God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 25:4
4You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rain, and shade from the heat. (A tyrant’s breath is like a rainstorm against a wall,
Isaiah 25:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
- New International Version (NIV)You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall
- English Standard Version (ESV)For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,
- New King James Version (NKJV)For You have been a strength to the poor, A strength to the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, A shade from the heat; For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
Context of Isaiah 25:4
2You have turned cities into ruins, fortified cities into piles of rubble, and foreigners’ palaces into cities that will never be rebuilt. 3That is why strong people will honor you, and cities ruled by the world’s tyrants will fear you. You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rain, and shade from the heat. (A tyrant’s breath is like a rainstorm against a wall, 5like heat in a dry land.) You calm the uproar of foreigners. The song of tyrants is silenced like heat that is ⌞reduced⌟ by the shadow of a cloud. 6On this mountain the Lord of Armies will prepare for all people a feast with the best foods, a banquet with aged wines, with the best foods and the finest wines.
Read all of Isaiah 25Isaiah 25:4 word by word
כִּֽי־הָיִ֨יתָ מָע֥וֹז לַדָּ֛ל מָע֥וֹז לָאֶבְי֖וֹן בַּצַּר־ל֑וֹ מַחְסֶ֤ה מִזֶּ֙רֶם֙ צֵ֣ל מֵחֹ֔רֶב כִּ֛י ר֥וּחַ עָרִיצִ֖ים כְּזֶ֥רֶם קִֽיר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For thou hast been a strengthמָעוֹזmâ‛ôz mâ‛ûz mâ‛ôz mâ‛ûz · securityH4581
- to the poorדַּלdal · poorH1800
- to the needyאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
- in his distressצַרtsar tsâr · distressH6862
- a refugeמַחְסֶּהmachăseh machseh · refugeH4268
- from the stormזֶ֫רֶםzerem · stormH2230
- a shadowצֵלtsêl · shadowH6738
- from the heatחֹ֫רֶבchôreb · droughtH2721
- when the blastרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
- of the terrible onesעָרִיץ‛ârîyts · ruthlessH6184
- the wallקִירqîyr qir qîyrâh · wallH7023
Cross-references for Isaiah 25:4
- Isaiah 11:4He will judge the poor justly. He will make fair decisions for the humble people on earth. He will strike the earth with a rod from his mouth. He will kill the wicked with the breath from his lips.
- 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 29:19Humble people again will find joy in the Lord. The poorest of people will find joy in the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 33:2O Lord, have pity on us. We wait with hope for you. Be our strength in the morning. Yes, be our savior in times of trouble.
- Isaiah 66:2I have made all these things. “That is why all these things have come into being,” declares the Lord. I will pay attention to those who are humble and sorry ⌞for their sins⌟ and who tremble at my word.
- Job 5:15“But he saves ⌞other people⌟ from their slander and the needy from the power of the mighty.
- Psalms 12:5“Because oppressed people are robbed and needy people groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will provide safety for those who long for it.”
- Psalms 35:10All my bones will say, “O Lord, who can compare with you? You rescue the weak person from the one who is too strong for him and weak and needy people from the one who robs them.”
- Psalms 72:4May he grant justice to the people who are oppressed. May he save the children of needy people and crush their oppressor.
- Psalms 107:41But now he lifts needy people high above suffering and makes their families like flocks.
- Psalms 119:31I have clung tightly to your written instructions. O Lord, do not let me be put to shame.
- Zephaniah 3:12So with you I will leave a faithful few, a humble and poor people. They will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.
- James 2:5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Didn’t God choose poor people in the world to become rich in faith and to receive the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
- Isaiah 4:5The Lord will create a cloud of smoke during the day and a glowing flame of fire during the night over the whole area of Mount Zion and over the assembly. His glory will cover everything.
- Isaiah 32:2Then each ruler will be like a shelter from the wind and a hiding place from the rain. They will be like streams on parched ground and the shade of a large rock in a weary land.
- Isaiah 32:18My people will live in a peaceful place, in safe homes and quiet places of rest.
Commentaries on Isaiah 25:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4As a storm against the wall "Like a winter-storm" - For קיר kir, read קור kor : or, as עיר ir from ערר arar, so קיר kir from קרר karar . - Capellus.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For thou hast been a strength to the poor - Thou hast sustained and upheld them in their trials, and hast delivered them. God is often spoken of as the strength of his people. Isaiah 26:4: In the Lord Yahweh is everlasting strength.‘ Psalm 27:1: The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?‘ Psalm 28:8; Psalm 29:11; Psalm 31:2; Psalm 46:1; Isaiah 45:24. By the poor‘ and the needy‘ here undoubtedly are mean; the captive Jews who had been…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-5Isaiah praises God for protecting those in need (see Isaiah 12:1–6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. the poor ... needy--the Jews, exiles from their country (Is 26:6; 41:17). heat--calamity (Is 4:6; 32:2). blast--that is, wrath. storm--a tempest of rain, a winter flood, rushing against and overthrowing the wall of a house.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 25:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 25
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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