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 ancestor, and to Sarah, from whom you are descended. When I called Abraham, he was childless. I blessed him and gave him many descendants. 3So the Lord will comfort Zion. He will comfort all those who live among its ruins. He will make its desert like Eden. He will make its wilderness like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in it, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. Pay attention to me, my people. Open your ears to hear me, my nation. My teachings will go out from me. My justice will become a light for the people. 5My righteousness is near. My salvation is on the way. I will bring justice to people. The coastlands put their hope in me, and they wait eagerly for me. 6Look at the sky. Look at the earth below. The sky will vanish like smoke. The earth will wear out like clothing, and those who live there will die like flies. 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Hearkenקָשַׁבqâshab · to listenH7181
• unto me, my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• and give earאָזַן'âzan · to listenH238
• unto me, O my nationלְאֹםle'ôm le'ôm · peopleH3816
• for a lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• shall proceedיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: speakH3318
• from me, and I will make my judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• to restרָגַעrâga‛ · to restH7280
• for a lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216

Cross-references for Isaiah 51:4

• Isaiah 26:2Open the gates, and let the righteous nation come in, the nation that remains faithful.
• Exodus 19:6You will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words you must speak to the Israelites.”
• Exodus 33:13If you really are pleased with me, show me your ways so that I can know you and so that you will continue to be pleased with me. Remember: This nation is your people.”
• Psalms 33:12Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Blessed are the people he has chosen as his own.
• Psalms 106:5so that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, find joy in our people’s happiness, and brag with the people who belong to you.
• Psalms 147:20He has done nothing like this for any other nation. The other nations do not know the decisions he has handed down. Hallelujah!
• 1 Peter 2:9However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
• Isaiah 2:3Then many people will come and say, “Let’s go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways so that we may live by them.” The teachings will go out from Zion. The Lord’s word will go out from Jerusalem.
• Micah 4:2Then many nations will come and say, “Let’s go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways so that we may live by them.” The teachings will go out from Zion. The Lord’s word will go out from Jerusalem.
• Romans 8:2The standards of the Spirit, who gives life through Christ Jesus, have set you free from the standards of sin and death.
• 1 Corinthians 9:21I became like a person who does not have Moses’ Teachings for those who don’t have those teachings. I did this to win them even though I have God’s teachings. I’m really subject to Christ’s teachings.
• Isaiah 42:1Here is my servant, whom I support. Here is my chosen one, with whom I am pleased. I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.
• Isaiah 49:6Now, the Lord says, “You are not just my servant who restores the tribes of Jacob and brings back those in Israel whom I have preserved. I have also made you a light for the nations so that you would save people all over the world.”
• Proverbs 6:23because the command is a lamp, the teachings are a light, and the warnings from discipline are the path of life
• Matthew 12:18“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, whom I love, and in whom I delight. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will announce justice to the nations.
• Luke 2:32He is a light that will reveal ⌞salvation⌟ to the nations and bring 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