Isaiah 16:5
in Isaiah 16in loving devotion a throne will be established in the tent of David. A judge seeking justice and hastening righteousness will sit on it in faithfulness.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And a throne shall be established in lovingkindness; and one shall sit thereon in truth, in the tent of David, judging, and seeking justice, and swift to do righteousness.
KJV
And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.
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This verse in Isaiah 16
Commentary
13 notes on this verse"And a throne will be prepared in mercy, and on it will sit in truth, in the tabernacle of David, one who judges and seeks judgment and quickly renders what is just." The Hebrews interpret this to mean that Hezekiah, a just man, after having expelled the Assyrians, will retain the throne of David and rule Judah, adjudging the people of God to be subject to himself in truth. Others understand that it is about Christ.
This site's exposition
Give us counsel; render a decision
on Isaiah 16:3-5
Verse 5 answers with a throne "established in the tent of David," where a "judge seeking justice and hastening righteousness" sits in faithfulness. Because the throne is David's, the text allows both a king of Judah in the prophet's day and the Messiah, David's greater son.
This site's exposition
a throne will be established in the tent of David
Jerome reports the Jewish teachers of his day read the throne as Hezekiah's, established after the Assyrian oppressor was gone, and Gill held the same. Loving devotion is the Hebrew hesed, covenant love. Wesley reads faithfulness as a throne that stands firm.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
According to Aquila, "his throne will be established in mercy," or according to Theodotion, "the throne will be established with mercy." Who will establish the throne? Or how is Christ born from the posterity of David? The throne will be established by the Moabites, according to the text; and Christ who is born from the tent (tabernacle) of David will sit upon the throne. By "the tent of David" the prophet means the church of God. David himself is called christ because from his posterity Christ is born according to flesh. Therefore, the tent (tabernacle) of David is the church, and the throne belongs to the head of the church. It refers to the humanity of Christ. Therefore, one should contemplate on the mystery of Christ revealed in the prophecy only in the Holy Spirit; and in such a cautious contemplation curiosity and speculation must be tamed.
(Verse 5) And a throne shall be prepared in mercy, and he shall sit upon it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking judgment, and quickly rendering what is just. The Hebrews interpret this place as follows: After the Assyrian is driven away, the just man Ezechias shall reign over Judah, and he shall retain the throne of David, ruling over the people of God in truth. Others understand it as referring to Christ. After the dust and destroyer of the Antichrist are removed, who trampled upon the whole earth, Christ the king shall come, who shall sit in the tabernacle of David, and on the day of judgment he shall render to all according to their works. And there is no doubt that this chapter predicts about Christ. But we can understand the same thing in his first coming, and show in the Church's tabernacle, that in all the land of Moab the trophies of the Churches rising up testify to the kingdom of Christ.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Second, as to the restoration of the Jews, that they might do it freely; as to the preparation of the kingdom: a throne, of the kings of the Judah, shall be prepared in mercy, the mercy of God, or of a merciful king; as to …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
I am now punishing their sins, yet I will deliver them for my own mercy's sake. The throne - The kingdom of Judah. In truth - That is, firmly and constantly; for truth is often put for the stability and certainty of a thing, as 2 Chron. xxxii, 1 Prov. xi, 18.
13 This is the word that the L ORD hath spoken concerning Moab since that time. 14 But now the L ORD hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of a hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble. The sins with which Moab is charged,
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5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And in mercy shall the throne be established,.... That is, the throne of Hezekiah, and his government over Judah, which was more firmly settled and established after the overthrow of the Assyrian army, through the mercy of God vouchsafed to him, and on account of the mercy he exercised among his subjects, see Pro 20:
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
If Judah shelters the suppliant Moab, allowing him to remain in Idumea, a blessing will redound to Judah itself and its "throne." truth . . . judgment . . . righteousness--language so divinely framed as to apply to "the latter days" under King Messiah, when "the Lord shall bring again the captivity of Moab" (Ps 72:2;
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A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Give shelter to the Jewish outcasts who take refuge in thy land (Isa 16:3, 4); so "mercy" will be shown thee in turn by whatever king sits on the "throne" of "David" (Isa 16:5). Isaiah foresees that Moab will be too proud to pay the tribute, or conciliate Judah by sheltering its outcasts (Isa 16:6); therefore judgment shall be executed.
