One verse. Three ways to understand.
It will be like when a hungry person dreams they are eating, but then wakes up and their stomach is still empty. Or like when a thirsty person dreams they are drinking, but then wakes up and is still weak and craving water. That's how it will be for all the nations that fight against Mount Zion, their victory will be just an empty dream.
God is saying that nations who attack His people will find their expected victory is just an illusion, like waking up from a good dream only to find you're still hungry and thirsty.
These are AI-assisted adaptations, not separate Bible editions. Compare them with the KJV source and read our methodology. How these readings are made →
Read the KJV source
King James Version · EnglishIt shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.Ask the AI Assistant
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📚 Historical Context
During the 8th century BC, the prophet Isaiah was speaking to the people of Judah amid threats from the powerful Assyrian empire, which sought to conquer Jerusalem. In this verse, he uses the metaphor of a person dreaming of satisfying hunger or thirst but waking up empty to show that the enemies' efforts against Mount Zion would ultimately fail. This prophecy underscores God's promise to protect His people despite overwhelming external pressures.