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Isaiah 51
Lexham English Bible
Isaiah 51
Lexham English Bible
Yahweh Comforts Zion
51 “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,
who seek Yahweh.
Look to the rock from which you were hewn,
and to the excavation of the pit from which you were quarried.
2 Look to Abraham your father,
and to Sarah; she brought you forth.
For I called him alone,[a]
but[b] I blessed him and made him numerous.”
3 For Yahweh will comfort Zion;
he will comfort all its sites of ruins.
And he will make[c] its wilderness like Eden,
and its desert like the garden of Yahweh.
Joy and gladness will be found in it,
thanksgiving and the sound[d] of song.
4 “Listen attentively to me, my people,
and my nation, listen to me!
For a teaching will go out from me,
and I will cause my justice to rest for a light to the peoples.
5 My righteousness is near; my salvation has gone out,
and my arms will judge the peoples.
The coastlands wait for me,
and for my arm they wait.
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens
and look to the earth beneath,
for the heavens will be torn to pieces like smoke,
and the earth will be worn out like a garment,
and those who inhabit her will die like gnats.
But[e] my salvation will be forever,
and my righteousness will not be broken to pieces.
7 Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
people who have my teaching in their heart;
you must not fear the reproach of men,
or be terrified because of their abuse.
8 For a moth will eat them like garments;
a moth will devour[f] them like wool,
but[g] my righteousness will be forever,
and my salvation for generation after generation.[h]”
9 Awake! Awake; put on strength, O arm of Yahweh!
Awake as in days of long ago,
the generations of a long time back!
Are you not the one who cut Rahab in pieces,
the one who pierced the sea-dragon?
10 Are you not the one who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep,
the one who made[i] the depths of the sea a way
for those who are redeemed to cross over?
11 So[j] the redeemed ones of Yahweh shall return,
and they shall come to Zion with singing,
and everlasting joy shall be on their heads.[k]
Joy and gladness shall appear;[l]
sorrow and sighing shall flee away!
12 “I, I am he who comforts you;
who are you that[m] you are afraid of man? He dies!
And of the son of humankind? He is sacrificed[n] as grass!
13 And you have forgotten Yahweh, your maker,
who stretched out the heavens,
and founded the earth.
And you tremble continually, all day,
because of the wrath of the oppressor
when he takes aim[o] to destroy.
But[p] where is the wrath of the oppressor?
14 The fettered one shall make haste to be freed.
And he shall not die in[q] the pit,
and he shall not lack his bread.
15 For[r] I am Yahweh, your God,
who stirs up[s] the sea, so that[t] its waves roar;
Yahweh of hosts is his name.
16 And I have put my words in your mouth,
and I have covered you in the shadow of my hand,
to plant the heavens
and to found the earth,
saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”
17 Rouse yourself! Rouse yourself!
Stand up, Jerusalem, who have drunk from the hand of Yahweh the cup of his wrath;
you have drunk the goblet, the cup of staggering;
you have drained it out.
18 There is no one who guides her among[u] all the children she has borne,
and there is no one who grasps her by the hand among[v] all the children she raised.
19 Two things here have happened to you—who will show sympathy[w] for you?—
devastation and destruction, famine and sword—who will comfort you?
20 Your children have fainted;
they lie at the head of all the streets, like an antelope in[x] a snare,
those who are full of the wrath of Yahweh,
the rebuke of your God.
21 Therefore hear now this afflicted one
and drunken one but[y] not from wine.
22 Thus says your Lord, Yahweh,
and your God pleads the cause of his people:
“Look! I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering.
You shall not continue[z] to drink the goblet, the cup of my wrath, any longer.
23 And I will put it in the hand of your tormenters,
who have said to you,[aa] ‘Bow down that[ab] we may pass[ac] over you!’
