Isaiah 4 4

Isaiah 4:4 kjv

When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

Isaiah 4:4 nkjv

When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning,

Isaiah 4:4 niv

The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.

Isaiah 4:4 esv

when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.

Isaiah 4:4 nlt

The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion
and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains
with the hot breath of fiery judgment.

Isaiah 4 verses

Isaiah 4 4 Meaning

Isaiah 4:4 proclaims God's transformative purification of His people, represented by Jerusalem and its "daughters." It describes a thorough divine cleansing, washing away moral "filth" and the spiritual pollution of "bloodstains," not by human effort, but "by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning." This process signifies God's righteous discipline and refining fire, removing deep-seated sin and preparing a remnant for future glory and holiness, establishing a purified dwelling place for the Lord.

Isaiah 4 4 Context

Isaiah chapter 4 verse 4 stands as a critical transition within a section of prophecy (chapters 2-4) detailing the future of Jerusalem. Prior to this verse, Isaiah laments the moral and social decay of Judah and Jerusalem, particularly targeting the pride and extravagance of the "daughters of Zion" (Isa 3:16-24). Their outward display masks deep inner corruption and social injustice, drawing God's severe judgment. The preceding verses (Isa 4:2-3) shift focus, offering a vision of future glory, blessing, and a righteous remnant who will be called holy. Verse 4 then serves as the indispensable link between the present depravity and the promised future blessedness. It explains how the transformation occurs: through a divinely initiated and executed purification process, necessary to make the people fit for God's holy presence and the blessings to come. Historically, the period Isaiah ministered was marked by widespread apostasy and moral decline in Judah, making such a cleansing essential for any hope of restoration.

Isaiah 4 4 Word analysis

• When the Lord: Highlights divine initiative. The cleansing is not achieved by human effort or reforms, but is an act solely by the sovereign Yahweh (Yahweh).
• shall have washed away: Hebrew rakhatz (רָחַץ) – "to wash," often with water, for ritual or general cleansing. Implies a thorough removal of impurity, like laundry or bathing, indicating God's deep and pervasive cleansing action.
• the filth: Hebrew tsō'āh (צוֹאָה) – a very strong, vulgar word meaning excrement, dung, moral defilement, or impurity. It emphasizes the utterly repulsive and vile nature of their sin in God's eyes, not just a superficial stain but something inherently foul.
• of the daughters of Zion: Hebrew bnōt Tsiyôn (בְּנוֹת צִיּוֹן) – refers directly to the women of Jerusalem, specifically those addressed in Isa 3:16-24 whose pride and luxury symbolized the city's moral corruption. It can also stand metonymically for the inhabitants or the city itself, emphasizing a particular aspect of its depravity.
• and cleansed: Hebrew nāqāh (נָקָה) – "to be clean," "to acquit," "to make innocent." It conveys a thorough purging, rendering something spotless, as in wiping clean or purifying thoroughly to the point of being blameless or free from guilt.
• the bloodstains: Hebrew dāmîm (דָּמִים) – literally "bloods," implying multiple instances of bloodshed or extreme bloodguilt, which was a profound defilement in Israel (Num 35:33-34). It points to acts of violence, oppression, injustice, or idolatrous sacrifices which made the land and the people ceremonially and morally unclean. This sin ran deep.
• of Jerusalem: Hebrew Yerūshālayim (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם) – The capital city, embodying the entire people and their religious and social institutions. The cleansing is specific to the place representing God's covenant people.
• from its midst: Hebrew qerev (קֶרֶב) – "in its inner part," "within it," "among it." This emphasizes that the defilement is not superficial but deep-seated, permeating the very fabric of society and the inner being of the people. The cleansing must penetrate to the core.
• by a spirit of judgment: Hebrew rūakh mishpāṭ (רוּחַ מִשְׁפָּט) – The word "spirit" (rūakh) here denotes a powerful, divine agency or influence. "Judgment" (mishpāṭ) refers to God's righteous determination, discerning right from wrong, delivering justice, and meting out appropriate discipline. This "spirit" brings exact and just evaluation, separating the pure from the impure, holding sin accountable.
• and by a spirit of burning: Hebrew rūakh ba'ar (רוּחַ בָּעֵר) – "Spirit of burning" implies a fierce, consuming, purifying fire. This is not arbitrary destruction but an intense, refining process, akin to a refiner's fire that burns away dross and impurities (Mal 3:2). It signifies the radical and thorough nature of the cleansing, consuming what is impure to reveal what is truly precious and holy. It’s painful but purifies.
• A spirit of judgment and burning: These phrases, grouped together, highlight two complementary aspects of God's work. The "spirit of judgment" speaks to the precise, discerning aspect of God's holiness that exposes and condemns sin. The "spirit of burning" points to the forceful, effective, and complete eradication of that sin. Together, they represent a severe yet ultimately restorative divine discipline, consuming moral impurity while preserving the people whom God wills to cleanse for Himself.

Isaiah 4 4 Bonus section

• The dual nature of God's "spirit" here—judgment and burning—reveals that divine purification is neither haphazard nor gentle in the human sense. It is precise in identifying sin ("judgment") and utterly thorough in eradicating it ("burning").
• This passage prefigures the ultimate spiritual cleansing offered through the Messiah, Jesus Christ. While it speaks to a corporate and often temporal purging of Israel through difficult circumstances, the core theme of sin's removal by divine means resonates powerfully with the New Covenant's promise of being washed clean by Christ's blood and renewed by the Holy Spirit (cf. Heb 9:14, Tit 3:5).
• The "daughters of Zion" serve as a focused symbol for the entire societal decay, highlighting the extent to which pride and moral looseness had permeated the heart of Jerusalem. Their specific mention implies that God's cleansing would address even the most entrenched and visible forms of the nation's rebellion.

Isaiah 4 4 Commentary

Isaiah 4:4 is a pivotal statement on divine purification, bridging Judah's lamentable present and God's glorious future for His people. The "filth" and "bloodstains" symbolize the nation's profound spiritual and moral corruption—its idolatry, injustice, and pride—which had reached such depths as to defile the very city of Jerusalem. God's holiness demands an absolute removal of this deep-seated sin. This is not a process of superficial washing but a radical, internal transformation executed by God Himself.

The cleansing occurs "by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning." The term "spirit" points to a powerful, divine work, active and inherent in God's character. "Judgment" is not merely punitive wrath but God's righteous discerning and corrective action, distinguishing between good and evil, justice and injustice. It's a divine reckoning that exposes sin. This judgment then culminates in a "spirit of burning," an intense, refining fire that purifies what is valuable and consumes what is dross. This fire can manifest in various ways—historical tribulations, divine chastisement, or the potent internal working of the Holy Spirit leading to repentance and cleansing. It is through this comprehensive and painful yet restorative divine action that the remnant of Jerusalem, mentioned in verse 3, becomes truly "holy" and worthy to dwell in God's transformed city. This verse provides the necessary explanation for the glorious conditions that follow in Isaiah 4:5-6. It teaches that true blessedness is only possible after radical purification from sin by divine intervention.