The Meaning of Isaiah 35:4 Explained

Isaiah 35:4

KJV: Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

YLT: Say to the hastened of heart, 'Be strong, Fear not, lo, your God; vengeance cometh, The recompence of God, He Himself doth come and save you.'

Darby: Say to them that are of a timid heart, Be strong, fear not; behold your God: vengeance cometh, the recompense of God! He will come himself, and save you.

ASV: Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; he will come and save you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Say  to them [that are] of a fearful  heart,  Be strong,  fear  not: behold, your God  will come  [with] vengeance,  [even] God  [with] a recompence;  he will come  and save  you. 

What does Isaiah 35:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 35:1-10 - The Rejoicing Of The Redeemed
God's judgments change Carmel and Sharon into a waste; but His blessing makes the wilderness and parched land as Carmel and Sharon. Where the smile of God rests, deserts sing and become carpeted with flowers. Your hands may be weak and your knees feeble, but when your helplessness invokes the help of God, He will begin to perform wonderful things that pass expectation. Say over and over to yourself: "My God will come: be strong, my heart, and fear not. He will come and save." Oh, for the quickened sense; the bounding leap of our nature lamed by the fall; the songs from lips that God will touch! Your dreariest desert shall become water-springs; the mirage shall no longer disappoint; thirst shall be satisfied; and the dragons of the heart extirpated. Nothing can hurt us while we walk with God in holiness. Dreaded evils may threaten to cast their shadows on our path, but they shall not stay our songs as we come with singing unto the everlasting joy.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 35

1  The joyful flourishing of Christ's kingdom
3  The weak are encouraged by the virtues and privileges of the Gospel

What do the individual words in Isaiah 35:4 mean?

Say to those [who are] fearful-hearted Be strong not do fear behold your God [with] vengeance will come [with] the recompense of God He will come and save you
אִמְרוּ֙ לְנִמְהֲרֵי־ לֵ֔ב חִזְק֖וּ אַל־ תִּירָ֑אוּ הִנֵּ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ נָקָ֣ם יָב֔וֹא גְּמ֣וּל אֱלֹהִ֔ים ה֥וּא יָב֖וֹא וְיֹשַׁעֲכֶֽם

אִמְרוּ֙  Say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לֵ֔ב  those  [who  are]  fearful-hearted 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
חִזְק֖וּ  Be  strong 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
תִּירָ֑אוּ  do  fear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
הִנֵּ֤ה  behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
נָקָ֣ם  [with]  vengeance 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָקָם  
Sense: vengeance.
יָב֔וֹא  will  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
גְּמ֣וּל  [with]  the  recompense 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּמוּל  
Sense: dealing, recompense, benefit.
אֱלֹהִ֔ים  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יָב֖וֹא  will  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וְיֹשַׁעֲכֶֽם  and  save  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular, second person masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.