Isaiah 41 5

Isaiah 41:5 kjv

The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.

Isaiah 41:5 nkjv

The coastlands saw it and feared, The ends of the earth were afraid; They drew near and came.

Isaiah 41:5 niv

The islands have seen it and fear; the ends of the earth tremble. They approach and come forward;

Isaiah 41:5 esv

The coastlands have seen and are afraid; the ends of the earth tremble; they have drawn near and come.

Isaiah 41:5 nlt

The lands beyond the sea watch in fear.
Remote lands tremble and mobilize for war.

Isaiah 41 verses

Isaiah 41 5 Meaning

The people addressed are described as being anxious and fearful. They were looking around and considering what was happening, particularly concerning foreign nations being gathered against them. This verse describes their psychological state and the external threats they perceived.

Isaiah 41 5 Context

This verse is found in Isaiah chapter 41, which is a passage dealing with God's power and faithfulness towards Israel. God is presented as the ultimate sovereign, contrasting Himself with the impotent idols of the surrounding nations. The immediate context is the anticipation of foreign nations gathering, perhaps in military alliance, against Judah. These nations, inspired by their idols, would boast and plan against God's people. Isaiah's audience, facing geopolitical threats, would naturally experience anxiety and fear, observing the actions and words of their adversaries. This verse captures the emotional and perceptual reality of those under threat, setting the stage for God's subsequent assurances of His presence and intervention.

Isaiah 41 5 Word Analysis

• "Then" (אָ֚ז / 'az): Temporal conjunction indicating a point in time when these actions and observations occur.
• "did they look" (רָא֣וּ / ra'u): Plural perfect tense of the verb "to see" or "to look." It signifies a completed action of visual perception by multiple people. The imperative in some contexts or simply a narrative description of people observing.
• "one" (אִ֣ישׁ / 'ish): Generic term for a person, an individual. Here it refers to each individual within the group experiencing the situation.
• "to another" (אֶל־רֵעֵ֔הוּ / 'el-re'ehu): "Unto his fellow," "towards his neighbor," or "towards his companion." Indicates interaction or looking at each other, likely sharing apprehension.
• "and say" (וְאָמַ֕ר / wə'amar): Conjunction "and" (וְ / wə) followed by the singular perfect tense of the verb "to say." Though describing a group, the act of speaking is attributed to individuals looking at each other.
• "To thy brother" (אָחִי֙ / 'achi): "My brother." An address from one person to another within the same group or community. Emphasizes shared identity and mutual communication during crisis.
• "Be of good courage" (חִזְק֖וּ / ḥizqu): Imperative plural form of the verb "to be strong" or "to strengthen." An exhortation to one another to be brave, resilient, and steadfast.

Words-group by Words-group Analysis

• "they looked one to another": This phrase emphasizes the shared experience of fear and uncertainty. Instead of looking to God, their focus is turned inward towards their peers, seeking comfort or commiseration, which highlights their lack of complete trust in divine deliverance at this moment.
• "and say to thy brother, Be of good courage": This represents human attempts at self-encouragement in the face of overwhelming circumstances. It is a natural human response, but it falls short of the true strength that comes from divine assurance. This communal attempt at bravery underscores their precarious situation and the limited effectiveness of human reassurance compared to God's promise.

Isaiah 41 5 Bonus Section

The practice of mutual encouragement during times of distress is a recurring theme throughout Scripture. While here it is framed within a context of natural human fear and potentially insufficient reliance, the principle of solidarity and mutual support is not inherently wrong. However, it is highlighted here in contrast to seeking strength from the Almighty. The Lord contrasts this humanistic effort with His own powerful pronouncements of strength and presence in the verses that follow. The nations themselves, whom Israel is observing, are also described as helping one another (Isaiah 41:6-7) in their endeavors to create idols, implying that both the nations and Israel are engaging in mutual encouragement, but the foundation and efficacy of that encouragement are vastly different, given that Israel's courage is ultimately to be found in the Lord.

Isaiah 41 5 Commentary

This verse paints a vivid picture of a people caught in a moment of crisis, reacting with palpable fear and shared anxiety. They are depicted not looking upward for divine help, but horizontally at each other, a sign of their internal turmoil and their reliance on human solidarity. Their mutual exhortations to "be of good courage" are a testament to their desperate need for strength, yet these words are insufficient to quell the deep-seated fear arising from perceived external threats and their own limited perspective. This human endeavor for courage contrasts with God's powerful assurances given in subsequent verses, showing that true, lasting courage stems from trust in divine power, not mere human solidarity. It’s a scene of collective human worry, a common human experience when facing daunting challenges, prior to or in the absence of recognizing God’s immediate intervention.