Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, July 24th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Isaiah 17:5

It will be as if a reaper had gathered standing grain—his arm harvesting the heads of grain—and as if one had gleaned heads of grainin the Valley of Rephaim.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Rephaim;   Thompson Chain Reference - Agriculture;   Agriculture-Horticulture;   Corn;   Grain;   Rephaim;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Agriculture or Husbandry;   Harvest, the;   Reaping;   Rephaim, or Giants, the;   Valleys;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Pekah;   Rephaim;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Rephaim, Valley of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Gleaning;   Isaiah;   Occupations and Professions in the Bible;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Damascus;   Isaiah;   Isaiah, Book of;   Rephaim;   Vale, Valley;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Agriculture;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Rephaim, Valley of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Rephaim;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Giants,;   Reph'a-Im, the Valley of,;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Channel;   Evil;   Isaiah;   Rephaim, Vale of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Harvest;   Palestine;   Rephaim, Vale of;   Shibboleth;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
It shall be as when the harvester gathers the standing grain, and his arm reaps the ears; yes, it shall be as when one gleans ears in the valley of Refa'im.
King James Version
And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.
English Standard Version
And it shall be as when the reaper gathers standing grain and his arm harvests the ears, and as when one gleans the ears of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
New American Standard Bible
It will be like the reaper gathering the standing grain, As his arm harvests the ears, Or it will be like one gleaning ears of grain In the Valley of Rephaim.
New Century Version
That time will be like the grain harvest in the Valley of Rephaim. The workers cut the wheat. Then they cut the heads of grain from the plants and collect the grain.
Amplified Bible
"And it will be like the reaper gathering the standing grain, As his arm harvests the ears of grain; Yes, it will be like one gleaning ears of grain In the [fertile] Valley of Rephaim.
World English Bible
It shall be as when the harvester gathers the standing grain, and his arm reaps the ears; yes, it shall be as when one gleans ears in the valley of Rephaim.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And it shalbe as when the haruest man gathereth the corne, and reapeth the eares with his arme, and he shall be as he that gathereth the eares in the valley of Rephaim.
Legacy Standard Bible
And it will be even like the reaper gathering the standing grain,As his arm harvests the ears of grain,Or it will be like one gleaning ears of grainIn the valley of Rephaim.
Berean Standard Bible
as the reaper gathers the standing grain and harvests the ears with his arm, as one gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
Contemporary English Version
Israel will be like wheat fields in Rephaim Valley picked clean of grain.
Complete Jewish Bible
as when the harvester collects the standing grain, reaping the ears of grain with his arm; yes, as when they glean the grain in the Refa'im Valley.
Darby Translation
And it shall be as when the reaper gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; yea, it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.
Easy-to-Read Version
"That time will be like the grain harvest in Rephaim Valley. The workers gather the plants that grow in the field. Then they cut the heads of grain from the plants and collect the grain.
George Lamsa Translation
And it shall be as when the reaper harvests standing sheaves, and gathers the ears in his arms; and it shall be as he that gathers ears in the valley of Rephaim.
Good News Translation
Israel will be like a field where the grain has been cut and harvested, as desolate as a field in Rephaim Valley when it has been picked bare.
Lexham English Bible
And it shall be as when a reaper gathers standing grain and he reaps grain with his arm, and it shall be like one who gathers ears of grain in the valley of Rephaim.
