Isaiah 51:16 kjv
And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
Isaiah 51:16 nkjv
And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, That I may plant the heavens, Lay the foundations of the earth, And say to Zion, 'You are My people.' "
Isaiah 51:16 niv
I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand? I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, 'You are my people.'?"
Isaiah 51:16 esv
And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, 'You are my people.'"
Isaiah 51:16 nlt
And I have put my words in your mouth
and hidden you safely in my hand.
I stretched out the sky like a canopy
and laid the foundations of the earth.
I am the one who says to Israel,
'You are my people!'"
Isaiah 51 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 51:13 | You have forgotten the LORD your Maker... | His creative power vs. Israel's forgetting |
| Psalm 19:1 | The heavens declare the glory of God... | God's creative works declare Him |
| Psalm 24:1-2 | The earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness... for He founded it... | God as the establisher of the earth |
| Job 38:4-6 | Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?... | God's sovereign authority in creation |
| Jeremiah 10:12 | He made the earth by His power... | God's power displayed in creation |
| Jeremiah 32:17 | Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth... | Acknowledging God as Creator and Lord |
| Acts 4:24 | "Sovereign Lord, you have made the heaven and the earth..." | Early church confession of God's power |
| Revelation 4:11 | You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor... | God's worthiness based on creation |
| John 1:3 | Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made... | Christ's role in creation |
| Colossians 1:16 | For by him all things were created... | Christ's cosmic supremacy |
| Genesis 1:1 | In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. | The foundational account of creation |
| Deuteronomy 32:39 | See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god besides me... | God's uniqueness and supreme power |
| Isaiah 44:24 | I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the... | God's singular creative work |
| Isaiah 45:12 | I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched... | God's direct act of creation and people |
| Nehemiah 9:6 | You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest... | Acknowledging God as the sole Creator |
| Psalm 33:6 | By the word of the LORD the heavens were made... | God's word as the instrument of creation |
| Proverbs 3:19-20 | By wisdom the LORD laid the foundations of the earth... | Wisdom as a divine attribute in creation |
| Romans 1:20 | For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities... | Evidence of God in creation |
| Isaiah 40:28 | Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God... | God's eternal power and knowledge |
| Psalm 121:2 | My help is from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. | God as the source of help in creation |
Isaiah 51 verses
Isaiah 51 16 Meaning
This verse declares God's direct involvement in establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth. It emphasizes His power and His ongoing care for His people, assuring them that He who created and sustains the universe is their sovereign Lord and protector.
Isaiah 51 16 Context
This verse is found in Isaiah chapter 51, which is a chapter of comfort and restoration for Zion. It follows God's declaration of His unwavering commitment to His people and His promises of future blessings and redemption. The prophet is addressing a generation of Israelites who have experienced exile and hardship, assuring them that their God, the Creator of the universe, is still in control and has not abandoned them. This particular verse serves as a foundational statement of God's absolute sovereignty and power, intended to bolster their faith and hope in His ability to deliver them.
Isaiah 51 16 Word Analysis
- "And say to the... state of Jerusalem": This implies a direct communication from God through the prophet to the city of Jerusalem, representing His people.
- "I am": This is the first-person singular of the verb "to be," pointing to God's self-existence and eternal nature. It echoes His self-revelation as "I AM WHO I AM" in Exodus 3:14.
- "the LORD": This is the tetragrammaton YHWH (Yahweh), the covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship and redemptive actions on behalf of Israel.
- "your God": This further personalizes the relationship, indicating that this supreme Creator God is their God, their covenant partner and protector.
- "which": This relative pronoun introduces clauses describing God.
- "by my power": The Hebrew word for power is "koaḥ," signifying strength, ability, and might, underlining that His creation was not accidental but a deliberate act of supreme force.
- "stretched forth": The Hebrew verb "natah" means to extend, spread out, or stretch out. It’s used here to depict God's active and expansive act of creation.
- "the heavens": "shamayim" in Hebrew, referring to the sky, the atmosphere, and the celestial realms, indicating the vastness of His creative scope.
- "and lay the foundations of the earth": The phrase "lay the foundations" comes from the Hebrew verb "yasad," meaning to found, establish, or lay a foundation. It implies an orderly and intentional construction of the earth, signifying stability and purpose.
- "by my hand": The "hand" ("yad" in Hebrew) symbolizes God's direct involvement, control, and instrumental agency in creation.
Word-Group Analysis
- "I am the LORD your God": This phrase powerfully links God's eternal being ("I am"), His covenant name ("LORD"), and His relational claim ("your God"). It asserts that the God who eternally exists and has made Himself known to them is their personal God.
- "stretched forth the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth": This collective phrase emphasizes God's comprehensive creative acts, from the vast expanses of the heavens to the solid ground beneath their feet. It highlights His dominion over all aspects of the created order.
Isaiah 51 16 Bonus Section
The verse employs a powerful polemic against polytheistic beliefs prevalent in the ancient Near East. Many surrounding cultures worshiped deities who were seen as gods of certain realms (like a god of the sky or a god of the earth) or who fought to establish order from primordial chaos. Isaiah declares that the LORD is not a god among other gods, nor is He one who merely "found" existing material. He is the singular, sovereign Creator who, by His own power and deliberate will, brought everything into existence, including the very realms and elements that other nations might deify. His declaration "I AM the LORD your God" means this unique, omnipotent Creator is their God, differentiating His people from all others. The act of stretching out the heavens implies not just creation but also governance and dominion. Laying the foundations of the earth signifies His power to bring stability and order, a concept directly contrasted with the chaotic origins often attributed to creation by pagan mythologies.
Isaiah 51 16 Commentary
Isaiah 51:16 is a profound declaration of God's identity and power. It’s not merely an abstract statement about creation but a deeply pastoral reassurance for a discouraged people. God reminds them that the One who spoke the universe into existence, who deliberately designed and established the very earth they live on, is the same God who has covenanted with them and cares for them. This truth is meant to dispel their fear, silence their doubts, and rekindle their hope. In their suffering and exile, they might have felt forgotten or insignificant. But by recounting His creative power, God anchors their faith in His unchanging nature and His capacity to bring about redemption and restoration. His act of stretching out the heavens and laying the earth’s foundations signifies His ultimate authority and control over all circumstances, making Him the unfailing source of their hope and salvation.