Isaiah 26:7
in Isaiah 26The path of the righteous is level; You clear a straight path for the upright.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The way of the just is uprightness: thou that art upright dost direct the path of the just.
KJV
The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.
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This verse in Isaiah 26
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The way of the just is uprightness - The Hebrew is literally, ‘The way to the just is uprightness;’ the word ‘way’ probably refers to God’s way, or his dealings with the righteous. The sentiment is, that his dealings with them are just; that though they are afflicted and oppressed, yet that his ways are right, and they will yet perceive it. This is language supposed to be used by the captive Jews after they had seen the proud city of Babylon taken, and after God had come forth to restore them to their own land.
This site's exposition
The path of the righteous is level
on Isaiah 26:7-9
In verse 7 the Hebrew words behind "level" and "upright" come from one root: "The path of the righteous is level". Verses 8 and 9 turn to longing, "My soul longs for You in the night". The stated hope follows, that "the people of the world learn righteousness".
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verses 7-9.) The path of the just is straight, the righteous path is for walking: and on the path of your judgments, O Lord, we have waited for you, your name and your memorial in the desire of our soul: my soul has desired you in the night. LXX: The path of the just is straight, made straight is the path of the just, and prepared. For the path of the Lord is judgment, we have hoped in your name: and in the memorial which our soul desires.
The Medieval Church1 voice
602. The way of the just. Here is set out, as it were, a dispute of the prophet with the Lord, to obtain the petition of the people. And first, he urges him by arguments to punish their enemies; second, he urges him from experience: …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
God weighs it (so we read it); he considers it, and will give them grace sufficient for them, to help them over all the difficulties they may meet with in their way. Thus with the upright God will show himself upright. It is our duty, and will be our comfort, to wait for God, and to keep up holy desires towards him in the darkest and most discouraging times,
Thou - O God, who art upright in all thy ways, and therefore a lover of uprightness, and of all upright men, dost weigh (examine) the path of the just, the course of his actions, and, which is implied, dost approve of them, and therefore direct them to an happy issue.
The way of the just is uprightness,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
uprightness--rather, "is direct," that is, is directed by God to a prosperous issue, however many be their afflictions in the meantime (as in the case of the Jewish exiles); the context requires this sense (Ps 34:19; 11:5), [MAURER]: thus "way" means God's dealings with the righteous (Ps 37:23). most upright-- (De 32:4). dost weigh-- (1Sa 2:3;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
The words behind it
7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֹ֥רַח | ʾorach | [the] way | H734 → | 58 times |
| לַצַּדִּ֖יק | latzadik | of the righteous | H6662 → | 206 times |
| מֵֽישָׁרִ֑ים | meisharim | [is] level paths | H4339 → | 19 times |
| יָשָׁ֕ר | yashar | O upright [one] | H3477 → | |
| מַעְגַּ֥ל | ma'gal | [the] track of | H4570 → | |
| צַדִּ֖יק | tzadik | [the] righteous | H6662 → | 206 times |
| תְּפַלֵּֽס׃ | tefales | you make level | H6424 → |
אֹ֥רַח[the] way
ʾorachH734 →58 times
לַצַּדִּ֖יקof the righteous
latzadikH6662 →206 times
מֵֽישָׁרִ֑ים[is] level paths
meisharimH4339 →19 times
יָשָׁ֕רO upright [one]
yasharH3477 →
מַעְגַּ֥ל[the] track of
ma'galH4570 →
צַדִּ֖יק[the] righteous
tzadikH6662 →206 times
תְּפַלֵּֽס׃you make level
tefalesH6424 →
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 2:10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
it leads to
- Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
- Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
- Hebrews 13:21
equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
- 2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
- Philippians 2:13
Through
Isaiah 42:16I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These…
it leads to
- Isaiah 30:21
And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”
- Luke 3:5
Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth.
- Isaiah 30:21
Through
1 John 3:7Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.
it leads to
- 1 John 2:29
If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.
- 1 John 2:29
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.