New English Translation
Isaiah 51:8
8For a moth will eat away at them like clothes; a clothes moth will devour them like wool. But the vindication I provide will be permanent; the deliverance I give will last.”
Isaiah 51:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.
- New International Version (NIV)For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations."
- New King James Version (NKJV)For the moth will eat them up like a garment, And the worm will eat them like wool; But My righteousness will be forever, And My salvation from generation to generation.”
Context of Isaiah 51:8
6Look up at the sky! Look at the earth below! For the sky will dissipate like smoke, and the earth will wear out like clothes; its residents will die like gnats. But the deliverance I give is permanent; the vindication I provide will not disappear. 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! For a moth will eat away at them like clothes; a clothes moth will devour them like wool. But the vindication I provide will be permanent; the deliverance I give will last.” 9Wake up! Wake up! Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of the Lord! Wake up as in former times, as in antiquity! Did you not smash the Proud One? Did you not wound the sea monster? 10Did you not dry up the sea, the waters of the great deep? Did you not make a path through the depths of the sea, so those delivered from bondage could cross over?
Read all of Isaiah 51Isaiah 51:8 word by word
כִּ֤י כַבֶּ֙גֶד֙ יֹאכְלֵ֣ם עָ֔שׁ וְכַצֶּ֖מֶר יֹאכְלֵ֣ם סָ֑ס וְצִדְקָתִי֙ לְעוֹלָ֣ם תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וִישׁוּעָתִ֖י לְד֥וֹר דּוֹרִֽים׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For the mothעָשׁ‛âsh ‛ăsab · mothH6211
- shall eat them upאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- like a garmentבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899
- and the wormסָ֑סsâs · mothH5580
- them like woolצֶ֫מֶרtsemer · woolH6785
- but my righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
- shall be for everעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
- and my salvationיְשׁוּעָהyeshû‛âh · salvationH3444
- from generationדּוֹרdôr dôr · generationH1755
Cross-references for Isaiah 51:8
- Isaiah 50:9Look, the sovereign Lord helps me. Who dares to condemn me? Look, all of them will wear out like clothes; a moth will eat away at them.
- Isaiah 66:24“They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die, and the fire that consumes them will not die out. All people will find the sight abhorrent.”
- Job 4:19how much more to those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like a moth?
- Job 13:28So I waste away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths.
- Hosea 5:12I will be like a moth to Ephraim, like wood rot to the house of Judah.
- Isaiah 51:6Look up at the sky! Look at the earth below! For the sky will dissipate like smoke, and the earth will wear out like clothes; its residents will die like gnats. But the deliverance I give is permanent; the vindication I provide will not disappear.
- Isaiah 45:17Israel will be delivered once and for all by the Lord; you will never again be ashamed or humiliated.
- Isaiah 46:13I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away; I am bringing my salvation near, it does not wait. I will save Zion; I will adorn Israel with my splendor.”
- Luke 1:50from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him.
Commentaries on Isaiah 51:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8For the moth - (see Isaiah 50:9). The idea is, that they shall be consumed as the moth eats up a garment; or rather, that the moth itself shall consume them as it does a garment: that is, that they were so weak when compared with Yahweh that even the moth, one of the smallest, and most contemptible of insects, would consume them. An expression remarkably similar to this occurs in Job 4:18-20: Behold in his servants he putteth no confidence, And his angels…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. 1-8This prophecy urges trust in the Lord. Each of its three parts starts with the phrase Listen to Me (Isaiah 51:1, 4, 7).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. (See on Is 50:9; Job 4:18-20). Not that the moth eats men up, but they shall be destroyed by as insignificant instrumentality as the moth that eats a garment.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 51:8
In the dictionaries
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries