Discovery BoxIsaiah 31:8-9 
Context31:8 Assyria will fall by a sword, but not one human-made; 1
a sword not made by humankind will destroy them. 2
They will run away from this sword 3
and their young men will be forced to do hard labor.
31:9 They will surrender their stronghold 4 because of fear; 5
their officers will be afraid of the Lord’s battle flag.” 6
This is what the Lord says –
the one whose fire is in Zion,
whose firepot is in Jerusalem. 7
1 tn Heb “Assyria will fall by a sword, not of a man.”
2 tn Heb “and a sword not of humankind will devour him.”
3 tn Heb “he will flee for himself from before a sword.”
4 tn Heb “rocky cliff” (cf. ASV, NASB “rock”), viewed metaphorically as a place of defense and security.
5 tn Heb “His rocky cliff, because of fear, will pass away [i.e., “perish”].”
6 tn Heb “and they will be afraid of the flag, his officers.”
7 sn The “fire” and “firepot” here symbolize divine judgment, which is heating up like a fire in Jerusalem, waiting to be used against the Assyrians when they attack the city.
