Isaiah 9:20 Meaning and Explanation
“And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Desperate hunger and violence consume Israel; people devour even themselves, finding no satisfaction.
The Context of Isaiah 9:20
Isaiah depicts the desperate hunger and self-destruction that follows Israel's complete social and spiritual collapse.
What Does Isaiah 9:20 Mean?
The verse depicts escalating desperation: people 'snatch on the right hand and be hungry,' seizing what they can but never finding fulfillment. They 'eat on the left hand' and 'shall not be satisfied'—consuming from every direction but remaining unfed, unsatisfied. This is the experience of complete deprivation amid judgment: all effort yields nothing, all taking leaves emptiness.
The final image is horrifying: 'they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm.' This is cannibalism—people consuming themselves in desperation. Such extreme imagery suggests a society completely broken, where nothing sustains life and people turn even upon their own bodies. This represents the utter dissolution that follows when God's judgment falls and people are cut off from any source of restoration.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 9:20
What does Isaiah 9:20 mean?
Desperate hunger and violence consume Israel; people devour even themselves, finding no satisfaction.
What is the context of Isaiah 9:20?
Isaiah depicts the desperate hunger and self-destruction that follows Israel's complete social and spiritual collapse.