Isaiah 10:9
ESV
Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?
NIV
‘Has not Kalno fared like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad, and Samaria like Damascus?
NASB
Is not Calno like Carchemish, Or Hamath like Arpad, Or Samaria like Damascus?
CSB
Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?
NLT
We destroyed Calno just as we did Carchemish. Hamath fell before us as Arpad did. And we destroyed Samaria just as we did Damascus.
KJV
Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
NKJV
Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?
What does Isaiah 10:9 mean?
Every city is alike to Sargon, the king of the Assyrians. From his arrogant perspective, his armies are unbeatable. Each new city is just more food for their brutal appetites. Each city will fall before them as those who have already been destroyed.Sargon gives a list of where each successive city mentioned is farther south. He is describing the path of the Assyrians as they work their way toward Egypt. The Assyrian king is stating each city falls and is destroyed in the same way. This is including the Syrian capital of Damascus and the Israelite capital of Samaria. He claims nothing and no one can stand in his way.
The Lord, however, is not pleased with Sargon's arrogance. After He has finished using Sargon to bring judgment on His people, He will bring judgment on Sargon (Isaiah 10:12).
Isaiah 10:5–19 describes Assyria as a weapon of the Lord's anger directed at His own people. The king of Assyria imagines himself to be the source of his own strength. He also images that he will keep conquering one nation after another. However, when the Lord has finished using Assyria, He will turn and judge the king for his arrogance. Does the axe boast over the one who uses it? Or does the staff lift the one who holds it? The Lord will consume Assyria as fire consumes a forest.
Isaiah declares woe on those in Israel and Judah who use the law to take advantage of the poor. These people will not escape the Lord's judgment. He next describes the Assyrians as the Lord's staff of judgment against the godless nation that is His people. When He is done punishing His people, the Lord will turn His anger on the Assyrians, nearly destroying them. Eventually, a remnant of Israelites will return to faith in the Lord. Destruction will come, but it will not consume everything. The Lord will triumph over Assyria.