And you have made[ad] your back like the ground,
and like the street for those who pass[ae] over you.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 51:2 Literally “one”
- Isaiah 51:2 Or “and”
- Isaiah 51:3 Literally “put”
- Isaiah 51:3 Literally “voice”
- Isaiah 51:6 Or “And”
- Isaiah 51:8 Or “eat”
- Isaiah 51:8 Or “and”
- Isaiah 51:8 Literally “generation of generations”
- Isaiah 51:10 Literally “placed”
- Isaiah 51:11 Or “And”
- Isaiah 51:11 Hebrew “head”
- Isaiah 51:11 Literally “reach”
- Isaiah 51:12 Or “and”
- Isaiah 51:12 Literally “given”
- Isaiah 51:13 Literally “sets up”
- Isaiah 51:13 Or “And”
- Isaiah 51:14 Or “to”
- Isaiah 51:15 Or “And”
- Isaiah 51:15 Or “stirring up”
- Isaiah 51:15 Or “and”
- Isaiah 51:18 Or “from”
- Isaiah 51:18 Or “from”
- Isaiah 51:19 Literally “wander”
- Isaiah 51:20 Or “of”
- Isaiah 51:21 Or “and”
- Isaiah 51:22 Literally “do again”
- Isaiah 51:23 Literally “your inner self”
- Isaiah 51:23 Or “and”
- Isaiah 51:23 Or “stride”
- Isaiah 51:23 Literally “placed”
- Isaiah 51:23 Or “stride”
Isaiah 51
New International Version
Isaiah 51
New International Version
Everlasting Salvation for Zion
51 “Listen(A) to me, you who pursue righteousness(B)
and who seek(C) the Lord:
Look to the rock(D) from which you were cut
and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
2 look to Abraham,(E) 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.(F)
3 The Lord will surely comfort(G) Zion(H)
and will look with compassion on all her ruins;(I)
he will make her deserts like Eden,(J)
her wastelands(K) like the garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness(L) will be found in her,
thanksgiving(M) and the sound of singing.
4 “Listen to me, my people;(N)
hear me,(O) my nation:
Instruction(P) will go out from me;
my justice(Q) will become a light to the nations.(R)
5 My righteousness draws near speedily,
my salvation(S) is on the way,(T)
and my arm(U) will bring justice to the nations.
The islands(V) will look to me
and wait in hope(W) for my arm.
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke,(X)
the earth will wear out like a garment(Y)
and its inhabitants die like flies.
But my salvation(Z) will last forever,(AA)
my righteousness will never fail.(AB)
7 “Hear me, you who know what is right,(AC)
you people who have taken my instruction to heart:(AD)
Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals
or be terrified by their insults.(AE)
8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment;(AF)
the worm(AG) will devour them like wool.
But my righteousness will last forever,(AH)
my salvation through all generations.”
9 Awake, awake,(AI) arm(AJ) of the Lord,
clothe yourself with strength!(AK)
Awake, as in days gone by,
as in generations of old.(AL)
Was it not you who cut Rahab(AM) to pieces,
who pierced that monster(AN) through?
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,(AO)
the waters of the great deep,(AP)
who made a road in the depths of the sea(AQ)
so that the redeemed(AR) might cross over?
11 Those the Lord has rescued(AS) will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;(AT)
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy(AU) will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.(AV)
12 “I, even I, am he who comforts(AW) you.
Who are you that you fear(AX) mere mortals,(AY)
human beings who are but grass,(AZ)
13 that you forget(BA) the Lord your Maker,(BB)
who stretches out the heavens(BC)
and who lays the foundations of the earth,
that you live in constant terror(BD) every day
because of the wrath of the oppressor,
who is bent on destruction?
For where is the wrath of the oppressor?(BE)
14 The cowering prisoners will soon be set free;(BF)
they will not die in their dungeon,
nor will they lack bread.(BG)
15 For I am the Lord your God,
who stirs up the sea(BH) so that its waves roar(BI)—
the Lord Almighty(BJ) is his name.
16 I have put my words in your mouth(BK)
and covered you with the shadow of my hand(BL)—
I who set the heavens in place,
who laid the foundations of the earth,(BM)
and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.(BN)’”
The Cup of the Lord’s Wrath
17 Awake, awake!(BO)
Rise up, Jerusalem,
you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord
the cup(BP) of his wrath,(BQ)
you who have drained to its dregs(BR)
the goblet that makes people stagger.(BS)
18 Among all the children(BT) she bore
there was none to guide her;(BU)
among all the children she reared
there was none to take her by the hand.(BV)
19 These double calamities(BW) have come upon you—
who can comfort you?(BX)—
ruin and destruction,(BY) famine(BZ) and sword(CA)—
who can[a] console you?
