Isaiah 58:14
in Isaiah 58then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
then shalt thou delight thyself in Jehovah; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.
KJV
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
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This verse in Isaiah 58
Commentary
13 notes on this verse(Verse 14.) Then you will delight in the Lord [Vulg. the Lord); and I will lift you up above the heights of the earth, and I will feed you with the inheritance of Jacob your father. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. LXX: And you will trust in the Lord: and he will exalt you above the good things of the earth, and he will feed you with the inheritance of Jacob your father. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
This site's exposition
If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath
on Isaiah 58:13-14
The Sabbath asks what the fast asked, self-interest set aside: “If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath”. The command is also positive, to “call the Sabbath a delight”. “I will make you ride on the heights of the land” uses the blessing on Jacob at Deuteronomy 32:13.
This site's exposition
the heritage of your father Jacob
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown read ride on the heights as a conqueror, and as the LORD's promise to bring the people home to Judea. Wesley ties Jacob's heritage to the land the LORD promised him in Genesis 35:12. Henry reads that land as a type of heaven.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
He teaches the manner [in which it is required] to rest: "Nor speak a word in anger out of your mouth," he says, "and you shall trust in the Lord"; it is as though if he ordains to honor the sabbath by making an end …
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistRegister of Epistles, Book 1, Epistle 5 · Written before 604.
proposed
I used to strive daily to win my way outside the world, outside the flesh; to drive all phantasms of the body from the eyes of my soul, and to see incorporeally supernal joys; and not only with my voice but in the core of my heart I used to say, "My heart hath said unto Thee, I have sought Thy face, Thy face, Lord, will I seek." Moreover desiring nothing, fearing nothing, in this world, I seemed to myself to stand on a certain summit of things, so that I almost believed to be fulfilled in me what I had learnt of the Lord's promise through the prophet, "I will lift thee up upon the high places of the earth." For he is lifted up upon the high places of the earth who treads under foot through looking down upon them in his mind even the very things of the present world which seem lofty and glorious. But, having been suddenly dashed from this summit of things by the whirlwind of this trial, I have fallen into fears and tremors, since, even though I have no fears for myself, I am greatly afraid for those who have been committed to me. On every side I am tossed by the waves of business, and sunk by storms, so that I may truly say, "I am come into the depth of the sea, and the storm hath overwhelmed me." After business I long to return to my heart; but, driven therefrom by vain tumults of thoughts, I am unable to return.
Second, he sets out the fruit: then shall you be delighted in the Lord, as to spiritual goods; and I will lift you up above the high places of the earth, leading you back to your land, which is mountainous; and will feed you with …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
In the Lord - In his goodness and faithfulness to thee, and in the assurance of his love and favour. To ride - Thou shalt be above the reach of danger. Feed thee - Thou shalt enjoy the good of the land of Canaan, which God promised as an heritage to Jacob, and his seed, Gen. xxxv, 12.
We shall have the profit of it: I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father, that is, with all the blessings of the covenant and all the precious products of Canaan (which was a type of heaven), for these were the heritage of Jacob.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
A Charge against the People. 1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:93%@v1-3
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Ps 37:4). ride upon . . . high places--I will make thee supreme lord of the land; the phrase is taken from a conqueror riding in his chariot, and occupying the hills and fastnesses of a country [VITRINGA], (De 32:13; Judea was a land of hills; the idea thus is, "I will restore thee to thine own land" [CALVIN].
Then shalt thou delight thyself - If all fasts and religious observances be carried on in the spirit and manner recommended above, God’s blessing will attend every ordinance. But in public fasts, prescribed not in the Book of God, but by the rulers of nations in general (very unfit persons) care should be taken that the cause is good, and that God’s blessing may be safely implored in it. France has lately fasted and prayed that they might be able to subjugate Spain, restore and establish the horrible inquisition, and utterly destroy all the liberties of the people!
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord - That is, as a consequence of properly observing the Sabbath, thou shalt find pleasure in Yahweh. It will be a pleasure to draw near to him, and you shall no longer be left to barren ordinances and to unanswered prayers. The delight or pleasure which God’s people have in him is a direct and necessary consequence of the proper observance of the Sabbath. It is on that day set apart by his own authority, for his own service, that he chooses to meet with his people, and to commune with them and bless them; and no one ever properly observed the Sabbath who did not find, as a consequence, that he had augmented pleasure in the existence, the character, and the service of Yahweh. Compare Job 22:21-26, where the principle stated here - that the observance of the law of God will lead to happiness in the Almighty - is beautifully illustrated (see also Psa 37:4). And I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth - A phrase like this occurs in Deu 32:13: ‘He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of fields.’ In Hab 3:19, the phrase also occurs: ‘He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.’ So also Psa 18:33: ‘He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.’ In Amo 4:13, it is applied to God: ‘He maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth.’ Kimchi, Calvin, and Grotius suppose that the idea here is, that God would restore the exiled Jews to their own land - a land of mountains and elevated places, more lofty than the surrounding regions. Vitringa says that the phrase is taken from a conqueror, who on his horse or in his chariot, occupies mountains, hills, towers, and monuments, and subjects them to himself. […]
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
the heritage of Jacob your father An inheritance without boundaries, as it is said (Gen.: 14): “And you shall spread to the west and to the east, etc.” Not like Abraham, about whom it is stated (ibid.:15): “The land that you see..
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אָ֗ז | ʾaz | then | H227 → | 141 times |
| תִּתְעַנַּג֙ | titanag | you will take delight | H6026 → | 10 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְהִרְכַּבְתִּ֖יךָ | vehirkavtikha | and I will make ride you | H7392 → | 78 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בָּ֣מֳתֵי | bamotei | [the] high places of | H1116 → | 102 times |
| אָ֑רֶץ | ʾaretz | [the] land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וְהַאֲכַלְתִּ֗יךָ | vehaakhaltikha | and I will feed you | H398 → | 810 times |
| נַחֲלַת֙ | nachalat | [the] inheritance of | H5159 → | 222 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֣ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| אָבִ֔יךָ | ʾavikha | ancestor your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| כִּ֛י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| פִּ֥י | pi | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| דִּבֵּֽר׃ ס | diber | it has spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
אָ֗זthen
ʾazH227 →141 times
תִּתְעַנַּג֙you will take delight
titanagH6026 →10 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְהִרְכַּבְתִּ֖יךָand I will make ride you
vehirkavtikhaH7392 →78 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
בָּ֣מֳתֵי[the] high places of
bamoteiH1116 →102 times
אָ֑רֶץ[the] land
ʾaretzH776 →2504 times
וְהַאֲכַלְתִּ֗יךָand I will feed you
vehaakhaltikhaH398 →810 times
נַחֲלַת֙[the] inheritance of
nachalatH5159 →222 times
יַעֲקֹ֣בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
אָבִ֔יךָancestor your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times
כִּ֛יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
פִּ֥י[the] mouth of
piH6310 →498 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
דִּבֵּֽר׃ סit has spoken
diberH1696 →1141 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
Deuteronomy 32:13He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him the produce of the field. He nourished him with honey from the rock and oil from the flinty crag,
it leads to
- Job 29:6
when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
- Psalms 81:16
But I would feed you the finest wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
- Job 29:6
Through
Isaiah 33:16he will dwell on the heights; the mountain fortress will be his refuge; his food will be provided and his water assured.
it leads to
- Luke 12:29–31
And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it.
- Isaiah 32:18
Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place, in safe and secure places of rest.
- Isaiah 49:10
They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.
- Luke 12:29–31
Through
Job 22:26Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
it leads to
- Psalms 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
- Job 27:10
Will he delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times?
- Job 11:15
then indeed you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and unafraid.
- Psalms 37:4
Where this verse is studied
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 on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Register of Epistles, Book 1, Epistle 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 18:58.14 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.
