The Meaning of Isaiah 4:5 Explained

Isaiah 4:5

KJV: And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.

YLT: Then hath Jehovah prepared Over every fixed place of Mount Zion, And over her convocations, A cloud by day, and smoke, And the shining of a flaming fire by night, That, over all honour a safe-guard,

Darby: And Jehovah will create over every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and over its convocations, a cloud by day and a smoke, and the brightness of a flame of fire by night: for over all the glory shall be a covering.

ASV: And Jehovah will create over the whole habitation of mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory'shall be spread a covering.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  will create  upon every dwelling place  of mount  Zion,  and upon her assemblies,  a cloud  and smoke  by day,  and the shining  of a flaming  fire  by night:  for upon all the glory  [shall be] a defence. 

What does Isaiah 4:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 4:1-6 - Vanity And Selfish Luxury Condemned
This paragraph opens with the majestic figure of Jehovah Himself, who arises to judge the misrulers and plead the cause of the poor. The prophet enumerates the trinkets of the women of Israel, who had given themselves up to luxury and corruption. Woman is the priestess and prophetess of the home and religion, and when she forsakes the level of spiritual influence for that of physical adornment, the salt has lost its savor and the whole commonwealth suffers. The manhood of a land is lost, morally and spiritually when woman falls from her high estate; and there could be no hope for Jerusalem until the divine fire had consumed the filth of her daughters, and the oppressive selfishness of her sons. Then once more each home in Jerusalem would have the same blessed signs of the divine presence as had once been granted to the Tabernacle-the shadowing cloud by day and the gleam of the Shekinah-fire by night. Let us claim these for our homes also! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 4

1  In the extremity of evils, Christ's kingdom shall be a sanctuary

What do the individual words in Isaiah 4:5 mean?

Then will create Yahweh above every dwelling place of Mount Zion and above her assemblies a cloud by day and smoke and the shining of a fire flaming by night for over all the glory there [will be] a covering
וּבָרָ֣א יְהוָ֡ה עַל֩ כָּל־ מְכ֨וֹן הַר־ צִיּ֜וֹן וְעַל־ מִקְרָאֶ֗הָ עָנָ֤ן ׀ יוֹמָם֙ וְעָשָׁ֔ן וְנֹ֛גַהּ אֵ֥שׁ לֶהָבָ֖ה לָ֑יְלָה כִּ֥י עַל־ כָּל־ כָּב֖וֹד חֻפָּֽה

וּבָרָ֣א  Then  will  create 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרָא 
Sense: to create, shape, form.
יְהוָ֡ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
עַל֩  above 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מְכ֨וֹן  dwelling  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָכֹון  
Sense: fixed or established place, foundation.
הַר־  of  Mount 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
צִיּ֜וֹן  Zion 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.
וְעַל־  and  above 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מִקְרָאֶ֗הָ  her  assemblies 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: מִקְרָא  
Sense: convocation, convoking, reading, a calling together.
עָנָ֤ן ׀  a  cloud 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָנָן  
Sense: cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass.
יוֹמָם֙  by  day 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יׄומָם  
Sense: by day, in the daytime subst.
וְעָשָׁ֔ן  and  smoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׁן  
Sense: smoke.
וְנֹ֛גַהּ  and  the  shining 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: נׄגַהּ  
Sense: brightness.
אֵ֥שׁ  of  a  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
לֶהָבָ֖ה  flaming 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: לֶהָבָה  
Sense: flame.
לָ֑יְלָה  by  night 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
כָּב֖וֹד  the  glory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כָּבֹוד  
Sense: glory, honour, glorious, abundance.
חֻפָּֽה  there  [will  be]  a  covering 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֻפָּה  
Sense: chamber, room, canopy, closet.