In mercy shall the throne be established - May not this refer to the throne of Hezekiah? Here we have the character of such a king as cannot fail to be a blessing to the people. 1. “He sitteth on the throne in truth” - He does not merely profess to be the father and protector of his people: but he is actually such. 2. He is judging. He is not a man of war or blood, who wastes his subjects’ lives and treasures in contentions with neighboring nations, in order to satisfy his ambition by the extension of his territory. On the contrary, his whole life is occupied in the distribution of justice. 3. He seeketh judgment. He seeks out the poor distressed ones who cannot make their way to him, and avenges them on their oppressors. 4. He hastens righteousness. He does not suffer any of the courts of justice to delay the determination of the causes brought before them: he so orders that the point in litigation be fairly, fully, and speedily heard; and then judgment pronounced. Delays in the execution of justice answer little end but the enriching of unprincipled lawyers.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And in mercy - In benignity; kindness; benevolence. Shall the throne be established - The throne of the king of Judah. That is, he that shall sit upon the throne of David shall be disposed to repay the kindness which is now sought at the hand of Moab, and shall be able to do it. And he shall sit upon it - The king of Israel. In truth - In faithfulness; that is, shall be true and faithful.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהוּכַ֤ן | vehukhan | and it will be established | H3559 → | 217 times |
| בַּחֶ֙סֶד֙ | bachesed | in <the> covenant loyalty | H2617 → | 247 times |
| כִּסֵּ֔א | kise' | a throne | H3678 → | 135 times |
| וְיָשַׁ֥ב | veyashav | and he will sit | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| עָלָ֛יו | ʾalav | on it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת | beemet | in faithfulness | H571 → | 127 times |
| בְּאֹ֣הֶל | beohel | in [the] tent of | H168 → | 345 times |
| דָּוִ֑ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| שֹׁפֵ֛ט | shofet | [one who] judges | H8199 → | 202 times |
| וְדֹרֵ֥שׁ | vedoresh | and [one who] seeks | H1875 → | 164 times |
| מִשְׁפָּ֖ט | mishpat | justice | H4941 → | 422 times |
| וּמְהִ֥ר | umehir | and [one] prompt of | H4106 → | |
| צֶֽדֶק׃ | tzedek | righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
וְהוּכַ֤ןand it will be established
vehukhanH3559 →217 times
בַּחֶ֙סֶד֙in <the> covenant loyalty
bachesedH2617 →247 times
כִּסֵּ֔אa throne
kise'H3678 →135 times
וְיָשַׁ֥בand he will sit
veyashavH3427 →1079 times
עָלָ֛יוon it
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
בֶּאֱמֶ֖תin faithfulness
beemetH571 →127 times
בְּאֹ֣הֶלin [the] tent of
beohelH168 →345 times
דָּוִ֑דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
שֹׁפֵ֛ט[one who] judges
shofetH8199 →202 times
וְדֹרֵ֥שׁand [one who] seeks
vedoreshH1875 →164 times
מִשְׁפָּ֖טjustice
mishpatH4941 →422 times
וּמְהִ֥רand [one] prompt of
umehirH4106 →
צֶֽדֶק׃righteousness
tzedekH6664 →119 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Daniel 7:14And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is…
it leads to
- Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Daniel 7:27
Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all…
- Daniel 2:44
In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms…
- John 3:35
The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands.
- 1 Corinthians 15:24–28
Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.
- Revelation 11:15
Through
Daniel 7:27Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all…
it leads to
- Daniel 7:14
And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 72:11
May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
- Luke 1:33
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”
- Daniel 7:14
About Isaiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Eusebius of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 16:1-5; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:16.5; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.