Isaiah 26:19
in Isaiah 26Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For your dew is like the dew of the morning, and the earth will bring forth her dead.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead.
KJV
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
⋯
This verse in Isaiah 26
Commentary
21 notes on this verseThen, too, Isaiah himself has plainly declared that there shall be joy of this nature at the resurrection of the just, when he says: "The dead shall rise again; those, too, who are in the tombs shall arise, and those who are in the earth shall rejoice. For the dew from Thee is health to them."
This site's exposition
Your dead will live
The verse promises, "Your dead will live; their bodies will rise". It stands beside Daniel 12:2 among the Old Testament texts on the rising of the dead. It calls, "Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust", and adds, "For your dew is like the dew of the morning".
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Unquestionably, if the people were indulging in figurative murmurs that their bones were become dry and that their hope had perished—plaintive at the consequences of their dispersion—then God might fairly enough seem to have consoled their figurative despair with a figurative promise. Since, however, no injury had as yet alighted on the people from their dispersion, although the hope of the resurrection had very frequently failed among them, it is manifest that it was owing to the perishing condition of their bodies that their faith in the resurrection was shaken. God, therefore, was rebuilding the faith that the people were pulling down. But even if it were true that Israel was depressed at some shock in their existing circumstances, we must not on that account suppose that the purpose of revelation could have rested in a parable. Its aim must have been to testify a resurrection, in order to raise the nation's hope to even an eternal salvation and an indispensable restoration and thereby turn off their minds from brooding over their present affairs. This indeed is the aim of other prophets likewise. "You shall go forth," [says Malachi], "from your tombs, as young calves let loose from their bonds, and you shall tread down your enemies." And again [Isaiah says], "Your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall spring up like the grass," because the grass also is renewed by the dissolution and corruption of the seed. In a word, if it is contended that the figure of the rising bones refers properly to the state of Israel, why is the same hope announced to all nations, instead of being limited to Israel only, of reinvesting those bony remains with bodily substance and vital breath and of raising up their dead out of the grave? […]
To remove all doubt about the resurrection of the body, take a single illustration from the course of nature. The apostle reminds us, "What you yourself sow is not brought to life, unless it dies." Here you have a grain of wheat, dead and dry …
In the same way that the Lord becomes the light, the way, the truth, the bread, the vine, the fire, the shepherd, the lamb, the door, and many other things to believers, so also does he become the dew to us who are in need of his mercy and know ourselves to be feverish with sin, about whom Isaiah said, "The dew which is from you is their health."
(Verse 19.) Let your dead live; let corpses arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is a radiant dew, and the earth will give birth to the shades. LXX: The dead will rise, and they will rise from the graves, and those who are on the earth will rejoice. For your dew is their healing, but the earth of the wicked will fall. To the holy ones who give birth and to those who bear the spirit, and to the inhabitants of the earth who fall down, because they have not done good deeds on earth, those whom the Apostle calls dead in Christ and who were killed for the name of the Lord, will rise in glory (I Thess. IV). And because their death is sleep, they are said not to rise again according to the LXX, but to wake up and awaken. Hence Lazarus, who was to be awakened, is called sleeping by the Lord (John 11). Therefore, all martyrs and holy men who have shed their blood for Christ, and whose whole life was a martyrdom, will rise again and wake up, and they will praise their Creator God, they who now dwell in dust, of whom it is written in Daniel: Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will arise, these to eternal life, and those to reproach and everlasting shame (Dan. 12:1). And in the Gospel of John we read: The hour is coming, and now is, when those who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live, and those who have done good will come forth to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment (John 5:28-29). For the dew of the Lord, surpassing all the herbs of Paeonia according to the fables of the Poets, will give life to the bodies of the dead. […]
Isaiah made it clear that Christ will raise up all people when he said, "The dead shall be raised up again; even those in the tombs shall be raised up. For the dew from you is healing for them." That was not all. After his cross, after his slaughter, his glory will shine forth more brightly; after his resurrection, he will advance the message of his gospel still more.
