New International Version
Isaiah 18:4
4This is what the Lord says to me: “I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”
Isaiah 18:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For thus the Lord said to me: "I will quietly look from my dwelling like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."
- New King James Version (NKJV)For so the Lord said to me, “I will take My rest, And I will look from My dwelling place Like clear heat in sunshine, Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)For the Lord has told me this: “I will watch quietly from my dwelling place— as quietly as the heat rises on a summer day, or as the morning dew forms during the harvest.”
Context of Isaiah 18:4
2which sends envoys by sea in papyrus boats over the water. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers. 3All you people of the world, you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it, and when a trumpet sounds, you will hear it. This is what the Lord says to me: “I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” 5For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he will cut off the shoots with pruning knives, and cut down and take away the spreading branches. 6They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey and to the wild animals; the birds will feed on them all summer, the wild animals all winter.
Read all of Isaiah 18Isaiah 18:4 word by word
כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י אֶשְׁקֳטָ֖ה וְאַבִּ֣יטָה בִמְכוֹנִ֑י כְּחֹ֥ם צַח֙ עֲלֵי־א֔וֹר כְּעָ֥ב טַ֖ל בְּחֹ֥ם קָצִֽיר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For soכֹּהkôh · thusH3541
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto me, I will take my restשָׁקַטshâqaţ · to quietH8252
- and I will considerנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
- in my dwelling placeמָכוֹןmâkôn · foundationH4349
- like a clearצַחtsach · dazzlingH6703
- heatחֹםchôm · heatH2527
- upon herbsאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
- like a cloudעָב‛âb · cloudH5645
- of dewטַלţal · dewH2919
- of harvestקָצִירqâtsîyr · harvestH7105
Cross-references for Isaiah 18:4
- Isaiah 26:21See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed on it; the earth will conceal its slain no longer.
- Psalms 132:13For the Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
- Hosea 5:15Then I will return to my lair until they have borne their guilt and seek my face— in their misery they will earnestly seek me.”
- Isaiah 18:7At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty from a people tall and smooth-skinned, from a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers— the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.
- Isaiah 12:6Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
- Isaiah 14:32What answer shall be given to the envoys of that nation? “The Lord has established Zion, and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.”
- Isaiah 31:9Their stronghold will fall because of terror; at the sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic,” declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 46:13I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.
- Joel 3:17“Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.
- 2 Samuel 23:4he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.’
- Psalms 72:6May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.
Commentaries on Isaiah 18:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4For so the Lord said unto me "For thus hath Jehovah said unto me" - The subject of the remaining part of this chapter is, that God would comfort and support his own people, though threatened with immediate destruction by the Assyrians; that Sennacherib's great designs and mighty efforts against them should be frustrated; and that his vast expectations should be rendered abortive, when he thought them mature, and just ready to be crowned with success; that…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For so the Lord said unto me - So Yahweh has revealed his purpose, that is, to execute punishment on the people who have been described in the previous verses. Their state as there described is that of a fierce people making ready for war, and probably designing an alliance with the enemies of Judea, and marshalling their armies for that purpose. Yahweh here reveals to the prophet that they shall be discomfited, and shows the manner in which it will be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The Lord is untroubled by human activities. He watches quietly from his dwelling place and acts when he chooses (see Psalm 2:1–4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. take ... rest ... consider--I will calmly look on and not interpose, while all seems to promise success to the enemy; when figuratively, "the sun's heat" and "the night dews" ripen their "harvest"; but "before" it reaches its maturity I will destroy it (Is 18:5; Ec 8:11, 12). like a clear heat--rather, "at the time of the clear (serene) heat" [Maurer]. upon herbs--answering to "harvest" in the parallel clause. Maurer translates, "in the sunlight" (Job…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 18:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 18
- 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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