Jesaja 10:15

Schlachter Bibel

Rühmt sich auch die Axt gegen den, der damit haut? Oder brüstet sich die Säge wider den, der sie führt? Als ob der Stock den schwänge, der ihn aufhebt, als ob die Rute den erhöbe, der kein Holz ist! -

Parallel Translations

Lutherbible (1912)
Mag sich auch eine Axt rühmen gegen den, der damit haut? oder eine Säge trotzen gegen den, der sie zieht? Als ob die Rute schwänge den der sie hebt; als ob der Stecken höbe den, der kein Holz ist!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the ax: Isaiah 10:5, Psalms 17:13, Psalms 17:14, Jeremiah 51:20-23, Ezekiel 28:9, Romans 9:20, Romans 9:21

the rod should shake itself against them: or, a rod should shake them. itself, as if it were no wood. or, that which is not wood.

Reciprocal: Exodus 8:9 - Glory over me Exodus 9:17 - General Judges 3:12 - and the Lord 1 Samuel 17:36 - seeing 1 Kings 20:11 - Let not him 2 Kings 18:35 - that the Lord 2 Kings 19:22 - exalted thy voice 2 Kings 19:25 - Hast thou not 1 Chronicles 10:14 - he slew 2 Chronicles 32:17 - to rail Psalms 55:12 - magnify Isaiah 17:13 - but Isaiah 30:31 - which smote Isaiah 37:26 - how I Isaiah 45:9 - Shall the clay Isaiah 54:16 - I have Isaiah 57:4 - Against Jeremiah 46:22 - and come Jeremiah 47:6 - thou sword Jeremiah 48:26 - for he Ezekiel 28:14 - and I Ezekiel 30:24 - and put Malachi 1:4 - They shall build 1 Corinthians 1:29 - General 2 Timothy 3:2 - boasters Revelation 13:7 - and power

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith?.... Hitherto are the words of the Assyrian monarch; and here begin the words of the prophet, rebuking him for his pride, and deriding his vain boasting, in attributing that to himself, to his wisdom and power, who was but an instrument, which belonged to God, the sole Governor and wise orderer of all things; which was all one as if an axe should ascribe the cutting down of trees to itself, and insist on it that the man that cut with it had no share in the action, nor was it to be ascribed to him; than which nothing is more absurd. The sense is, that the king of Assyria, in taking cities, and conquering kingdoms, and adding them to his own, was only an instrument in the hand of God, like an axe in the hand of one that hews down trees; and therefore it was vain and ridiculous to take that to himself which belonged to the Lord, on whom he depended as an instrument, as to motion, operation, and effect; from whom he had all power to act, all fitness for it, and efficacy in it, as the axe has from the person that makes and uses it, or any other instrument, as follows:

[or] shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? or draws it to and fro; which is the sense of the Targum, Septuagint, and Vulgate Latin versions, and others; and which further exposes the vanity and arrogance of the Assyrian monarch, who had no more concern in the spoiling of nations, and destruction of kingdoms, than the saw has in cutting of timber that is hewn; which has its form, its sharp teeth, not of itself, but from the maker; and when thus made, and fit for use, cannot draw itself to and fro, and cut trees in pieces, which are felled by the axe, but must be moved by another; and to insult the mover of it, as if it was not his act, but its own, is not more absurd than what this haughty prince was guilty of, in boasting of his power, wisdom, and prudence, in the above mentioned things:

as if the rod should shake [itself] against them that lift it up m; for such was the king of Assyria, he was no other than the rod of the Lord's anger, Isaiah 10:5 and which he lifted up, and with it chastised his people; wherefore for him to behave haughtily against the Lord, and arrogate that to himself which was the Lord's doing, was as if a rod should shake itself against him that lifts it up; or, "as if a rod should shake those that lift it up": as if there were more power in the rod than in them that take it up and strike with it; yea, that even the rod moves them, and not they the rod, which is wretchedly absurd:

[or], as if the staff should lift up [itself, as if it were] no wood n; but something more than wood, an animate creature, a rational agent, whereas it is nothing else but wood; or "as if a staff should lift up" itself against that which is "not wood", like itself, but is a man, that can move himself and that too; or "as if a staff should lift up" that which is "not wood"; attempt to bear, carry, move, and direct that which is not material like itself, but is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, even the almighty God. De Dieu thinks that הרים is not a verb, but a noun of the plural number, of הר, "a mountain": and renders it, "as if a rod should shake those that lift it up: and as if a staff were mountains, and not wood". The Targum is,

"when a rod is lifted up to smite, it is not the rod that smites, but he that smites with it.''

