Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

ISAIAH 41:15KJV
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Isaiah 41:15 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 41:15 mean?

Isaiah 41:15 describes God promising to make Israel into a powerful new tool, like a sharp threshing instrument with teeth, able to crush mountains and reduce hills to chaff. This verse uses vivid farming imagery to show that Israel will be given strength to overcome great obstacles and enemies.

In this passage, God is speaking through the prophet Isaiah to the people of Israel, who are feeling weak and threatened by powerful nations. The “new sharp threshing instrument” is a symbol of transformation and empowerment. By saying Israel will “thresh the mountains” and “make the hills as chaff,” God is assuring them that, with His help, even the biggest challenges will be broken down and swept away.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 41:15

  • “New” (חָדָשׁ, chadash, H2319) means something fresh or unused. God is not just restoring Israel but making them into something entirely renewed and effective.
  • “Sharp” (חָרוּץ, charuts, H2742) refers to something pointed or having an edge, emphasizing how effective and unstoppable this instrument will be.
  • “Threshing” (מוֹרָג, morag, H4173) is a tool used to separate grain from husks, often with teeth or spikes. The image suggests that Israel will be equipped to separate and remove what stands in their way.
  • “Teeth” (פֶּה, peh, H6374) refers to the cutting parts of the tool, highlighting the idea of power and the ability to break down tough resistance.

Why Isaiah 41:15 matters

  • This verse clears up the idea that Israel’s strength comes from themselves; the language shows that God is the one transforming and empowering them.
  • The farming imagery connects to everyday life in ancient Israel, making the promise feel concrete and relatable to the original audience.
  • Isaiah 41:15 fits into a larger section where God reassures Israel not to fear, emphasizing that even the most overwhelming problems (“mountains” and “hills”) can be overcome with God’s help.

Where else these words appear

“teeth” Hebrew H6374 · used in 2 verses

  • Psalms 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;

“threshing” Hebrew H4173 · used in 3 verses

  • 2 Samuel 24:22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.
  • 1 Chronicles 21:23 And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.

“chaff” Hebrew H4671 · used in 8 verses

  • Job 21:18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
  • Psalms 35:5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
  • Isaiah 29:5 Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.

“small” Hebrew H1854 · used in 12 verses

  • Exodus 30:36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
  • 2 Samuel 22:43 Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad.
  • 2 Chronicles 34:4 And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.