that their suffering wasn't just external hardship, but the direct consequence of God's righteous anger poured out upon them.
Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet has been addressing Jerusalem, describing its profound suffering and the divine judgment it has endured for its sins. In this passage, he vividly depicts the state of Jerusalem's children—her people—who are not able to offer comfort but lie incapacitated and defeated in the streets, overwhelmed by God's wrath. This immediate scene of desolation sets the stage for God's promise of future restoration and comfort to Zion, as described in the following verses.
Imagine a mother watching her children fall, one by one, in the streets. This verse paints a devastating picture of a city in its darkest hour.
The prophet Isaiah uses powerful imagery to depict the suffering of Jerusalem and its people. Jerusalem is portrayed as a mother whose children, the inhabitants of the city, have collapsed from exhaustion and despair.
The Collapse:
The Cause:
What does it feel like to be utterly helpless, with no escape in sight? The image used here is incredibly visceral.
The comparison of the people to an animal trapped in a net is striking. It moves beyond simple weakness to a state of complete incapacitation and vulnerability.
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The Animal Metaphor:
The Meaning:
Understand the original words
Elohim · Hebrew Proper Noun
The God of Israel, the Creator and Judge who possesses authority over all things and interacts with humanity, especially His chosen people, through covenantal interaction and correction.
ge'arah · Hebrew Noun
The formal expression of God’s strong disapproval and judicial censure against sin. It is an act of divine discipline intended to bring the recipient to an acknowledgment of transgression.
This verse paints a grim picture of Jerusalem during the Babylonian siege, emphasizing the devastating effects of famine and the city's complete helplessness. The imagery of its 'sons' lying like captured animals highlights their utter inability to resist or escape, all under the judgment of God.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting a significant portion of its population and scattering them throughout the empire. This event serves as a stark warning to the southern Kingdom of Judah about the consequences of disobedience to God.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah, initiating the first wave of exiles to Babylon. This includes many of the royal family and prominent citizens, marking the beginning of the end for the independent Judean monarchy.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a rebellion, Babylon deports more Judeans, including key leaders and artisans. This further weakens the kingdom and intensifies the sense of impending doom.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Babylonian forces utterly destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, the heart of Judean religious and national life. The majority of the remaining population is exiled to Babylon.
c. 586 BC
Jerusalem under Siege and Famine
The verse vividly depicts the horrific conditions during the final siege of Jerusalem, with widespread famine leading to the death and prostration of its inhabitants in the streets. This is the immediate context of Isaiah's prophetic imagery.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers the Babylonian Empire, paving the way for the eventual return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem.
538 BC
Decree of Cyrus and Return of Exiles
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Judah and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the return and restoration period.
This passage echoes the imagery of children fainting and lying in the streets due to hunger, directly correlating with Isaiah's description of the sons' desperate state.
Jeremiah 51:30This verse describes the fall of Babylon, with its mighty men unable to stand and lying in dusty places, which parallels the helplessness and defeat depicted in Isaiah 51:20.
Ezekiel 30:16This verse speaks of the fall of Egypt and its cities, mentioning that 'the young men shall fall by the sword,' and 'the cities shall be a desolation,' reflecting the utter ruin and death faced by the inhabitants described in Isaiah.
Job 7:2Job's lament about a servant longing for the day's end and laborers for their wages speaks to a deep weariness and struggle for survival, similar to the fainting sons in Isaiah who are at the end of their strength.
pulpitIsaiah 51:20: "Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God."
Verse 20. - Thy sons have fainted, they lie; rather, thy sons fainted; they lay. The prophet describes the siege and capture of Jerusalem as past, because his standpoint is the time of the Captivity. He depicts the inhabitants of Jerusalem as "faint" through famine, and so weak that they lie prostrate about the streets. As a wild…
barnesIsaiah 51:20: "Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God."
Thy sons - Jerusalem is here represented as a mother. Her sons, that is, her inhabitants, had become weak and prostrate everywhere, and were unable to afford consolation. They lie at the head of all the streets - The 'head' of the streets is the same which in Lamentations 2:19; Lamentations 4:1, is denominated 'the top of the stre…
The prophet uses a vivid image of an antelope trapped in a net, not a wild bull, to convey the utter helplessness and despair of the people. This wasn't a fierce struggle, but a desperate, exhausted surrender to the overwhelming power of God's judgment. The text reveals that their suffering wasn't just external hardship, but the direct consequence of God's righteous anger poured out upon them.
The prophet has been addressing Jerusalem, describing its profound suffering and the divine judgment it has endured for its sins. In this passage, he vividly depicts the state of Jerusalem's children—her people—who are not able to offer comfort but lie incapacitated and defeated in the streets, overwhelmed by God's wrath. This immediate scene of desolation sets the stage for God's promise of future restoration and comfort to Zion, as described in the following verses.
The prophet has been addressing Jerusalem, describing its profound suffering and the divine judgment it has endured for its sins. In this passage, he vividly depicts the state of Jerusalem's children—her people—who are not able to offer comfort but lie incapacitated and defeated in the streets, overwhelmed by God's wrath. This immediate scene of desolation sets the stage for God's promise of future restoration and comfort to Zion, as described in the following verses.
"Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God." — The prophet uses a vivid image of an antelope trapped in a net, not a wild bull, to convey the utter helplessness and despair of the people. This wasn't a fierce struggle, but a desperate, exhausted…
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Last reviewed October 2026