Isaiah 51

Isaiah 51 is the fifty-first chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies spoken by the prophet Isaiah, and is a part of the Book of the Prophets.^[1][2] This chapter contains a consolation from the Lord to the people of Israel.

Text

• The original text is written in Hebrew language.
• This chapter is divided into 23 verses.

Textual versions

Some most ancient manuscripts containing this chapter in Hebrew language:

• Masoretic Text (10th century)
• Dead Sea Scrolls: (2nd century BC)^[3][4]
  • 1QIsa^a: complete
  • 1QIsa^b: extant: verses 1-11
  • 4QIsa^b (4Q56): extant: verses 14-16
  • 4QIsa^c (4Q57): extant: verses 1-16

Ancient translations in Koine Greek:

• Septuagint (3rd century BC)
• Theodotion version (~AD 180)

Structure

NKJV groups this chapter into:

• Isaiah 51:1-16 = The Lord Comforts Zion
• Isaiah 51:17-23 = God’s Fury Removed

Verse 1

“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness,

You who seek the Lord:

Look to the rock from which you were hewn,

And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug.” (NKJV)^[5]

Cross reference: Matthew 3:9

Verse 2

“Look to Abraham your father,

And to Sarah who bore you;

For I called him alone,

And blessed him and increased him.” (NKJV)^[6]

Cross reference: Ezekiel 33:24

Verse 6

Lift up your eyes to the heavens,

and look upon the earth beneath:

for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke,

and the earth shall wax old like a garment,

and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner:

but my salvation shall be for ever,

and my righteousness shall not be abolished.^[7]

A part of this verse is referred to by Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 24:35:

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."^[8]

Verse 7

Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness,

the people in whose heart is my law;

fear ye not the reproach of men,

neither be ye afraid of their revilings.^[9]

A part of this verse is referred to by Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 5:11:

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you,

and persecute you,

and shall say all manner

of evil against you falsely, for my sake."^[10]

See also

• Related Bible parts: Exodus 14, Isaiah 2, Isaiah 42, Ezekiel 33, Matthew 3, Matthew 5, Matthew 24

Notes and references

Bibliography

• Ulrich, Eugene, ed. (2010). The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants. Brill. 

External links

Jewish

• Isaiah 51 Hebrew with Parallel English
• Isaiah 51 Hebrew with Rashi's Commentary

Christian

• Isaiah 51 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate