Isaiah 66:19
in Isaiah 66I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I will set a sign among them, and I will send such as escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.
KJV
And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
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This verse in Isaiah 66
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And I will set a sign among them - (See the notes at Isa 11:12; Isa 18:3). On the meaning of the word ‘sign’ (אות 'ôth), see the notes at Isa 7:11. What is its meaning here is to be determined by the connection.
This site's exposition
I will gather all nations and tongues
on Isaiah 66:18-21
I will gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come, and see my glory turns the judgment just pronounced into an occasion for witness, the nations gathered not only to be judged but to see, a scene the older writers connect to the wider prophetic hope of Gentile inclusion running through the book's second half. The named destinations, Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, Tubal, and Javan, the isles afar off, mark out the known trading world from Spain to inner Africa to Greece, and the escapees sent there are commissioned to declare my glory among the Gentiles, messengers drawn from Israel's own survivors. Whether the priests and Levites taken from among the Gentiles at verse twenty-one describes actual Gentile converts serving in that office, or Israelites scattered among the nations and gathered back to serve, is a question the older commentators answer differently, Delitzsch and Alexander both weighing the Hebrew without settling it the same way.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(Verse 18, 19.) But I come to gather together with all nations and tongues their works and thoughts: and they shall come and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them, and will send some of them, who have been saved, to the nations in the sea ((or sea)), to Africa, to Lydia spreading the bow, to Italy and Greece, to distant islands: to those who have not heard of me, and have not seen my glory. LXX: And I know their works and thoughts, and I come to gather all nations and all tongues: and they shall come and see my glory, and I will send a sign upon them: and I will send some of them, who have been saved, to the nations, to Tarshish and Put, and Lud and Mosoch and Tubal, and to Greece, and to distant islands, who have not heard my name, nor seen my glory. Before I explain what the enumeration of many nations signifies, it must be briefly said about the variety of interpretation. Tharsis, in the Hebrew language, is called sea; and (as they say) the region of India: although Josephus, changing the letter, thinks that Tarshish is now called Tarsum, a city of Cilicia, to which Jonah, fleeing from Joppa, wanted to go (Jonah 1). Phud, or Phul, however, refers to the Libyans, and the whole of Africa up to the sea of Mauritania, in which the river that is now called Phud, and the whole region around it, is named Phutensis. But the Lydians are called Lud, whose colonists, the Etruscans, who are now called the Tuscans, were once the most skilled in shooting arrows, and they are now said to be arrow shooters. For this reason, it is written in Hebrew as Mosche Ceseth, which all translated similarly without the Septuagint, interpreting it as 'those who shoot arrows.' And the Septuagint put μοσὸχ, interpreting the word as a name. If this is accepted, it means 'Cappadocians,' whose capital is Mazaca, which later received the name Caesarea from Caesar Augustus. […]
"And from them I will send" the sign "to Tarshish, Tubal and Javan," and to all the other cities, which came to help the house of Gog in its fight against Zerubbabel, that is, against Christ, who was symbolized by Zerubbabel, the king of the …
It is with them [the apostles] that the prophecy found its accomplishment, because it was they who preached the gospel to all nations.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Second, he sets out the summons to judgment: and I will set a sign, the edict of Cyrus, among them, that is, the Jews who were with Zorobabel and the other leaders; to the Gentiles, to the nations whom the Jews had been dispersed; Lydia …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Afar off - To all the quarters of the world. They shall - This was eminently made good after the destruction of Jerusalem, when the believers among the Jews, as well as the apostles went about publishing the gospel to all people, which was declaring the Lord's glory.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
They thus did what they could to shame the counsel of the poor, Ps. xiv. How they were encouraged under these persecutions: "Let your faith and patience hold out yet a little while; your enemies hate you and oppress you, your brethren hate you and cast you out, but your Father in heaven loves you, and will appear for you when no one else will or dare.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
And I will set a sign among them,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Tarshish--Tartessus in Spain, in the west. Pul--east and north of Africa: probably the same as Philœ, an island in the Nile, called by the Egyptians Pilak, that is, the border country, being between Egypt and Ethiopia [BOCHART].
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-curly-quotes
That draw the bow - I much suspect that the words משכי קשת moshechey kesheth, who draw the bow, are a corruption of the word משך meshek, Moschi, the name of a nation situated between the Euxine and Caspian seas; and properly joined with תבל tubal, the Tibareni. See Bochart, Phaleg. Isa 3:12. The Septuagint have μοσοχ, without any thing of the drawers of the bow: the word being once taken for a participle, the bow was added to make sense of it קשת kesheth, the bow, is omitted in a MS. and by the Septuagint. That have not heard my fame “Who never heard my name” - For שמעי shimi, my fame, I read, with the Septuagint and Syriac, שמי shemi, my name.
