Isaiah 55:3 kjv
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Isaiah 55:3 nkjv
Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you? The sure mercies of David.
Isaiah 55:3 niv
Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
Isaiah 55:3 esv
Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
Isaiah 55:3 nlt
"Come to me with your ears wide open.
Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.
Isaiah 55 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 55:3 | "Incline your ear and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David." | To receive life and enduring covenant |
| Psalm 16:11 | "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." | God's presence brings abundant life |
| 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." | Jesus as spiritual sustenance |
| John 10:10 | "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." | Abundant life through Christ |
| Acts 13:34 | "And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead—no more to return to corruption—he has spoken thus, that he has testified, 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.'" | Assurance of resurrection blessings |
| Jeremiah 31:31 | "“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah," | Promise of a new covenant |
| Hebrews 8:6 | "But as it is, he has obtained a ministry much more excellent than the older covenant, inasmuch as he is mediator of a better covenant, which is enacted on better promises." | Superiority of the New Covenant |
| Hebrews 8:8-10 | "For he finds fault with them when he says: “The days are coming, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them from the land of Egypt..." | The New Covenant provisions |
| Romans 11:22 | "Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity on those who fell, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off." | Continuation in God's kindness |
| 1 Corinthians 1:9 | "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." | Called into fellowship by God's faithfulness |
| 2 Timothy 2:13 | "if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot give up himself." | God's unchanging faithfulness |
| Psalm 89:1-4 | "I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, 'Steadfast love will be built forever; in the very heavens you will establish your faithfulness.' You have said, 'I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:" | Covenant based on steadfast love |
| Psalm 132:11 | "The LORD swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: 'One of your own body I will set on your throne.'" | God's oath to David |
| Isaiah 9:7 | "Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore." | Davidic lineage and everlasting reign |
| Luke 1:32-33 | "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”" | Jesus as the Davidic King |
| Acts 2:29-30 | "Brothers, I may say to you with confidence concerning the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne," | David's offspring and promised throne |
| 1 Samuel 7:15-16 | "And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.'”" | God's promise to David's house |
| Ephesians 2:12 | "remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." | Past alienation from covenant promise |
| Hebrews 4:16 | "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." | Approaching God's throne for grace |
| Proverbs 2:4-5 | "if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God." | Seeking wisdom brings understanding |
Isaiah 55 verses
Isaiah 55 3 Meaning
This verse is a divine invitation and promise, offering spiritual nourishment and steadfast covenant loyalty. God beckons His people to a feast that satisfies the deepest needs of their souls, providing lasting security through a faithful relationship. It highlights God's abundant provision and His enduring commitment to those who heed His call.
Isaiah 55 3 Context
Isaiah 55 is a powerful call to repentance and faith, presented as a divine invitation to a banquet. The preceding verses emphasize God's abundant and freely offered provision for spiritual sustenance. This verse follows the invitation to "come" and "hear," focusing on the benefits of obedience: spiritual life and an everlasting covenant. The historical context is likely the post-exilic period, though the message resonates for all who are receptive to God's word. It speaks to a yearning for true fulfillment that outward forms of worship or sacrifices could not provide. The reference to David anchors this new covenant in the promises God made to King David concerning an eternal dynasty and kingdom.
Isaiah 55 3 Word Analysis
"Incline": (Hebrew: "Netah") Means to bend, to bow, to lean towards. It signifies a voluntary act of attentiveness and willing submission, more than just passive hearing.
"your ear": Represents the organ of hearing, but here metaphorically signifies one's entire being open to receive divine instruction and guidance.
"and come": (Hebrew: "Bo'i" - feminine imperative form) An invitation to approach, to draw near to God, implying active participation. The feminine form suggests the people of Jerusalem or Zion being addressed, or more broadly, all who are receptive.
"to me": Emphasizes the direct personal address and the relational aspect of the invitation. The source of sustenance and covenant is God Himself.
"hear": (Hebrew: "Shama") To listen, to obey, to heed. This is not merely auditory perception but an active reception and compliance with what is heard.
"that": Introduces the purpose or result of hearing.
"your soul": (Hebrew: "Naphesh") Refers to the whole person, the inner life, the seat of vitality, desires, and emotions. To hear and live means the revitalisation and spiritual well-being of the entire being.
"may live": (Hebrew: "Tichyeh") To be revived, to experience true life, to flourish. It implies a spiritual vitality that surpasses mere biological existence.
"and I will make": (Hebrew: "Waw-karati") A declaration of God's sovereign action and commitment. "Karati" comes from "qara" which means to call, proclaim, or establish.
"with you": Underscores the covenant as a relationship between God and His people.
"an everlasting covenant": (Hebrew: "'Olam brit") A perpetual, eternal agreement. This points to a covenant that will not expire or be superseded.
"my steadfast, sure love": (Hebrew: "Chasaday David ha-meitiv") This phrase is complex. "Chasaday" translates to loyal love, kindness, or covenant faithfulness. "David" specifically points to the covenant promises made to King David. "Ha-meitiv" means the good or the best. Together, it signifies the faithful, reliable, and benevolent aspects of God's covenantal love, particularly as expressed through the Davidic line. The Septuagint translates this as "holy and faithful promises."
Group Analysis: The first part ("Incline... live") presents a condition for receiving life: a willing, obedient reception of God's word. The second part ("and I will make... David") declares God's unbreakable, faithful promise of an everlasting covenant, rooted in His unwavering love and the specific promises made to David. This connects the universal invitation to the particular, historical, and future covenantal commitments.
Isaiah 55 3 Bonus Section
The phrase "my steadfast, sure love for David" (Hebrew: "Chasaday David ha-meitiv") is significant because it grounds the eternal covenant in God's specific, historic promises to King David. These promises, found in passages like 2 Samuel 7, assured David that his royal line would endure forever and that his kingdom would be established eternally. This foreshadows the messianic king, Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate fulfillment of these Davidic promises, being David's descendant and reigning eternally. The inclusion of "ha-meitiv" (the good/best) suggests the supreme quality and nature of this covenantal love that God intends to establish with His people, a love that is ultimately demonstrated in Christ. This verse therefore bridges the old covenant, with its Davidic assurances, to the new and better covenant established through Jesus.
Isaiah 55 3 Commentary
Isaiah 55:3 is a pivotal verse, revealing the heart of God's offer to His people. It contrasts superficial religion with a deep, life-giving relationship. God's invitation is not just to hear words, but to respond with attentive obedience that revitalizes the soul. This obedient hearing leads to the certainty of an enduring covenant, characterized by God's steadfast, loyal love. This love is not generic but is specifically linked to the Davidic covenant, a promise of a perpetual dynasty and kingdom fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God guarantees His faithfulness; the offer of life and covenant is sure, unbreakable, and eternally valid for all who turn to Him. This verse emphasizes that true spiritual life flows from submission to God's authoritative word and an embrace of His covenantal faithfulness.
- Practical Usage Example: When seeking guidance or feeling spiritually dry, one can heed this verse by deliberately pausing to listen attentively to God's word (through prayer, scripture, or wise counsel), consciously setting aside distractions and distractions, and embracing God's covenant faithfulness, trusting His promises even amidst challenges.