14 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers6 voices
Isaiah the prophet says, "The dead men shall rise again, and those who are in the tombs shall awake." And the prophet Ezekiel, now before us, says most plainly, "Behold, I will open your graves and bring you up out of your graves." And Daniel says, "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall arise, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame."67And there are many Scriptures that testify of the resurrection of the dead. For there are many other sayings on this matter. But now, by way of remembrance only, we will make a passing mention of the raising of Lazarus on the fourth day and just allude, because of the shortness of the time, to the widow's son also who was raised. And merely for the sake of reminding you, let me mention the ruler of the synagogue's daughter, and the rending of the rocks, and how "there arose many bodies of the saints which slept," their graves having been opened. But especially be it remembered that "Christ has been raised from the dead."
Do not listen to those who say that this body is not raised up; for raised it is, as Isaiah witnesses, saying, "The dead shall arise, and they in the tombs shall be raised." Or, as Daniel says, "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall arise, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame." But while rising again is the common lot of all people, the manner of rising again is not alike for all. For while we all receive everlasting bodies, those bodies are not alike for all. That is to say, the righteous receive such bodies as may enable them to join with the band of angels throughout eternity, while sinners received bodies in which to undergo through the ages the torture of their sins.
Let us love that dew about which Moses speaks: "Let my doctrine drop as the rain," and about which Isaiah says: "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead."
A commentator
QuodvultdeusTHE BOOK OF PROMISES AND PREDICTIONS OF GOD 3:29 · Written before 450.
proposed
Of the fulfilled promise (both believed and seen) wherein the bodies of the saints rose again at the death of the Lord, the prophet Isaiah said, "The dead will rise again, and all who were in the graves will be raised up, and all who …
The first part [of the verse] concerns the resurrection of the just, but the last few words may be taken to mean "the bodies of the wicked will fall into the ruin of damnation." In regard to the resurrection of the just, the attentive reader will notice some distinction. "The dead shall rise" refers to the first resurrection; "those in the graves" refers to the second; and in the following words we may not improperly find a reference to the saints whom the Lord will find alive on earth. As for the word "your dew is their health," we are not wrong in taking "health" to mean "immortality," that most perfect health which needs no daily medicine of ordinary food.
About this dew the prophet Isaiah proclaimed: "Your dew is their salvation," or, according to the Hebrew text, "For your dew is the dew of light." Here is clearly taught that the dew of which he speaks is the light of wisdom and the healing …
The Medieval Church2 voices
618. Second, the promise of restoration of the people through resurrection is set out, either bodily resurrection on the last day or resurrection from the misery of captivity. Hence resurrection is promised: your dead men shall live, the voice of the prophet to the Lord …
Sacred Scripture … testifies to the fact that there will be a resurrection of the body.… Isaiah also [testifies that] "the dead shall rise and those in their graves be awakened." And it is obvious that it is not the souls that are put in the tombs but the bodies.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
, infer that the resurrection of the dead belong to the Jews only, and that those of other nations shall not rise. But we know better; we know that all who are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and that this speaks of the final destruction of Christ's enemies, which is the second death. The surprising resurrection of her friends,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
Thy - The prophet here turns his speech to God's people, and gives them a cordial in their distress. Thy dead men are not like those, ver. 14, for they shall not live; but thine shall live.
quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-14-anchored-19-19
Thy dead men shall live,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Thy dead men shall live - Very various interpretations have been given of this verse, which may be seen at length by comparing Vitringa, Rosenmuller, Gesenius, and Poole’s Synopsis. In Isa 26:14, the chorus is represented as saying of the dead men and tyrants of Babylon that had oppressed the captive Jews, that they should not rise, and should no more oppress the people of God.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
However, as Jesus is the antitype to Israel (Mt 2:15), English Version gives a true sense, and one ultimately contemplated in the prophecy: Christ's dead body being raised again is the source of Jehovah's people (all, and especially believers, the spiritual Israelites) also being raised (1Co 15:20-22).
