Isaiah 31:4 · Bible study
Isaiah 31:4 Commentary: Lion's Roar
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does the lion imagery depict Yahweh defending Jerusalem or coming in judgment? The grammar, context and commentaries support both views.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Yahweh’s resolve is as unstoppable as a lion’s over its prey. The interpretive question is whether this protects or threatens Jerusalem.
- Key words: Yehgeh (growls/mutters, H1897), me lo ro im (multitude of shepherds, H4393/H7462), litzbo al (to wage war upon/in favor of, H6633/H5921).
- Main debate: The preposition al can mean “for” or “against” Mount Zion. Keil & Delitzsch read it as judgment; Matthew Henry and Gill read it as defense.
- Theological theme: The sovereignty of God in history, he cannot be diverted from his purpose, whether to save or to judge.
- Best use: A study on divine determination; paired with v. 5 to show the two sides of God’s character (lion and mother bird).
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For this is what the LORD has said to me: “Like a lion roaring or a young lion over its prey— and though a band of shepherds is called out against it, it is not terrified by their shouting or subdued by their clamor— so the LORD of Hosts will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and its heights.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For Yahweh says to me, “As the lion and the young lion growling over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds is called together against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for their noise, so Yahweh of Armies will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its heights.
KJV King James Version 1769
For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For thus saith Jehovah unto me, As the lion and the young lion growling over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds be called forth against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so will Jehovah of hosts come down to fight upon mount Zion, and upon the hill thereof.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For thus said Jehovah unto me: `As growl doth the lion and the young lion over his prey, Called against whom is a multitude of shepherds, From their voice he is not affrighted, And from their noise he is not humbled; So come down doth Jehovah of Hosts To war on mount Zion, and on her height.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For thus hath Jehovah said unto me: Like as the lion and the young lion growling over his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, is not afraid of their voice, nor giveth way before the multitude of them; so will Jehovah of hosts come down to war upon mount Zion, and on the hill thereof.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For thus saith the Lord to me: Like as the lion roareth, and the lions whelp upon his prey, and when a multitude of shepherds shall come against him, he will not fear at their voice, nor be afraid of their multitude: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight upon mount Sion, and upon the hill thereof.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque Jehová me dijo á mí de esta manera: Como el león y el cachorro del león brama sobre su presa, y si se llega contra él cuadrilla de pastores, no temerá por sus voces, ni se acobardará por el tropel de ellos: así Jehová de los ejércitos descenderá á pelear por el monte de Sión, y por su collado.
Porque assim me disse o SENHOR: Tal como o leão e o filhote de leão rugem sobre sua presa, ainda que contra ele seja chamada uma multidão de pastores; ele não se espanta por suas vozes, nem se intimida por seu grande número; assim também o SENHOR dos exércitos descerá para lutar sobre o monte de Sião, e sobre o seu morro.
Car ainsi m’ a parlé l’ Éternel:
Denn so spricht der HERR zu mir: Gleichwie ein Löwe und ein junger Löwe brüllt über seinen Raub, wenn der Hirten Menge ihn anschreit, so erschrickt er vor ihrem Geschrei nicht und ist ihm auch nicht leid vor ihrer Menge: also wird der HERR Zebaoth herniederfahren, zu streiten auf dem Berge Zion und auf seinem Hügel.
Want alzo heeft de HEERE tot mij gezegd: Gelijk als een leeuw, en een jonge leeuw over zijn roof brult, wanneer schoon een volle menigte der herderen samengeroepen wordt tegen hem, verschrikt hij voor hun stem niet, en vernedert zich niet vanwege hun veelheid; alzo zal de HEERE der heirscharen nederdalen, om te strijden voor den berg Sions en voor haar heuvel.
Poiché così m’ha detto l’Eterno: Come il leone o il leoncello rugge sulla sua preda, e benché una folla di pastori gli sia chiamata contro non si spaventa alla lor voce né si lascia intimidire dallo strepito che fanno, così scenderà l’Eterno degli eserciti a combattere sul monte Sion e sul suo colle.
Bo tak rzekł Pan do mnie: Jako gdy ryczy lew, i szczenię lwie nad łupem swym, a choć zwoływają przeciwko niemu gromadę pasterzy, przecie się on wrzasku ich nie lęka, ani się korzy przed hukiem ich; tak Pan zastępów zstąpi, aby walczył o górę Syońską, i o pagórek jej.
Ибо так сказал мне Господь: как лев, как скимен, ревущий над своею добычею, хотя бы множество пастухов кричало на него, от крика их не содрогнется и множеству их не уступит, - так Господь Саваоф сойдет сразиться за гору Сион и за холм его.
耶和華 對我 如此 說： 獅子 和少壯獅子 護 食 咆哮，就是 喊 許多 牧人 來攻擊牠，牠總不 因他們的聲音 驚惶，也不 因他們的喧嘩 縮伏。如此，萬軍 之耶和華 也必降臨 在 錫安 山 岡 上爭戰。
For the Lord has said to me, As a lion, or a young lion, makes an angry noise over his food, and if a band of herdsmen come out against him, he will not be in fear of their voices, or give up his food for their noise: so the Lord of armies will come down to make war against Mount Zion and its hill.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 31:4
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the lion simile in Isaiah 31:4 portrays Yahweh as possessing unstoppable, fierce determination, exactly the quality the Assyrian siege requires. The verb yehgeh (growls) is rare; its use here, alongside the parallel with the Homeric epics (noted by Clarke, Barnes, and the Cambridge Bible), marks the verse as one of the most vivid images in Isaiah. The lion is utterly undaunted by the shepherds’ noise, nothing will move him from his prey. That core idea is undisputed.
Yet the direction of that determination splits interpreters sharply. The Cambridge Bible, Keil & Delitzsch, and Lange read the lion as Yahweh holding Jerusalem as helpless prey, against whom a crowd of shepherds (either the Egyptians or the Judean defenders) cannot prevail. By contrast, Calvin, Gill, Matthew Henry, and Wesley’s Notes see the lion defending Jerusalem, with the shepherds representing the Assyrians who cannot scare off the protecting Lion of Judah. Both sides claim the grammar and context support their reading.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: High
Main views:
- Defense of Jerusalem: Supported by Calvin, Gill, Matthew Henry, Wesley: the lion’s prey is the Assyrian army; the LORD comes down to fight for Zion (עַל as 'for').
- Judgment against Jerusalem: Supported by Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible, Lange: the lion’s prey is Jerusalem; the shepherds are would-be rescuers (Egyptians or Judeans); עַל elsewhere means 'against'.
- Both (judgment then grace): A mediating view: the lion roars in judgment, but verse 5 immediately pivots to protection. The same God who terrorizes also shelters.
What is clear: The lion imagery emphasizes Yahweh’s total, unshakable determination — nothing in heaven or earth can divert him from his purpose.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the lion simile | The lion represents Yahweh’s fierce, unyielding determination. He cannot be frightened off his purpose by any human force. | Some (Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible) see the lion as devouring Jerusalem, his prey; others (Calvin, Gill, Matthew Henry) see the lion as defending Jerusalem against the shepherds (the Assyrians). |
| Identity of the shepherds | The shepherds are human forces trying to oppose the lion’s purpose. | In the defense interpretation, the shepherds are the Assyrian army attempting to take Jerusalem. In the judgment interpretation, the shepherds are the Egyptian or Judean forces trying to rescue Jerusalem from God’s judgment. |
| Preposition על in verse 4 | The phrase לִצְבֹּא עַל can be translated both ‘to fight for’ and ‘to fight against’. | Cambridge Bible argues that elsewhere the phrase consistently means ‘fight against’ (e.g., Numbers 31:7, Zechariah 14:12). Others (Gill, KJV, Darby) read it as ‘fight for’ based on context and the following verse. |
| Relationship between verses 4 and 5 | Verse 5 uses the tender image of birds protecting young, which contrasts sharply with the lion. | For Calvin and Matthew Henry, verse 5 clarifies that the lion’s purpose is protective. For Keil & Delitzsch, the abrupt shift from judgment (v.4) to protection (v.5) was intentional, judgment gives way to grace at the last moment. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 31 stands near the end of a section of “woes” (chapters 28, 31) aimed at Judah’s misplaced trust in Egypt. In 31:1, 3, the prophet condemns those who “go down to Egypt for help,” relying on horses and chariots rather than on Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel. The Egyptians are mere flesh, not spirit; both helper and helped will fall together when Yahweh stretches out his hand.
