Isaiah 51:5 · Bible study
Isaiah 51:5 Commentary: Righteousness, Salvation, and the Waiting Islands
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore how God's righteousness, salvation, and judgment unite in Isaiah 51:5, and what it means for distant nations to wait for His arm.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God's covenant faithfulness (righteousness) launches deliverance (salvation) that reaches all peoples, while his power (arms) establishes justice.
- Key words: tsedeq (righteousness), yatsa (gone out), zeroa (arm), iyim (islands/coastlands), qavah/yachal (wait/hope).
- Main debate: Whether 'righteousness' refers specifically to Christ's imputed righteousness (Gill) or more broadly to God's faithful deliverance (Barnes, Clarke, Keil).
- Theological theme: The universal scope of salvation and the interconnection between God's character, his saving action, and his justice.
- Best use: Comforting those who feel abandoned, reminding them that God's salvation is near; also teaching the global mission of the church.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
My righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look for Me and wait in hope for My arm.
WEB World English Bible 2000
My righteousness is near. My salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples. The islands will wait for me, and they will trust my arm.
KJV King James Version 1769
My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
My righteousness is near, my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the peoples; the isles shall wait for me, and on mine arm shall they trust.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Near is My righteousness, Gone out hath My salvation and Mine arms, Peoples they judge, on Me isles do wait, Yea, on Mine arm they do wait with hope.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
My righteousness is near, my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the peoples: the isles shall wait for me, and in mine arm shall they trust.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
My just one is near at hand, my saviour is gone forth, and my arms shall judge the people: the islands shall look for me, and shall patiently wait for my arm.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Cercana está mi justicia, salido ha mi salud, y mis brazos juzgarán á los pueblos: á mí esperarán las islas, y en mi brazo pondrán su esperanza.
Perto está minha justiça, já partiu minha salvação, e meus braços julgarão aos povos; as terras litorâneas aguardarão por mim, e por meu braço esperarão.
Ma justice est proche, mon salut va paraître,
Denn meine Gerechtigkeit ist nahe, mein Heil zieht aus, und meine Arme werden die Völker richten. Die Inseln harren auf mich und warten auf meinen Arm.
Mijn gerechtigheid is nabij, Mijn heil trekt uit, en Mijn armen zullen de volken richten; op Mij zullen de eilanden wachten, en op Mijn arm zullen zij hopen.
La mia giustizia è vicina, la mia salvezza sta per apparire, e le mie braccia giudicheranno i popoli; le isole spereranno in me, e confideranno nel mio braccio.
Blisko jest sprawiedliwość moja, wynijdzie zbawienie moje, a ramiona moje narody sądzić będą. Na mię wyspy oczekują, a po ramieniu mojem tęsknią.
Правда Моя близка; спасение Мое восходит, и мышца Моя будет судить народы; острова будут уповать на Меня и надеяться на мышцу Мою.
我的公義 臨近；我的救恩 發出。我的膀臂 要審判 萬民；海島 都要等候 我，倚賴 我的膀臂。
Suddenly will my righteousness come near, and my salvation will be shining out like the light; the sea-lands will be waiting for me, and they will put their hope in my strong arm.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 51:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse announces a turning point: God's covenant faithfulness (his 'righteousness') is about to break into history. Barnes and Clarke both define 'righteousness' here as the faithful completion of his promises to deliver his people, not an abstract attribute. The parallel 'salvation' (yesha) has already gone forth, the action has started, even if its full effect is still unfolding. Gill reads the verse messianically, identifying 'my righteousness' with Christ, 'the righteous one,' but most others (Keil & Delitzsch, Wesley) take it as God's saving intervention itself. The 'arms' that judge are God's own power, put for himself (Barnes); this judgment is not merely punitive but establishes justice among the peoples. All sources note that 'the islands' (distant coastlands, the Gentiles) are included: they will wait in hope, trusting the same arm that acts for Israel. The point of unity: God's deliverance is near, it reaches beyond Israel, and it combines rescue with the establishment of right order.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Covenantal faithfulness: tsedeq refers to God's reliability to keep his promises, leading to deliverance (Barnes, Clarke, Keil).
- Imputed righteousness of Christ: The verse is messianic; 'my righteous one' (Vulgate) points to Christ, whose righteousness is credited to believers (Gill, citing Romans 1:17).