My dead body “My deceased” - All the ancient Versions render it in the plural; they read נבלותי niblothai, my dead bodies. The Syriac and Chaldee read נבלותיהם niblotheyhem, their dead bodies. No MS. yet found confirms this reading. The dew of herbs “The dew of the dawn” - Lucis, according to the Vulgate; so also the Syriac and Chaldee. The deliverance of the people of God from a state of the lowest depression is explained by images plainly taken from the resurrection of the dead. In the same manner the Prophet Ezekiel represents the restoration of the Jewish nation from a state of utter dissolution by the restoring of the dry bones to life, exhibited to him in a vision, chap. 37, which is directly thus applied and explained, Eze 37:11-13. And this deliverance is expressed with a manifest opposition to what is here said above, Eze 37:14, of the great lords and tyrants, under whom they had groaned: - “They are dead, they shall not live; They are deceased tyrants, they shall not rise:” that they should be destroyed utterly, and should never be restored to their former power and glory. It appears from hence, that the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was at that time a popular and common doctrine; for an image which is assumed in order to express or represent any thing in the way of allegory or metaphor, whether poetical or prophetical, must be an image commonly known and understood; otherwise it will not answer the purpose for which it is assumed. - L. Kimchi refers these words to the days of the Messiah, and says, “Then many of the saints shall rise from the dead. “And quotes Dan 12:2. Do not these words speak of the resurrection of our blessed Lord; and of that resurrection of the bodies of men, which shall be the consequence of his body being raised from the dead? Thy dead men shall live, - with my dead body shall they arise - This seems very express.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יִֽחְי֣וּ | yichyu | they will live | H2421 → | 282 times |
| מֵתֶ֔יךָ | meteikha | dead [ones] your | H4191 → | 839 times |
| נְבֵלָתִ֖י | nevelati | corpse my | H5038 → | |
| יְקוּמ֑וּן | yekumun | they will rise ! | H6965 → | 628 times |
| הָקִ֨יצוּ | hakitzu | awake | H6974 → | 22 times |
| וְרַנְּנ֜וּ | veranenu | and shout for joy | H7442 → | 54 times |
| שֹׁכְנֵ֣י | shokhenei | O [those who] dwell of | H7931 → | 129 times |
| עָפָ֗ר | ʾafar | dust | H6083 → | 110 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| טַ֤ל | tal | [will be the] dew of | H2919 → | 31 times |
| אוֹרֹת֙ | ʾorot | lights | H219 → | |
| טַלֶּ֔ךָ | talekha | dew your | H2919 → | 31 times |
| וָאָ֖רֶץ | vaaretz | and [the] earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| רְפָאִ֥ים | refaim | [the] shades | H7496 → | 8 times |
| תַּפִּֽיל׃ ס | tapil | it will make fall | H5307 → | 435 times |
יִֽחְי֣וּthey will live
yichyuH2421 →282 times
מֵתֶ֔יךָdead [ones] your
meteikhaH4191 →839 times
נְבֵלָתִ֖יcorpse my
nevelatiH5038 →
יְקוּמ֑וּןthey will rise !
yekumunH6965 →628 times
הָקִ֨יצוּawake
hakitzuH6974 →22 times
וְרַנְּנ֜וּand shout for joy
veranenuH7442 →54 times
שֹׁכְנֵ֣יO [those who] dwell of
shokheneiH7931 →129 times
עָפָ֗רdust
ʾafarH6083 →110 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
טַ֤ל[will be the] dew of
talH2919 →31 times
אוֹרֹת֙lights
ʾorotH219 →
טַלֶּ֔ךָdew your
talekhaH2919 →31 times
וָאָ֖רֶץand [the] earth
vaaretzH776 →2504 times
רְפָאִ֥ים[the] shades
refaimH7496 →8 times
תַּפִּֽיל׃ סit will make fall
tapilH5307 →435 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
Ephesians 5:14So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 60:1
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
- Romans 13:11–12
And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6
So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober.
- Isaiah 52:1
Awake, awake, clothe yourself with strength, O Zion! Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, holy city! For the uncircumcised and unclean will no longer enter you.
- 2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of…
- Isaiah 60:1
Through
Daniel 12:2And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.
it leads to
- John 5:28–29
Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice
- Matthew 25:46
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
- John 5:28–29
Through
Hosea 13:14I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death. Where, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting? Compassion is hidden from My eyes.
it leads to
- Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 25:8
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Resurrection34 verses
On this page
About Isaiah
This page draws on 21 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); Aponius, EXPOSITION OF SONG OF SONGS 8:7; Augustine of Hippo, City of God 20.21; Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 18:15-16; Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 4:31; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Irenaeus, AGAINST HERESIES 5:34.1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Hosea; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Chrysostom, DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE PAGANS 8:8; John Damascene, ORTHODOX FAITH 4:27; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Nicetas of Remesiana, EXPLANATION OF THE CREED 12; Quodvultdeus, THE BOOK OF PROMISES AND PREDICTIONS OF GOD 3:29; Tertullian, ON THE RESURRECTION OF THE FLESH 31 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.