Literal Translation
And it shall be as the reaping of the harvest grain, and his arm reaps the ears. And it shall be as he who gathers ears in the Valley of the Giants.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
It shal happe to the, as when one sheareth in haruest, which cutteth his handful wt the sickle, & when one gathreth ye sheaues together in the valley, of Rephaim,
American Standard Version
And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the standing grain, and his arm reapeth the ears; yea, it shall be as when one gleaneth ears in the valley of Rephaim.
Bible in Basic English
And it will be like a man cutting the growth of his grain, pulling together the heads of the grain with his arm; even as when they get in the grain in the valley of Rephaim.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the standing corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; yea, it shall be as when one gleaneth ears in the valley of Rephaim.
King James Version (1611)
And it shall be as when the haruest-man gathereth the corne, and reapeth the eares with his arme; and it shalbe as he that gathereth eares in the valley of Rephaim.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he shalbe as one that gathereth vp corne in haruest, euen lyke hym whose arme reapeth the eares of corne: He shalbe also lyke hym that gathereth eares of corne in the valley of Rephaim.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it shall be as if one should gather standing corn, and reap the grain of the ears; and it shall be as if one should gather ears in a rich valley;
English Revised Version
And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the standing corn, and his arm reapeth the ears; yea, it shall be as when one gleaneth ears in the valley of Rephaim.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And it schal be as gaderyng togidere that that is left in heruest, and his arm schal gadere eeris of corn, and it schal be as sekynge eeris of corn in the valei of Raphaym.
Update Bible Version
And it shall be as when one gathers the harvest of standing grain, and his arm reaps the ears; yes, it shall be as when one gleans ears in the valley of Rephaim.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall be as when the harvest-man gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.
New English Translation
It will be as when one gathers the grain harvest, and his hand gleans the ear of grain. It will be like one gathering the ears of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
New King James Version
It shall be as when the harvester gathers the grain, And reaps the heads with his arm; It shall be as he who gathers heads of grain In the Valley of Rephaim.
New Living Translation
The whole land will look like a grainfield after the harvesters have gathered the grain. It will be desolate, like the fields in the valley of Rephaim after the harvest.
New Life Bible
It will be like one who gathers the standing grain, taking the ears of grain with his arm or like one who gathers the ears of grain in the valley of Rephaim.
New Revised Standard
And it shall be as when reapers gather standing grain and their arms harvest the ears, and as when one gleans the ears of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it shall come to pass - That, as the harvestman gathereth standing corn, And with his arm - the ears, he reapeth, Yea it shall come to pass - That, so, shall he be who gleaneth ears, in the vale of Rephaim;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And it shall be as when one gathereth in the harvest that which remaineth, and his arm shall gather the ears of corn: and it shall be as he that seeketh ears in the vale of Raphaim.
Revised Standard Version
And it shall be as when the reaper gathers standing grain and his arm harvests the ears, and as when one gleans the ears of grain in the Valley of Reph'aim.
Young's Literal Translation
And it hath come to pass, As the gathering by the reaper of the standing corn, And his arm the ears reapeth, And it hath come to pass, As the gathering of the ears in the valley of Rephaim,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
It will be even like the reaper gathering the standing grain, As his arm harvests the ears, Or it will be like one gleaning ears of grain In the valley of Rephaim.

