This verse highlights that the people of Ephraim and Samaria "say in the pride and arrogance of heart." This isn't just about outward boasts, but a deep-seated defiance originating from within, a "self-confident purpose" that trusts in themselves rather than God. It's a subtle but crucial distinction – their defiance comes from their very core.
and all the people will know, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart: “The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet is speaking directly to the northern kingdom of Israel, especially its influential Ephraim tribe and its capital, Samaria. God's word of judgment has been sent, and these people will soon learn its truth not through hearing, but through painful experience. They are described as speaking with immense pride and arrogance from their hearts, a defiance that will ultimately be proven hollow.
What does it mean to 'know' God's message? Isaiah says the people will 'know' it, but not in a good way. It's a knowledge learned through hardship.
The prophet Isaiah is not talking about a joyful realization of God's truth. Instead, he's describing a painful, experiential "knowing." It's the kind of knowledge that comes only after God's judgments have been executed.
Learning Through Loss
The scholars note that "knowing" here means understanding by its effects, often to their cost. It's like learning a hard lesson – you don't truly grasp it until you've lived through the consequences.
The Heart of the Matter
This 'knowing' is tied to the people's internal state: their "pride and arrogance of heart." Their self-confidence and defiance meant they wouldn't listen to God's warnings. So, God ensures they learn His truth in a way they can't ignore: through suffering and defeat.
Why does Isaiah specifically call out 'Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria'? What does this geographical and tribal focus tell us about the depth of their rebellion?
Isaiah's mention of 'Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria' isn't just random geography. It zeroes in on the northern kingdom of Israel, with Samaria as its proud capital.
The Strongest, The Proudest
Commentators point out that Ephraim was the most prominent tribe, and Samaria was its fortified center of power. These weren't minor players; they represented the heart of the nation's leadership and influence. Their pride and defiance were therefore amplified, affecting the whole populace.
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A Defiant Stance
This 'pride and arrogance of heart' wasn't just a passive feeling. It manifested as a self-confident purpose, a trust in their own strength and splendor rather than in God. They spoke with defiance, likely boasting about their security and power, even as judgment loomed.
Understand the original words
ga'avah · Hebrew Noun
An attitude of self-sufficiency and rebellion against God, where one elevates themselves above divine authority.
This verse highlights the deep-seated pride of the northern kingdom of Israel, particularly its capital Samaria, as they face impending judgment. Their arrogance sets them against God's warnings, making the coming destruction a painful, experiential lesson they will 'know' to their cost.
c. 734 BC
Syro-Ephraimite War Begins
Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Aram ally to attack Judah, which refuses to join them. King Ahaz of Judah appeals to Assyria for help.
c. 732 BC
Fall of Damascus
Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria conquers Aram (Syria), deports its people, and reasserts Assyrian dominance. This event is a direct precursor to the fall of Samaria.
c. 724-722 BC— this verse
Siege of Samaria
Following a rebellion against Assyrian rule, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Samaria, endures a brutal three-year siege by the Assyrian army under Shalmaneser V.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Deportation
Samaria falls to the Assyrians, leading to the exile of the Northern Kingdom's inhabitants. This marks the effective end of the Kingdom of Israel as a distinct entity.
This passage echoes the idea that judgment will come upon Israel because of their pride and sin, fulfilling what Isaiah prophesied, that they would 'know' God's judgments through painful experience.
Jeremiah 13:10Similar to Isaiah, Jeremiah describes a people whose stubborn pride prevents them from listening to God's warnings, leading to their downfall and the fulfillment of His word.
Ezekiel 28:17This prophecy against the king of Tyre speaks of pride corrupting wisdom and leading to a fall, mirroring the self-assured arrogance of Ephraim and Samaria that Isaiah condemns.
Proverbs 16:18This proverb directly states that 'pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall,' which is the very essence of the message Isaiah is delivering to the people of Samaria.
pulpitIsaiah 9:9: "And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,"
Verse 9. - Even Ephraim; rather, especially Ephraim. The prophecy is no doubt mainly directed against the northern kingdom. That say in the pride and stoutness of heart; rather, in the pride and stoutness of heart, wherein they say.
barnesIsaiah 9:9: "And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,"
And all the people shall know - Shall know the message; or shall know the judgment which God denounces against their crimes. The Chaldee renders this, 'All the people have exalted themselves, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, in their magnitude, and in the pride of thee heart.' Ephraim - This is another name for Israel, as Ephraim was the principal tribe;…
This verse highlights that the people of Ephraim and Samaria "say in the pride and arrogance of heart." This isn't just about outward boasts, but a deep-seated defiance originating from within, a "self-confident purpose" that trusts in themselves rather than God. It's a subtle but crucial distinction – their defiance comes from their very core.
The prophet is speaking directly to the northern kingdom of Israel, especially its influential Ephraim tribe and its capital, Samaria. God's word of judgment has been sent, and these people will soon learn its truth not through hearing, but through painful experience. They are described as speaking with immense pride and arrogance from their hearts, a defiance that will ultimately be proven hollow.
The prophet is speaking directly to the northern kingdom of Israel, especially its influential Ephraim tribe and its capital, Samaria. God's word of judgment has been sent, and these people will soon learn its truth not through hearing, but through painful experience. They are described as speaking with immense pride and arrogance from their hearts, a defiance that will ultimately be proven hollow.
"and all the people will know, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart: “The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down,…" — This verse highlights that the people of Ephraim and Samaria "say in the pride and arrogance of heart." This isn't just about outward boasts, but a deep-seated defiance originating from within, a "se…
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Last reviewed October 2026
