Isaiah 10:12
Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
Study Note
Study Note
The announcement that God will 'punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks' uses the king's pride (displayed through his boastful speeches in vv. 8-11, 13-14) as the grounds of his own judgment. The metaphor 'fruit of the stout heart' treats pride as an agricultural product that in time yields its own harvest of punishment — an application of the seed-and-harvest logic that runs through prophetic ethics (Hosea 8:7; Galatians 6:7). The verse is structured by when ('when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem') — indicating the divine use of Assyria is limited and purposeful, not open-ended. The passage became foundational for Reformed doctrines of divine providence over pagan empires and for Protestant political theology that sees God directing nations toward his purposes while holding them accountable for their own arrogance.
Other Translations
Wherefore it shall come to pass, that, when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
And it hath come to pass, When the Lord doth fulfil all His work In mount Zion and in Jerusalem, I see concerning the fruit of the greatness Of the heart of the king of Asshur. And concerning the glory of the height of his eyes.
For this cause it will be that, when the purpose of the Lord against Mount Zion and Jerusalem is complete, I will send punishment on the pride of the heart of the king of Assyria, and on the glory of his uplifted eyes.
Cross References
The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord …
And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the …
And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness …
O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a …
Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall …
And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.
For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.
And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.
The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as …