The words behind it
30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י | vesamti | and I will perform | H7760 → | 584 times |
| בָהֶ֜ם | vahem | among them | ||
| א֗וֹת | ʾot | a sign | H226 → | 80 times |
| וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֣י | veshilachti | and I will send | H7971 → | 845 times |
| מֵהֶ֣ם׀ | mehem | of <the> them | ||
| פְּ֠לֵיטִים | peleitim | survivors | H6412 → | |
| אֶֽל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַגּוֹיִ֞ם | hagoyim | the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| תַּרְשִׁ֨ישׁ | tarshish | Tarshish | H8659 → | 28 times |
| פּ֥וּל | pul | Pul | H6322 → | |
| וְל֛וּד | velud | and Lud | H3865 → | |
| מֹ֥שְׁכֵי | moshekhei | [those who] draw | H4900 → | 36 times |
| קֶ֖שֶׁת | keshet | <of> a bow | H7198 → | 76 times |
| תֻּבַ֣ל | tuval | Tubal | H8422 → | |
| וְיָוָ֑ן | veyavan | and Javan | H3120 → | |
| הָאִיִּ֣ים | haiyim | the islands | H339 → | 36 times |
| הָרְחֹקִ֗ים | harechokim | <the> distant | H7350 → | 84 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁמְע֤וּ | shameu | they have heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שִׁמְעִי֙ | shimi | report my | H8088 → | 18 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| רָא֣וּ | rau | they have seen | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כְּבוֹדִ֔י | kevodi | glory my | H3519 → | 200 times |
| וְהִגִּ֥ידוּ | vehigidu | and they will declare | H5046 → | 370 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כְּבוֹדִ֖י | kevodi | glory my | H3519 → | 200 times |
| בַּגּוֹיִֽם׃ | bagoyim | among the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
וְשַׂמְתִּ֨יand I will perform
vesamtiH7760 →584 times
בָהֶ֜םamong them
vahem
א֗וֹתa sign
ʾotH226 →80 times
וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֣יand I will send
veshilachtiH7971 →845 times
מֵהֶ֣ם׀of <the> them
mehem
פְּ֠לֵיטִיםsurvivors
peleitimH6412 →
אֶֽל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַגּוֹיִ֞םthe nations
hagoyimH1471 →561 times
תַּרְשִׁ֨ישׁTarshish
tarshishH8659 →28 times
פּ֥וּלPul
pulH6322 →
וְל֛וּדand Lud
veludH3865 →
מֹ֥שְׁכֵי[those who] draw
moshekheiH4900 →36 times
קֶ֖שֶׁת<of> a bow
keshetH7198 →76 times
תֻּבַ֣לTubal
tuvalH8422 →
וְיָוָ֑ןand Javan
veyavanH3120 →
הָאִיִּ֣יםthe islands
haiyimH339 →36 times
הָרְחֹקִ֗ים<the> distant
harechokimH7350 →84 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
שָׁמְע֤וּthey have heard
shameuH8085 →1159 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שִׁמְעִי֙report my
shimiH8088 →18 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
רָא֣וּthey have seen
rauH7200 →1300 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כְּבוֹדִ֔יglory my
kevodiH3519 →200 times
וְהִגִּ֥ידוּand they will declare
vehigiduH5046 →370 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כְּבוֹדִ֖יglory my
kevodiH3519 →200 times
בַּגּוֹיִֽם׃among the nations
bagoyimH1471 →561 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
Romans 15:21Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 52:15
so He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him. For they will see what they have not been told, and they will understand what they have not heard.
- Isaiah 65:1
“I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. To a nation that did not call My name, I said, ‘Here I…
- Isaiah 52:15
Through
Isaiah 60:9Surely the islands will wait for Me, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead, to bring your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God,…
it leads to
- Isaiah 55:5
Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 55:5
Through
Isaiah 52:15so He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him. For they will see what they have not been told, and they will understand what they have not heard.
it leads to
- Romans 15:20–21
In this way I have aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
- Romans 15:20–21
Through
Isaiah 55:5Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory…
it leads to
- Isaiah 60:9
Surely the islands will wait for Me, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead, to bring your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God,…
- Isaiah 60:5
Then you will look and be radiant, and your heart will tremble and swell with joy, because the riches of the sea will be brought to you, and the wealth of the nations will…
- Zechariah 2:11
“On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD, and they will become My people. I will dwell among you, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me…
- Isaiah 60:9
Through
Ezekiel 27:10Men of Persia, Lydia, and Put served as warriors in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls; they gave you splendor.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 30:5
Cush, Put, and Lud, and all the various peoples, as well as Libya and the men of the covenant land, will fall with Egypt by the sword.
- Ezekiel 30:5
About Isaiah
This page draws on 12 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); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 66:19; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; 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; Joseph Addison Alexander, Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 20:66.19 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.