Isaiah 28:6
in Isaiah 28a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and a spirit of justice to him that sitteth in judgment, and strength to them that turn back the battle at the gate.
KJV
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
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This verse in Isaiah 28
Commentary
9 notes on this verseAs to the justice of the king: and he, the Lord himself, shall be a spirit of judgment: a king shall reign, and shall be wise: and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth (Jer 23:5). As to the might of their soldiers: and …
This site's exposition
a crown of glory, a diadem of splendor
on Isaiah 28:5-6
Against Ephraim's drunkards, "the LORD of Hosts will be a crown of glory, a diadem of splendor to the remnant of His people". Verse 6 names what that crown gives: "a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment".
This site's exposition
repel the onslaught at the gate
The one who sits in judgment receives a spirit of justice, and the soldiers receive strength to repel the onslaught. Adam Clarke reads the gate as the enemy city gate, where the foe is driven back, and he compares Second Samuel 11:23. The Targum gives the Messiah that victory.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 5 and following) On that day, the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory and a diadem of rejoicing to the remnant of his people, and a spirit of judgment to the one who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. But these also reel because of wine and stagger because of strong drink: priest and prophet reel because of strong drink, they are swallowed up by wine, they stagger because of strong drink; they reel while having visions, they totter when rendering judgment.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
When the Assyrian, that mighty one, was in Israel as a tempest of hail, noisy and battering, as a destroying storm bearing down all before it, especially at sea, and as a flood of mighty waters overflowing the country (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment,....
They are likewise reproved and threatened for their dulness and stupidity, and unaptness to profit by the instructions which the prophets gave them in God's name,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The battle to the gate “The war to the gate of the enemy” - That is, who pursue the fleeing enemy even to the very gates of their own city. “But we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate,” 2Sa 11:23; that is, we drove the enemy back to their own gates. See also 1Sa 17:52. The Targum says, The Messiah shall give the victory to those who go out to battle, that he may bring them back to their own houses in peace.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And for a spirit of judgment - (compare the note at Isa 1:26; Isa 11:2). The sense of this passage is, that Jehovah would enlighten the judges of the land, so that they should understand what was right, and be disposed to do it. To him that sitteth in judgment - This is to be understood collectively, and means those who sat upon the bench of justice; that is, the magistracy in general. And for strength to to them that turn the battle to the gate - That is, to the very gate of their enemies; who not only repel their foes from their own city, but who drive them even to the gates of their own cities, and besiege them there. Thus 2Sa 11:23: ‘And we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate;’ that is, we drove them back unto their own gates.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּלְר֖וּחַ | uleruach | and <into> a spirit of | H7307 → | 378 times |
| מִשְׁפָּ֑ט | mishpat | justice | H4941 → | 422 times |
| לַיּוֹשֵׁב֙ | laiyoshev | for the [one who] sits | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט | hamishpat | <the> judgment | H4941 → | 422 times |
| וְלִ֨גְבוּרָ֔ה | veligvurah | and <into> strength | H1369 → | 61 times |
| מְשִׁיבֵ֥י | meshivei | [those who] turn back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| מִלְחָמָ֖ה | milchamah | <of> battle | H4421 → | 320 times |
| שָֽׁעְרָה׃ ס | shaerah | [the] gate towards | H8179 → | 374 times |
וּלְר֖וּחַand <into> a spirit of
uleruachH7307 →378 times
מִשְׁפָּ֑טjustice
mishpatH4941 →422 times
לַיּוֹשֵׁב֙for the [one who] sits
laiyoshevH3427 →1079 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט<the> judgment
hamishpatH4941 →422 times
וְלִ֨גְבוּרָ֔הand <into> strength
veligvurahH1369 →61 times
מְשִׁיבֵ֥י[those who] turn back
meshiveiH7725 →1056 times
מִלְחָמָ֖ה<of> battle
milchamahH4421 →320 times
שָֽׁעְרָה׃ ס[the] gate towards
shaerahH8179 →374 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
Joshua 1:9Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
it leads to
- Genesis 28:15
Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what…
- Jeremiah 1:7–8
But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak.
- Psalms 27:1–2
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
- Joshua 1:6–7
Be strong and courageous, for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them.
- Deuteronomy 20:1
When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out…
- Genesis 28:15
Through
John 5:30I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
it leads to
- John 6:38
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
- John 5:19
So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
- John 4:34
Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.
- John 6:38
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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 Calvin, Commentary on the Book of the Prophet 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.