Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:

ISAIAH 8:7KJV
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Isaiah 8:7 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 8:7 mean?

Isaiah 8:7 describes the Lord bringing the king of Assyria and his forces against a people who have rejected his care. The verse compares the Assyrian advance to a powerful river in flood, spreading beyond its normal boundaries and overwhelming the land.

Isaiah speaks of Assyria as the means by which the Lord acts. The flood image follows the contrast in verse 6 with the gently flowing waters of Shiloah. The king’s “glory” points to the impressive power and resources accompanying him.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 8:7

  • “river” — נָהָר (nahar): This word means a river. Here “the river” is often understood as the Euphrates, the great river associated with Assyria.
  • “glory” — כָּבוֹד (kavod): This word can mean splendor or honor. In this setting, it suggests the king’s imposing might and all that accompanies his rule.
  • “channels” — אָפִיק (afiq): This word can refer to a streambed or watercourse. The picture is of water rising beyond the places that usually contain it.

Why Isaiah 8:7 matters

  • The verse names the danger behind the image. “The king of Assyria” makes clear that the threatening waters represent a human ruler and his power.
  • The flood reaches beyond the people first mentioned. In verse 8, the waters pass into Judah and reach “even to the neck,” showing how far the danger will spread.

Where else these words appear

“banks” Hebrew H1415 · used in 4 verses

  • Joshua 3:15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water,(for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
  • Joshua 4:18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
  • 1 Chronicles 12:15 These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.

“channels” Hebrew H650 · used in 19 verses

  • 2 Samuel 22:16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
  • Psalms 42:1 To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
  • Ezekiel 34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.

“strong” Hebrew H6099 · used in 31 verses

  • Genesis 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
  • Deuteronomy 26:5 And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:
  • Daniel 8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

“river” Hebrew H5104 · used in 109 verses

  • Genesis 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
  • Ezra 8:31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.
  • Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.