Isaiah 51:23
in Isaiah 51I will place it in the hands of your tormentors, who told you: ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you,’ so that you made your back like the ground, like a street to be traversed.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee, that have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over; and thou hast laid thy back as the ground, and as the street, to them that go over.
KJV
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
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This verse in Isaiah 51
Commentary
13 notes on this verseHence another prophet says concerning unclean spirits: Who said to your soul, Bow down that we may pass over. For the soul stands upright when it desires heavenly things, and is by no means bent toward the lowest things. But when malign spirits see it standing in its uprightness, they cannot pass through it. For their passing through is to scatter unclean desires upon it.
This site's exposition
Therefore now hear this, you afflicted one
on Isaiah 51:21-23
The spent city, “drunken, but not with wine”, hears the reversal: “See, I have removed from your hand the cup of staggering”. The cup passes to other hands, “I will place it in the hands of your tormentors”. The judgment Jerusalem drank is turned back on her oppressors.
This site's exposition
you made your back like the ground
Barnes takes the tormentors to be the Babylonians, conquerors who set their feet on the necks of conquered kings. Henry sees Daniel's accusers thrown into the den. Gregory hears the command to lie down in the voice of evil spirits, who walk over a soul bent to the ground.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
He has indicated both the arrogance of the enemies and the distress of the city. He says, If you had requested my alliance, you would have prevailed over those who waged war on you; but since you did not want to do this, you have …
(Verse 21 and following) Therefore, listen to these things, poor and drunken one, not from wine. This is what your Lord and your God says, who fought for his people: Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of slumber, the bottom of the cup of my indignation; you shall not add to drink it any further.
The Medieval Church3 voices
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentaries on the Book of 1 Kings, Book 5 · Written before 604.
proposed
Of these enemies, indeed, it is said through the prophet: "They say to your soul: Bow down, that we may pass over." For the soul standing upright is sublime, bowed down it is lowly, because through the height of virtues and through heavenly desire it is raised to lofty things; but when it falls away to vices or to love of the world, it falls to that place where the enemy, rushing in, easily tramples it. They say therefore to your soul, "Bow down, that we may pass over," because if they do not humble it to doing or thinking earthly things, they neither penetrate it with malign persuasions nor disturb it with the warfare of vices. From this, therefore, we can gather how far we ought to distance ourselves from the world in deed, word, and thought.
A commentator
Bernard of ClairvauxSermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 80 · Written before 1153.
proposed
Why does he not know, unless because, bending himself down to these lowest and earthly things, he heaps up earth for himself? Assuredly he does not know, concerning those things which he commits to the earth, for whom he gathers them: whether for the moth …
Second, the punishment of their enemies: and I will put it in the hand of them that have oppressed you, and have said to your soul: bow down, under our power, treating you so basely, as mud that is trod upon: your people, O Lord, …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Babylon's case shall be as bad as ever Jerusalem's was. Daniel's persecutors shall be thrown into Daniel's den; let them see how they like it. And the Lord is known by these judgments which he executes.
The first three paragraphs of this chapter begin with, "Hearken unto me," and they are God's people that are all along called to hearken; for even when comforts are spoken to them sometimes they "hearken not, through anguish of spirit" ( Exod. vi.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And I will put it into the hand of them that afflict me,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee - The nations that have made war upon thee, and that have reduced thee to bondage, particularly the Babylonians. The calamities which the Jews had suffered, God would transfer to their foes. Which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over - This is a striking description of the pride of eastern conquerors. It was not uncommon for conquerors actually to put their feet on the necks of conquered kings, and tread them in the dust.
Them that afflict thee “Them who oppress thee” - The Septuagint, Chaldee, Syriac, and Vulgate appear to have read מוניך monayich, as in Isa 40:26.” - Secker. Which have said to thy soul, Bow down “Who say to thee, Bow down thy body” - A very strong and most expressive description of the insolent pride of eastern conquerors; which, though it may seem greatly exaggerated, yet hardly exceeds the strict truth. An example has already been given of it in the note to Isa 49:23. I will here add one or two more. “Joshua called for all the men of Israel; and said unto the captains of the men of war that went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings,” Jos 10:24. “Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: As I have done, so hath God requited me,” Jdg 1:7. The Emperor Valerianus, being through treachery taken prisoner by Sapor king of Persia, was treated by him as the basest and most abject slave: for the Persian monarch commanded the unhappy Roman to bow himself down, and offer him his back, on which he set his foot, in order to mount his chariot or horse whenever he had occasion. - Lactantius, De Mort. Persec. cap. 5. Aurel. Victor. Epitome, cap. xxxii. - L.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְשַׂמְתִּ֙יהָ֙ | vesamtiha | and I will put it | H7760 → | 584 times |
| בְּיַד־ | beyad- | in [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| מוֹגַ֔יִךְ | mogayikh | [those who] torment you | H3013 → | |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אָמְר֥וּ | ʾameru | they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לְנַפְשֵׁ֖ךְ | lenafshekh | to self your | H5315 → | 754 times |
| שְׁחִ֣י | shechi | lie down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| וְנַעֲבֹ֑רָה | venaavorah | so let us pass over [you] | H5674 → | 556 times |
| וַתָּשִׂ֤ימִי | vatasimi | and you made | H7760 → | 584 times |
| כָאָ֙רֶץ֙ | khaaretz | like the ground | H776 → | 2504 times |
| גֵּוֵ֔ךְ | gevekh | back your | H1460 → | 7 times |
| וְכַח֖וּץ | vekhachutz | and like the street | H2351 → | 164 times |
| לַעֹבְרִֽים׃ ס | laoerim | for <the> [those who] pass over | H5674 → | 556 times |
וְשַׂמְתִּ֙יהָ֙and I will put it
vesamtihaH7760 →584 times
בְּיַד־in [the] hand of
beyad-H3027 →1618 times
מוֹגַ֔יִךְ[those who] torment you
mogayikhH3013 →
אֲשֶׁר־who
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
אָמְר֥וּthey said
ʾameruH559 →5305 times
לְנַפְשֵׁ֖ךְto self your
lenafshekhH5315 →754 times
שְׁחִ֣יlie down
shechiH7812 →172 times
וְנַעֲבֹ֑רָהso let us pass over [you]
venaavorahH5674 →556 times
וַתָּשִׂ֤ימִיand you made
vatasimiH7760 →584 times
כָאָ֙רֶץ֙like the ground
khaaretzH776 →2504 times
גֵּוֵ֔ךְback your
gevekhH1460 →7 times
וְכַח֖וּץand like the street
vekhachutzH2351 →164 times
לַעֹבְרִֽים׃ סfor <the> [those who] pass over
laoerimH5674 →556 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 10:24When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks…
it leads to
- Malachi 4:3
Then you will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,” says the LORD of Hosts.
- Revelation 2:26–27
And to the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations.
- Romans 16:20
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
- Psalms 149:8–9
to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with shackles of iron,
- Psalms 110:1
The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
- Malachi 4:3
Through
Zechariah 12:2“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples. Judah will be besieged, as well as Jerusalem.
it leads to
- Zechariah 14:14
Judah will also fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance.
- Psalms 75:8
For a cup is in the hand of the LORD, full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours from His cup, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to the…
- Isaiah 51:22–23
Thus says your Lord, the LORD, even your God, who defends His people: “See, I have removed from your hand the cup of staggering. From that goblet, the cup of My fury, you will…
- Zechariah 14:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
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 on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 80; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 31; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentaries on the Book of 1 Kings, Book 5; 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; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 16:51.23 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.