Isaiah 10:22

For though your people, Israel, are as numerous as ¹  the sand on the seashore, only a remnant will come back. ²  Destruction has been decreed; ³  just punishment ⁴  is about to engulf you. ⁵ 

Ge 18:25; 1Ki 4:20; Isa 6:11; Isa 6:13; Isa 8:8; Isa 27:10,11; Isa 28:15-22; Da 9:27; Ho 1:10; Ac 17:31; Ro 2:5; Ro 3:5,6; Ro 9:27; Ro 9:28; Ro 11:5,6; Re 20:8

¹ tn Heb “are like.”

² sn The twofold appearance of the statement “a remnant will come back” (שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב, she’ar yashuv) in vv. 21-22 echoes and probably plays off the name of Isaiah’s son Shear-jashub (see 7:3). In its original context the name was meant to encourage Ahaz (see the note at 7:3), but here it has taken on new dimensions. In light of Ahaz’s failure and the judgment it brings down on the land, the name Shear-jashub now foreshadows the destiny of the nation. According to vv. 21-22, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that a remnant of God’s people will return; the bad news is that only a remnant will be preserved and come back. Like the name Immanuel, this name foreshadows both judgment (see the notes at 7:25 and 8:8) and ultimate restoration (see the note at 8:10).

³ tn Or “predetermined”; cf. ASV, NASB “is determined”; TEV “is in store.”

⁴ tn צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) often means “righteousness,” but here it refers to God’s just judgment.

⁵ tn Or “is about to overflow.”