New King James Version
Isaiah 31:4
4For thus the Lord has spoken to me: “As a lion roars, And a young lion over his prey (When a multitude of shepherds is summoned against him, He will not be afraid of their voice Nor be disturbed by their noise), So the Lord of hosts will come down To fight for Mount Zion and for its hill.
Isaiah 31:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
- New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says to me: “As a lion growls, a great lion over its prey— and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor— so the Lord Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For thus the Lord said to me, "As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey, and when a band of shepherds is called out against him he is not terrified by their shouting or daunted at their noise, so the Lord of hosts will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But this is what the Lord has told me: “When a strong young lion stands growling over a sheep it has killed, it is not frightened by the shouts and noise of a whole crowd of shepherds. In the same way, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will come down and fight on Mount Zion.
Context of Isaiah 31:4
2Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster, And will not call back His words, But will arise against the house of evildoers, And against the help of those who work iniquity. 3Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; And their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out His hand, Both he who helps will fall, And he who is helped will fall down; They all will perish together. For thus the Lord has spoken to me: “As a lion roars, And a young lion over his prey (When a multitude of shepherds is summoned against him, He will not be afraid of their voice Nor be disturbed by their noise), So the Lord of hosts will come down To fight for Mount Zion and for its hill. 5Like birds flying about, So will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem. Defending, He will also deliver it; Passing over, He will preserve it.” 6Return to Him against whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted.
Read all of Isaiah 31Isaiah 31:4 word by word
כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָֽמַר־יְהוָ֣ה׀ אֵלַ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶהְגֶּה֩ הָאַרְיֵ֨ה וְהַכְּפִ֜יר עַל־טַרְפּ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקָּרֵ֤א עָלָיו֙ מְלֹ֣א רֹעִ֔ים מִקּוֹלָם֙ לֹ֣א יֵחָ֔ת וּמֵֽהֲמוֹנָ֖ם לֹ֣א יַֽעֲנֶ֑ה כֵּ֗ן יֵרֵד֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת לִצְבֹּ֥א עַל־הַר־צִיּ֖וֹן וְעַל־גִּבְעָתָֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For thus hath the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- spokenאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto me, Like as the lionאַרְיֵה'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
- and the young lionכְּפִירkephîyr · lionH3715
- roaringהָגָהhâgâh · to mutterH1897
- on his preyטֶ֫רֶףţereph · preyH2964
- when a multitudeמְלֹאmelô' melô' melô · fullnessH4393
- of shepherdsרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
- is called forthקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- will not be afraidחָתַתchâthath · to to be dismayedH2865
- of their voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- nor abaseעָנָה‛ânâh · to afflictH6031
- himself for the noiseהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
- come downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- to fightצָבָאtsâbâ' · to serveH6633
- for mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
- and for the hillגִּבְעָהgib‛âh · hillH1389
Cross-references for Isaiah 31:4
- Numbers 24:8“God brings him out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox; He shall consume the nations, his enemies; He shall break their bones And pierce them with his arrows.
- Jeremiah 50:44“Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the floodplain of the Jordan Against the dwelling place of the strong; But I will make them suddenly run away from her. And who is a chosen man that I may appoint over her? For who is like Me? Who will arraign Me? And who is that shepherd Who will withstand Me?”
- Hosea 11:10“They shall walk after the Lord. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, Then His sons shall come trembling from the west;
- Amos 3:8A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?
- Revelation 5:5But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
- Isaiah 10:16Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Will send leanness among his fat ones; And under his glory He will kindle a burning Like the burning of a fire.
- Isaiah 12:6Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”
- Isaiah 37:35‘For I will defend this city, to save it For My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’ ”
- Isaiah 42:13The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies.
- 2 Chronicles 20:15And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
- Psalms 125:1Those who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
- Zechariah 2:5For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ”
- Zechariah 9:8I will camp around My house Because of the army, Because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them, For now I have seen with My eyes.
- Zechariah 12:8In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them.
- Zechariah 14:3Then the Lord will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle.
Commentaries on Isaiah 31:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Like as the lion - This comparison is exactly in the spirit and manner, and very nearly approaching to the expression, of Homer. ' , ̔ , ̔ ' ͅ , ̔ , , · ' ̔ͅ ' , ' . ' ̔ ' ̔ ̔ , ' . Iliad 12:299. As the bold lion, mountain-bred, now long Famished, with courage and with hunger stung Attempts the thronged fold: him nought appals, Though dogs and armed shepherds stand in guard Collected; he nathless undaunted springs O'er the high fence, and rends the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For thus hath the Lord spoken - The design of this verse and the following is to assure the Jews of the certain protection of Yahweh, and thus to induce them to put their trust in him rather than to seek the alliance with Egypt. To do this the prophet makes use of two striking illustrations, the first of which is, that Yahweh would be no more alarmed at the number and power of their enemies than a fierce lion would be that was intent on his prey, and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-9This prophecy concerned God’s protection of Jerusalem and its rescue from the Assyrians.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. (Is 42:13; Ho 11:10). roaring on--"growling over" his prey. abase himself--be disheartened or frightened.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 31:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 31
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries