The Meaning of Isaiah 26:6 Explained

Isaiah 26:6

KJV: The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

YLT: Tread it down doth a foot, Feet of the poor -- steps of the weak.

Darby: The foot shall tread it down, the feet of the afflicted, the steps of the poor.

ASV: The foot shall tread it down; even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The foot  shall tread it down,  [even] the feet  of the poor,  [and] the steps  of the needy. 

What does Isaiah 26:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The feet of God"s afflicted and helpless people will trample the fallen world (cf. Matthew 5:1-12), but it is the Lord alone who will subdue it.

Context Summary

Isaiah 26:1-10 - Peace Through Steadfast Trust
No doubt when Babylon fell before Cyrus the Jewish remnant under Ezra and Nehemiah sang this triumphal ode, which contrasts the respective lots of Babylon and Jerusalem. The one is the city of this world and its children; the other the city and home of the saints. The fate of Babylon is delineated in Isaiah 26:5-6; but with what glowing words does the prophet dwell on the blessedness of those who are fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God, Ephesians 2:19. Note in Isaiah 26:3, margin, one of God's double doors against the intrusion on the soul of a single note of alarm or fear. God is the Rock of Ages, Isaiah 26:4, margin. Our trust should be permanent as His love-forever. The weakest foot may trample on the proudest foe, when God has laid him in the dust. God levels the path of the just. However difficult your path, dare to believe that you are being directed in righteousness God cannot make mistakes. Any other path would be impracticable. Only nurse the desires of your soul for God; they are the result of the promptings and drawings of His Spirit. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 26

1  Trust in God's Provision

What do the individual words in Isaiah 26:6 mean?

Shall tread it down the foot the feet of the poor [And] the steps of the poor
תִּרְמְסֶ֖נָּה רָ֑גֶל רַגְלֵ֥י עָנִ֖י פַּעֲמֵ֥י דַלִּֽים

תִּרְמְסֶ֖נָּה  Shall  tread  it  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: רָמַס  
Sense: to trample.
רָ֑גֶל  the  foot 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
רַגְלֵ֥י  the  feet 
Parse: Noun, fdc
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
עָנִ֖י  of  the  poor 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָנִי  
Sense: poor, afflicted, humble, wretched.
פַּעֲמֵ֥י  [And]  the  steps 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.
דַלִּֽים  of  the  poor 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: דַּל  
Sense: low, poor, weak, thin, one who is low.