New English Translation
Isaiah 30:21
21You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, “This is the correct way, walk in it,” whether you are heading to the right or the left.
Isaiah 30:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
- New International Version (NIV)Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.
Context of Isaiah 30:21
19For people will live in Zion; in Jerusalem you will weep no more. When he hears your cry of despair, he will indeed show you mercy; when he hears it, he will respond to you. 20The sovereign master will give you distress to eat and suffering to drink; but your teachers will no longer be hidden; your eyes will see them. You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, “This is the correct way, walk in it,” whether you are heading to the right or the left. 22You will desecrate your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away as if they were a menstrual rag, saying to them, “Get out!” 23He will water the seed you plant in the ground, and the ground will produce crops in abundance. At that time your cattle will graze in wide pastures.
Read all of Isaiah 30Isaiah 30:21 word by word
וְאָזְנֶ֙יךָ֙ תִּשְׁמַ֣עְנָה דָבָ֔ר מֵֽאַחֲרֶ֖יךָ לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֤ה הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ לְכ֣וּ ב֔וֹ כִּ֥י תַאֲמִ֖ינוּ וְכִ֥י תַשְׂמְאִֽילוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And thine earsאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · earH241
- shall hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- a wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- thee, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- walk ye in itיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- when ye turn to the right handאָמַן'âman · to turn rightH541
- and when ye turn to the leftשִׂמְאֵלώâma'l · to go leftH8041
Cross-references for Isaiah 30:21
- Isaiah 35:8A thoroughfare will be there – it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it; it is reserved for those authorized to use it – fools will not stray into it.
- Isaiah 42:16I will lead the blind along an unfamiliar way; I will guide them down paths they have never traveled. I will turn the darkness in front of them into light, and level out the rough ground. This is what I will do for them. I will not abandon them.
- Isaiah 48:17This is what the Lord, your protector, says, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you how to succeed, who leads you in the way you should go.
- Isaiah 58:11The Lord will continually lead you; he will feed you even in parched regions. He will give you renewed strength, and you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring that continually produces water.
- Psalms 25:8The Lord is both kind and fair; that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live.
- Psalms 143:8May I hear about your loyal love in the morning, for I trust in you. Show me the way I should go, because I long for you.
- Proverbs 3:5Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.
- Jeremiah 6:16The Lord said to his people: “You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls.” But they said, “We will not follow it!”
- 1 John 2:20Nevertheless you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.
- Deuteronomy 5:32Be careful, therefore, to do exactly what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn right or left!
- Joshua 1:7Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do.
- Joshua 23:6Be very strong! Carefully obey all that is written in the law scroll of Moses so you won’t swerve from it to the right or the left,
- 2 Kings 22:2He did what the Lord approved and followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps; he did not deviate to the right or the left.
- Psalms 32:8I will instruct and teach you about how you should live. I will advise you as I look you in the eye.
- Proverbs 4:27Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn yourself away from evil.
Commentaries on Isaiah 30:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21When ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left "Turn not aside, to the right or to the left" - The Syriac Chaldee, and Vulgate, translate as if, instead of כי־וכי ki -vechi, they read לא־ולא lo -velo .Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21And thine ears shall hear a word - A command or admonition. You shall not be left without spiritual guides and directors. Behind thee - That is, says Vitringa, the voice of conscience, as an “invisible” guide, shall admonish you. The idea, however, seems to be that if they were ignorant of the way, or if they were inclined to err, they should be admonished of the true path which they ought to pursue. The idea is taken either from the practice of teachers…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-26Verses 19-26 God's people will soon arrive at the Zion above, and then they will weep no more for ever. Even now they would have more comfort, as well as holiness, if they were more constant in prayer. A famine of bread is not so great a judgment as a famine of the word of God. There are right-hand and left-hand errors; the tempter is busy courting us into by-paths. It is happy if, by the counsels of a faithful minister or friend, or the checks of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21The people’s own ears will hear and follow God’s instructions (see Isaiah 6:9–10; 29:18; 35:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. word--conscience, guided by the Holy Spirit (Joh 16:13).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 30:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 30
- 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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