Isaiah 9:20
They slice meat on the right, but are still hungry, and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied; each devours the flesh of his own arm,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse uses a shocking image to describe internal conflict and ruin. The phrase "eat the flesh of his own arm" is a hyperbole, not meant literally, but to convey that in their destructive rage, people would attack and consume those closest and most vital to them, like a part of their own body.
The prophet Isaiah is speaking about the coming judgment upon Israel due to their persistent sin and refusal to repent. This passage follows a denunciation of corrupt leaders and false prophets, and precedes a description of more severe consequences. It paints a picture of internal chaos and societal breakdown as a direct result of their turning away from God.
Imagine a hunger so fierce it turns inwards, a craving that can never be filled. This verse paints a chilling picture of a society consumed by its own internal strife.
Isaiah 9:20 describes a devastating internal conflict.
We often think of self-harm as a personal issue, but this verse expands it to a national tragedy. What does it mean for a community to injure its most vital parts?
The phrase 'the flesh of his own arm' is a powerful metaphor for extreme self-inflicted damage within a community or nation.
This verse vividly depicts the utter social and political breakdown following the Assyrian invasions and the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel. It describes a state of civil strife and internal conflict so severe that people turn on their own kin, consuming 'their own flesh' in a desperate, unsatisfied rage.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire's Dominance
The Neo-Assyrian Empire was at its height of power, a formidable military force that exerted significant influence and control over the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
c. 734 BC
Syro-Ephraimite War Begins
The kings of Aram (Syria) and Israel (Ephraim) formed an alliance to invade Judah, which refused to join them against Assyria. This conflict deeply impacted the region.
c. 733 BC
Assyrian Intervention in the Region
In response to the Syro-Ephraimite alliance, the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III invaded Israelite territory, conquering key northern cities and deporting inhabitants.
c. 732 BC
Fall of Damascus
Tiglath-Pileser III captured the Aramean capital, Damascus, ending the threat from Syria and further destabilizing the region. This event is a backdrop to Isaiah's prophecies.
This passage directly parallels Isaiah 9:20, using the graphic image of people eating the flesh of their neighbors (or their own arms) to describe the horrific consequences of extreme violence and societal breakdown.
Micah 6:14Micah echoes the theme of consumption and dissatisfaction, highlighting how judgment will result in what is built and gathered being taken away, leaving the people with nothing but ruin.
Galatians 5:15This New Testament passage speaks of a spiritual 'devouring' that happens when believers bite and consume one another, showing how internal strife and conflict lead to self-destruction within a community.
Deuteronomy 28:53-57This passage from Deuteronomy describes the curse of famine and siege, where people will be driven to extreme measures, even to eating the flesh of their own children, illustrating the dire consequences of disobedience and divine judgment.
barnesIsaiah 9:20: "And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:"
And he shall snatch - Hebrew, 'He shall cut off.' Many have supposed that this refers to a state of famine; but others regard it as descriptive of a state of faction extending throughout the whole community, dissolving the most tender ties, arid producing a dissolution of all the bonds of life. The context Isa…
pulpitIsaiah 9:20: "And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:"
Verse 20. - He shall snatch; rather, one shall devour. A man, i.e., shall plunder and ravage in one quarter, and yet not be satisfied; then he shall do the same in another, and still desire more. "Increase of appetite shall grow by what it feeds on." There shall be no sense of satiety anywhere. The flesh of hi…
This verse uses a shocking image to describe internal conflict and ruin. The phrase "eat the flesh of his own arm" is a hyperbole, not meant literally, but to convey that in their destructive rage, people would attack and consume those closest and most vital to them, like a part of their own body.
The prophet Isaiah is speaking about the coming judgment upon Israel due to their persistent sin and refusal to repent. This passage follows a denunciation of corrupt leaders and false prophets, and precedes a description of more severe consequences. It paints a picture of internal chaos and societal breakdown as a direct result of their turning away from God.
The prophet Isaiah is speaking about the coming judgment upon Israel due to their persistent sin and refusal to repent. This passage follows a denunciation of corrupt leaders and false prophets, and precedes a description of more severe consequences. It paints a picture of internal chaos and societal breakdown as a direct result of their turning away from God.
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c. 724-722 BC— this verse
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) was conquered by the Assyrian Empire under Shalmaneser V and later Sargon II. Its population was exiled, effectively ending the northern kingdom.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
Under King Sennacherib, the Assyrians invaded Judah, capturing many cities and besieging Jerusalem. While Jerusalem was spared, the event left a significant impact on Judah.
"They slice meat on the right, but are still hungry, and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied; each devours the flesh of his own arm," — This verse uses a shocking image to describe internal conflict and ruin. The phrase "eat the flesh of his own arm" is a hyperbole, not meant literally, but to convey that in their destructive rage, p…
