Isaiah 7:22
And it shall come to passe, for the abundance of milke that they shall giue, he shal eate butter: for butter and hony shall euery one eate, that is left in the land. Isaiah 7:22 (KJV)
Isaiah 7:22 is part of a prophecy delivered by the prophet Isaiah to King Ahaz of Judah during a period of intense political turmoil. The surrounding passages, Isaiah 7:18‑25, record God’s instruction to Isaiah to assure Ahaz that the military alliance he is considering will not succeed against his enemies. Instead, God promises to intervene and bring judgment upon those hostile nations.
The verse itself uses vivid, metaphorical language. The phrase “abundance of milk” does not denote prosperity; rather, it refers to the minimal milk that can be obtained from the few surviving animals after a period of devastation. This image conveys scarcity rather than plenty. The subsequent reference to “butter and honey” describes the simple sustenance that will be available to the people who remain in the land. Both butter and honey are basic foods that can be produced even in a desolate environment, symbolizing the modest means by which the remnant will survive.
The wording of the King James Version is precise: the text reads “every one” rather than the more modern “everyone.” This distinction is important for accurate quotation of the verse.
“Those who are left in the land” points to the remnant—a small group of Israelites who endure the coming judgment and the ensuing desolation. The passage therefore emphasizes God’s judgment on the surrounding nations and the survival of a faithful remnant, rather than a promise of material abundance. It underscores that, even after devastation, God provides the basic provisions necessary for life, allowing a modest community to persist until a future restoration can be realized.
In summary, Isaiah 7:22 conveys a message of impending judgment, the stark reality of scarcity, and the hopeful endurance of a remnant that will subsist on the simple foods of butter and honey, all within the broader context of God’s sovereign intervention in Judah’s crisis.