Contextual Overview

1A pronouncement concerning Damascus: 2The cities of Aroer are abandoned;they will be places for flocks.They will lie down without fear. 3The fortress disappears from Ephraim,and a kingdom from Damascus.The remnant of Aram will belike the splendor of the Israelites. 4On that daythe splendor of Jacob will fade,and his healthy body will become emaciated. 5It will be as if a reaper had gathered standing grain—his arm harvesting the heads of grain—and as if one had gleaned heads of grainin the Valley of Rephaim.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

as when: Jeremiah 9:22, Jeremiah 51:33, Hosea 6:11, Joel 3:13, Matthew 13:30, Matthew 13:39-42, Revelation 14:15-20

the valley: Joshua 15:8, Joshua 18:16, the valley of the giants, 2 Samuel 5:18, 2 Samuel 5:22

Reciprocal: Genesis 14:5 - Rephaims Genesis 15:20 - Rephaims 2 Samuel 23:13 - the valley 1 Chronicles 11:15 - in the 1 Chronicles 14:9 - the valley Job 24:24 - cut off Isaiah 17:9 - General Isaiah 21:17 - the mighty Isaiah 24:13 - there

Cross-References

Genesis 17:2
I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”
Genesis 17:4
“As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations.
Genesis 17:15
God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah will be her name.
Genesis 17:21
But I will confirm my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”
Genesis 17:23
So Abraham took his son Ishmael and those born in his household or purchased—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day, just as God had said to him.
Genesis 32:28
“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” he said. “It will be Israel because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.”
Numbers 13:16
These were the names of the men Moses sent to scout out the land, and Moses renamed Hoshea son of Nun, Joshua.
2 Samuel 12:25
and he sent a message through the prophet Nathan, who named him Jedidiah, because of the Lord.
Nehemiah 9:7
You, the Lord,are the God who chose Abramand brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans,and changed his name to Abraham.
Isaiah 65:15
You will leave your name behindas a curse for my chosen ones,and the Lord God will kill you;but he will give his servants another name.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn,.... The "standing" corn, as in the Hebrew text: "and reapeth the ears with his arm"; or "his arm reaps the ears" o; that is, with one hand he gathers the standing corn into his fist, and then reaps it with his other arm; and just so it should be with the people of Israel: they were like a field of standing corn, for number, beauty, and glory; the Assyrian was like a harvestman, who laid hold upon them, and cut them down, as thick and as numerous as they were, just as a harvestman cuts down the corn, and with as much ease and quick dispatch; they being no more able to stand before him than a field of corn before the reaper! this was done both by Tilgathpilneser, 2 Kings 15:29 and by Shalmaneser, 2 Kings 17:6 kings of Assyria:

and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim; the Targum renders it,

"the valley of giants.''

and so it is translated, Joshua 15:8 mention is made of it in 2 Samuel 5:18 it was a valley not far from Jerusalem, as Josephus p says; who also calls it the valley of the giants: it is thought to have been a very fruitful place, where the ears of corn were very large and heavy, and so great care was taken in gathering and gleaning that none be lost: wherefore, as the former simile signifies the carrying off the people of Israel in great numbers by the above kings, this may signify, as some have thought, either the picking up of those that fled without, or the gleaning of them in after times by Esarhaddon, Ezra 4:2.

o וזרעו שבלים יקצור "et brachium ejus spicas demeteret", Junius Tremellius "demetit", Piscator, &c. p Antiqu. l. 7. c. 4. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And it shall be ... - This is the other figure by which the prophet sets forth the calamities that were coming upon Ephraim - an image designed to denote the fact that the inhabitants and wealth of the land would be collected and removed, as the farmer gathers his harvest, and leaves only that which is inaccessible in the upper boughs of the tree, or the gleanings in the field.

As when the harvest-man gathereth the corn - The wheat, the barley, etc.; for so the word “corn” - now applied by us almost exclusively to maizes means in the Scriptures. The sense in this passage is plain. As the farmer cuts down and collects his grain and removes it from the harvest field, so the enemies of Ephraim would come and remove the people and their wealth to a distant land. This received a complete fulfillment when the ten tribes were removed by the Assyrians to a distant land. This was done by Tiglath-pileser 2 Kings 15:29, and by Shalmaneser 2 Kings 17:6.

And reapeth the ears with his arm - As he collects the standing grain with one arm so that he can cut it with the sickle in the other hand. The word rendered ‘reapeth’ (קצר qâtsar) means here “to collect together” as a reaper does the standing grain in his arm. The word rendered ‘ears’ (שׁבלים shı̂bălı̂ym) means here rather the spires or stalks of standing grain.

In the valley of Rephaim - The valley of Rephaim is mentioned in 2 Samuel 5:18, 2 Samuel 5:22; 2Sa 23:13; 1 Chronicles 11:15; 1 Chronicles 14:9. The name means ‘the Giants;’ but why it was given to it is now unknown. In passing from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, it lies on the left, and descends gradually to the southwest, until it contracts in that direction into a deeper and narrower valley, called wady el-Werd, which unites further on with wady Ahmed, and finds its way to the Mediterranean. The plain extends nearly to Jerusalem, and is terminated by a slight rocky ridge forming the brow of the valley of Hinnom (see Josephus, “Ant.” vii. 4. 1; viii. 12. 4; also Robinson’s “Bib. Researches,” vol. i. pp. 323, 324). It seem to have been distinguished for its fertility, and is used here to denote a fertile region in general.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 17:5. As when the harvestman gathereth - "As when one gathereth"] That is, the king of Assyria shall sweep away the whole body of the people, as the reaper strippeth off the whole crop of corn; and the remnant shall be no more in proportion than the scattered ears left to the gleaner. The valley of Rephaim near Jerusalem was celebrated for its plentiful harvest; it is here used poetically for any fruitful country. One MS., and one ancient edition, has באסף beesoph, "IN gathering," instead of כאסף keesoph, "AS the gathering."


 
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