Isaiah 31:5

Isaiah 31:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.
• New International Version (NIV)Like birds hovering overhead, the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Like birds hovering, so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it; he will spare and rescue it."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Like birds flying about, So will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem. Defending, He will also deliver it; Passing over, He will preserve it.”

Context of Isaiah 31:5

3The Egyptians are humans, not gods. Their horses are flesh and blood, not spirit. When the Lord uses his powerful hand, the one who gives help will stumble, and the one who receives help will fall. Both will die together. 4This is what the Lord said to me: A lion, even a young lion, growls over its prey when a crowd of shepherds is called to fight it. It isn’t frightened by their voices or disturbed by the noise they make. So the Lord of Armies will come to fight for Mount Zion and its hill. The Lord of Armies will defend Jerusalem like a hovering bird. He will defend it and rescue it. He will pass over it and protect it. 6You people of Israel, return to the one whom you have so violently rebelled against. 7When that day comes, all of you will reject the silver and gold idols that your sinful hands have made.

Isaiah 31:5 word by word

כְּצִפֳּרִ֣ים עָפ֔וֹת כֵּ֗ן יָגֵ֛ן יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת עַל־יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם גָּנ֥וֹן וְהִצִּ֖יל פָּסֹ֥חַ וְהִמְלִֽיט׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• As birdsצִפּוֹרtsippôr tsippôr · birdH6833
• flyingעוּף‛ûph · to flyH5774
• so will the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
• defendגָּנַןgânan · to defendH1598
• Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• also he will deliverנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337
• passing overפָּסַחpâsach · to passH6452
• he will preserveמָלַטmâlaţ · to escapeH4422

Cross-references for Isaiah 31:5

• Isaiah 10:14I’ve found the riches of nations as one finds a nest. I’ve gathered the whole world as one gathers abandoned eggs. Not one of them flapped a wing, opened its mouth, or peeped.”
• Exodus 19:4‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to my mountain.
• Deuteronomy 32:11Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreads its wings to catch them, and carries them on its feathers,
• Psalms 46:5God is in that city. It cannot fall. God will help it at the break of dawn.
• Psalms 91:4He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. His truth is your shield and armor.
• Psalms 37:40The Lord helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from wicked people. He saves them because they have taken refuge in him.
• Exodus 12:27you must answer, ‘It’s the Passover sacrifice in the Lord’s honor. The Lord passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he killed the Egyptians.’ ” Then the people knelt, bowing with their faces touching the ground.

Commentaries on Isaiah 31:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Passing over "Leaping forward" - The generality of interpreters observe in this place an allusion to the deliverance which God vouchsafed to his people when he destroyed the first-born of the Egyptians, and exempted those of the Israelites sojourning among them by a peculiar interposition. The same word is made use of here which is used upon that occasion, and which gave the name to the feast which was instituted in commemoration of that deliverance, פסח…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5As birds flying - This is another comparison indicating substantially the same thing as the former, that Yahweh would protect Jerusalem. The idea here is, that He would do it in the same manner as birds defend their young by hovering over them, securing them under their wings, and leaping forward, if they are suddenly attacked, to defend them. Our Saviour has used a similar figure to indicate his readiness to have defended and saved the same city Matthew…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-9This prophecy concerned God’s protection of Jerusalem and its rescue from the Assyrians.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. As in the image of "the lion," the point of comparison is the fearless might of Jehovah; so in that of the birds, it is His solicitous affection (De 32:11; Psa 91:4; Mt 23:37). flying--Rather, "which defend" their young with their wings; "to fly" is a secondary meaning of the Hebrew word [Maurer]. "Hovering over" to protect their young [G. V. Smith]. passing over--as the destroying angel passing over, so as to spare the blood-marked houses of the…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 31:5

• Church
• Isaiah

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Lord of Hosts
• Fail
• Hezekiah
• Revolt
• Fly
• Isaiah
• Passover

Commentaries on Isaiah 31

• 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