Isaiah 30:17
New International Version
A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.”

New Living Translation
One of them will chase a thousand of you. Five of them will make all of you flee. You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.”

English Standard Version
A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill.

Berean Standard Bible
A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee, until you are left alone like a pole on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.

King James Bible
One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

New King James Version
One thousand shall flee at the threat of one, At the threat of five you shall flee, Till you are left as a pole on top of a mountain And as a banner on a hill.

New American Standard Bible
One thousand will flee at the threat of one man; You will flee at the threat of five, Until you are left like a signal post on a mountain top, And like a flag on a hill.

NASB 1995
One thousand will flee at the threat of one man; You will flee at the threat of five, Until you are left as a flag on a mountain top And as a signal on a hill.

NASB 1977
One thousand shall flee at the threat of one man, You shall flee at the threat of five; Until you are left as a flag on a mountain top, And as a signal on a hill.

Legacy Standard Bible
One thousand will flee at the threat of one man; You will flee at the threat of five, Until you are left as a flag on a mountain top And as a standard on a hill.

Amplified Bible
A thousand of you will flee at the threat of one man; You will flee at the threat of five, Until you are left like a flag on the top of a mountain, And like a signal on a hill.

Christian Standard Bible
One thousand will flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you will flee, until you remain like a solitary pole on a mountaintop or a banner on a hill.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
One thousand will flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you will flee, until you alone remain like a solitary pole on a mountaintop or a banner on a hill.

American Standard Version
One thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill.

Contemporary English Version
As few as five of them, or even one, will be enough to chase a thousand of you. Finally, all that will be left will be a few survivors as lonely as a flag pole on a barren hill.

English Revised Version
One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
One thousand people will flee when one person threatens them, and you will flee when five threaten you. Then you will be left alone like a flagpole on top of a mountain, like a signpost on a hill.

Good News Translation
A thousand of you will run away when you see one enemy soldier, and five soldiers will be enough to make you all run away. Nothing will be left of your army except a lonely flagpole on the top of a hill.

International Standard Version
A thousand will flee at the threat of one; and run away, pursued by five, until you are left like a flagpole on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill."

Majority Standard Bible
A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee, until you are left alone like a pole on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.

NET Bible
One thousand will scurry at the battle cry of one enemy soldier; at the battle cry of five enemy soldiers you will all run away, until the remaining few are as isolated as a flagpole on a mountaintop or a signal flag on a hill."

New Heart English Bible
One thousand will flee at the threat of one. At the threat of five, you will flee until you are left like a beacon on the top of a mountain, and like a banner on a hill.

Webster's Bible Translation
One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill.

World English Bible
One thousand will flee at the threat of one. At the threat of five, you will flee until you are left like a beacon on the top of a mountain, and like a banner on a hill.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
One thousand [flee] because of the rebuke of one, "" Because of the rebuke of five you flee, "" Until you have surely been left as a pole "" On the top of the mountain, "" And as an ensign on the height.

Young's Literal Translation
One thousand because of the rebuke of one, Because of the rebuke of five ye flee, Till ye have been surely left as a pole On the top of the mountain, And as an ensign on the height.

Smith's Literal Translation
One thousand from before the rebuke of one; from before the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye were left as a mast upon the head of the mountain, and as a signal upon the hill.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
A thousand men shall flee for fear of one: and for fear of five shall you flee, till you be left as the mast of a ship on the top of a mountain, and as an ensign upon a hill.

Catholic Public Domain Version
A thousand men will flee in terror from the face of one, and you will flee in terror from the face of five, until you who have been left behind are like the mast of a ship at the top of a mountain, or like a sign on a hill.

New American Bible
A thousand shall tremble at the threat of one— if five threaten, you shall flee. You will then be left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a flag on a hill.

