Isaiah 51:4
in Isaiah 51Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation; for a law will go out from Me, and My justice will become a light to the nations; I will bring it about quickly.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Attend unto me, O my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall go forth from me, and I will establish my justice for a light of the peoples.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Isaiah 51
Commentary
11 notes on this verse(Vers. 4, 5.) Listen to me, my people, and my tribe, listen to me: for the law will come forth from me, and my judgment will rest on the light of the nations. My righteous one is near, my savior has come forth, and my arms will judge the peoples. The islands will wait for me, and my arm will sustain them. LXX: Listen to me, listen to me, my people, and kings, give heed to me: for the law will come forth from me, and my judgment will be a light to the Gentiles.
This site's exposition
for a law will go out from Me
on Isaiah 51:4-6
The LORD calls His people to listen, “for a law will go out from Me, and My justice will become a light to the nations”. Verse 6 sets the heavens and earth as passing things against the fixed thing: “My salvation will last forever, and My righteousness will never fail”.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Once it is said in Hebrew: 'Listen,' and secondly according to the Septuagint: 'Hear me, hear me,' so that it may teach us that we should hear with the ears of the body and the understanding of the soul. And a multitude of nations, which is the people of God, is called upon to diligently listen to what is said about it, as Zacharias says: 'Many nations will take refuge in the Lord, and they will become his people' (Zech. II, 11). They are called a people, as some will have it, the remnant of believers of Israel; and for tribe, or race, those who have believed from the multitude of nations, as Moses in Deuteronomy says to the nations in his song: 'Rejoice, O nations, with His people' (Deut. 32:43). For tribe, which we have interpreted as Theodotion, means 'race'; Symmachus translates it as 'nation'; the Seventy, as 'kings'. For we are both tribe and race, and people, and a royal and priestly lineage of the Lord, just as Abraham, who was called a king, and the other saints, of whom it is written: 'Touch not my anointed ones' (Ps. 105:15). What is it that is commanded to be heard? Because the law, he says, will go forth from me, and my judgment into the light of the people, or nations. This law of the Gospel is shown to be spiritual, which will go forth from Zion; not of Moses, which was given of old on Sinai; and my judgment will proceed into the light of the nations, through which it has been established and decreed that all nations will be saved.
But when the time of his incarnation unexpectedly arrived, then the shadows made way for the truth. And he said, "Listen to me, O my people." … He is speaking here not only to those who are numbered among the people but also to the kings, because he wanted the rulers, the leaders of the people, to receive his message as well.… "The law will go forth from me, and my judgment will be a light to the nations." He refers to the divine and evangelical preaching as "law" here; it is just that it is in a different form now, just as the oracles and salvation also are new. For just as the old law was changed to something better, there has also been a transfer from those things that were provisional types to that which is the truth. For Christ said, "Do not think I have come to destroy the law." … The law in letters was given by Moses, but the preaching of salvation, which is the gospel, came through Christ.… He calls his "judgment" here something that is both sanctioned by the law of God as well as a benevolent accounting; it is the grace from him that went out to illuminate the Gentiles; they were amazed at his judgment, which was both righteous and just—truly the righteousness that is clearly made known in the gospel.
For the law promulgated on Horeb is now old, and belongs to yourselves alone; but this is for all universally. Now, law placed against law has abrogated that which is before it, and a covenant which comes after in like manner has put an end to the previous one; and an eternal and final law-namely, Christ-has been given to us, and the covenant is trustworthy, after which there shall be no law, no commandment, no ordinance. Have you not read this which Isaiah says: "Hearken unto Me, hearken unto Me, my people; and, ye kings, give ear unto Me: for a law shall go forth from Me, and My judgment shall be for a light to the nations. My righteousness approaches swiftly, and My salvation shall go forth, and nations shall trust in Mine arm?" And by Jeremiah, concerning this same new covenant, He thus speaks: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt." If, therefore, God proclaimed a new covenant which was to be instituted, and this for a light of the nations, we see and are persuaded that men approach God, leaving their idols and other unrighteousness, through the name of Him who was crucified, Jesus Christ, and abide by their confession even unto death, and maintain piety. Moreover, by the works and by the attendant miracles, it is possible for all to understand that He is the new law, and the new covenant, and the expectation of those who out of every people wait for the good things of God. […]
"Listen to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go forth from me." And how could it go forth now, if it were the same law that went forth in the days of Moses? But it is evident …
The Medieval Church1 voice
925. Third, he sets out the manner of execution: hearken unto me. And first, he sets out the divine intention: a law, the precept of Cyrus concerning the liberation of the people; my judgment, promulgated from the justice of the Lord; to be a light, …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Hearken unto me, my people,.... His special people, whether Jews or Gentiles, chosen by him, taken into covenant with him; given to Christ, redeemed by him as a peculiar people, and called by his grace; these are exhorted to hearken to him; to his word, as the Targum; see Isa 51:1, and give ear unto me, O my nation; not the nation of the Jews only, but the Gentiles; a nation taken out of a nation, even out of all nations; a chosen and a holy nation.
