Isaiah 8:21-22
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It's easy to see the hunger and distress here, but what's often missed is the reason for their rage. They don't just curse a king and a god; they curse their king and their God, revealing a desperate, angry realization that the very ones they should have trusted are now seen as the source of their abandonment. This isn't a generic curse; it's a bitter accusation born from dashed hopes in their ultimate leaders.
They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following the prophetic warning in Isaiah 8:20 to turn away from sorcery and consult God's law instead, this passage depicts the dire consequences for those who refuse. It describes them wandering through their land, oppressed and starving, driven by desperation to curse their earthly king and their God, revealing a profound despair and defiance in their search for relief.
Imagine a land plunged into darkness, where hunger gnaws and despair sets in. This verse paints a grim picture of people lost and furious.
Isaiah 8:21 describes a devastating scene where people are "hardly bestead and hungry." This isn't just about physical starvation; it's a profound spiritual and emotional desolation. They wander through their own land, broken and desperate.
The Root of Rage
When hunger strikes, their reaction isn't prayer; it's rage. "They shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God." This outburst stems from a deep-seated frustration. They blame their leaders for the ruin and their God for the lack of deliverance. It's a terrifying picture of souls so consumed by misery that they lash out at the very sources of help they should turn to.
They look up, but not in hope. What does this desperate gesture reveal about their hearts?
The final phrase, 'and turn their faces upward,' is crucial. It's not a hopeful gaze towards heaven for relief. The commentaries consistently point out this look is filled with despair, defiance, and perhaps even a sarcastic plea.
No True Refuge
These individuals have rejected God's counsel (implied by the context of Isaiah 8:20, 'to the law and to the testimony'). Now, in their deepest distress, they look upward, but they see only the 'dimness of anguish' (as JFB notes) – a reflection of their own inner darkness and God's perceived, but misunderstood, displeasure. Their upward look is an admission of their dire straits, but without the faith to find true rescue.
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Understand the original words
tsarah · Hebrew Noun
A state of being weighed down by trouble, hardship, or severe adversity. Biblically, it often denotes the consequence of sin or divine judgment, signaling a lack of peace and a trial of faith.
ra'eb · Hebrew Adjective
The intense physical or spiritual craving for food or sustenance. In a theological sense, it often functions as a metaphor for the human soul’s desperate longing or a state of spiritual deprivation when separated from God's provision.
qatsaph · Hebrew Verb
A state of intense anger, fury, or indignation. In a biblical context, it frequently describes the reaction of those who have rejected God and are under judgment, manifesting as rebellious bitterness rather than repentance.
qalal · Hebrew Verb
To speak in a way that shows a lack of respect or treats something as worthless. Biblically, this often involves cursing, blaspheming, or treating God's sovereignty with defiant arrogance.
Elohim · Hebrew Noun
The supreme ruler, but specifically used here in relation to God as the ultimate Sovereign of Israel. Biblically, "God" (Elohim) denotes the Creator and Judge who holds authority over all nations and individual destinies.
panim · Hebrew Noun
A metaphorical expression for the orientation of the heart and mind toward heaven. While often used for prayer, in this context, it depicts the arrogant or desperate gaze of those demanding answers or expressing hostility toward the Divine.
erets · Hebrew Noun
The created world apart from the Creator; it represents the limited, temporal perspective of humanity. Looking to the "earth" suggests reliance on human resources, idolatry, or looking for hope where only temporal disappointment exists.
choshek · Hebrew Noun
The absence of light; often used symbolically in Scripture to represent the state of judgment, separation from God’s presence, spiritual ignorance, or the realm of death.
nadach · Hebrew Verb
A state of being driven, cast out, or pushed forcibly into a condition. In this context, it signifies the inescapable nature of divine judgment and the loss of access to God's light.
This verse vividly portrays the desperation of those who, facing the ravages of war and famine, turn in their distress not to God in repentance but in curses against Him and their earthly king. It highlights the profound spiritual crisis of Judah during the Assyrian invasions, where turning to false mediums or trusting in earthly powers, rather than the Lord, leads only to deeper despair and defiance.
c. 740 BC
Syro-Ephraimite War begins
The northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and Syria unite to attack Judah, aiming to depose King Ahaz and install their own candidate on the throne. Judah is besieged, and many Judaeans are captured.
c. 734 BC
Assyrian Intervention in the Region
King Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria invades the region in response to appeals from King Ahaz of Judah. The Assyrians conquer several areas, including Gilead and Galilee, leading to a deportation of Israelites.
c. 732 BC
Fall of Damascus
The Assyrians capture the Syrian capital, Damascus, ending the threat from the Syro-Ephraimite coalition and further destabilizing the region. The northern kingdom of Israel faces significant territorial losses and increasing Assyrian dominance.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and End of Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire, under Shalmaneser V and then Sargon II, conquers the northern kingdom of Israel and destroys its capital, Samaria. This event marks the end of the ten northern tribes as a distinct political and religious entity, leading to widespread exile and scattering.
c. 705-692 BC
Hezekiah's Rebellion and Assyrian Campaigns
King Hezekiah of Judah rebels against Assyrian rule. In response, Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, capturing many fortified cities and besieging Jerusalem in 701 BC.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
Sennacherib of Assyria besieges Jerusalem. While the city is not captured, Judah suffers greatly, with devastating loss and disruption, fulfilling prophecies of distress and hardship for those who turned away from God.
This passage describes a similar desperate situation where people are starving and turn to curses against their king and God, highlighting the depth of despair when all other sources fail.
Jeremiah 18:12This verse parallels the idea of people hardening their hearts and saying, 'It is useless!' and turning to their own plans, reflecting a similar rejection of divine counsel leading to ruin.
Revelation 16:11This New Testament passage describes people cursing God in their agony during plagues, echoing the defiant and hopeless cursing of God seen in Isaiah's prophecy.
Luke 1:11-12This passage shows a different kind of 'looking upward' – one of fear and agitation rather than hope, contrasting with the righteous waiting on God in Isaiah 8:17.
cambridgeIsaiah 8:21: "And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward."
21 . they shall pass through it ] Obviously, the land; but something must have fallen out before this verse, to account for the reference of the pronoun. Throughout this and the following verse, “they,” “their,” “themselves,” should be “he,” “his,” “himself.” The subject is either the…
barnesIsaiah 8:21: "And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward."
And they shall pass - The people who have been consulting necromancers. This represents the condition of these who have sought for counsel and direction, and who have not found it. They shall be conscious of disappointment, and shall wander perplexed and alarmed through the land. Thro…
It's easy to see the hunger and distress here, but what's often missed is the reason for their rage. They don't just curse a king and a god; they curse their king and their God, revealing a desperate, angry realization that the very ones they should have trusted are now seen as the source of their abandonment. This isn't a generic curse; it's a bitter accusation born from dashed hopes in their ultimate leaders.
Following the prophetic warning in Isaiah 8:20 to turn away from sorcery and consult God's law instead, this passage depicts the dire consequences for those who refuse. It describes them wandering through their land, oppressed and starving, driven by desperation to curse their earthly king and their God, revealing a profound despair and defiance in their search for relief.
Following the prophetic warning in Isaiah 8:20 to turn away from sorcery and consult God's law instead, this passage depicts the dire consequences for those who refuse. It describes them wandering through their land, oppressed and starving, driven by desperation to curse their earthly king and their God, revealing a profound despair and defiance in their search for relief.
"They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. And they will look to the earth, bu…" — It's easy to see the hunger and distress here, but what's often missed is the reason for their rage. They don't just curse a king and a god; they curse their king and their God, revealing a…
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Last reviewed October 2026
