“What answer will one give the messengers of the nation? That the Lord has founded Zion, And the poor of His people will take refuge in it.”
Parallel translations
- WEB What will they answer the messengers of the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people will take refuge.
- KJV What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.
- BSB What answer will be given to the envoys of that nation? “The LORD has founded Zion, where His afflicted people will find refuge.”
- NKJV What will they answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord has founded Zion, And the poor of His people shall take refuge in it.
- NLT What should we tell the Philistine messengers? Tell them, “The Lord has built Jerusalem; its walls will give refuge to his oppressed people.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
When envoys ask about Philistia's fate, the answer is that the LORD has founded Zion as a refuge for his afflicted people. Security rests in God's city, not in worldly alliances.
Overview
Foreign messengers seeking to know the outcome are told that the Lord himself has established Zion, where his oppressed people find shelter. Over against the destruction of the nations stands the safety God provides for those who trust him. Zion's role as refuge points forward to the church and ultimately to the heavenly city secured by Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 25
- Ps 87:5Yes, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one was born in her”; the Most High himself will establish her.
- Ps 102:16For Yahweh has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory.
- Ps 87:1A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song. His foundation is in the holy mountains.
- Zeph 3:12But I will leave among you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in Yahweh’s name.
- Jas 2:5Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
- Isa 25:4For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat, when the blast of the dreaded ones is like a storm against the wall.
- Isa 39:1At that time, Merodach Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah; for he heard that he had been sick, and had recovered.
- Zech 11:11It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was Yahweh’s word.
- Ps 102:28The children of your servants will continue. Their offspring will be established before you.”
- Isa 44:28Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,’ even saying of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built;’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’”
- Isa 4:6There will be a pavilion for a shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a refuge and for a shelter from storm and from rain.
- Isa 28:16Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily.
- Prov 18:10Yahweh’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
- Ps 132:13–14For Yahweh has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his habitation.
- Isa 54:11“You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
- Matt 16:18I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
- Matt 24:15–16“When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
- Heb 12:22But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,
- Isa 37:32For out of Jerusalem a remnant will go out, and survivors will escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.’
- Isa 37:9He heard news concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “He has come out to fight against you.” When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,
- Zech 11:7So I fed the flock of slaughter, especially the oppressed of the flock. I took for myself two staffs. The one I called “Favor”, and the other I called “Union”, and I fed the flock.
- Isa 12:6Cry aloud and shout, you inhabitant of Zion; for the Holy One of Israel is great among you!”
- 2 Sam 8:10then Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him; for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. Joram brought with him vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:
- Isa 11:4but with righteousness he will judge the poor, and decide with equity for the humble of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.
- 2 Kgs 20:12–19At that time Berodach Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah; for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 14:32 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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