What is clear: God is acting to save his people and to extend that salvation to all nations; his power and faithfulness are the foundation of hope.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'my righteousness' | All traditions see it as a positive attribute of God that leads to deliverance, not punitive justice. | Gill reads it as Christ's righteousness (imputed), citing Romans 1:17 and the Vulgate 'my righteous one.' Others (Barnes, Clarke) read it as God's covenant faithfulness, closer to 'deliverance' itself. |
| The content of judgment | God's 'arm' will set things right among the nations. Judgment is part of salvation, not separate. | Some emphasize vindication for the oppressed; others note it includes condemnation of the wicked. The verse does not specify whom the judgment falls on. |
| Identity of 'the islands' | They represent distant Gentile nations, fulfilling the promise to Abraham that all peoples would be blessed. | Some limit it to literal Mediterranean coastlands (historically Phoenicia, Cyprus); others see it as a poetic term for the whole non-Jewish world. |
| When is the promise fulfilled? | The verse describes an event that is both imminent for the exiles and still future in its universal scope. | Preterist-oriented readings focus on the return from Babylon; futurist readings see it as messianic (Christ's first or second coming). Most hold both. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 51:5 sits in a section (chapters 40, 55) addressed to Israelites exiled in Babylon. The prophet's task was to comfort a people who felt abandoned. The surrounding verses (vv. 1, 3) call them back to Abraham and Sarah, a reminder that God made a great nation from one barren couple. If God could do that, he could restore a shattered people. Verse 4 speaks of a 'law' and 'justice' going out from Zion as a light to the peoples, echoing the servant's mission in Isaiah 42. Against this backdrop, verse 5 announces that the long-awaited intervention is happening.
The word 'righteousness' (tsedeq) carries a covenantal force: God proves his faithfulness by acting to rescue and restore. The verb 'has gone out' (yatsa, qal perfect) suggests a decisive departure; salvation is already on the move. The 'arm' of Yahweh is a recurring image in these chapters (see 51:9; 52:10; 53:1), evoking his warrior-like strength displayed at the exodus and the creation. To say that his arms 'judge the peoples' means he will set things right, vindicating the oppressed and bringing order to chaos.
The identity of 'the islands' (iyim) is key. In Isaiah, this term routinely refers to distant coastlands of the Mediterranean and beyond (e.g., 41:1; 42:4; 60:9). For an exiled audience, the inclusion of the far-off Gentiles was radical. The exile had raised questions: Was God only a local deity? The answer here is no, his salvation would reach the ends of the earth. The waiting (qavah and yachal) is not passive; it is a tense, expectant hope that trusts in God's arm when no other help is visible.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Isaiah 51:5. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the ancient versions (LXX, Vulgate, Targum) support the same reading. The slight difference in the Vulgate ('justus meus' for 'my righteous one') reflects an interpretive option rather than a textual variant.
Reception History
Christians have read Isaiah 51:5 as a promise of God's saving intervention that transcends the original exile context. Early church fathers like Eusebius saw the 'arm of the Lord' as a type of Christ. The verse became woven into Advent liturgies ('my salvation is gone forth') and hymns of hope. Matthew Henry (1710) used it to comfort the disconsolate, stressing that God's righteousness and salvation are permanent. Gill (1748) developed it as a proof-text for imputed righteousness. In the Wesleyan tradition, Adam Clarke (1826) emphasized the broad semantic range of 'righteousness' to include faithfulness. The verse has also been sung in African American spirituals and modern worship songs that echo the longing for God's justice to reach the ends of the earth.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The nearness of righteousness, God's covenant faithfulness is not distant or theoretical; it has drawn close. The exiled people could taste it.
- The gone-forth salvation, God's rescue operation is already underway, even if its full effect is future. The perfect tense ('has gone out') assures certainty.
- Universal scope, Judgment and hope extend to all peoples, including the distant islands. No one is beyond the reach of God's arm.
Five-point outline
- Righteousness, God's faithful character on display.
- Salvation, The concrete deliverance that flows from that character.
- Judging arms, God's power that sets the world right.
- Waiting islands, The response of expectant hope from the nations.
- Trusting his arm, Active reliance on God's strength, not human resources.
Illustration hooks
- Rescue beacon, When a distress signal is sent and the rescue team announces they are near, even if the boat hasn't arrived yet. The word 'near' transforms the situation from despair to hope.
