Isaiah 51:4

Isaiah 51:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.
• New International Version (NIV)“Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: Instruction will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Listen to Me, My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation: For law will proceed from Me, And I will make My justice rest As a light of the peoples.

Context of Isaiah 51:4

2Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him. 3For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and melodious song. Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation; for a law will go out from Me, and My justice will become a light to the nations; I will bring it about quickly. 5My righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look for Me and wait in hope for My arm. 6Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth below; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and its people will die like gnats. But My salvation will last forever, and My righteousness will never fail.

Isaiah 51:4 word by word

הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּ אֵלַי֙ עַמִּ֔י וּלְאוּמִּ֖י אֵלַ֣י הַאֲזִ֑ינוּ כִּ֤י תוֹרָה֙ מֵאִתִּ֣י תֵצֵ֔א וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֔י לְא֥וֹר עַמִּ֖ים אַרְגִּֽיעַ׃Read the interlinear

• Pay attentionקָשַׁבqâshab · to listenH7181
• to Meאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• My peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• and listenאָזַן'âzan · to listenH238
• My nationלְאֹםle'ôm le'ôm · peopleH3816
• forכִּיkîy · forH3588
• a lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• a lawאֵת'êth · withH854
• will go out from Meיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: speakH3318
• and My justiceמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• a lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
• I will bring it about quicklyרָגַעrâga‛ · to restH7280

Cross-references for Isaiah 51:4

• Isaiah 26:2Open the gates so a righteous nation may enter— one that remains faithful.
• Exodus 19:6And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
• Exodus 33:13Now if indeed I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know Your ways, that I may know You and find favor in Your sight. Remember that this nation is Your people.”
• Psalms 33:12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance!
• Psalms 106:5that I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, and rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, and give glory with Your inheritance.
• Psalms 147:20He has done this for no other nation; they do not know His judgments. Hallelujah!
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
• Isaiah 2:3And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
• Micah 4:2And many nations will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
• Romans 8:2For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
• 1 Corinthians 9:21To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law.
• Isaiah 42:1“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.
• Isaiah 49:6He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
• Proverbs 6:23For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
• Matthew 12:18“Here is My Servant, whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.
• Luke 2:32a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”

Commentaries on Isaiah 51:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4By people - O my nation "O ye peoples - O ye nations" - For עמי ammi, my people, the Bodleian MS. and another read עמים ammim, ye peoples; and for לאומי leumi, my nation, the Bodleian MS. and eight others, (two of them ancient), and four of De Rossi's, read לאמים leummim, ye nations; and so the Syriac in both words. The difference is very material; for in this case the address is made not to the Jews, but to the Gentiles, as in all reason it ought to be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Hearken unto me, my people - Lowth reads this; Attend unto me, O ye people, And give ear unto me, O ye nations. The reason why he proposes this change is, that he supposes the address here is made to the Gentiles and not to the Jews, and in favor of the change he observes, that two manuscripts read it in this manner. Gesenius (Commentary) says that three codices read עמים ‛ammiym (“peoples”), instead of עמי ‛amiy (“my people”); and that thirteen MSS. read…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-8Verses 4-8 The gospel of Christ shall be preached and published. How shall we escape if we neglect it? There is no salvation without righteousness. The soul shall, as to this world, vanish like smoke, and the body be thrown by like a worn-out garment. But those whose happiness is in Christ's righteousness and salvation, will have the comfort of it when time and days shall be no more. Clouds darken the sun, but do not stop its course. The believer will…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4a law … My justice: The servant's work will succeed because justice will guide God's kingdom on earth (see Isaiah 42:1–4). a light to the nations: The nations will accept the Lord and his revelation (see also Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 60:1–3; 66:19–23; Matthew 4:15–16; Luke 2:32; John 1:4–9; 12:35–50; Acts 13:47).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. my people--the Jews. This reading is better than that of Gesenius: "O peoples ... nations," namely, the Gentiles. The Jews are called on to hear and rejoice in the extension of the true religion to the nations; for, at the first preaching of the Gospel, as in the final age to come, it was from Jerusalem that the gospel law was, and is, to go forth (Is 2:3). law ... judgment--the gospel dispensation and institutions (Is 42:1, "judgment"). make ... to…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 51:4

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Church
• Gospel
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• Approach
• Loose
• Plead
• Rest
• Sword
• Isaiah
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Saviour

Commentaries on Isaiah 51

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings