Isaiah 49:23 kjv
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Isaiah 49:23 nkjv
Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me."
Isaiah 49:23 niv
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed."
Isaiah 49:23 esv
Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame."
Isaiah 49:23 nlt
Kings and queens will serve you
and care for all your needs.
They will bow to the earth before you
and lick the dust from your feet.
Then you will know that I am the LORD.
Those who trust in me will never be put to shame."
Isaiah 49 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 49:23 | Kings shall be your foster fathers... | Gen 17:6, 1 Chron 29:25 |
| Psa 72:10 | Kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents... | Rev 21:24 |
| Rev 21:24 | Nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light... | Isa 60:3 |
| Isa 60:11 | Therefore your gates shall be open continually... | Ps 145:16 |
| Ps 145:16 | Opening Your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing. | Ps 147:14 |
| Ps 147:14 | He also makes peace in your borders, and fills you with the finest wheat. | John 6:35 |
| John 6:35 | Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. | 1 Cor 3:22-23 |
| 1 Cor 3:22-23 | whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. | John 1:12 |
| John 1:12 | But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, | Gal 3:29 |
| Gal 3:29 | And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. | Gal 4:26 |
| Gal 4:26 | But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. | Heb 12:22-23 |
| Heb 12:22-23 | But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, | Rom 8:16-17 |
| Rom 8:16-17 | The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him, in order that we may also be glorified with him. | Phil 3:20 |
| Phil 3:20 | But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, | Eph 2:19 |
| Eph 2:19 | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household, | 1 Pet 2:9 |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. | John 13:34-35 |
| John 13:34-35 | A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. | Gal 4:6 |
| Gal 4:6 | And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” | Rev 22:3 |
| Rev 22:3 | No longer shall there be any curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and all his servants shall serve him. | Zech 8:23 |
| Zech 8:23 | Thus says the LORD of hosts: in those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of one Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” | Isa 54:5 |
| Isa 54:5 | For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth he is called. | Isa 11:10 |
| Isa 11:10 | He will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will seek him, and his resting place shall be glorious. | Rom 15:12 |
| Rom 15:12 | And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, and he who arises to rule the nations, in him will the nations hope.” | Matt 21:43 |
| Matt 21:43 | Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. | Acts 28:28 |
| Acts 28:28 | Therefore know that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen. | Isa 61:6 |
| Isa 61:6 | you shall be called the priests of the LORD; they shall speak to you as the ministers of our God... | Rev 5:10 |
| Rev 5:10 | and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” | Isa 45:14 |
| Isa 45:14 | Thus says the LORD: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains; they shall bow down to you; they shall say, ‘God is with you alone, and there is no other god besides him.’” | Eph 2:6 |
| Eph 2:6 | and raised us up with him and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, | Rev 3:21 |
| Rev 3:21 | The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. |
Isaiah 49 verses
Isaiah 49 23 Meaning
This verse paints a powerful picture of restoration and divine protection for God's people, promising that rulers and nations will recognize and serve them. It speaks of a future era where former oppressors will be humbled, and the faithful will be elevated and sheltered under God's tender care.
Isaiah 49 23 Context
Isaiah 49 is part of the "Second Isaiah" or "Deutero-Isaiah" section, which focuses on the theme of God's comfort and future redemption for Israel, particularly after the Babylonian exile. In this chapter, the prophet delivers a message of hope and assurance from God to His covenant people, who felt abandoned and discouraged. The specific verses leading up to verse 23 describe God's unwavering commitment to Zion, His enduring love, and His power to restore His people. The verse itself serves as a climactic promise of the nations' submission and recognition of God's sovereignty, directly flowing from the suffering servant's successful mission and subsequent exaltation. This passage is deeply intertwined with the Messianic prophecies concerning the exaltation of the servant (who is often interpreted as representing both Israel and the Messiah), leading to a universal acknowledgment of God's reign.
Isaiah 49 23 Word Analysis
- "And" (וְ): The Hebrew conjunction "vav" at the beginning often introduces a consequence or a further unfolding of the preceding narrative.
- "Kings" (מְלָכִים - mᵉlāḵîm): Plural form of "melech" (king). Refers to earthly rulers and sovereign powers.
- "Shall be" (יִהְיוּ - yihyû): Future tense of "hayah" (to be). Indicates a future certainty.
- "Your" (לָךְ - lāk): Singular masculine possessive pronoun. Refers back to Israel or the "servant" from previous verses.
- "Foster fathers" (מְאַמְּצֶיךָ - mᵉ’ametsîḵā): Derived from the root "amats" (to be firm, strong, courageous) but in this context, "me'amets" likely signifies one who causes to grow strong or supports; a nurturer or sustainer. It suggests a role of protection and nurturing care.
- "And queens" (וּשְׂרִיּוֹת - usərîyōṯ): Plural feminine form of "sarah" (ruler, princess, lady). Refers to royal women or influential women of power.
- "Your nurse kings" (מְנַקּוֹת – mᵉnaqqōṯ): Plural form of "menaqqah" (nurse, one who nurses or suckles). This unusual phrasing implies that even those who hold royal authority will be like nurses to God's people, providing nurturing sustenance. It emphasizes a profound reversal of fortunes, where former oppressors become tender caretakers.
- "They shall bow down" (יִשְׁתַּחֲו–ּ - yištaḥăwû): From the root "shachah" (to bow down, to prostrate oneself). This is an act of deep reverence, worship, or subjugation.
- "To you" (לָךְ - lāk): Again, singular masculine pronoun referring to God's people or the Servant.
- "With their face" (אַפֵּיהֶם - ’appêhem): Literally "their faces" or "their noses/nostrils." The face is considered the seat of expression and identity, so bowing with their faces indicates complete submission.
- "Toward the earth" (אֶל־הָאָרֶץ - ’el-hā’āreṣ): A prepositional phrase indicating direction. This emphasizes the depth of their prostration, bringing them down to the very ground.
- "And they shall lick" (וְלִקְק–ּ - weliqqəqû): From the root "laq" (to lick). This is a profound gesture of humility and adoration, often seen as expressing extreme reverence, or in some cultural contexts, a recognition of dustiness and impurity overcome by the honored one. It implies they will acknowledge their own insignificance compared to God's people.
- "The dust" (עָפָר - ‘āp̄ār): Earth, dust, ashes. Represents lowliness, insignificance, or remnants.
- "Of your feet" (רַגְלַיִךְ - raglayîḵ): Plural feminine possessive pronoun. This connects with the "Zion" and "daughters of Zion" imagery earlier in Isaiah. It emphasizes the humble origins from which God's people will be elevated.
- "And you shall know" (וְתֵדְעִי – wǝtēḏə‘î): Future tense of "yada" (to know, to understand, to recognize).
- "That I am" (כִּי־אֲנִי־– kî-’ĕnî): Clause indicating causality or identification. "I am" is the simple declaration of existence and being.
- "The LORD" (יהוָה - YHWH): The covenant name of God.
- "Your" (אֹתָךְ - ’ōṯāḵ): Singular feminine direct object pronoun. Addressing Zion or the restored Israel.
- "I" (אֲנִי – ’ĕnî): First person singular pronoun, referring to God.
- "Am not" (לֹא־– lō’): Negative particle.
- "Ashamed" (בּוֹשׁ – bôš): Root meaning to be ashamed, confounded, disappointed.
- "Or confounded" (נִכְלַם – niḵlām): To be disgraced, put to shame, frustrated.
Word Group Analysis
- "Kings shall be your foster fathers, and queens your nurses": This phrase employs parallel imagery of royal authority ("kings," "queens") repurposed for nurturing and support ("foster fathers," "nurses"). The power dynamic is completely inverted, showcasing the supreme exaltation of God's people.
- "They shall bow down to you with their face toward the earth, and lick the dust of your feet": This is a strong expression of absolute submission and humiliation on the part of the nations. Licking the dust of feet signifies the deepest possible prostration and acknowledgement of the other's superiority, indicating the complete defeat of all adversaries.
- "And you shall know that I am the LORD; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame or confounded": This concluding part links the nations' actions directly to God's identity. The assurance that "those who wait for me shall not be put to shame" connects the exaltation of His people to His own faithfulness and affirms that trust in Him is never misplaced.
Isaiah 49 23 Bonus Section
The imagery of kings and queens serving as nurses and foster fathers underscores a fundamental biblical principle: in God's kingdom, service and humility are elevated, and former oppressors are brought into submission under the redeemed. This inversion of power is a hallmark of divine justice and restoration. The "dust of your feet" imagery, while signifying lowliness, also alludes to the journey and conquests of God's people, with the defeated enemies humbled even to the point of acknowledging their foundation. Furthermore, the closing statement directly connects the faithfulness of the nations to the reliability of God ("I am the LORD"), reassuring believers that their patient waiting for God leads to vindication, not shame. This serves as a powerful encouragement in times of hardship and oppression, assuring them of ultimate triumph and honor through divine intervention. The mention of "daughters of Zion" in some related contexts of Isaiah further anchors this imagery to the personification of Jerusalem and its people.
Isaiah 49 23 Commentary
Isaiah 49:23 prophesies a future era of unparalleled restoration and glory for God's people. Earthly powers, once adversaries, will transform into nurturing protectors, displaying deep reverence and subservience. This profound reversal highlights God's ultimate sovereignty and His capacity to vindicate those who trust in Him. The ultimate realization of this promise is seen in the reign of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. Nations and their rulers will ultimately bow before Him, recognizing Him as Lord. His followers, now part of His spiritual family, are adopted as sons and daughters, cared for by God, and assured that their waiting and faith in Him will never result in shame or disappointment. This verse is a powerful affirmation of God's redemptive power and the glorious inheritance promised to His people who wait for Him.