Isaiah 26:5
in Isaiah 26For He has humbled those who dwell on high; He lays the lofty city low. He brings it down to the ground; He casts it into the dust.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For he hath brought down them that dwell on high, the lofty city: he layeth it low, he layeth it low even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.
KJV
For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.
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This verse in Isaiah 26
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The lofty city, he layeth it low - The city of Babylon (see the note at Isa 25:12; compare Isa. 13, note; Isa 14:1, note)
This site's exposition
the Rock eternal
on Isaiah 26:4-6
Everlasting strength in verse four carries a margin, the Hebrew tsur olamim, literally the Rock of ages. Gill and Clarke both note the reading and press it as a title for God rather than a bare adjective. The lofty city in verse five answers the strong city of verse one.
This site's exposition
He has humbled those who dwell on high
Barnes names the lofty city as Babylon and links it to the fortress of 25:12. Henry calls the humbling of the proud the glory of God, the truth James 4:6 repeats. Its height ends in dust.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Vers. 5, 6.) In the Lord, the mighty God forever: for He will bring down those who dwell on high; He will humble the lofty city and bring it down to the ground; He will cast it down to the dust. The feet shall trample it, the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy. LXX: O great and eternal God, who have humbled and cast down those who dwell on high, you will destroy strong cities and bring them down to the pavement, and their feet will be trampled by the meek and the humble.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Third, he promises the benefit of peace for the destruction of enemies: for he shall bring down them that dwell on high, the high city he shall lay low. He shall bring it down even to the ground, he shall pull it down even to …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He can do it, be it ever so well fortified. He will do it, for he resists the proud. It is his glory to do it, for he proves himself to be God by looking on the proud and abasing them, Job xl.
For he bringeth down them that dwell on high, the lofty city,....
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הֵשַׁח֙ | heshach | he will lay low | H7817 → | 21 times |
| יֹשְׁבֵ֣י | yoshevei | [the] inhabitants of | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| מָר֔וֹם | marom | a high place | H4791 → | 54 times |
| קִרְיָ֖ה | kiryah | a town | H7151 → | 29 times |
| נִשְׂגָּבָ֑ה | nisgavah | set on high | H7682 → | 20 times |
| יַשְׁפִּילֶ֤נָּה | yashpilenah | he will bring low it | H8213 → | 31 times |
| יַשְׁפִּילָהּ֙ | yashpilah | he will bring low it | H8213 → | 31 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| אֶ֔רֶץ | ʾeretz | [the] ground | H776 → | 2504 times |
| יַגִּיעֶ֖נָּה | yagienah | he will make touch it | H5060 → | 150 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| עָפָֽר׃ | ʾafar | [the] dust | H6083 → | 110 times |
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
הֵשַׁח֙he will lay low
heshachH7817 →21 times
יֹשְׁבֵ֣י[the] inhabitants of
yosheveiH3427 →1079 times
מָר֔וֹםa high place
maromH4791 →54 times
קִרְיָ֖הa town
kiryahH7151 →29 times
נִשְׂגָּבָ֑הset on high
nisgavahH7682 →20 times
יַשְׁפִּילֶ֤נָּהhe will bring low it
yashpilenahH8213 →31 times
יַשְׁפִּילָהּ֙he will bring low it
yashpilahH8213 →31 times
עַד־to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
אֶ֔רֶץ[the] ground
ʾeretzH776 →2504 times
יַגִּיעֶ֖נָּהhe will make touch it
yagienahH5060 →150 times
עַד־to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
עָפָֽר׃[the] dust
ʾafarH6083 →110 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
Revelation 18:2And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable…
it leads to
- Revelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”
- Jeremiah 51:8
Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed.
- Jeremiah 51:37
Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.
- Jeremiah 50:39–40
So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there and ostriches will dwell there. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation.
- Jeremiah 51:60–64
Jeremiah had written on a single scroll about all the disaster that would come upon Babylon—all these words that had been written concerning Babylon.
- Revelation 14:8
Through
Isaiah 13:11I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless.
it leads to
- Isaiah 2:11
The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
- Isaiah 5:15
So mankind will be brought low, and each man humbled; the arrogant will lower their eyes.
- Isaiah 2:11
Through
Jeremiah 51:37Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.
it leads to
- Revelation 18:2
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable…
- Revelation 18:2
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.