Isaiah 51

King James Version

Full text for Isaiah Chapter 51

1¶ Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock [whence] ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit [whence] ye are digged.

2Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah [that] bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

3For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

4¶ Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

5My 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.

6Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

7Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart [is] my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

8For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

9¶ Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. [Art] thou not it that hath cut Rahab, [and] wounded the dragon?

10[Art] thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?

11Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy [shall be] upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; [and] sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

12I, [even] I, [am] he that comforteth you: who [art] thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man [that] shall die, and of the son of man [which] shall be made [as] grass;

13And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where [is] the fury of the oppressor?

14The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.

15But I [am] the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts [is] his name.

16And 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.

17¶ Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, [and] wrung [them] out.

18[There is] none to guide her among all the sons [whom] she hath brought forth; neither [is there any] that taketh her by the hand of all the sons [that] she hath brought up.

19These two [things] are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee?

20Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.

21Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

22Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God [that] pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, [even] the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:

23But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The chapter begins by calling those who seek righteousness to remember their origins in Abraham and Sarah, promising God's comfort for Zion and her waste places. It emphasizes the eternal nature of God's salvation and righteousness, contrasting it with the fleeting existence of man and the heavens. The Lord assures His people not to fear human reproach, as He, the Creator, will deliver them and turn the cup of His fury upon their oppressors.

Medium Summary

Isaiah 51 opens with an exhortation for those who pursue righteousness to look to their spiritual heritage in Abraham and Sarah, whom the Lord blessed and increased. God promises to comfort Zion, transforming her desolate places into a garden of Eden, filled with joy and thanksgiving. He declares that His law and judgment will be a light to the nations, and His salvation and righteousness are everlasting, unlike the transient heavens and earth. The prophet then calls upon the "arm of the LORD" to awaken, recalling past mighty acts of deliverance, and assures that the redeemed will return to Zion with eternal joy. God rebukes His people for fearing mortal man, reminding them of His power as Creator and Comforter, who will ultimately remove the cup of His wrath from Jerusalem and place it in the hands of her oppressors.

Long Summary

Isaiah 51 commences with a divine call to those who follow righteousness and seek the Lord, urging them to remember their foundational heritage in Abraham and Sarah, whom God called alone and greatly multiplied. The Lord then promises profound comfort for Zion, declaring that He will transform her desolate wilderness into a vibrant garden like Eden, where joy, gladness, thanksgiving, and melody will abound. He further proclaims that His law and judgment will emanate from Him as a light to all peoples, and His righteousness and salvation are perpetually near and established. The chapter contrasts the eternal nature of God's deliverance with the transient heavens, earth, and the perishable nature of man, assuring His people that His salvation will endure forever. A plea is then made for the "arm of the LORD" to awaken, recalling ancient acts of power such as the defeat of Rahab (Egypt) and the parting of the Red Sea, anticipating the return of the redeemed to Zion with everlasting joy. God identifies Himself as the sole Comforter, rebuking His people for their fear of mortal men who are like grass, and for forgetting Him, their Creator, who stretched forth the heavens and laid the earth's foundations. He assures them that He will hasten the release of the captive exile. Finally, the Lord addresses Jerusalem, who has drunk the bitter cup of His fury, describing her desolation and the suffering of her sons. He promises to remove this cup of trembling from her hand and place it instead into the hands of those who have afflicted her, signaling an end to her suffering and a reversal of her fortunes.

Core Concepts

  • Remembering OriginsThe call to look to Abraham and Sarah as the rock and pit from which the people were hewn, emphasizing their humble beginnings and God's faithfulness in establishing them.
  • Divine Comfort and RestorationGod's promise to comfort Zion and make her desolate places like Eden, signifying a future of joy, fruitfulness, and peace.
  • Everlasting Salvation and RighteousnessThe declaration that God's salvation and righteousness are eternal and will not be abolished, contrasting with the transient nature of the physical world and human oppressors.
  • The Arm of the LORDA poetic invocation for God's powerful intervention, recalling His past acts of deliverance, such as defeating Rahab (Egypt) and parting the Red Sea for the ransomed.
  • Rebuke of Fear of ManGod's strong admonition against fearing mortal men, who are fleeting like grass, reminding His people of His own omnipotence as Creator and Comforter.
  • The Cup of God's FuryA metaphor for the divine judgment and suffering experienced by Jerusalem, which God promises to remove from His people and transfer to their oppressors.
  • Return of the RedeemedThe assurance that those delivered by the Lord will return to Zion with singing and everlasting joy, signifying a future restoration and end to sorrow.