20 Your children have fainted;
they lie at every street corner,(CB)
like antelope caught in a net.(CC)
They are filled with the wrath(CD) of the Lord,
with the rebuke(CE) of your God.
21 Therefore hear this, you afflicted(CF) one,
made drunk,(CG) but not with wine.
22 This is what your Sovereign Lord says,
your God, who defends(CH) his people:
“See, I have taken out of your hand
the cup(CI) that made you stagger;
from that cup, the goblet of my wrath,
you will never drink again.
23 I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,(CJ)
who said to you,
‘Fall prostrate(CK) that we may walk(CL) on you.’
And you made your back like the ground,
like a street to be walked on.”(CM)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 51:19 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text / how can I
Isaiah 51
English Standard Version
Isaiah 51
English Standard Version
The Lord's Comfort for Zion
51 (A)“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,
you who seek the Lord:
look to the rock from which you were hewn,
and to the quarry from which you were dug.
2 Look to Abraham your father
and to Sarah who bore you;
for (B)he was but one when I called him,
that I might bless him and multiply him.
3 For the Lord (C)comforts Zion;
he comforts all her waste places
and makes her wilderness like (D)Eden,
her desert like (E)the garden of the Lord;
(F)joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the voice of song.
4 (G)“Give attention to me, my people,
and give ear to me, my nation;
(H)for a law[a] will go out from me,
and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.
5 (I)My righteousness draws near,
my salvation has gone out,
and my arms will judge the peoples;
(J)the coastlands hope for me,
and for my arm they wait.
6 (K)Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
and look at the earth beneath;
(L)for the heavens vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;[b]
(M)but my salvation will be forever,
and my righteousness will never be dismayed.
7 (N)“Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
the people (O)in whose heart is my law;
(P)fear not the reproach of man,
nor be dismayed at their revilings.
8 (Q)For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
and the worm will eat them like wool,
(R)but my righteousness will be forever,
and my salvation to all generations.”
9 (S)Awake, awake, (T)put on strength,
O (U)arm of the Lord;
awake, (V)as in days of old,
the generations of long ago.
Was it not you who cut (W)Rahab in pieces,
who pierced (X)the dragon?
10 (Y)Was it not you who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep,
who made the depths of the sea a way
for the redeemed to pass over?
11 (Z)And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
12 “I, I am he (AA)who comforts you;
who are you that you are afraid of (AB)man who dies,
of the son of man who is made (AC)like grass,
13 and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker,
(AD)who stretched out the heavens
and (AE)laid the foundations of the earth,
and you fear continually all the day
because of the wrath of (AF)the oppressor,
when he sets himself to destroy?
And where is the wrath of (AG)the oppressor?
14 (AH)He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;
he shall not die and go down (AI)to the pit,
neither shall his bread be lacking.
15 I am the Lord your God,
(AJ)who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
the Lord of hosts is his name.
16 (AK)And I have put my words in your mouth
(AL)and covered you in the shadow of my hand,
(AM)establishing[c] the heavens
and (AN)laying the foundations of the earth,
and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”
17 (AO)Wake yourself, wake yourself,
stand up, O Jerusalem,
(AP)you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord
the cup of his wrath,
who have drunk to the dregs
the bowl, (AQ)the cup of staggering.
18 (AR)There is none to guide her
among all the sons she has borne;
there is none to take her by the hand
among all the sons she has brought up.
19 (AS)These two things have happened to you—
who will console you?—
devastation and destruction, famine and sword;
who will comfort you?[d]
20 (AT)Your sons have fainted;
they lie at the head of every street
like an (AU)antelope (AV)in a net;
they are full of the wrath of the Lord,
the rebuke of your God.
21 (AW)Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,
who are drunk, but not with wine:
22 Thus says your Lord, the Lord,
your God (AX)who pleads the cause of his people:
“Behold, I have taken from your hand (AY)the cup of staggering;
the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;
23 (AZ)and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,
(BA)who have said to you,
‘Bow down, that we may pass over’;
and (BB)you have made your back like the ground
and like the street for them to pass over.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 51:4 Or for teaching; also verse 7
- Isaiah 51:6 Or will die like gnats
- Isaiah 51:16 Or planting
- Isaiah 51:19 Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Masoretic Text how shall I comfort you
Lexham English Bible (LEB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.