Isaiah 18:4 kjv
For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
Isaiah 18:4 nkjv
For so the LORD said to me, "I will take My rest, And I will look from My dwelling place Like clear heat in sunshine, Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."
Isaiah 18:4 niv
This is what the LORD says to me: "I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."
Isaiah 18:4 esv
For thus the LORD said to me: "I will quietly look from my dwelling like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."
Isaiah 18:4 nlt
For the LORD has told me this:
"I will watch quietly from my dwelling place ?
as quietly as the heat rises on a summer day,
or as the morning dew forms during the harvest."
Isaiah 18 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 18:5 | "But before the harvest, when the budding concluded and the blossom became a ripening grape, He will cut off the sprigs with pruning knives and take away and cut off the tendrils." | God's judgment preceding completion |
| Psalm 76:10 | "Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; With the remainder of wrath You will gird Yourself." | Human wrath used for God's purpose |
| Job 38:1 | "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said..." | God speaking from a whirlwind |
| Nahum 1:3 | "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way In tempest and in storm, And clouds are the dust of His feet." | God's power in storms |
| Jeremiah 4:13 | "He shall come up like clouds, His chariots like a whirlwind; His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!" | God's approach as whirlwind |
| Revelation 6:1 | "Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals..." | God initiating judgments |
| Isaiah 17:12-13 | "Woe to the multitude of many people Who make a noise like the crashing of the seas, And to the rushing of nations Like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations will rush in like the rushing of mighty waters; But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, And be chased like the chaff of the hills before the wind, Like rolling tumbleweed before a gale." | God's rebuke against nations |
| Psalm 97:3 | "A fire precedes Him And burns up His enemies roundabout." | God's consuming presence |
| Isaiah 30:30 | "The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard, And show the descent of His arm With the indication of anger, With the consumption of a devouring fire, With scattering, tempest, and hailstones." | God's voice in judgment |
| Psalm 18:9 | "He bowed the heavens also, and came down; And darkness was under His feet." | God descending from heaven |
| 1 Kings 19:11 | "So he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;" | God not in the natural wind |
| Ezekiel 26:7 | "For thus says the Lord God: 'Behold, I will bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses and chariots and horsemen, and with an army and people." | Invasion by foreign powers |
| Zechariah 1:8 | "I night I saw a man riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine; and behind him were red, brown, and white horses." | Divine agents on missions |
| Amos 5:14 | "Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; And so the Lord God of hosts shall be with you, As you have spoken." | Seeking good |
| Isaiah 41:16 | "You shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away; And the tempest shall scatter them; But you shall rejoice in the Lord, And glory in the Holy One of Israel." | Wind scattering enemies |
| Psalm 11:5 | "The Lord tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates." | God's testing |
| Isaiah 33:6 | "Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is his treasure." | Wisdom and God's fear |
| Revelation 11:15 | "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'" | God's ultimate reign |
| Daniel 2:44 | "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." | God's eternal kingdom |
| Jeremiah 51:20 | "You are My battle-ax and weapons of war: For with you I will break the nation in pieces; With you I will destroy kingdoms;" | God using instruments |
| Matthew 24:28 | "For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered." | Signs of judgment |
Isaiah 18 verses
Isaiah 18 4 Meaning
The verse signifies God's unwavering, sovereign power over all nations, including Ethiopia (Cush). Despite human efforts and preparations for war or independence, God's divine plan will ultimately prevail. The "whirlwind" and "storm" illustrate His swift and irresistible judgment or intervention. God observes and acts from His dwelling place, implying His perspective is above and beyond human conflicts.
Isaiah 18 4 Context
Chapter 18 of Isaiah primarily addresses Cush (Ethiopia), a powerful nation south of Egypt. Historically, Ethiopia had a complex relationship with the region, sometimes allied with Egypt against Assyria, and at other times powerful in its own right. Isaiah is speaking to Judah during a time when they might consider relying on Cush for military aid against Assyria or Babylon. Verse 4 reveals God's perspective: He is watching from His heavenly abode and will act decisively when His time is right. The passage preempts Judah's reliance on foreign alliances, instead directing them to trust in the Lord. It's a divine statement of control over geopolitical events, assuring that national strength or defiance is ultimately subject to God's overarching plan and timing.
Isaiah 18 4 Word Analysis
Y-H-W-H (יהוה): "Yahweh," the personal covenantal name of God. Indicates a direct and intimate relationship.
r'h (רעה): "to see," "to look." God's observation is not passive but implies active engagement. It suggests awareness and intent.
mi-b-b-b-t (מִבְּבָתִּי): "from My dwelling place" or "from My habitation." This refers to God's heavenly residence, His celestial sanctuary, separate from and superior to earthly realms. It highlights His transcendent nature.
m'-q-w-m-h (מִקּוּמָהּ): "from His place." Reinforces God's position of sovereignty and vantage point. It speaks to His immutability and unchanging presence.
w'-q'-d-h (וקדֹּה): "and holiness" or "and holy." God's actions are characterized by His inherent purity and righteousness.
b'-m-r-v-b-h (בְּמָרְחָב): "in the heat," "in the heat of day." Refers to the intense brightness or presence of the sun.
k'-'w-r (כָּאֹר): "like light." The comparison emphasizes the swift, bright, and illuminating nature of God's actions or presence.
w-k'-d-n 'b (וכדֹן עב): "and as a cloud of noon." A dense cloud obscuring the sun, often seen during the hottest part of the day, capable of bringing sudden rain or storm. It signifies God's overwhelming and sudden presence or judgment.
r'-sh v-sh: (רֶשֶׁם וָשֶׁב): This is a more complex phrase:
- r'-sh (רֶשֶׁם): "posterity," "remnant," "offspring," or potentially "aftermath" or "what remains."
- v-sh: (וָשֶׁב): "and return," "and sitting," or "and remaining."
- Combined: This phrase can be interpreted as God's looking upon "what remains" (like the remnant of an army after defeat or a people after hardship) and "sitting" or "dwelling" among them. However, in some interpretations, the
v-shis seen more dynamically as "remaining" or "continuing to act" in His power, linking it to the following imagery of storms. It could also imply that God observes the residual effects of events and is poised to act. Another valid reading considers the possibility of a textual variant or a more obscure Hebrew construction, possibly related to gathering or distinguishing. In the context of the verse, it can signify God observing and being ready to act upon the continuing situation or outcome.
Isaiah 18 4 Bonus Section
The imagery of God observing "from His dwelling place" in verse 4 can be paralleled with the concept of the Ark of the Covenant, often described as dwelling between the cherubim. This connects God's cosmic presence with a tangible symbol of His earthly presence and watchfulness over His people. The contrast between God's unchanging, heavenly perspective and the tumultuous earthly conflicts emphasizes His sovereignty. The intense "heat" and "cloud of noon" speak not only of judgment but also of God's manifest glory and power, which can be both overwhelming and protective depending on His relationship with those witnessing it.
Isaiah 18 4 Commentary
Isaiah 42:14 is a direct echo, speaking of God crying out like a travailing woman. This verse (Isaiah 18:4) highlights God's control from His celestial vantage point. His gaze is not passive; it is active observation, like the intense glare of the sun or a shadowed cloud. His intervention, when it comes, will be sudden and decisive, like a consuming storm, affecting the outcomes of nations. It serves as a potent reminder to Judah not to place their trust in earthly powers, but to acknowledge that true safety and intervention come from the Lord Himself, who orchestrates all events from His holy dwelling place.