◄ Isaiah 8:21 ►
They will roam the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged; and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God.
Study Bible
They will roam the land, dejected and hungry.

This phrase describes a time of distress and judgment upon the people of Israel. The context is the impending Assyrian invasion, which would lead to devastation and scarcity. The imagery of roaming suggests a lack of direction and purpose, highlighting the consequences of turning away from God. Historically, this reflects the period of instability and fear as the Northern Kingdom faced threats from powerful empires. Theologically, it underscores the spiritual famine that accompanies physical deprivation when people reject divine guidance.

Psa 107:4-5 Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no path…
Job 30:3-7 Gaunt from poverty and hunger, they gnawed the dry land…
Job 15:23-24 He wanders about as food for vultures;…

When they are famished, they will become enraged;

The physical hunger leads to emotional and spiritual turmoil. This reflects a common biblical theme where unmet physical needs can lead to spiritual crises. The anger mentioned here is a result of desperation and a sense of betrayal, as the people feel abandoned in their time of need. This can be connected to the broader biblical narrative where reliance on God is contrasted with the futility of self-reliance or idolatry. The phrase also serves as a warning about the consequences of ignoring prophetic messages and divine warnings.

Psa 59:15 They scavenge for food, and growl if they are not satisfied.
Deu 28:53-57 Then you will eat the fruit of your womb,…
2Ki 6:28-29 Then the king asked her, “What is the matter?”…

and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God.

This phrase indicates a misplaced blame for their suffering. Instead of introspection and repentance, the people direct their anger towards their leaders and God. Cursing the king reflects a loss of trust in earthly authority, while cursing God shows a deep spiritual rebellion. This mirrors the human tendency to blame external forces rather than acknowledging personal or communal sin. Biblically, this is reminiscent of the Israelites' complaints during the Exodus. Theologically, it highlights the need for faith and trust in God, even in times of hardship, and foreshadows the ultimate rejection and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, who was also cursed and rejected by His own people.

1Ki 21:10 But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify,…
2Sa 16:5-13 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the house…
Job 2:9 Then Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still retain…

Persons / Places / Events
1. The People of Judah
The primary audience of Isaiah's prophecy, who are facing impending judgment due to their disobedience and idolatry.

2. Isaiah
The prophet delivering God's message, warning of the consequences of turning away from God.

3. The King
Likely referring to the earthly king of Judah, who is seen as a representative of the nation's leadership.

4. God
The ultimate authority and the one whom the people are ultimately rebelling against.

5. The Land
Refers to the land of Judah, which will experience desolation and hardship as a result of the people's actions.
Teaching Points
Consequences of Disobedience
Disobedience to God leads to spiritual and physical desolation. The people of Judah face hunger and despair as a direct result of their rebellion.

Misplaced Blame
In times of distress, people often blame God and earthly leaders instead of recognizing their own role in their suffering. This passage highlights the importance of self-reflection and repentance.

The Danger of Idolatry
Turning away from God to follow idols or false beliefs leads to emptiness and dissatisfaction. True fulfillment comes from a relationship with God.

The Role of Leadership
Leaders are accountable for guiding their people in righteousness. The king's failure to lead according to God's ways contributes to the nation's downfall.

Hope in Repentance
Despite the grim situation, there is always hope in turning back to God. Repentance can restore the relationship and bring healing to the land.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the situation described in Isaiah 8:21 reflect the consequences outlined in Deuteronomy 28 for disobedience?

2. In what ways do people today blame God or leaders for their hardships, and how can we shift our perspective to one of personal responsibility and repentance?

3. How does the theme of idolatry in Isaiah 8:21 relate to modern-day idols that can lead us away from God?

4. What role should Christian leaders play in guiding their communities, and how can they avoid the pitfalls seen in the leadership of Judah?

5. How can we find hope and restoration in God when facing the consequences of our own disobedience, as suggested by the broader context of Isaiah's prophecies?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 28
This chapter outlines the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, providing a backdrop for understanding the consequences faced by Judah.

2 Kings 17
Describes the fall of Israel due to their idolatry and rejection of God's commandments, paralleling the situation in Judah.

Lamentations 2
Offers a poetic reflection on the suffering and desolation experienced by Jerusalem, echoing the themes of hunger and despair.

Job 2:9
Job's wife suggests cursing God in the face of suffering, similar to the reaction of the people in Isaiah 8:21.

