Tree of Life Version
Isaiah 49:23
23Kings will be your guardians, their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their face to the ground, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am Adonai— those hoping in Me will not be ashamed.”
Isaiah 49:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
- New International Version (NIV)Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.”
Context of Isaiah 49:23
21Then you will say in your heart, “Who has borne these for me? Wasn’t I bereaved of my children— barren, an exile and wandering? So who has raised these? Behold, I was left alone— these, where were they?” 22Thus says Adonai Elohim: “Look, I will lift My hand to the nations, and raise My banner to the peoples! They will bring your sons on their chest, and carry your daughters on their shoulders. Kings will be your guardians, their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their face to the ground, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am Adonai— those hoping in Me will not be ashamed.” 24Can plunder be taken from the mighty, or captives of the righteous freed? 25For thus says Adonai: “Yes, captives of the mighty will be taken and the prey of the tyrant will be freed. For I will oppose your adversary. I will save your children.
Read all of Isaiah 49Isaiah 49:23 word by word
וְהָי֨וּ מְלָכִ֜ים אֹֽמְנַ֗יִךְ וְשָׂרֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ מֵינִ֣יקֹתַ֔יִךְ אַפַּ֗יִם אֶ֚רֶץ יִשְׁתַּ֣חֲווּ לָ֔ךְ וַעֲפַ֥ר רַגְלַ֖יִךְ יְלַחֵ֑כוּ וְיָדַ֙עַתְּ֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יֵבֹ֖שׁוּ קוָֹֽי׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- shall be thy nursing fathersאָמַן'âman · be faithfulH539
- and their queensשָׂרָהώârâh · princessH8282
- thy nursing mothersיָנַקyânaq · to suckleH3243
- they shall bow downשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
- faceאַף'aph · faceH639
- toward the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
- and lick upלָחַךְlâchak · to lickH3897
- the dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
- of thy feetרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
- and thou shalt knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- for they shall not be ashamedבּוֹשׁbûsh · be ashamedH954
- that waitקָוָהqâvâh · to awaitH6960
Cross-references for Isaiah 49:23
- Isaiah 49:7Thus says Adonai, the Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, to the One despised, to the One the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: “Kings will see and arise, princes will also bow down, because of Adonai who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You.”
- Isaiah 52:15So He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him, for what had not been told them they will see, and what they had not heard they will perceive.
- Isaiah 60:3Nations will come to your light, kings to the brilliance of your rising.
- Isaiah 62:2Nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name, which Adonai’s mouth will bestow.
- Ezra 1:2“Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: Adonai, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build a House for Him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
- Ezra 6:7Leave the work of this House of God alone! Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this House of God in its place.
- Ezra 7:11Now this is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the kohen, the scribe, a teacher of matters pertaining to the mitzvot of Adonai and His statutes over Israel:
- Nehemiah 2:6Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” Since it pleased the king to send me, I set a time for him.
- Esther 8:1That same day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Then Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had revealed how he was related to her.
- Esther 9:1Consequently, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is the month Adar), the king’s edict and his law drew near to be carried out. On that day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but contrary to expectations the Jews gained the upper hand over those that hated them.
- Esther 10:1Now King Ahasuerus imposed a tribute upon the entire land, even to the coastlands of the sea.
- Psalms 2:10So now, O kings, be wise, take warning, O judges of the earth!
- Psalms 68:31Rebuke the beast of the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves, peoples trampling down pieces of silver. He has scattered the peoples who delight in war!
- Psalms 72:10May kings of Tarshish and the islands bring tribute, kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
- Psalms 138:4All the kings of the earth will praise You, Adonai, when they hear Your mouth’s speech.
- Revelation 21:24The nations shall walk by its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.
Commentaries on Isaiah 49:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23With their face toward the earth "With their faces to the earth" - It is well known that expressions of submission, homage, and reverence always have been and are still carried to a great degree of extravagance in the eastern countries. When Joseph's brethren were introduced to him, "they bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth," Genesis 42:6. The kings of Persia never admitted any one to their presence without exacting this act of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And kings shall be thy nursing fathers - Margin, Nourishers.‘ That is, they would patronize the church of God; they would protect it by their laws, and foster it by their influence and become the personal advocates of the cause of Zion. The idea is properly that of guarding, educating, and proriding for children; and the sense is that kings and princes would evince the same tender care for the interests of the people of God which a parent or a nurse does…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 Zion is addressed as an afflicted widow, bereaved of her children. Numbers flock to her, and she is assured that they come to be a comfort to her. There are times when the church is desolate and few in number; yet its desolations shall not last for ever, and God will repair them. God can raise up friends for returning Israelites, even among Gentiles. They shall bring their children, and make them thy children. Let all deal tenderly and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23you will know that I am the LORD: The surprising role reversal, with kings and queens serving the humble exiles upon their return, will show God's power to do the unimaginable (see also Isaiah 60:16). The godly will face temporary disgrace during the exile in Babylon but would not ultimately be put to shame, as the idolaters and ungodly were.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. lick ... dust--that is, kiss thy feet in token of humble submission. for they ... not ... ashamed ... wait for me--The restoration of Israel shall be in answer to their prayerful waiting on the Lord (Is 30:18, 19; Psa 102:16, 17; Zec 12:10; 14:3).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 49:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 49
- 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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