- Island waiting for aid, A remote community that has no means of self-rescue but waits for a ship that has already left port. Their waiting is active; they prepare for arrival.
- Courtroom verdict, When the judge's decision is announced, both vindication and penalty happen at once. God's judgment brings justice.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is God's salvation really 'near' when our circumstances haven't changed?
- What does it mean for us to 'wait' on God in a culture that demands instant results?
- How does God's judgment connect with his mercy? Is it something to fear or to hope for?
Leading a Discussion
Isaiah 51:5 speaks to God's people when they seem forgotten. It promises that deliverance is not just possible but already underway, and that its reach extends farther than anyone expected, even to the distant 'islands.' As you discuss this verse, notice how the prophet connects God's character (righteousness) with his actions (salvation and judgment). The response of the nations, waiting and trusting, models the posture of hope.
Discussion questions
- Read Isaiah 51:1, 5 together. How does the call to 'look to the rock' (Abraham and Sarah) prepare the ground for the promise in verse 5?
- What does 'righteousness' mean in this context? Compare how the commentators define it. Why does God call it 'my righteousness' instead of simply 'my salvation'?
- The verb for salvation 'has gone out' (yatsa) is a perfect tense. Why does the prophet use a past action for a future deliverance? What does that imply about certainty?
- God's 'arms' will judge the peoples. Based on cross-references like Psalm 96:13 and 98:9, what kind of judgment is this, condemnation, vindication, or both?
- Who are 'the islands'? Why does the prophet mention them specifically? What does it mean for the church today that God's promise was always global?
- The islands 'wait' and 'trust.' How do these two actions differ from passive resignation? What does active waiting look like in your life right now?
- How does this verse encourage believers who feel far from God's help, perhaps in a season of exile or prolonged difficulty?
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)
| Deuteronomy 30:14 | But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. |
| I Samuel 2:10 | Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky. “Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.” |
| Psalms 50:4 | He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people: |
| Psalms 50:6 | The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah. |
| Psalms 67:4 | Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you will judge the peoples with equity, and govern the nations on earth. Selah. |
| Psalms 85:9 | Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. |
| Psalms 96:13 | before Yahweh; for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, the peoples with his truth. |
| Psalms 98:9 | Let them sing before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke points out that the Hebrew word for righteousness has an unusually broad range of meanings, covering justice, faithfulness, mercy, deliverance, and salvation. In this verse, he says it means the faithful completion of God's promises to rescue his people.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes defines righteousness here as God's faithful completion of his promises, salvation as an already initiated purpose, and the arm as God himself executing judgment. He understands the isles as distant pagan nations, showing that God's deliverance would reach beyond Israel.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that God's righteousness and salvation are not distant but already arriving, and His power will bring judgment to the nations. The distant peoples, called the isles, are promised to wait for Him and place their trust in His strength.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the righteousness in this verse as Christ's own, which God the Father approves and credits to believers. He interprets the salvation as already accomplished and ready to be received. Gill also reads the "isles" as a prophecy of Gentile nations, including Britain and Ireland, turning to trust in Christ.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that God's righteousness and salvation are near because He faithfully fulfills His promise of deliverance. Those who seek righteousness from Him will not have far to go. The passage also shows that this salvation extends to the Gentiles, who receive it through God's mighty power.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch distinguishes here between the Sinai law and the gospel of redemption: the instruction that goes forth from Israel is not the old law but the new saving order that will light the nations. The "islands" represent the remnant of heathen peoples who survive God's judgment and, longing for salvation, receive it through God's saving arm.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads this chapter as a dramatic dialogue among four speakers: the veiled Servant of Jehovah, Israel, Jehovah Himself, and the Prophet. He argues that in verses 1-8 the Servant presents the condition for Israel's redemption, and the law that goes forth is the gospel, a new right for all nations. For Lange, the true hearers are spiritual Israel, not merely Abraham's physical descendants.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws the line sharply: God's comfort in these verses belongs only to those who have His law written in their hearts, not merely in their hands or heads. The permanence of God's righteousness stands in deliberate contrast to everything else — heaven, earth, and human enemies all pass away like a garment eaten by moths.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley interprets the righteousness spoken of here as God's saving work, the redemption of both Jews and Gentiles. He understands the promise that it "goes forth" to mean this deliverance will soon appear, and the judgment described is Christ subduing the nations to His rule. Remote countries will look to Him alone for this salvation.