Isaiah 35 4

Isaiah 35:4 kjv

Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

Isaiah 35:4 nkjv

Say to those who are fearful-hearted, "Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you."

Isaiah 35:4 niv

say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."

Isaiah 35:4 esv

Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you."

Isaiah 35:4 nlt

Say to those with fearful hearts,
"Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you."

Isaiah 35 verses

Isaiah 35 4 meaning

Isaiah 35:4 is a powerful message of comfort and assurance, directed specifically at those experiencing fear and despair. It exhorts them to gather strength and banish fear, offering the firm promise that God Himself will intervene. This divine intervention involves both a just recompense against the oppressors and a complete salvation for His people. It declares God's imminent action to bring about justice and deliverance, assuring His faithful that their suffering is not overlooked and their ultimate vindication is certain.

Isaiah 35 4 Context

Isaiah chapter 35 is a vivid prophetic picture of future glory, peace, and salvation, acting as a direct counterpoint to the judgment pronounced on Edom and other nations in chapter 34. It serves as a concluding vision before the historical interlude in chapters 36-39 and, more significantly, as a bridge to the "Book of Comfort" (chapters 40-66). Historically, it addresses an audience suffering under oppression (e.g., Assyrian threat, impending Babylonian exile) or future generations who would face hardship, promising a glorious return of the redeemed to Zion. The imagery is rich with restored creation, a transformed wilderness, and a "Highway of Holiness" for the ransomed, leading them back to Zion with everlasting joy. Verse 4 is the direct, authoritative command within this grand vision, meant to embolden and console those disheartened by the dire circumstances, reminding them of God's certain and imminent intervention.

Isaiah 35 4 Word analysis

• Say (אִמְרוּ - imru): This is an imperative verb, "You all say!" It's a command directed to those who convey God's message (prophets, ministers, spiritual leaders) to a collective "you all" (the fearful). It emphasizes the urgent need for divine encouragement.
• to those who are of a fearful heart (לְנִמְהֲרֵי לֵב - le'nimharel lev):
  • Fearful (נִמְהָר - nimhar): Not just 'afraid' but conveying hastiness, agitation, trembling, panicking, easily perturbed. It speaks to a state of inner turmoil and instability, perhaps indicating spiritual weakness or loss of hope. This fear is a paralyzing anxiety that hinders trust and action.
  • Heart (לֵב - lev): In Hebrew thought, the heart is the center of the person's will, intellect, emotions, and moral character. So, a "fearful heart" denotes a person whose entire being is consumed by panic and dread.
• Be strong (חִזְקוּ - chizku): Another imperative, plural command. The root (חזק - HZQ) implies to strengthen, confirm, harden, courage. It’s an active command to resist fear, to be resolute, firm, and courageous, both internally and externally. It implies an act of resolve and a divinely imparted strength.
• do not fear (אַל־תִּירָאוּ - al-tir'u): A negative imperative. It is a direct prohibition against giving in to the yare (ירא) type of fear, which encompasses dread, terror, or awe. Here, it is specifically about paralyzing dread rather than reverential awe, countering the "fearful heart."
• Behold (הִנֵּה - hinneh): An emphatic particle used to call attention to what follows. It denotes immediacy, certainty, and importance. It sets the stage for a dramatic revelation or assurance.
• your God (אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - Eloheikhem): Emphasizes the personal and covenantal relationship. It is "your" God, implying loyalty, protection, and responsibility on God's part towards His chosen people. It connects divine action directly to the community's experience.
• will come (יָבוֹא - yavo): Future tense, indicating a definite and certain arrival or intervention.
• with vengeance (נָקָם - naqam): Refers to divine justice and retribution, specifically against those who oppress God's people. It is not human revenge but God's righteous judgment against evil and injustice, re-establishing balance and righting wrongs.
• with the recompense of God (גְּמוּל אֱלֹהִים - gemul Elohim):
  • Recompense (גְּמוּל - gemul): Signifies a just repayment, either reward or retribution, the fitting consequence for actions. Here, in conjunction with "vengeance," it stresses that God's actions are precise and equitable, not arbitrary.
• He will come and save you (הוּא יָבוֹא וְיוֹשִׁיעֲכֶם - Hu yavo v'yoshie'khem):
  • He will come (הוּא יָבוֹא - Hu yavo): Reiteration of His arrival, adding emphasis and making God the direct subject of the saving action.
  • and save you (וְיוֹשִׁיעֲכֶם - v'yoshie'khem): The core promise. The verb (ישע - YASHA) means to deliver, help, bring victory, rescue, make safe. This links God's justice with His act of liberation and salvation for His faithful.

Isaiah 35 4 Bonus section

The concept of God coming "with vengeance and recompense" is crucial to understanding the character of biblical justice. It distinguishes divine judgment from human retribution. God's naqam (vengeance) is inherently righteous and purposed for the vindication of His holiness and the protection of His covenant people. It is intertwined with gemul (recompense), meaning that His actions are perfectly calibrated and deserved by those who oppose Him and oppress the innocent. This prophetic assurance serves not only as comfort but also as a warning: for the righteous, salvation; for the unrighteous, accountability. In a deeper theological sense, this coming of God can be interpreted in a Christological manner, finding initial fulfillment in the Incarnation, where God truly came to save (Matt 1:21), and ultimate fulfillment in the Second Coming, where Christ will execute justice and complete salvation (Rev 19:11-16). The vivid language of Isaiah 35, where the desert blossoms and the eyes of the blind are opened, paints a picture of comprehensive transformation, where God's coming radically alters both the physical world and the human condition, dispelling fear and establishing joy.

Isaiah 35 4 Commentary

Isaiah 35:4 functions as a command to preach courage and a promise of ultimate deliverance. It addresses the "fearful heart," recognizing the deep-seated anxiety and despair that can grip people facing severe trials or oppression. The dual command "Be strong, do not fear" is rooted in the certainty of God's coming intervention. This coming is described with powerful attributes: "with vengeance" and "with the recompense of God," which means His appearance brings decisive justice against oppressors and an exact repayment according to deeds. This is not arbitrary anger but righteous judgment that clears the way for salvation. The final promise, "He will come and save you," assures the faithful that God's justice is always for the purpose of their redemption. It foreshadows a redemptive event, historically applicable to the return from Babylonian exile, and ultimately pointing to Christ's redemptive work at His first coming (offering salvation from sin) and His second coming (bringing ultimate justice and complete restoration). It provides hope by focusing on God's active involvement, asserting that even in profound despair, the divine presence guarantees victory and relief.Examples: A nation suffering under tyranny awaiting God's liberating hand; an individual facing insurmountable odds clinging to God's promise of protection and justice; or believers enduring persecution trusting that God will bring ultimate recompense and salvation.