The Meaning of Isaiah 32:2 Explained

Isaiah 32:2

KJV: And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

YLT: And each hath been as a hiding-place from wind, And as a secret hiding-place from inundation, As rivulets of waters in a dry place, As a shadow of a heavy rock in a weary land.

Darby: And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the storm; as brooks of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

ASV: And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And a man  shall be as an hiding place  from the wind,  and a covert  from the tempest;  as rivers  of water  in a dry place,  as the shadow  of a great  rock  in a weary  land. 

What does Isaiah 32:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Each of these rulers will be a person of integrity and will be a source of provision and refreshment for the people of God, providing every beneficial care (cf. Isaiah 29:20-21; Matthew 20:28; John 10:11).

Context Summary

Isaiah 32:1-8 - A Nobler Future For The Nation
Isaiah continues to denounce the contemplated alliance with Egypt. His compatriots put their trust in horses and chariots, and refused the help of their fathers' God. Yet was He not so wise as the Egyptians, and equally as strong! And were they not running a fearful risk in rejecting One who would not recall His words of threatened punishment to those who refused His help? At best, the Egyptians were men, and not God, and their cavalry, flesh. If only they would trust Him, God would defy their foes, as a lion defies a company of unarmed shepherds, Isaiah 31:4. The mother-bird hovers over her brood to protect it from the kestrel; so would He spread His covering wing over Jerusalem, Isaiah 31:5. We may have deeply revolted, yet we may turn back to God with the certainty that He will receive and rescue us, Isaiah 31:6.
Sennacherib fell by the sword of his sons. Compare Isaiah 32:8 with 2 Kings 19:36-37. How different is our glorious King, whose many-sided nature meets all our needs! Isaiah 32:2. Before Him all men are unveiled in their true characters. Only those who are royal in heart shall stand before Him, Isaiah 31:8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 32

1  The blessings of Christ's kingdom
9  Desolation is foreshown
14  Restoration is promised to succeed

What do the individual words in Isaiah 32:2 mean?

And will be a man as a hiding place from the wind and a cover from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a rock great in a land weary
וְהָיָה־ אִ֥ישׁ כְּמַֽחֲבֵא־ ר֖וּחַ וְסֵ֣תֶר זָ֑רֶם כְּפַלְגֵי־ מַ֣יִם בְּצָי֔וֹן כְּצֵ֥ל סֶֽלַע־ כָּבֵ֖ד בְּאֶ֥רֶץ עֲיֵפָֽה

וְהָיָה־  And  will  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
אִ֥ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
כְּמַֽחֲבֵא־  as  a  hiding  place  from 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַחֲבֵא 
Sense: hiding place.
ר֖וּחַ  the  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
וְסֵ֣תֶר  and  a  cover  from 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סֵתֶר 
Sense: covering, shelter, hiding place, secrecy.
זָ֑רֶם  the  tempest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זֶרֶם  
Sense: rain-shower, thunderstorm, flood of rain, downpour, rain-storm.
כְּפַלְגֵי־  as  rivers 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: פֶּלֶג  
Sense: channel, canal.
מַ֣יִם  of  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
בְּצָי֔וֹן  in  a  dry  place 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צָיׄון  
Sense: dryness, parched land or ground.
כְּצֵ֥ל  as  the  shadow 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: צֵל  
Sense: shadow, shade.
סֶֽלַע־  of  a  rock 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סֶלַע  
Sense: crag, cliff, rock.
כָּבֵ֖ד  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: heavy, great.
בְּאֶ֥רֶץ  in  a  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
עֲיֵפָֽה  weary 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: עָיֵף  
Sense: faint, exhausted, weary.