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in loving devotion a throne will be established in the tent of David. A judge seeking justice and hastening righteousness will sit on it in faithfulness.
Isaiah 16:5 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB A throne will be established in loving kindness. One will sit on it in truth, in the tent of David, judging, seeking justice, and swift to do righteousness.
  • KJV And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.
  • NKJV In mercy the throne will be established; And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.”
  • NASB A throne will be established in faithfulness, And a judge will sit on it in trustworthiness in the tent of David; Moreover, he will seek justice, And be prompt in righteousness.
  • NLT then God will establish one of David’s descendants as king. He will rule with mercy and truth. He will always do what is just and be eager to do what is right.

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

A throne will be established in steadfast love, occupied by one who judges with truth and righteousness in David's tent. This points to the enduring kingdom of the coming Messiah.

Overview

Amid the surrounding judgment, Isaiah holds out the promise of a faithful king in the line of David who rules with justice and mercy. While referring to the Davidic dynasty, the language reaches beyond any mere human king to the Messiah. Christians rightly see here a clear pointer to Jesus Christ, whose reign of righteousness and loving kindness fulfills this hope.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 30

  • Dan 7:14And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
  • Isa 9:6–7For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
  • Mic 4:7And I will make the lame into a remnant, and the outcast into a strong nation. Then the LORD will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever.
  • Dan 7:27Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’
  • Zech 9:9Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
  • Luke 1:31–33Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
  • Isa 32:1–2Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice.
  • 2 Sam 7:16Your house and kingdom will endure forever before Me, and your throne will be established forever.”
  • Prov 20:28Loving devotion and faithfulness preserve a king; by these he maintains his throne.
  • 2 Pet 3:11–12Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness
  • Acts 15:16–17‘After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,
  • Isa 55:4Behold, I have made him a witness to the nations, a leader and commander of the peoples.
  • 2 Sam 5:9So David took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built it up all the way around, from the supporting terraces inward.
  • 2 Chr 31:20So this is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good and upright and true before the LORD his God.
  • Amos 9:11“In that day I will restore the fallen tent of David. I will repair its gaps, restore its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old,
  • Prov 29:14A king who judges the poor with fairness—his throne will be established forever.
  • Isa 11:1–5Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
  • Ps 85:10Loving devotion and faithfulness have joined together; righteousness and peace have kissed.
  • Ps 96:13before the LORD, for He is coming—He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.
  • 1 Kgs 10:9Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”
  • Ps 61:6–7Increase the days of the king’s life; may his years span many generations.
  • Luke 1:69–75He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
  • 2 Sam 23:3The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,
  • Ps 89:14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; loving devotion and faithfulness go before You.
  • Ps 99:4The mighty King loves justice. You have established equity; You have exercised justice and righteousness in Jacob.
  • Ps 89:1–2A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the loving devotion of the LORD forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.
  • Ps 72:2–4May he judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted with justice.
  • Jer 23:5–6Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
  • Ps 98:9before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.
  • Heb 1:8–9But about the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Isaiah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Isaiah 16:5YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on IsaiahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 16:5 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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.