New International Version
Isaiah 51:1
1“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;
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance— all who seek the Lord! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined.
Context of Isaiah 51:1
“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; 2look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many. 3The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.
Read all of Isaiah 51Isaiah 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 51:4“Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: Instruction will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations.
- Isaiah 46:3“Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born.
- Isaiah 48:12“Listen to me, Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last.
- Isaiah 55:2Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
- Isaiah 51:7“Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart: Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults.
- Psalms 94:15Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it.
- Proverbs 15:9The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.
- Proverbs 21:21Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
- Matthew 5:6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
- Matthew 6:33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
- Romans 9:30What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
- Romans 14:19Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
- Philippians 3:13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
- 1 Timothy 6:11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
- 2 Timothy 2:22Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
- Hebrews 12:14Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness 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
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 International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries