The Meaning of Isaiah 2:11 Explained

Isaiah 2:11

KJV: The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

YLT: The haughty eyes of man have been humbled, And bowed down hath been the loftiness of men, And set on high hath Jehovah alone been in that day.

Darby: The lofty eyes of man shall be brought low, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day.

ASV: The lofty looks of man shall be brought low, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The lofty  looks  of man  shall be humbled,  and the haughtiness  of men  shall be bowed down,  and the LORD  alone shall be exalted  in that day. 

What does Isaiah 2:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 2:1-11 - A Vision Of World Peace
This and the four following chapters must be classed together as a distinct portion of this book, belonging to the earliest years of Isaiah's ministry. Their date is 735 b.c.; about the time of the accession of Ahaz to the throne. Isaiah 2:2-4 are evidently an ancient prophecy by some unknown seer, for Micah also quotes it. This section presents a fair vision of the future, when the beloved city must become the center of the religious life of the world, the seat of the theocracy, the burning nucleus of a reign of love and peace. We cherish this ancient prophecy as our guiding star in the present storm. But it can be realized only when the Son of God, riding forth on His white horse, has subdued His enemies. Then Revelation 21:1-27 and Revelation 22:1-21 will fulfill this ancient dream. The contrast between the ideal city and the actual is terrible, Isaiah 2:6-9. But let us not despair. The exalted Lord, from the right hand of power, is hastening the coming of the day of God. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 2

1  Isaiah prophesies the coming of Christ's kingdom
6  Wickedness is the cause of God's forsaking
10  He exhorts to fear, because of the powerful effects of God's majesty

What do the individual words in Isaiah 2:11 mean?

The looks of lofty man shall be humbled and shall be bowed down the haughtiness of men and shall be exalted Yahweh alone in day that -
עֵינֵ֞י גַּבְה֤וּת אָדָם֙ שָׁפֵ֔ל וְשַׁ֖ח ר֣וּם אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וְנִשְׂגַּ֧ב יְהוָ֛ה לְבַדּ֖וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא ס

עֵינֵ֞י  The  looks 
Parse: Noun, cdc
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
גַּבְה֤וּת  of  lofty 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: גַּבְהוּת  
Sense: haughtiness.
אָדָם֙  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
שָׁפֵ֔ל  shall  be  humbled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁפֵל  
Sense: to be or become low, sink, be humbled, be abased.
וְשַׁ֖ח  and  shall  be  bowed  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁחַח 
Sense: to bow, crouch, bow down, be bowed down.
ר֣וּם  the  haughtiness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רוּם  
Sense: haughtiness, height, elevation.
אֲנָשִׁ֑ים  of  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וְנִשְׂגַּ֧ב  and  shall  be  exalted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂגַב  
Sense: to be high, be inaccessibly high.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְבַדּ֖וֹ  alone 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּד 
Sense: alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone.
בַּיּ֥וֹם  in  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַהֽוּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation