KJV ORIGINAL
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
But I will put it into the hands of those who have hurt you—those who said to you, 'Bow down so we can walk over you.' And you made yourself like the ground, like a street for them to trample on.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is promising to turn the tables on Israel's oppressors, giving them the same cup of suffering they forced Israel to drink.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is part of Isaiah's prophecy during the Babylonian exile, when Israel had been conquered and humiliated by foreign powers. The imagery of being trampled like a street reflects the literal humiliation captives experienced, often being forced to lie down so conquerors could walk over them as a sign of complete domination.
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