Isaiah 41 13

Isaiah 41:13 kjv

For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

Isaiah 41:13 nkjv

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'

Isaiah 41:13 niv

For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Isaiah 41:13 esv

For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you."

Isaiah 41:13 nlt

For I hold you by your right hand ?
I, the LORD your God.
And I say to you,
'Don't be afraid. I am here to help you.

Isaiah 41 verses

Isaiah 41 13 Meaning

Isaiah 41:13 proclaims God's intimate and unwavering presence and support for His people. It reassures the individual, represented by Israel, that Yahweh, their personal God, actively upholds them. The core message is a divine command to conquer fear, anchored in the tangible promise that God Himself holds their hand, guiding and strengthening them. This verse speaks of God's initiative, His personal relationship, and His power to overcome human weakness and fear through His constant companionship and enabling might.

Isaiah 41 13 Context

Isaiah 41:13 falls within a section (Isaiah 40-48) known as "The Book of Comfort," primarily addressing the Israelite exiles in Babylon. Following prophecies of judgment and the impending destruction of Judah, God shifts to a message of hope and restoration. Chapter 41 specifically opens with God challenging the nations and their idols, declaring His unique sovereignty and power. He then turns to Israel (Jacob), His "servant," who feels weak and insignificant (e.g., "a worm," v.14). God's message throughout this chapter is to counter Israel's fear, despondency, and doubt regarding His ability and willingness to save them from their powerful oppressors and bring them back to their land. Verse 13 directly underpins the reassurance given in verses 10-12, reinforcing God's active presence and protective power against their weakness and fears. The historical context involves Israel's political and spiritual vulnerability amidst dominant world powers and prevalent idolatry, against which God powerfully asserts His unparalleled identity and commitment to His chosen people.

Isaiah 41 13 Word analysis

• For (כִּ֣י - ki): This particle introduces the reason or explanation for the preceding command ("fear not"). It grounds the imperative in God's nature and action, making the command understandable and possible to obey.
• I (אָֽנֹכִי - anokhi): Emphatic personal pronoun. It highlights the divine speaker's identity and active involvement. It is God Himself, Yahweh, not some lesser deity or abstract force, who is committing to this action.
• am the LORD (יְהוָ֣ה - YHWH): The covenant name of God, often translated "LORD." This name signifies God's self-existence, His eternal nature, and His covenant faithfulness, particularly to Israel. It reinforces His supreme authority and unchanging character.
• your God (אֱלֹהֶיךָ֙ - Eloheykha): This possessive form makes the relationship personal and intimate. It is not just a god, but Israel's personal, relational God who exercises His power and promise on their behalf. This highlights His unique commitment.
• who takes hold (מַחֲזִ֣יק - machazik): Present participle from the verb chazaq, meaning "to be strong, firm, grasp, hold fast, strengthen." It denotes an active, continuous, and firm grasp. God is not merely offering help but actively and personally gripping and holding. This action signifies strength, security, and steadying power imparted.
• of your right hand (בִּימִינֶ֑ךָ - biy'minekha): The right hand is culturally significant in ancient Near Eastern thought, representing strength, power, honor, and action. Holding someone's right hand symbolizes guidance, support, rescue, and establishing them in a position of strength or safety. It is a posture of intimate relationship and decisive action.
• who says (הָאֹמֵ֣ר - ha'omer): Another present participle, indicating a continuous or characteristic action. God's communication is direct, constant, and an integral part of His character and relationship with His people.
• to you (אֵלֶ֔יךָ - eleykha): Direct address, further emphasizing the personal and individual nature of God's promise.
• Fear not (אַל־תִּירָא֙ - al-tira): A strong negative command or imperative in Hebrew. It's not a suggestion but a divine instruction. It means to cease fearing, indicating a cessation of paralyzing dread or anxiety, enabled by God's promise.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "For I am the LORD your God": This phrase establishes God's identity and relationship as the bedrock for the subsequent promise. He is the ultimate, personal, and covenant-keeping God, leaving no room for doubt about His capability or commitment.
• "who takes hold of your right hand": This paints a vivid, tangible image of God's active and personal support. It's a metaphor for empowering, guiding, strengthening, and providing security, preventing a fall. It conveys an intimate, protective grasp, offering stability amidst turmoil.
• "who says to you, 'Fear not!'": This climactic command to "fear not" is directly linked to God's identity and action. It’s an assurance spoken into the specific anxieties and weaknesses of His people, providing a divine reason and power to overcome their deepest fears.

Isaiah 41 13 Bonus section

The concept of God's "right hand" is prevalent throughout Scripture, always signifying His power, activity, and might. In Psalm 44:3, God saves with His right hand; in Exodus 15:6, His right hand is glorious in power; and in Psalm 16:11, there are pleasures at His right hand forevermore. This continuity reinforces the enduring truth of Isaiah 41:13—God's power is always actively at work for His people. This verse is also part of a wider prophetic literary strategy in Isaiah where God juxtaposes Israel's feebleness with His own omnipotence, repeatedly issuing "fear not" commands, making it a foundational theme of reassurance against despair during trials and times of great national or personal distress.

Isaiah 41 13 Commentary

Isaiah 41:13 is a profound statement of divine comfort and empowerment. It confronts human vulnerability directly with God's sovereign and relational strength. God does not merely instruct His people to be strong or brave; rather, He actively imparts strength and removes the basis for fear by asserting His own character and commitment. He reveals Himself as Yahweh, the unchanging, covenant-keeping God, and intimately as "your God." The image of Him "taking hold of your right hand" is potent—it signifies not only protection and guidance but also an infusion of His strength into human weakness. This is a personal touch, an intimate gesture of a father guiding a child, or a mighty warrior supporting the weak. The command "Fear not!" is not a harsh reprimand but an assurance, a word spoken by the One who both holds and strengthens, making courage possible. It applies to individual anxieties as much as to the collective fears of Israel in exile, reminding all who feel lost, weak, or threatened that their Creator is actively engaged in their life, empowering them against every foe and fear. This promise means we do not walk alone in our trials, for God Himself ensures our steadfastness.