In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.

ISAIAH 7:20KJV
Know the Bible

Isaiah 7:20 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 7:20 mean?

Isaiah 7:20 describes how the Lord will use the king of Assyria, a foreign power, as an instrument of judgment against Israel and Judah, comparing this action to shaving off all the hair from head to feet, including the beard. This image signals complete humiliation and loss for the people being judged.

In this verse, the prophet Isaiah is speaking to King Ahaz of Judah during a time of political crisis. God, through Isaiah, warns that instead of trusting foreign alliances, Judah will face devastating consequences from Assyria, the very nation they hoped might help them. The act of shaving with a "hired razor" from "beyond the river" (Assyria) is a vivid way to show that God will allow a thorough and disgraceful defeat at the hands of outsiders.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 7:20

  • "shave" (גָּלַח, galach): This word means to shave or remove hair, and in ancient times, being shaved bald was a sign of shame and disgrace, especially for men.
  • "razor" (תַּעַר, ta'ar): The razor is described as "hired," showing that God is using Assyria like a tool He has temporarily employed for His purpose.
  • "hired" (שָׂכִיר, sakir): This word means someone or something paid for a job, emphasizing that Assyria is not acting on its own but is being used by God for a specific task.
  • "beyond the river" (מֵעֵבֶר לַנָּהָר, me'ever lanahar): This phrase refers to the region beyond the Euphrates River, making it clear that the threat is coming from Assyria, a powerful empire to the northeast.

Why Isaiah 7:20 matters

  • Isaiah 7:20 clarifies that God is in control even when foreign nations seem to dominate, using them as instruments to fulfill His purposes rather than leaving events to chance.
  • The verse helps readers understand the depth of the coming judgment: it is not just military defeat, but also public humiliation, as symbolized by the complete shaving.
  • This verse connects to the larger message of Isaiah 7, where misplaced trust in human alliances leads to unexpected and severe consequences, reinforcing the need to rely on God rather than political strategies.

Where else these words appear

“razor” Hebrew H8593 · used in 13 verses

  • Numbers 6:5 All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
  • Psalms 52:2 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
  • Ezekiel 21:3 And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.

“shave” Hebrew H1548 · used in 18 verses

  • Genesis 41:14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
  • Numbers 6:9 And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.
  • Judges 16:22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

“beard” Hebrew H2206 · used in 18 verses

  • Leviticus 13:29 If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;
  • 1 Samuel 17:35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
  • Ezra 9:3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.

“consume” Hebrew H5595 · used in 20 verses

  • Genesis 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
  • Deuteronomy 29:19 And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
  • Psalms 40:14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.