Isaiah 51:2 kjv
Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.
Isaiah 51:2 nkjv
Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, And blessed him and increased him."
Isaiah 51:2 niv
look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many.
Isaiah 51:2 esv
Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him.
Isaiah 51:2 nlt
Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor,
and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation.
Abraham was only one man when I called him.
But when I blessed him, he became a great nation."
Isaiah 51 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 51:2 | Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn. | (Direct Quote) |
| Isaiah 8:14 | He will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel an Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense; and for a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. | Emphasizes Jesus as the rock, a stumbling block for some |
| Isaiah 28:16 | therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘He who believes will not rush.’" | Identifies Jesus as the cornerstone/foundation |
| Matthew 7:24 | Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. | Likens obedience to building on a rock |
| Matthew 7:25 | And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. | Continues the illustration of steadfastness |
| Matthew 21:42 | Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" | Quotes Psalm 118, directly linking the rejected stone to Jesus |
| Mark 12:10 | Have you not even read this Scripture: "'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'? | Repeats Jesus' affirmation of his role |
| Luke 20:17 | But he looked directly at them and said, "What then is this that is written: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'?" | Emphasizes Jesus' awareness and application of scripture |
| Acts 4:11 | This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. | Peter applies Isaiah 28:16 to Jesus |
| Romans 9:33 | as it is written, "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." | Connects faith in Christ to avoiding shame |
| 1 Corinthians 10:4 | and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. | Directly identifies the rock in the wilderness wanderings as Christ |
| 1 Corinthians 3:11 | For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. | Establishes Jesus as the sole foundation |
| Ephesians 2:20 | built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, | Describes the church built upon Christ and apostolic teaching |
| 1 Peter 2:4-6 | Come to him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house... as it is written, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." | Elaborates on believers becoming living stones built upon Christ |
| Deuteronomy 32:4 | "The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he." | Affirms God's character as dependable and just |
| Genesis 49:24 | yet his bow remained and was made strong by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, from there is the shepherd, the Stone of Israel. | Refers to Joseph (or Jacob's blessing on Joseph) as the Stone of Israel |
| Psalm 18:2 | The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. | Expresses personal reliance on God as a rock |
| Psalm 62:7 | On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. | Declares trust in God for salvation and refuge |
| Psalm 71:3 | Be to me a rock of refuge, a stronghold to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. | A plea for God's protective steadfastness |
| Jeremiah 17:13 | O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away on earth shall be written in the dust, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water. | Contrasts reliance on God with turning away from Him |
Isaiah 51 verses
Isaiah 51 2 Meaning
Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn.
Isaiah 51 2 Context
This verse appears in Isaiah chapter 51, a section of prophetic oracles that offer comfort and hope to the people of Israel, who are in exile. The prophet addresses those who are "pursuing righteousness" and "seeking the LORD." The immediate context is an encouragement to remember God's faithfulness and power, particularly by looking back to their origins as a people, a people who were chosen and formed by God. This reminder serves to strengthen their faith amidst their present difficulties, assuring them that the God who established them is the same God who will restore them.
Isaiah 51 2 Word Analysis
מַבִּיטוּ (mabitu): Imperative, plural, "look." This is a call to active observation and consideration, not merely a passive glance. It urges the people to direct their attention and thoughts toward a specific point of reference.
אֶל־ (el): Preposition, "to" or "toward." Indicates the direction of the looking.
צוּר (tsur): Masculine noun, "rock," "cliff," "strength." The rock signifies stability, foundation, and enduring power. It’s a common biblical metaphor for God’s reliability and defensive strength. Here, it refers to the origin point of the nation.
נִצַּבְתֶּם (nitzavtem): Verb, Hiphil stem, perfect tense, 2nd person, plural, "you were set," "you were placed." This verb emphasizes being firmly established or set in place. The Hiphil stem can indicate God's action of placing them.
וְאֶל־ (ve'el): Conjunction "and" plus preposition "to" or "toward." Connects the two phrases, reinforcing the dual focus of attention.
מַחְצֵב (machtzev): Masculine noun, "quarry," "pit," "excavation." This word speaks of the source material, the very substance from which something is hewn or taken. It refers to the origin point from which they were dug out or extracted.
בּוֹר (bor): Masculine noun, "pit," "cistern," "well." Similar to machtzev, it denotes a dug-out place, emphasizing the place of their formation or origin, likely referring to the raw material from which God formed Abraham and Sarah.
word-by-word analysis:
- The imperative "Look" is a direct command to recall and reflect.
- "to the rock" points to the foundational origin of the nation, emphasizing God as their source and support.
- "from which you were cut" signifies selection and separation for a specific purpose, suggesting they were quarried out by divine intent.
- "and to the quarry" further specifies the place of origin, highlighting the raw, perhaps unformed, state from which God began His work.
- "from which you were hewn" emphasizes the active shaping and extraction by God, akin to stone being deliberately carved from its source.
Isaiah 51 2 Bonus Section
The imagery of being "cut from a rock" and "hewn from a quarry" highlights God's sovereignty in choosing and forming His people. This isn't a people that arose accidentally, but one deliberately fashioned from the solid, unchanging rock of God's purpose. The Hebrew terms (tsur and machtzev) evoke strength, stability, and the skilled work of a craftsman. This is echoed in the New Testament where Christ is repeatedly called the Rock and the Cornerstone (1 Cor 10:4, 1 Pet 2:6), indicating that the foundational identity and salvation of believers originate in Him, the one who was chosen and precious. The reference to being "hewn" can also be seen as God's shaping work in their lives, forming them according to His will, even from a basic, unrefined origin.
Isaiah 51 2 Commentary
This verse is a powerful exhortation for the people of God, particularly Israel in exile, to remember their divine origin and God's faithfulness. It's an instruction to look back not to human history, but to the very foundational rock and quarry that represent God's deliberate act of creation and selection of their ancestors, primarily Abraham and Sarah. By reflecting on their inception as a people, chosen and formed by God, they are reminded of His enduring power and commitment. This historical memory is meant to anchor their present faith and hope, assuring them that the God who began their nation is the same God who will bring about their restoration and salvation. It counters feelings of despair by pointing to an unshakeable divine foundation.