New Living Translation
Isaiah 51:4
4“Listen to me, my people. Hear me, Israel, for my law will be proclaimed, and my justice will become a light to the nations.
Isaiah 51:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.
- New International Version (NIV)“Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: Instruction will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Listen to Me, My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation: For law will proceed from Me, And I will make My justice rest As a light of the peoples.
Context of Isaiah 51:4
2Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.” 3The Lord will comfort Israel again and have pity on her ruins. Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air. “Listen to me, my people. Hear me, Israel, for my law will be proclaimed, and my justice will become a light to the nations. 5My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way. My strong arm will bring justice to the nations. All distant lands will look to me and wait in hope for my powerful arm. 6Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth below. For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end!
Read all of Isaiah 51Isaiah 51:4 word by word
הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּ אֵלַי֙ עַמִּ֔י וּלְאוּמִּ֖י אֵלַ֣י הַאֲזִ֑ינוּ כִּ֤י תוֹרָה֙ מֵאִתִּ֣י תֵצֵ֔א וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֔י לְא֥וֹר עַמִּ֖ים אַרְגִּֽיעַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Hearkenקָשַׁבqâshab · to listenH7181
- unto me, my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and give earאָזַן'âzan · to listenH238
- unto me, O my nationלְאֹםle'ôm le'ôm · peopleH3816
- for a lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
- shall proceedיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: speakH3318
- from me, and I will make my judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
- to restרָגַעrâga‛ · to restH7280
- for a lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
Cross-references for Isaiah 51:4
- Isaiah 26:2Open the gates to all who are righteous; allow the faithful to enter.
- Exodus 19:6And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”
- Exodus 33:13If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”
- Psalms 33:12What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.
- Psalms 106:5Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones. Let me rejoice in the joy of your people; let me praise you with those who are your heritage.
- Psalms 147:20He has not done this for any other nation; they do not know his regulations. Praise the Lord!
- 1 Peter 2:9But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
- Isaiah 2:3People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.
- Micah 4:2People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.
- Romans 8:2And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
- 1 Corinthians 9:21When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.
- Isaiah 42:1“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations.
- Isaiah 49:6He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
- Proverbs 6:23For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life.
- Matthew 12:18“Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
- Luke 2:32He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Commentaries on Isaiah 51:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4By people - O my nation "O ye peoples - O ye nations" - For עמי ammi, my people, the Bodleian MS. and another read עמים ammim, ye peoples; and for לאומי leumi, my nation, the Bodleian MS. and eight others, (two of them ancient), and four of De Rossi's, read לאמים leummim, ye nations; and so the Syriac in both words. The difference is very material; for in this case the address is made not to the Jews, but to the Gentiles, as in all reason it ought to be…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Hearken unto me, my people - Lowth reads this; Attend unto me, O ye people, And give ear unto me, O ye nations. The reason why he proposes this change is, that he supposes the address here is made to the Gentiles and not to the Jews, and in favor of the change he observes, that two manuscripts read it in this manner. Gesenius (Commentary) says that three codices read עמים ‛ammiym (“peoples”), instead of עמי ‛amiy (“my people”); and that thirteen MSS. read…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. 4a law … My justice: The servant's work will succeed because justice will guide God's kingdom on earth (see Isaiah 42:1–4). a light to the nations: The nations will accept the Lord and his revelation (see also Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 60:1–3; 66:19–23; Matthew 4:15–16; Luke 2:32; John 1:4–9; 12:35–50; Acts 13:47).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. my people--the Jews. This reading is better than that of Gesenius: "O peoples ... nations," namely, the Gentiles. The Jews are called on to hear and rejoice in the extension of the true religion to the nations; for, at the first preaching of the Gospel, as in the final age to come, it was from Jerusalem that the gospel law was, and is, to go forth (Is 2:3). law ... judgment--the gospel dispensation and institutions (Is 42:1, "judgment"). make ... to…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 51:4
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
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