Isaiah 17:9

his strong cities cf. Isaiah 17:10, the "Rock of thy strength."

as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch Rather, if the text must be kept: "as the deserted places of the forest and the height" (so R.V.). For "forest" cf. 1 Samuel 23:15; 1 Samuel 23:19; 2 Chronicles 27:4; Ezekiel 31:3 ("shroud"). "Height" is the word rendered "uppermost bough" in Isaiah 17:6, which A.V. here follows. The construction in A.V. is altogether at fault, and the meaning "bough" cannot possibly be retained. But this is a case where the LXX. gives the clue to the true text, which reads like the deserted places of the Amorite and the Hivvite (see R.V. marg.). This alone gives an intelligible force to the next clause, and the textual change is comparatively slight save that the two words have been transposed ("Hivvite and Amorite").

which they left because of More strictly, which they forsook before, &c. The passive "were forsaken" (R.V.) is only adopted because the previous clause contains no suitable subject; the LXX. rendering supplies this defect, and at the same time makes the reference clear.