Isaiah 51:1

Isaiah 51:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
• New International Version (NIV)“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug.

Context of Isaiah 51:1

“Listen to me, you who pursue godliness, who seek the Lord! Look at the rock from which you were chiseled, at the quarry from which you were dug! 2Look at Abraham, your father, and Sarah, who gave you birth. When I summoned him, he was a lone individual, but I blessed him and gave him numerous descendants. 3Certainly the Lord will console Zion; he will console all her ruins. He will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the Garden of the Lord. Happiness and joy will be restored to her, thanksgiving and the sound of music.

Isaiah 51:1 word by word

שִׁמְע֥וּ אֵלַ֛י רֹ֥דְפֵי צֶ֖דֶק מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הַבִּ֙יטוּ֙ אֶל־צ֣וּר חֻצַּבְתֶּ֔ם וְאֶל־מַקֶּ֥בֶת בּ֖וֹר נֻקַּרְתֶּֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• to me, ye that follow afterרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
• righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
• ye that seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• lookנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
• unto the rockצוּרtsûr tsûr · rockH6697
• ye are hewnחָצַבchâtsab châtsêb · to hewH2672
• and to the holeמַקֶּבֶתmaqqebeth · holeH4718
• of the pitבּוֹרbôr · pitH953
• ye are diggedנָקַרnâqar · to digH5365

Cross-references for Isaiah 51:1

• Isaiah 51:4Pay attention to me, my people! Listen to me, my people! For I will issue a decree, I will make my justice a light to the nations.
• Isaiah 46:3“Listen to me, O family of Jacob, all you who are left from the family of Israel, you who have been carried from birth, you who have been supported from the time you left the womb.
• Isaiah 48:12Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I summoned! I am the one; I am present at the very beginning and at the very end.
• Isaiah 55:2Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing! Enjoy fine food!
• Isaiah 51:7Listen to me, you who know what is right, you people who are aware of my law! Don’t be afraid of the insults of men; don’t be discouraged because of their abuse!
• Psalms 94:15For justice will prevail, and all the morally upright will be vindicated.
• Proverbs 15:9The Lord abhors the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.
• Proverbs 21:21The one who pursues righteousness and love finds life, bounty, and honor.
• Matthew 5:6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
• Matthew 6:33But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
• Romans 9:30What shall we say then? – that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith,
• Romans 14:19So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.
• Philippians 3:13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead,
• 1 Timothy 6:11But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.
• 2 Timothy 2:22But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
• Hebrews 12:14Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord.

Commentaries on Isaiah 51:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Ye that follow after righteousness - The people who, feeling the want of salvation, seek the Lord in order to be justified. The rock - Abraham. The hole of the pit - Sarah; as explained in Isaiah 51:2.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Hearken unto me - That is, to the God of their fathers, who now addresses them. They are regarded as in exile and bondage, and as desponding in regard to their prospects. In this situation, God, or perhaps more properly the Messiah (compare the notes at Matthew 3:9, where he says, For I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.‘ The hole of the pit - The word rendered hole‘ means such an excavation as men make who…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Exhortations to trust the Messiah. (Is. 51:1-3) The power of God, and the weakness of man. (Is. 51:4-8) Christ defends his people. (Is. 51:9-16) Their afflictions and deliverances. (Is. 51:17-23) Verses 1-3 It is good for those privileged by the new birth, to consider that they were shapen in sin. This should cause low thoughts of ourselves, and high thoughts of Divine grace. It is the greatest comfort to be made serviceable to the glory of God. The more…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The rock and the quarry represent Abraham and Sarah (Isaiah 51:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-231. me--the God of your fathers. ye ... follow after righteousness--the godly portion of the nation; Is 51:7 shows this (Pr 15:9; 1Ti 6:11). "Ye follow righteousness," seek it therefore from Me, who "bring it near," and that a righteousness "not about to be abolished" (Is 51:6, 7); look to Abraham, your father (Is 51:2), as a sample of how righteousness before Me is to be obtained; I, the same God who blessed him, will bless you at last (Is 51:3)…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 51:1

• Depravity of Man
• Humility
• Righteous
• Seekers

In the dictionaries

• Approach
• Loose
• Plead
• Rest
• Sword
• Genesis
• 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