The Meaning of Isaiah 57:13 Explained

Isaiah 57:13

KJV: When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;

YLT: When thou criest, let thy gatherings deliver thee, And all of them carry away doth wind, Take away doth vanity, And whoso is trusting in Me inheriteth the land, And doth possess My holy mountain.

Darby: When thou criest, let them that are gathered by thee deliver thee! But a wind shall carry them all away, a breath shall take them; but he that putteth his trust in me shall inherit the land, and possess my holy mountain.

ASV: When thou criest, let them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away: but he that taketh refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When thou criest,  let thy companies  deliver  thee; but the wind  shall carry them all away;  vanity  shall take  [them]: but he that putteth his trust  in me shall possess  the land,  and shall inherit  my holy  mountain; 

What does Isaiah 57:13 Mean?

Study Notes

trust
.
Trust is the characteristic O.T. word for the N.T. "faith," "believe." It occurs 152 times in the O.T., and is the rendering of Heb. words signifying to take refuge (e.g. Ruth 2:12 "to lean on" (e.g.) Psalms 56:3 "to roll on" (e.g.) Psalms 22:8 "to stay upon" (e.g.) Job 35:14 .

Verse Meaning

In that day of judgment, the idols that the Israelites had trusted in, even in captivity, would be of no help. They would be as useless and lightweight as what the winds blow away. In contrast, those who made Yahweh their refuge from the storms of life would inherit the land and possess the Zion of the future Millennium (cf. Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 24:23; Isaiah 25:6-8; Isaiah 65:25; Isaiah 66:20; Matthew 5:5).
"One of the best ways to find out whether we have idols in our lives is to ask ourselves, "Where do I instinctively turn when I face a decision or need to solve a problem?" Do we reach for the phone to call a friend? Do we assure ourselves that we can handle the situation ourselves? Or do we turn to God to see[1] His will and receive His help?" [2]

Context Summary

Isaiah 57:1-21 - No Peace To The Wicked
A terrible portrayal is given here of the idolatries and impurities into which the Chosen People had fallen. These scenes under "the oaks" (r.v.) and in the valleys remind us of the invariable evils associated with idolatry which the great Apostle has recorded in Romans 1:23-28. They refused to retain God in their knowledge, and He gave them over to a reprobate mind; that is, He ceased to restrain them.
But amid the degenerate nation, there was a handful of elect souls; God is always careful against rooting up the tares, lest one stalk of wheat perish. Amid the destruction that must overtake the guilty land they that trusted in Him, would not be overlooked. See Isaiah 57:13-14.
With what comfort the chapter closes! Isaiah 57:15, etc. We may have been covetous and froward, and have deserved wrath and chastisement, but God will not always chide. Only return to Him! He will revive your heart, and "restore comfort" to you. He will heal where He has wounded, and will bring you near, through the blood of the Cross. See Ephesians 2:16-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 57

1  The blessed death of the righteous
3  God reproves the People for their idolatry
13  He gives promises of mercy to the penitent

What do the individual words in Isaiah 57:13 mean?

When you cry out let deliver you your collection [of idols] but them all will carry away the wind will take [them] a breath but he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land and shall inherit mountain My holy
בְּזַֽעֲקֵךְ֙ יַצִּילֻ֣ךְ קִבּוּצַ֔יִךְ וְאֶת־ כֻּלָּ֥ם יִשָּׂא־ ר֖וּחַ יִקַּח־ הָ֑בֶל וְהַחוֹסֶ֥ה בִי֙ יִנְחַל־ אֶ֔רֶץ וְיִירַ֖שׁ הַר־ קָדְשִֽׁי

בְּזַֽעֲקֵךְ֙  When  you  cry  out 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person feminine singular
Root: זָעַק  
Sense: to cry, cry out, call, call for help.
יַצִּילֻ֣ךְ  let  deliver  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, second person feminine singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
קִבּוּצַ֔יִךְ  your  collection  [of  idols] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: קִבּוּץ  
Sense: assemblage, assembly, gathering.
כֻּלָּ֥ם  them  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
יִשָּׂא־  will  carry  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
ר֖וּחַ  the  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
יִקַּח־  will  take  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
הָ֑בֶל  a  breath 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הֶבֶל  
Sense: vapour, breath.
וְהַחוֹסֶ֥ה  but  he  who  puts  his  trust 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָסָה  
Sense: (Qal) to seek refuge, flee for protection.
בִי֙  in  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
יִנְחַל־  shall  possess 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָחַל  
Sense: to get as a possession, acquire, inherit, possess.
אֶ֔רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְיִירַ֖שׁ  and  shall  inherit 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
הַר־  mountain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
קָדְשִֽׁי  My  holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.