Bible/Isaiah/51

Isaiah 51:23

51:22 Thus 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:
But 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.

KJV

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and I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to your soul, ‘Bow down, that we may walk over you;’ and you have laid your back as the ground, like a street to those who walk over.”

But 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.

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

What does Isaiah 51:23 mean?

Isaiah 51:23 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include שׂוּם (sûwm), יָד (yâd), יָגָה (yâgâh).

Hebrew interlinear

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But
I
will
putשׂוּםsûwm/soom/H7760to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
it
into
the
handיָדyâd/yawd/H3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
of
them
that
afflictיָגָהyâgâh/yaw-gaw'/H3013to grieve
thee;
which
have
saidאָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)
to
thy
soul,נֶפֶשׁnephesh/neh'-fesh/H5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
Bow
down,שָׁחָהshâchâh/shaw-khaw'/H7812to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God)
that
we
may
go
over:עָבַרʻâbar/aw-bar'/H5674to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)
and
thou
hast
laidשׂוּםsûwm/soom/H7760to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
thy
bodyגֵּוgêv/gave/H1460the back; by analogy, the middle
as
the
ground,אֶרֶץʼerets/eh'-rets/H776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
and
as
the
street,חוּץchûwts/khoots/H2351properly, separate by awall, i.e. outside, outdoors
to
them
that
went
over.עָבַרʻâbar/aw-bar'/H5674to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)

Topics

DrunkennessJews, the

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 51:23.

Genesis 32:16

And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

Genesis 1:20

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. moving: or, creeping life: Heb. soul fowl: Heb. let fowl fly open: Heb. face of the firmament of heaven

Genesis 1:24

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Genesis 21:18

Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

Genesis 22:6

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

Genesis 24:2

And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

Genesis 24:47

And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.

Genesis 24:9

And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 51:23 say?

Isaiah 51:23 (King James Version) reads: "But 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."

Is Isaiah 51:23 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 51:23 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 51:23, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on Isaiah 51:23
51:22Read all of Isaiah 51