Romans 1:21
Discusses the consequences of failing to honor God, leading to futile thinking and darkened hearts.
Sermons
The Helplessness of SuperstitionE. Johnson Isaiah 8:16-22
The Confession of Ungodliness, EtcW. Clarkson Isaiah 8:19-22
FretfulnessR. Macculloch.Isaiah 8:21-22
Hardly BesteadR. Macculloch.Isaiah 8:21-22
HungryR. Macculloch.Isaiah 8:21-22
NemesisIsaiah 8:21-22
No Good Without GodIsaiah 8:21-22
Unsanctified SufferingR. A. Bertram.Isaiah 8:21-22
People
Immanuel, Isaiah, Jacob, Jeberechiah, Mahershalalhashbaz, Remaliah, Rezin, Uriah, Urijah, Zechariah
Places
Assyria, Damascus, Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Judah, Mount Zion, Samaria, Shiloah
Topics
Angry, Bestead, Bitter, Curse, Cursing, Distressed, Enraged, Face, Faces, Famished, Fret, Gaze, Greatly, Hardly, Hard-pressed, Heaven, Hungry, Pass, Pressed, Roam, Sore, Themselves, Trouble, Turn, Unable, Upward, Whether, Worry
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Isaiah 8:21

     5341   hunger

Isaiah 8:19-22

     4132   demons, malevolence
     4824   famine, spiritual
     5864   futility

Library
Shiloah and Euphrates
Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly ... the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many.' ISAIAH viii. 6, 7. The kingdom of Judah was threatened with a great danger in an alliance between Israel and Damascus. The cowardly King Ahaz, instead of listening to Isaiah's strong assurances and relying on the help of God, made what he thought a master-stroke of policy in invoking the help of the formidable Assyrian power. That ambitious military …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Search the Scriptures
I feel at this particular crisis of religious affairs, it is imperative upon the Christian minister to urge his people to hold fast the doctrines of the truth--the words of God. This seems likely to become the age of preaching, rather than the age of praying. We now see everywhere large congregations assembling in halls and abbeys to listen to the Word preached; and it is an ominous sign of the times, that these preachings are not only espoused by the orthodox, but even by those whom we have considered …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

Exposition of the Doctrines of Grace
? Perseverance of the Saints--"The Final Perseverance of Believers in Christ Jesus," by William O'Neill (message 5). The Rev. C. H. SPURGEON took the chair at 3 o'clock. The proceedings were commenced by singing the 21st Hymn-- Saved from the damning power of sin, The law's tremendous curse, We'll now the sacred song begin Where God began with us. We'll sing the vast unmeasured grace Which, from the days of old, Did all his chosen sons embrace, As sheep within the fold. The basis of eternal love …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 7: 1861

Prefatory Scripture Passages.
To the Law and to the Testimony; if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them.-- Isa. viii. 20. Thus saith the Lord; Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.--Jer. vi. 16. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But …
G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church

Of the Scriptures
Eph. ii. 20.--"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." Believers are "the temple of the living God," in which he dwells and walks, 2 Cor. vi. 16. Every one of them is a little sanctuary and temple to his Majesty, "sanctify the Lord of hosts in your hearts." Though he be "the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity," yet he is pleased to come down to this poor cottage of a creature's heart, and dwell in it. Is not this …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Gihon, the Same with the Fountain of Siloam.
I. In 1 Kings 1:33,38, that which is, in the Hebrew, "Bring ye Solomon to Gihon: and they brought him to Gihon"; is rendered by the Chaldee, "Bring ye him to Siloam: and they brought him to Siloam." Where Kimchi thus; "Gihon is Siloam, and it is called by a double name. And David commanded, that they should anoint Solomon at Gihon for a good omen, to wit, that, as the waters of the fountain are everlasting, so might his kingdom be." So also the Jerusalem writers; "They do not anoint the king, but …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Trials of the Christian
AFFLICTION--ITS NATURE AND BENEFITS. The school of the cross is the school of light; it discovers the world's vanity, baseness, and wickedness, and lets us see more of God's mind. Out of dark afflictions comes a spiritual light. In times of affliction, we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences of the love of God. The end of affliction is the discovery of sin; and of that, to bring us to a Saviour. Doth not God ofttimes even take occasion, by the hardest of things that come upon us, to visit …
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan

That it is not Lawful for the Well Affected Subjects to Concur in Such an Engagement in War, and Associate with the Malignant Party.
That It Is Not Lawful For The Well Affected Subjects To Concur In Such An Engagement In War, And Associate With The Malignant Party. Some convinced of the unlawfulness of the public resolutions and proceedings, in reference to the employing of the malignant party, yet do not find such clearness and satisfaction in their own consciences as to forbid the subjects to concur in this war, and associate with the army so constituted. Therefore it is needful to speak something to this point, That it is …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Universality of Actual Grace
The gratuity of grace does not conflict with its universality. Though God distributes His graces freely, He grants them to all men without exception, because He wills all to be saved. This divine "will to save" (voluntas Dei salvifica) may be regarded in relation either to the wayfaring state or to the status termini. Regarded from the first-mentioned point of view it is a merciful will (voluntas misericordiae) and is generally called first or antecedent will (voluntas prima s. antecedens) …
Joseph Pohle—Grace, Actual and Habitual

