Isaiah 51 · Verse 5

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.
Isaiah 51:5, King James Version

Isaiah 51:5 in other translations

BSBMy righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look for Me and wait in hope for My arm.
WEBMy righteousness is near. My salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples. The islands will wait for me, and they will trust my arm.
ASVMy righteousness is near, my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the peoples; the isles shall wait for me, and on mine arm shall they trust.
YLTNear is My righteousness, Gone out hath My salvation and Mine arms, Peoples they judge, on Me isles do wait, Yea, on Mine arm they do wait with hope.
DARBYMy righteousness is near, my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the peoples: the isles shall wait for me, and in mine arm shall they trust.
BBESuddenly will my righteousness come near, and my salvation will be shining out like the light; the sea-lands will be waiting for me, and they will put their hope in my strong arm.
WebsterMy righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and my arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on my arm shall they trust.

What does Isaiah 51:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. righteousness ... near--that is, faithful fulfilment of the promised deliverance, answering to "salvation" in the parallel clause (Is 46:13; 56:1; Ro 10:8, 9). Ye follow after "righteousness"; seek it therefore, from Me, and you will not have far to go for it (Is 51:1). arms--put for Himself; I by My might. judge--(Is 2:3, 4; Psa 98:9). isles, &c.--(Is 60:9). arm--(Ro 1:16), "the power of God unto (the Gentiles as well as the Jews) salvation."

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 My righteousness is near - The word צדק tsedek, righteousness, is used in such a great latitude of signification, for justice, truth, faithfulness, goodness, mercy, deliverance, salvation, etc., that it is not easy sometimes to give the precise meaning of it without much circumlocution; it means here the faithful completion of God's promises to deliver his people.

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…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 51:4-8 →

Isaiah 51:5 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.

קָר֤וֹבka.Rov[is] nearH7138
צִדְקִי֙tzid.Kirighteousness myH6664
יָצָ֣אya.Tza'it has gone outH3318
יִשְׁעִ֔יyish.'Isalvation myH3468
וּזְרֹעַ֖יu.ze.ro.'Aiand arms myH2220
עַמִּ֣ים'a.MimpeoplesH5971
יִשְׁפֹּ֑טוּyish.Po.tuthey will judgeH8199
אֵלַי֙'e.Laito meH413
אִיִּ֣ים'i.YimislandsH339
יְקַוּ֔וּye.ka.Vuthey will waitH6960
וְאֶל\־ve.'el-and toH413
זְרֹעִ֖יze.ro.'Iarm myH2220
יְיַחֵלֽוּן\׃ye.ya.che.Lunthey will hope !H3176

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

Cross references for Isaiah 51:5

  • Romans 10:17-18

    So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

  • Isaiah 46:13

    I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.

  • Isaiah 60:9

    Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.

  • Isaiah 42:4

    He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

  • Romans 10:6-10

    But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. …

  • 2 Corinthians 5:10

    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

  • Joel 3:12

    Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.

  • Mark 16:15

    And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

  • Psalms 67:4

    O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.

  • Luke 24:47

    And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

  • Matthew 28:18

    And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

  • Romans 2:16

    In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
righteousness.
46:13; 56:1; De 30:14; Ps 85:9; Mt 3:2; Ro 1:16,17; 10:6-10
my salvation.
2:2,3; Eze 47:1-5; Mt 28:18; Mr 16:15; Lu 24:47; Ro 10:17,18
mine.
1Sa 2:10; Ps 50:4-6; 67:4; 96:13; 98:9; 110:6; Joe 3:12; Joh 5:22,23
Ac 17:31; Ro 2:16; 2Co 5:10
the isles.
42:4; 49:1; 60:9; Zep 2:11; Ro 1:16; 15:9-12

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Isaiah 51:6

    Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

Read all of Isaiah 51

Isaiah 51:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Cercana está mi justicia, salido ha mi salud, y mis brazos juzgarán á los pueblos: á mí esperarán las islas, y en mi brazo pondrán su esperanza.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ma justice est proche, mon salut est sorti, et mes bras jugeront les peuples; les îles s’attendront à moi et auront leur attente en mon bras.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Nahe ist meine Gerechtigkeit, mein Heil ist ausgezogen, und meine Arme werden die Völker richten. Auf mich werden die Inseln hoffen, und sie werden harren auf meinen Arm.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Prope est justus meus, egressus est salvator meus, et brachia mea populos judicabunt; me insulæ exspectabunt, et brachium meum sustinebunt.