My people - Ye Jews, whom I chose to be my peculiar people. A law - A new law, even the doctrine of the gospel. Judgment - Judgment is here the same thing with law, the word of God, or the evangelical doctrine, of which he saith that he will make it to rest, that is settle and establish it.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
By people - O my nation “O ye peoples - O ye nations” - For עמי ammi, my people, the Bodleian MS. and another read עמים ammim, ye peoples; and for לאומי leumi, my nation, the Bodleian MS. and eight others, (two of them ancient), and four of De Rossi’s, read לאמים leummim, ye nations; and so the Syriac in both words.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Hearken unto me, my people - Lowth reads this; Attend unto me, O ye people, And give ear unto me, O ye nations. The reason why he proposes this change is, that he supposes the address here is made to the Gentiles and not to the Jews, and in favor of the change he observes, that two manuscripts read it in this manner. Gesenius (Commentary) says that three codices read עמים ‛ammiym (“peoples”), instead of עמי ‛amiy (“my people”); and that thirteen MSS. read לאוּמים le'ûmiym (“nations”), instead of לאוּמי leûmiy (“my nation”). Noyes also has adopted this reading. But the authority is too slight to justify a change in the text. The Vulgate reads it in accordance with the present Hebrew text, and so substantially do the Septuagint. They render it, ‘Hear me, hear me, my people, and ye kings, give ear unto me.’ It is not necessary to suppose any change in the text. The address is to the Jews; and the design is, to comfort them in view of the fact that the pagan would be brought to partake of the privileges and blessings of the true religion. They would not only be restored to their own land, but the true religion would be extended also to the distant nations of the earth. In view of this great and glorious truth, Yahweh calls on his people to hearken to him, and receive the glad announcement. It was a truth in which they were deeply interested, and to which they should therefore attend. For a law shall proceed from me - The idea here is, that Yahweh would give law to the distant nations by the diffusion of the true religion. And I will make my judgment to rest for a light - The word ‘judgment’ here is equivalent to law, or statute, or to the institutions of the true religion. […]
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּ | hakshivu | pay attention | H7181 → | 46 times |
| אֵלַי֙ | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עַמִּ֔י | ʾami | O people my | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וּלְאוּמִּ֖י | uleumi | and O nation my | H3816 → | 31 times |
| אֵלַ֣י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַאֲזִ֑ינוּ | haazinu | give ear | H238 → | 41 times |
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| תוֹרָה֙ | torah | law | H8451 → | 219 times |
| מֵאִתִּ֣י | meiti | from with <the> me | H854 → | 929 times |
| תֵצֵ֔א | tetze' | it will go out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֔י | umishpati | and justice my | H4941 → | 422 times |
| לְא֥וֹר | leor | <into> a light of | H216 → | 121 times |
| עַמִּ֖ים | ʾamim | peoples | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| אַרְגִּֽיעַ׃ | ʾargia' | I will make suddenly | H7280 → | 13 times |
הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּpay attention
hakshivuH7181 →46 times
אֵלַי֙to me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
עַמִּ֔יO people my
ʾamiH5971 →1873 times
וּלְאוּמִּ֖יand O nation my
uleumiH3816 →31 times
אֵלַ֣יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
הַאֲזִ֑ינוּgive ear
haazinuH238 →41 times
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
תוֹרָה֙law
torahH8451 →219 times
מֵאִתִּ֣יfrom with <the> me
meitiH854 →929 times
תֵצֵ֔אit will go out
tetze'H3318 →1067 times
וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֔יand justice my
umishpatiH4941 →422 times
לְא֥וֹר<into> a light of
leorH216 →121 times
עַמִּ֖יםpeoples
ʾamimH5971 →1873 times
אַרְגִּֽיעַ׃I will make suddenly
ʾargia'H7280 →13 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
1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
it leads to
- Exodus 19:5–6
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
- Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of…
- Revelation 1:6
who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
- Revelation 5:10
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”
- Isaiah 61:6
But you will be called the priests of the LORD; they will speak of you as ministers of our God; you will feed on the wealth of nations, and you will boast in their…
- Exodus 19:5–6
Through
Isaiah 49:6He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light…
it leads to
- Acts 13:47
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 2:32
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 42:6
“I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a…
- Acts 13:47
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
About Isaiah

This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 4:5.51:4; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 51:4; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Calvin, Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter XI and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.
