Isaiah 51:5 kjv
My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.
Isaiah 51:5 nkjv
My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait upon Me, And on My arm they will trust.
Isaiah 51:5 niv
My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm.
Isaiah 51:5 esv
My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait.
Isaiah 51:5 nlt
My mercy and justice are coming soon.
My salvation is on the way.
My strong arm will bring justice to the nations.
All distant lands will look to me
and wait in hope for my powerful arm.
Isaiah 51 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 51:4 | Listen to me, my people; attend to me, my nation... | Isa 49:14 |
| Isa 51:16 | ...to plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, and to say to Zion, "You are my people." | Psa 89:27 |
| Isa 51:6 | Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment... | Psa 102:25-26 |
| Isa 51:17 | See, I have taken from your hand the cup that once made you stagger and drink your fill of wrath, from your hand I have given it to your tormentors. | Jer 25:17 |
| Psa 37:29 | The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. | Psa 37:29 |
| Psa 119:142 | Your righteousness is eternal righteousness, and your law is truth. | Psa 119:142 |
| Isa 45:17 | But Israel will be saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or embarrassed. | Isa 45:17 |
| Jer 31:3 | ...I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. | Jer 31:3 |
| Rom 1:17 | For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." | Rom 1:17 |
| Rev 14:6 | Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. | Rev 14:6 |
| Gal 3:29 | If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. | Gal 3:29 |
| John 3:16 | For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. | John 3:16 |
| Luke 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never-end. | Luke 1:32-33 |
| Isa 60:21 | Then all your people will be righteous and they will inherit the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. | Isa 60:21 |
| Isa 46:13 | I will bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor for Israel. | Isa 46:13 |
| Isa 51:3 | The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look cómpassionately on all her ruins. He will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found there, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. | Isa 51:3 |
| Isa 54:17 | however weapon formed against you shall not prosper. And every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment shall you condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness which is from me, saith the LORD. | Isa 54:17 |
| Psa 23:3 | He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. | Psa 23:3 |
| Eph 2:8 | For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— | Eph 2:8 |
| 1 Peter 1:4 | to an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you. | 1 Peter 1:4 |
Isaiah 51 verses
Isaiah 51 5 Meaning
The Lord's righteousness and salvation are eternal and unwavering. He will bring His people out from difficult circumstances and oppressive nations. His salvation is not temporary but is an everlasting deliverance.
Isaiah 51 5 Context
This verse is part of Isaiah's prophetic message to the people of Judah and Jerusalem during a time of great distress, likely in the exilic or post-exilic period. The preceding verses (Isaiah 51:1-3) call the people to listen, to seek the LORD, and to remember their heritage. They describe the current desolate state of Zion and the comfort God promises to bring. Isaiah 51:5 directly follows this promise of comfort and sets forth the basis for this assurance: the eternal nature of God's righteousness and salvation, which extends to all nations. This message of hope is set against a backdrop of national disaster and foreign oppression, contrasting the transient nature of the earthly world with the permanence of God's kingdom and redemptive plan.
Isaiah 51 5 Word analysis
- קָרוֹב (qarov): Near. It signifies proximity, both spatially and temporally. In this context, it emphasizes that God's justice and deliverance are not distant or delayed, but imminent.
- יְמִינִי (yemini): My right hand. This idiomatically refers to strength, power, and authority, often associated with God’s active intervention on behalf of His people. It suggests the active power of God’s saving arm.
- צִדְקָתִי (tsidqati): My righteousness. This refers to God's inherent moral perfection, His faithfulness to His covenant, and His just actions. It is the foundation of His salvation and judgment.
- תִּישָׁעַתִּי (tisha‘ati): My salvation/deliverance. This denotes the act of rescue, preservation, and liberation from bondage and distress. It encompasses both spiritual and temporal aspects.
- בְּעַמִּים (bə‘ammîm): With/among the nations/peoples. This indicates that God’s justice and salvation are not confined to Israel alone but are demonstrated universally, impacting and even being extended through the nations. It points to a global aspect of God's redemptive work.
- מְלוּכָה (məluḵâ): Rule/dominion/sovereignty. This refers to the authority and governance of kings or divine kingship.
- עַמִּים (‘ammîm): Nations/peoples. Plural of 'am, often used to refer to the Gentile nations distinct from Israel.
- אוֹתִיּוֹת (otiyyat): Isles/coastlands. Refers to lands that are remote or separated by sea, suggesting the reach of God's authority.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "קָרוֹב צִדְקָתִי" (qarov tsidqati): My righteousness is near. This linkage between proximity and righteousness underscores that God's uprightness and faithfulness are not abstract concepts but active, imminent forces in history, assuring His people of His coming intervention.
- "וְתוֹשַׁעְתִּי נִגְלָתָה" (wətošua‘ti niglātâ): and my salvation is revealed/uncovered. This suggests that God's deliverance, though perhaps unseen or delayed in human perception, is about to be manifested openly.
- "וּזְרֹעִי אֶת־הָעַמִּים שָׁפָט" (ūzərō‘i ‘et-hā‘ammîm šāpāṭ): and my arm shall judge the peoples. The 'arm' signifies God's powerful action. His judgment on the nations is inextricably linked to His salvation of His people, indicating a cosmic reordering where God’s justice prevails universally.
- "אִיִּים אֶל־צִדְקִי יְקַוּוּ" (iyyim ‘el-tsidqî yəqavvû): Isles/coastlands shall wait for me (lit. "my righteousness"). This highlights the global expectation of God’s deliverance and the far-reaching consequences of His righteous reign, extending beyond the land of Israel to the remotest regions.
Isaiah 51 5 Bonus section
The Hebrew term "yemini" (my right hand) also carries connotations of trust and support. Just as one relies on their right hand for strength, God's people can lean on His powerful arm. The judgment of the "peoples" (bə‘ammîm) implies that God’s redemptive plan involves rectifying injustices committed by nations against His people and establishing His sovereign rule over all creation. This is a testament to God’s impartiality and the comprehensive nature of His salvation, which extends even to the "isles" (iyyim), distant lands and peoples, anticipating a time when the nations will also recognize and await God’s righteousness.
Isaiah 51 5 Commentary
Isaiah 51:5 is a powerful affirmation of God’s ultimate justice and unwavering commitment to His people. It assures the exiles that despite their current suffering and the apparent strength of their oppressors, God’s saving power is imminent and will be universally demonstrated. The verse links God’s righteousness directly to His salvific acts. His righteousness is not merely abstract moral perfection; it is the very basis of His promised deliverance. The "arm" of God, symbolizing His power, will not only save Zion but also judge the nations that have oppressed His people. This dual action — saving His own and executing justice upon the adversaries — reveals the comprehensive scope of God’s reign. The concluding phrase, "the isles shall wait for my righteousness," speaks to a universal expectation and anticipation of God's righteous reign and deliverance, signifying that God's salvation will be made known to all people, not just Israel. This promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in the coming of Christ, whose redemptive work is both personal and cosmic, bringing salvation and justice to all who believe.