New Revised Standard Version
A thousand shall flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you shall flee, until you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
A thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall you flee till you are left as a beacon on the top of a mountain and as an ensign on a hill.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
You shall flee, one thousand from the reproof of one, and from the reproof of five, until you will be left like a wild donkey on the top of a mountain and like a flag on a hill
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one, At the rebuke of five shall ye flee; Till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, And as an ensign on a hill.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A thousand shall flee because of the voice of one, and many shall flee on account of the voice of five; until ye be left as a signal-post upon a mountain, and as one bearing an ensign upon a hill.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Worthless Treaty with Egypt
16“No,” you say, “we will flee on horses.” Therefore you will flee! “We will ride swift horses,” but your pursuers will be faster. 17A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee, until you are left alone like a pole on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.

Cross References
Leviticus 26:36-37
As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them. / They will stumble over one another as before the sword, though no one is behind them. So you will not be able to stand against your enemies.

Deuteronomy 32:30
How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?

Joshua 23:10
One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised.

Judges 2:14-15
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of those who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. / Wherever Israel marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring calamity, just as He had sworn to them. So they were greatly distressed.

2 Kings 17:20
So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until He had banished them from His presence.

Psalm 33:16-17
No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength. / A horse is a vain hope for salvation; even its great strength cannot save.

Psalm 44:10-11
You have made us retreat from the foe, and those who hate us have plundered us. / You have given us up as sheep to be devoured; You have scattered us among the nations.

Psalm 60:11-12
Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. / With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies.

Proverbs 28:1
The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

Isaiah 10:4
Nothing will remain but to crouch among the captives or fall among the slain. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

Isaiah 33:3
The peoples flee the thunder of Your voice; the nations scatter when You rise.

Jeremiah 19:7
And in this place I will ruin the plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, by the hands of those who seek their lives, and I will give their carcasses as food to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.

Jeremiah 46:5
Why am I seeing this? They are terrified, they are retreating; their warriors are defeated, they flee in haste without looking back; terror is on every side!” declares the LORD.

Lamentations 1:6
All the splendor has departed from the Daughter of Zion. Her princes are like deer that find no pasture; they lack the strength to flee in the face of the hunter.

Ezekiel 5:12
A third of your people will die by plague or be consumed by famine within you, a third will fall by the sword outside your walls, and a third I will scatter to every wind and unleash a sword behind them.


Treasury of Scripture

One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall you flee: till you be left as a beacon on the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

thousand

Leviticus 26:8,36
And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword…

Deuteronomy 28:25
The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

Deuteronomy 32:30
How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?

till ye

Isaiah 1:7,8
Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers…

Isaiah 37:3,4
And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth…

Nehemiah 1:2,3
That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem…

a beacon.

Isaiah 6:13
But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

Isaiah 27:11
When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour.

John 15:2-6
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit…

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Banner Beacon Ensign Fear Five Flag Flee Flight Height Hill Left Mountain Pillar Pole Rebuke Signal Surely Thousand Threat Top
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Banner Beacon Ensign Fear Five Flag Flee Flight Height Hill Left Mountain Pillar Pole Rebuke Signal Surely Thousand Threat Top
Isaiah 30
1. The prophet threatens the people for their confidence in Egypt
8. And contempt of God's word
18. God's mercies toward his church
27. God's wrath and the people's joy, in the destruction of Assyria














A thousand will flee
This phrase highlights the overwhelming fear and panic that will grip the people. The Hebrew root for "flee" is "נוס" (nus), which conveys a sense of hurried escape or flight. Historically, this reflects the dire consequences of Israel's disobedience and reliance on foreign alliances rather than trusting in God. The image of a thousand fleeing suggests a complete breakdown of courage and morale, emphasizing the futility of human strength without divine support.

at the threat of one
The word "threat" comes from the Hebrew "גערה" (ge'arah), meaning a rebuke or a scolding. This indicates that even the smallest provocation will cause disproportionate fear. In a spiritual context, it underscores the power of fear when faith is absent. Theologically, it serves as a reminder that without God, even the smallest challenges can seem insurmountable.

at the threat of five you will flee
This repetition intensifies the message of fear and vulnerability. The number five, though small, represents a complete hand, suggesting that even minimal opposition will cause the people to scatter. This reflects the historical context of Israel's political instability and the consequences of their lack of faith. Spiritually, it serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying on human alliances instead of God.

