Isaiah 17:10 Meaning and Explanation
“Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Because Israel forgot God and their source of strength, they plant futile hopes instead of seeking true security.
The Context of Isaiah 17:10
The cause of judgment: Israel's forgetfulness of God and reliance on human schemes.
What Does Isaiah 17:10 Mean?
The turning point from future hope to present indictment. Israel has forgotten the God of salvation—not merely intellectually, but practically in how they live and trust. 'The rock of thy strength' is the image of God as an unmovable foundation, a place of shelter and power. 'Not been mindful' means failing to remember, recall, or hold God in conscious awareness. This forgetting is the root cause of everything that follows.
As a result, Israel plants 'pleasant plants' and 'strange slips'—human schemes and foreign alliances that seem attractive but are rootless and futile. They work the soil and tend gardens of human-made security instead of resting in God's protection. The 'strange slips' may refer to foreign religions or political schemes, but the core is clear: they plant and labor in fruitless effort because they have stopped trusting the one source of real strength.
Isaiah 17:10 in the Original Language
sela' (צָלַע), 'rock' — a stone, cliff, or fortress-like refuge; used metaphorically for God as protection.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 17:10
What does Isaiah 17:10 mean?
Because Israel forgot God and their source of strength, they plant futile hopes instead of seeking true security.
What is the context of Isaiah 17:10?
The cause of judgment: Israel's forgetfulness of God and reliance on human schemes.