Isaiah 51 · Verse 4

Isaiah 51:4

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.
Isaiah 51:4, King James Version

Isaiah 51:4 in other translations

BSBPay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation; for a law will go out from Me, and My justice will become a light to the nations; I will bring it about quickly.
WEB“Listen to me, my people; and hear me, my nation, for a law will go out from me, and I will establish my justice for a light to the peoples.
ASVAttend unto me, O my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall go forth from me, and I will establish my justice for a light of the peoples.
YLTAttend unto Me, O My people, And, O My nation, unto Me give ear. For a law from Me goeth out, And My judgment to the light, Peoples I do cause to rest.
DARBYListen unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will establish my judgment for a light of the peoples.
BBEGive attention to me, O my people; and give ear to me, O my nation; for teaching will go out from me, and the knowledge of the true God will be a light to the peoples.
WebsterHearken to me, my people; and give ear to 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.

What does Isaiah 51:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. 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 rest--establish firmly; found. light, &c.--(Is 42:6).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 By 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; for this and the two following verses express the call of the Gentiles, the islands, or the distant lands on the coasts of the Mediterranean and other seas. It is also to be observed that God in no other place calls his people לאמי leummi, my nation. It has been before remarked that transcribers frequently omitted the final מ mem of nouns plural, and supplied it, for brevity's sake, and sometimes for want of room at the end of a line, by a small stroke thus /עמי; which mark, being effaced or overlooked, has been the occasion of many mistakes of this kind. A law shall proceed from me - The new law, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. Kimchi says, "After the war with Gog and Magog the King Messiah will teach the people to walk in the ways of the Lord."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 51:4-8
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 enjoy his portion, while revilers of Christ are in darkness

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Isaiah 51:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּhak.Shi.vupay attentionH7181
אֵלַי֙'e.Laito meH413
עַמִּ֔י'a.MiO people myH5971
וּלְאוּמִּ֖יu.le.'u.Miand O nation myH3816
אֵלַ֣י'e.Laito meH413
הַאֲזִ֑ינוּha.'a.Zi.nugive earH238
כִּ֤יkiforH3588
תוֹרָה֙to.RahlawH8451
מֵאִתִּ֣יme.'i.Tifrom with <the> meH854
תֵצֵ֔אte.Tze'it will go outH3318
וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֔יu.mish.pa.Tiand justice myH4941
לְא֥וֹרle.'or<into> a light ofH216
עַמִּ֖ים'a.MimpeoplesH5971
אַרְגִּֽיעַ\׃'ar.Gi.a'I will make suddenlyH7280

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 51:4

  • 1 Peter 2:9

    But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

  • 1 Corinthians 9:21

    To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

  • Isaiah 2:3

    And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

  • Isaiah 49:6

    And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

  • Isaiah 42:6

    I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

  • Micah 4:2

    And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

  • Psalms 78:1

    Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

  • Exodus 19:6

    And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

  • Psalms 33:12

    Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

  • Psalms 50:7

    Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.

  • Matthew 12:18-20

    Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

  • John 16:8-11

    And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
O my.
26:2; Ex 19:6; 33:13; Ps 33:12; 106:5; 147:20; 1Pe 2:9
a law.
2:3; Mic 4:2; Ro 8:2-4; 1Co 9:21
I will make.
42:1-4,6; 49:6; Pr 6:23; Mt 12:18-20; Lu 2:32; Joh 16:8-11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 51:3

    For the Lord 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 the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

  • Isaiah 51:4

    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.

  • Isaiah 51:5

    My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

Read all of Isaiah 51

Isaiah 51:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Estad atentos á mí, pueblo mío, y oidme, nación mía; porque de mí saldrá la ley, y mi juicio descubriré para luz de pueblos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Prête-moi attention, mon peuple, et prête-moi l’oreille, ma nation! Car une loi sortira d’auprès de moi, et j’établirai mon jugement pour une lumière des peuples.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Merket auf mich, mein Volk, und meine Nation, horchet auf mich! denn ein Gesetz wird von mir ausgehen, und mein Recht werde ich aufstellen zum Lichte der Völker.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Attendite ad me, popule meus, et tribus mea, me audite: quia lex a me exiet, et judicium meum in lucem populorum requiescet.