Then, in verse 4, the tone shifts abruptly. The LORD speaks directly to Isaiah with a powerful simile: a lion growling over its prey will not be frightened by a whole band of shepherds. The Hebrew word me lo (multitude, fullness) underscores the sheer number of opponents, but the lion is unmoved.
The cultural background is crucial. Lions were a real threat in ancient Palestine; shepherds would band together to shout and throw stones, hoping to drive a lion away from a sheep. The imagery would be instantly familiar. But the prophet applies it to Yahweh’s action “on Mount Zion and on its heights.” The phrase “to fight” (litzbo) is a military term, and the preposition al (on/upon/against) is the hinge on which the whole interpretation turns. In the surrounding passage, references to “the Assyrian” (v. 8) and the sudden reversal in v. 5, “As birds flying, so Yahweh of Armies will protect Jerusalem”, show that Judah is facing an existential crisis. The question is whether the lion is about to devour Jerusalem or to defend it against the Assyrian threat.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Isaiah 31:4. The interpretive divergence does not arise from differences in manuscripts but from the ambiguity of the preposition al (עַל), which can mean both “for” and “against,” and from the broader context of the passage. The Masoretic text is stable; the Hebrew witnessed here is the same across the consulted traditions.
Reception History
Early Christian interpreters, such as Jerome and Theodoret, read the lion as Christ triumphing over enemies, with the shepherds representing hostile human powers. During the Reformation, Calvin emphasized God’s sovereign protection of his church, while Matthew Henry applied the verse to God’s unfailing defense of his people against their spiritual foes. In the 19th century, critics like Keil & Delitzsch and the Cambridge Bible gave priority to the grammatical usage of litzbo al and argued for a judgment reading, seeing the abrupt turn in verse 5 as a dramatic reversal typical of Isaiah’s style. Today, the debate continues among pastors and scholars, often reflecting whether they emphasize God’s judgment or his mercy as the primary theme of the passage.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The lion’s prey, The lion (Yahweh) is utterly determined. No human opposition can change his purpose. This is the core of the image: God’s sovereign resolve is absolute, whether for judgment or for salvation.
- The shepherds’ noise, Human power, whether Egyptian, Assyrian, or any alliance, amounts to shouting at a lion. It achieves nothing. God is not intimidated by our enemies or by our own resistance.
- The surprise twist, Verse 5 immediately follows with a tender simile: birds protecting their young. The lion’s roar gives way to the mother bird’s wings. This combination of ferocity and gentleness is the heart of the gospel, God is both the Lion who fights and the One who shelters.
Five-point outline
- The problem: misplaced trust (vv. 1, 3), Judah’s sin is relying on Egypt instead of God. Human help ultimately fails.
- The promise: God’s fierce commitment (v. 4a), Like a lion over its prey, Yahweh will not be deterred. His purpose stands.
- The question: for or against?, The interpretive fork: is this a threat or a promise? Both readings find support in the text.
- The resolution: protection (v. 5), Regardless of how we read v. 4, the following verse shifts to a clear image of protection, birds hovering over a nest.
- The call: return to the Lord (v. 6), The passage concludes with an invitation to repentance. The lion’s roar is meant to bring his people back, not to destroy them.
Illustration hooks
- Unshakeable resolve, Think of a parent who will not be moved from protecting a child, no matter how many people tell them to back down. That kind of focused determination mirrors the lion’s stance.
- Noise vs. power, Our fears, worries, and human “solutions” often act like shouting shepherds, loud but ultimately powerless against what God has decided to do.
- Two sides of the same coin, A lion is dangerous and protective at the same time. For those who trust him, he defends; for those who oppose him, he devours. The same act of God can be salvation or judgment depending on where we stand.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “If God is for us, why does life feel like a lion is out to get us?” (The tension between God’s protective love and hard circumstances.)
- “How do I know whether God is trying to defend me or judge me in my current struggle?”
- “What does it mean to trust God’s fierce love when the situation looks hopeless?”