The sense is, that the Assyrian monarch was only a rod and staff in the hand of the Lord, and only moved and acted as used by him; whereas, according to his vain boast, he was the sole agent, and all was done by his own power and prudence; and was so far from being moved and directed by the power and providence of God, that he was the director of him; which is infinitely more absurd than the things instanced in.

m Ben Melech observes, that this is to be understood of the blessed God; and the word being in the plural number, it is the same way, of speaking as in Josh. xxiv. 19. "the Holy Gods is he".

n Gussetius thinks this clause contains an ironical answer to the above questions, "shall the axe boast itself?" c. "shall the saw magnify itself?" c. they should, "as the rod should shake itself" c. just in like manner as that does, and so by lifting up itself, ceases to be wood; and which being sarcastically spoken, carries in it a strong negative, that the axe and saw should not glory, or magnify themselves, and no more should the king of Assyria. Vid. Comment. Ebr. p. 360.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Shall the axe ... - In this verse God reproves the pride and arrogance of the Assyrian monarch. He does it by reminding him that he was the mere instrument in his hand, to accomplish his purposes; and that it was just as absurd for him to boast of what he had done, as it would be for the axe to boast when it had been welded with effect. In the axe there is no wisdom, no skill, no power; and though it may lay the forest low, yet it is not by any skill or power which it possesses. So with the Assyrian monarch. Though nations had trembled at his power, yet be was in the hand of God, and had been directed by an unseen arm in accomplishing the designs of the Ruler of the universe. Though himself free, yet he was under the direction of God, and had been so directed as to accomplish his designs.

The saw magnify itself - That is boast or exalt itself against or over him that uses it.

That shaketh it - Or moves it backward and forward, for the purpose of sawing.

As if the rod - A rod is an instrument of chastisement or punishment; and such God regarded the king of Assyria.

Should shake” itself ... - The Hebrew, in this place, is as in the margin: ‘A rod should shake them that lift it up.’ But the sense is evidently retained in our translation, as this accords with all the other members of the verse, where the leading idea is, the absurdity that a mere instrument should exalt itself against him who makes use of it. In this manner the preposition על ‛al “over,” or “against,” is evidently understood. So the Vulgate and the Syriac.

The staff - This word here is synonymous with rod, and denotes an instrument of chastisement.

As if it were no wood - That is, as if it were a moral agent, itself the actor or deviser of what it is made to do. It would be impossible to express more strongly the idea intended here, that the Assyrian was a mere instrument in the hand of God to accomplish “his” purposes, and to be employed at his will. The statement of this truth is designed to humble him: and if there be “any” truth that will humble sinners, it is, that they are in the hands of God; that he will accomplish his purposes by them; that when they are laying plans against him, he will overrule them for his own glory; and that they will be arrested, restrained, or directed, just as he pleases. Man, in his schemes of pride and vanity, therefore, should not boast. He is under the God of nations; and it is one part of his administration, to control and govern all the intellect in the universe. In all these passages, however, there is not the slightest intimation that the Assyrian was not “free.” There is no fate; no compulsion. He regarded himself as a free moral agent; he did what he pleased; he never supposed that he was urged on by any power that violated his own liberty. If he did what he pleased, he was free. And so it is with all sinners. They do as they please. They form and execute such plans as they choose; and God overrules their designs to accomplish his own purposes. The Targum of Jonathan has given the sense of this passage; ‘Shall the axe boast against him who uses it, saying, I have cut (wood); or the saw boast against him who moves it, saying, I have sawed? When the rod is raised to smite, it is not the rod that smites, but he who smites with it.’

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 10:15. No wood - "Its master."] I have here given the meaning, without attempting to keep to the expression of the original, לא עץ lo ets, "the no-wood;" that which is not wood like itself, but of a quite different and superior nature. The Hebrews have a peculiar way of joining the negative particle לא lo to a noun, to signify in a strong manner a total negation of the thing expressed by the noun.

"How hast thou given help (ללא כח lelo choach) to the no-strength?

And saved the arm (לא עז lo oz) of the no-power?

How hast, thou given counsel (ללא חכמה lelo chochmah) to the no-wisdom?"

Job 26:2-3.

That is, to the man totally deprived of strength, power, and wisdom.

"Ye that rejoice (ללא דבר lelo dabar) in nothing."

Amos 6:13.

That is, in your fancied strength, which is none at all, a mere nonentity.

"For I am God, (ולא איש velo ish,) and no-man;

The Holy One in the midst of thee, yet do not frequent cities."

Hosea 11:9.

"And the Assyrian shall fall by a sword (לא איש lo ish) of no-man;

And a sword of (לא אדם lo adam) no-mortal, shall devour him."

Isaiah 31:8.

"Wherefore do ye weigh out your silver (בלוא לחם belo lechem)

for the no-bread."

Isaiah 55:2.

So here לא עץ lo ets means him who is far from being an inert piece of wood, but is an animated and active being; not an instrument, but an agent.