God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 18:4
4This is what the Lord says to me: I will keep quiet and watch from my dwelling place. My presence will be like scorching heat in the sunshine, like heavy dew in the heat of the harvest.
Isaiah 18:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
- New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says to me: “I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)For thus the Lord said to me: "I will quietly look from my dwelling like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."
- New King James Version (NKJV)For so the Lord said to me, “I will take My rest, And I will look from My dwelling place Like clear heat in sunshine, Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”
Context of Isaiah 18:4
2It sends messengers by sea in boats made of reeds ⌞skimming⌟ over the surface of the water. Go, swift messengers, to a tall and smooth-skinned people, a people ⌞who are⌟ feared far and near, a strong and aggressive nation, whose land is divided by rivers. 3Look when someone raises a flag on the mountains. Listen when someone blows a ram’s horn, all you inhabitants of the world who live on the earth. This is what the Lord says to me: I will keep quiet and watch from my dwelling place. My presence will be like scorching heat in the sunshine, like heavy dew in the heat of the harvest. 5Before the harvest, when blossoms are gone and grapes are ripening from blossoms, he will cut off the shoots with pruning shears and chop off the spreading branches. 6They will be left for the birds of prey on the mountains and the wild animals. The birds of prey will feed on them in the summer, and all the wild animals on earth will feed on them in the winter.
Read all of Isaiah 18Isaiah 18:4 word by word
כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י אֶשְׁקֳטָ֖ה וְאַבִּ֣יטָה בִמְכוֹנִ֑י כְּחֹ֥ם צַח֙ עֲלֵי־א֔וֹר כְּעָ֥ב טַ֖ל בְּחֹ֥ם קָצִֽיר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For soכֹּהkôh · thusH3541
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto me, I will take my restשָׁקַטshâqaţ · to quietH8252
- and I will considerנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
- in my dwelling placeמָכוֹןmâkôn · foundationH4349
- like a clearצַחtsach · dazzlingH6703
- heatחֹםchôm · heatH2527
- upon herbsאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
- like a cloudעָב‛âb · cloudH5645
- of dewטַלţal · dewH2919
- of harvestקָצִירqâtsîyr · harvestH7105
Cross-references for Isaiah 18:4
- Isaiah 26:21The Lord is going to come out from his dwelling place to punish those who live on earth for their sins. The earth will uncover the blood shed on it and will no longer cover up its dead bodies.
- Psalms 132:13The Lord has chosen Zion. He wants it for his home.
- Hosea 5:15I will go back to my place until they admit that they are guilty. Then they will search for me. In their distress they will eagerly look for me.”
- Isaiah 18:7At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord of Armies from a tall and smooth-skinned people, a people ⌞who are⌟ feared far and near, a strong and aggressive nation, whose land is divided by rivers. They will be brought to Mount Zion, the place where the name of the Lord of Armies is.
- Isaiah 12:6Shout loudly, and sing with joy, people of Zion! The Holy One of Israel is great. He is among you.”
- Isaiah 14:32How should we answer the messengers from the nations? ⌞Tell them that⌟ the Lord has laid Zion’s foundation, and his humble people will find refuge in it.
- Isaiah 31:9In terror they will run to their stronghold, and their officers will be frightened at ⌞the sight of⌟ the battle flag. The Lord declares this. His fire is in Zion and his furnace is in Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 46:13I’ll bring my righteousness near; it isn’t far away. My salvation will not be delayed. I’ll provide salvation for Zion and bring my glory to Israel.
- Joel 3:17“You will know that I am the Lord your God. I live on my holy mountain, Zion. Jerusalem will be holy. Foreigners will never invade it again.
- 2 Samuel 23:4He is like the morning light as the sun rises, like a morning without clouds, like the brightness after a rainstorm. The rain makes the grass grow from the earth.’
- Psalms 72:6May he be like rain that falls on ⌞freshly⌟ cut grass, like showers that water the land.
Commentaries on Isaiah 18:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4For so the Lord said unto me "For thus hath Jehovah said unto me" - The subject of the remaining part of this chapter is, that God would comfort and support his own people, though threatened with immediate destruction by the Assyrians; that Sennacherib's great designs and mighty efforts against them should be frustrated; and that his vast expectations should be rendered abortive, when he thought them mature, and just ready to be crowned with success; that…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For so the Lord said unto me - So Yahweh has revealed his purpose, that is, to execute punishment on the people who have been described in the previous verses. Their state as there described is that of a fierce people making ready for war, and probably designing an alliance with the enemies of Judea, and marshalling their armies for that purpose. Yahweh here reveals to the prophet that they shall be discomfited, and shows the manner in which it will be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The Lord is untroubled by human activities. He watches quietly from his dwelling place and acts when he chooses (see Psalm 2:1–4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. take ... rest ... consider--I will calmly look on and not interpose, while all seems to promise success to the enemy; when figuratively, "the sun's heat" and "the night dews" ripen their "harvest"; but "before" it reaches its maturity I will destroy it (Is 18:5; Ec 8:11, 12). like a clear heat--rather, "at the time of the clear (serene) heat" [Maurer]. upon herbs--answering to "harvest" in the parallel clause. Maurer translates, "in the sunlight" (Job…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 18:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- 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
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