until you are left alone
The Hebrew word "עזב" (azav) means to forsake or leave behind. This phrase paints a picture of utter desolation and abandonment. Historically, it reflects the isolation Israel faced due to their disobedience. Spiritually, it serves as a warning of the loneliness that comes from turning away from God, emphasizing the importance of remaining faithful to Him.

like a pole on a mountaintop
The imagery of a solitary pole on a mountaintop conveys a sense of exposure and vulnerability. In ancient times, a pole or standard was used for signaling, but here it symbolizes isolation. Theologically, it represents the consequences of pride and self-reliance, serving as a metaphor for the emptiness of life without God.

like a banner on a hill
A banner is typically a symbol of identity and rallying, yet here it stands alone, signifying defeat and abandonment. The Hebrew "נס" (nes) for banner suggests something lifted up, but in this context, it is devoid of purpose. Historically, it reflects the fate of Israel when they strayed from God. Spiritually, it serves as a poignant reminder of the strength and identity found only in God, urging believers to remain steadfast in their faith.

(17) One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one.--The hyperbole is natural and common enough (Deuteronomy 32:30; Joshua 23:10; Leviticus 26:8); but the fact that the inscription of King Piankhi Mer. Amon., translated in Records of the Past, ii. 84, gives it in the self-same words ("many shall turn their backs on a few; and one shall rout a thousand") as his boast of the strength of Egypt, may have given a special touch of sarcasm to Isaiah's words.

As a beacon upon the top of a mountain.--Literally, as a pine. As with a poet's eye, the prophet paints two of the most striking emblems of solitariness: the tall pine standing by itself on the mountain height, the flag-staff seen alone far off against the sky. (Comp. the lowlier imagery of Isaiah 1:8.)

Verse 17. - One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one. A hyperbole common in Scripture (Deuteronomy 32:30; Joshua 23:10; Leviticus 26:8), and not confined to the sacred writers. Piankhi the Ethiopian boasts, in his great inscription, that, with Ammon's help, "many should turn their backs upon a few, and one should rout a thousand" ('Records of the Past,' vol. it. p. 84). At the rebuke of five. The "rebuke" of five (i.e. their war-shout) would put to flight the whole army. As a beacon; rather, as a flag-staff - stripped and bare (comp. Isaiah 33:23; Ezekiel 27:5). A tree stripped of its branches and left standing as a landmark seems to be intended. As an ensign. A military standard, such as was in common use among the Assyrians and Egyptians, as among the Greeks and Romans (see 'Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 2. p. 57; Rawlinson, 'Hist. of Egypt,' vol. 1. p. 463).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
A
אֶחָ֗ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

thousand
אֶ֣לֶף (’e·lep̄)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 505: A thousand

will take flight at
מִפְּנֵי֙ (mip·pə·nê)
Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the threat
גַּעֲרַ֣ת (ga·‘ă·raṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1606: A chiding

of one,
אֶחָ֔ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

at
מִפְּנֵ֛י (mip·pə·nê)
Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the threat
גַּעֲרַ֥ת (ga·‘ă·raṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1606: A chiding

of five
חֲמִשָּׁ֖ה (ḥă·miš·šāh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 2568: Five

you will flee,
תָּנֻ֑סוּ (tā·nu·sū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5127: To flit, vanish away

until
עַ֣ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

you are left alone
נוֹתַרְתֶּ֗ם (nō·w·ṯar·tem)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3498: To jut over, exceed, to excel, to remain, be left, to leave, cause to abound, preserve

like a lone pole
כַּתֹּ֙רֶן֙ (kat·tō·ren)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8650: A pole

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

a mountaintop,
רֹ֣אשׁ (rōš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7218: The head

like a banner
וְכַנֵּ֖ס (wə·ḵan·nês)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5251: A flag, a sail, a flagstaff, a signal, a token

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

a hill.
הַגִּבְעָֽה׃ (hag·giḇ·‘āh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1389: A hillock


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 30:17 One thousand will flee at the threat (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 30:16
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