Revised Literal Translation
Isaiah 51:1
1Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek Yhwh: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)“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;
- 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.
Context of Isaiah 51:1
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek Yhwh: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. 2Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. 3For Yhwh shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Yhwh; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
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
- Hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- to me, ye that follow afterרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
- righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
- ye that seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · 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 51:4Hearken 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.
- Isaiah 46:3Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
- Isaiah 48:12Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
- Isaiah 55:2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
- Isaiah 51:7Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
- Psalms 94:15But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
- Proverbs 15:9The way of the wicked is an abomination unto Yhwh: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
- Proverbs 21:21He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
- Matthew 5:6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
- Matthew 6:33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
- Romans 9:30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
- Romans 14:19Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
- Philippians 3:13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
- 1 Timothy 6:11But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
- 2 Timothy 2:22Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
- Hebrews 12:14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall 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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries