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Isaiah 17:13
ESV The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm.
NIV Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale.
NASB The nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters, But He will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, And be chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind, Or like whirling dust before a gale.
CSB The nations rage like the rumble of a huge torrent. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills and like tumbleweeds before a gale.
NLT But though they thunder like breakers on a beach, God will silence them, and they will run away. They will flee like chaff scattered by the wind, like a tumbleweed whirling before a storm.
KJV The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.

What does Isaiah 17:13 mean?

The prophet Isaiah has shifted his focus away from the reason why the Lord's judgment will fall on Israel. Now he addresses the reason Israel should trust the Lord alone. The Lord God alone will protect them from their enemies. Not even the seemingly invincible enemies like the Assyrians and, later, the Babylonians are more powerful than God. In describing these warring nations, Isaiah has admitted that they are terrifying. He has compared their approach to the roaring of a violent storm at sea. Everyone in its path knows immediately they must find shelter before they are destroyed (Isaiah 17:12).

Now Isaiah declares that only the Lord is worth trusting as a shelter against such storm. Only He can make the powerful pagan nations run away with a reprimand. In fact, in Isaiah's symbolism, the Lord Himself becomes the roaring storm chasing away enemy nations like dust before a strong wind.

This picture of the Lord gives deeper meaning to Jesus' rebuke of the storm on the Sea of Galilee after the disciples awakened Him from His nap. "And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, 'Where is your faith?' And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, 'Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?'" (Luke 8:24–25).

Isaiah is saying the same to Israel here: Where is your faith in the God who can calm the roaring of the nations with a word? The Lord says to all of us: Where is your faith in the One who can quiet anything that threatens you with a single command? Don't look elsewhere. Remember the Lord God who saved you.
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