Jesus' Temporary Residence at Capernaum.
^A Matt. IV. 13-16. ^a 13 And leaving Nazareth [This expression means that Jesus now ceased to make Nazareth his home. For description of Nazareth, see page 60], he came and dwelt in Capernaum [See page 119. Capernaum means city of Nahum, or village of consolation. Its modern name, "Tel-Hum," means hill of Nahum. The word "dwelt" means that Jesus made this town his headquarters. He owned no house there (Matt. viii. 20). He may have dwelt with some of his disciples--for instance, Simon Peter--Matt. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Of the Character of the Unregenerate.
Ephes. ii. 1, 2. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. AMONG all the various trusts which men can repose in each other, hardly any appears to be more solemn and tremendous, than the direction of their sacred time, and especially of those hours which they spend in the exercise of public devotion. …
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

To Pastors and Teachers
To Pastors and Teachers If all who laboured for the conversion of others were to introduce them immediately into Prayer and the Interior Life, and make it their main design to gain and win over the heart, numberless as well as permanent conversions would certainly ensue. On the contrary, few and transient fruits must attend that labour which is confined to outward matters; such as burdening the disciple with a thousand precepts for external exercises, instead of leaving the soul to Christ by the …
Madame Guyon—A Short and Easy Method of Prayer

"But if we Walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have Fellowship one with Another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His
1 John i. 7.--"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Art is the imitation of nature, and true religion is a divine art, that consists in the imitation of God himself, the author of nature. Therefore it is a more high and transcendent thing, of a sublimer nature than all the arts and sciences among men. Those reach but to some resemblance of the wisdom of God, expressed in his works, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Wicked Husbandmen.
"Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: and when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto …
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord

Letter xix (A. D. 1127) to Suger, Abbot of S. Denis
To Suger, Abbot of S. Denis He praises Suger, who had unexpectedly renounced the pride and luxury of the world to give himself to the modest habits of the religious life. He blames severely the clerk who devotes himself rather to the service of princes than that of God. 1. A piece of good news has reached our district; it cannot fail to do great good to whomsoever it shall have come. For who that fear God, hearing what great things He has done for your soul, do not rejoice and wonder at the great …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

First Sunday in Lent
Text: Second Corinthians 6, 1-10. 1 And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain 2 (for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, and in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation): 3 giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed; 4 but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Covenanting a Privilege of Believers.
Whatever attainment is made by any as distinguished from the wicked, or whatever gracious benefit is enjoyed, is a spiritual privilege. Adoption into the family of God is of this character. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power (margin, or, the right; or, privilege) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."[617] And every co-ordinate benefit is essentially so likewise. The evidence besides, that Covenanting …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Christ's Prophetic Office
'The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet,' &c. Deut 18:85. Having spoken of the person of Christ, we are next to speak of the offices of Christ. These are Prophetic, Priestly, and Regal. 'The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet.' Enunciatur hic locus de Christo. It is spoken of Christ.' There are several names given to Christ as a Prophet. He is called the Counsellor' in Isa 9:9. In uno Christo Angelus foederis completur [The Messenger of the Covenant appears in Christ alone]. …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
SHOWING WHAT IT IS, AND HOW DISTINGUISHED FROM THAT WHICH IS NOT SO. ALSO, WHENCE IT COMES; WHO HAS IT; WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS; AND WHAT THE PRIVILEGES OF THOSE THAT HAVE IT IN THEIR HEARTS. London: Printed for N. Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, over against the Stocks market: 1679. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and "a fountain of life"--the foundation on which all wisdom rests, as well as the source from whence it emanates. Upon a principle …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

That the Employing Of, and Associating with the Malignant Party, According as is Contained in the Public Resolutions, is Sinful and Unlawful.
That The Employing Of, And Associating With The Malignant Party, According As Is Contained In The Public Resolutions, Is Sinful And Unlawful. If there be in the land a malignant party of power and policy, and the exceptions contained in the Act of Levy do comprehend but few of that party, then there need be no more difficulty to prove, that the present public resolutions and proceedings do import an association and conjunction with a malignant party, than to gather a conclusion from clear premises. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

History of the Interpretation.
1. AMONG THE JEWS. This History, as to its essential features, might, a priori, be sketched with tolerable certainty. From the nature of the case, we could scarcely expect that the Jews should have adopted views altogether erroneous as to the subject of the prophecy in question; for the Messiah appears in it, not in His humiliation, but in His glory--rich in gifts and blessings, and Pelagian self-delusion will, a priori, return an affirmative answer to the question as to whether one is …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Links
Isaiah 8:21 NIV
Isaiah 8:21 NLT
Isaiah 8:21 ESV
Isaiah 8:21 NASB
Isaiah 8:21 KJV

Isaiah 8:21 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Isaiah 8:20
Top of Page
Top of Page