Leading a Discussion
Isaiah 31:4 presents a vivid but ambiguous image: is the lion Yahweh defending Jerusalem or holding it as prey? This tension reflects a wider biblical theme, God’s holiness is both terrifying and saving. As your group works through these questions, let the ambiguity remain unresolved. The point is not to force a single reading but to grapple with the power of the image and what it reveals about God’s absolute sovereignty over history.
Discussion questions
- Read Isaiah 31:1, 5 aloud. What is the sin Judah is committing in verses 1, 3? How does that set up the lion image?
- The Hebrew verb yehgeh (growls) is used only here for a lion. Look at its range in the lexicon: mutter, roar, meditate. Why might the prophet choose this word instead of a more common word for roar?
- Consider the crowd of shepherds called out against the lion. In the defense interpretation, who are the shepherds? In the judgment interpretation, who are they? What difference does it make for how we read the verse?
- Verse 5 switches abruptly to birds hovering over a nest. How does this change the emotional register? Does it help decide the meaning of verse 4, or does it leave the question open?
- Which interpretation do you find more compelling, God as the defending lion or the judging lion? Why? Is it possible that both are true in different ways?
- Psalm 125:1, 2 says those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, unshakeable. How does that promise connect to the lion image in Isaiah?
- What would it mean for your life today to trust in God’s fierce, unstoppable commitment, whether that feels protective or challenging?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 24:8 | God brings him out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox. He shall consume the nations his adversaries, shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them with his arrows. |
| Numbers 24:9 | He couched, he lay down as a lion, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed.” |
| II Chronicles 20:15 | and he said, “Listen, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat. Yahweh says to you, ‘Don’t be afraid, and don’t be dismayed because of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. |
| Psalms 125:1 | A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever. |
| Psalms 125:2 | As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Yahweh surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more. |
| Isaiah 10:16 | Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, will send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire. |
| Isaiah 12:6 | Cry aloud and shout, you inhabitant of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel is great among you!” |
| Isaiah 37:35 | ‘For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.’” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke points out that this biblical lion comparison closely resembles Homer's epic simile in the Iliad, where a bold mountain-bred lion attacks a guarded sheepfold. He notes this as an example of Hebrew poets using vivid animal imagery to represent divine attributes.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes focuses on the comparison's core: God's commitment to defend Jerusalem is as intense and unshakable as a lion's grip on its prey. The lion cannot be frightened off by a crowd of shepherds, and Yahweh will not be deterred by the Assyrian army's size or threats. The point is not a likeness of nature but identical fierceness of purpose.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that God does not forbid relying on human help without also promising His own protection, leaving no excuse for seeking aid
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator argues that the lion image in this verse does not show God defending Jerusalem. Instead, God holds the city helpless in His power like a lion over its prey, while the shepherds (the Egyptians) try in vain to scare Him away. The phrase "to fight for" should actually be translated "to fight against."
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes the sheer fearlessness of God's protection: like a lion that pays no attention to a crowd of shepherds shouting at it, the Lord is not intimidated by any hostile force gathered against Zion. No amount of human opposition or noise can make Him back down from defending His people.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that a lion with its prey does not roar but growls low, showing it will not be frightened off even by a crowd of shouting shepherds. In the same way, God comes down to defend Mount Zion with unshakeable resolve, and no opposing force can divert him from protecting his people.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
( Isa 42:13 ; Hos 11:10 ). roaring on —"growling over" his prey. abase himself —be disheartened or frightened.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch corrects a common misreading: the lion in this passage does not defend Jerusalem but attacks it. Like a predator undeterred by shepherds' shouts, the Lord advances against His own city as prey. This terrible image then shifts without warning to a startling scene of deliverance.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the lion image as a symbol of God's fierce determination to judge Jerusalem, not protect it. He insists the Lord will not let His chosen city, now the prey of His anger, be snatched away by any alliance between Judah and Egypt. For Lange, verse 4 continues the threat, not the promise.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry notes that this woe targets those within God's professing people who turn to Egypt for help, trusting in military strength rather than the Holy One of Israel. His distinctive point is that belonging to the church does not shield anyone from divine judgment when they rely on worldly alliances and live in contempt
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights that God's help comes not because of human deserving but despite human sin. Even when the people sought aid from Egypt, an act of disobedience, the Lord freely gives the very help they did not earn or seek properly.