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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.
Isaiah 16:5 · King James Version
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.
  • BSB 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.
  • 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 there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
  • Isa 9:6–7For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
  • Mic 4:7And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.
  • Dan 7:27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
  • Zech 9:9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
  • Luke 1:31–33And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
  • Isa 32:1–2Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
  • 2 Sam 7:16And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
  • Prov 20:28Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
  • 2 Pet 3:11–12Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
  • Acts 15:16–17After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
  • Isa 55:4Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
  • 2 Sam 5:9So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.
  • 2 Chr 31:20And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.
  • Amos 9:11In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
  • Prov 29:14The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.
  • Isa 11:1–5And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
  • Ps 85:10Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
  • Ps 96:13Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
  • 1 Kgs 10:9Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
  • Ps 61:6–7Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: and his years as many generations.
  • Luke 1:69–75And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
  • 2 Sam 23:3The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
  • Ps 89:14Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
  • Ps 99:4The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
  • Ps 89:1–2I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
  • Ps 72:2–4He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
  • Jer 23:5–6Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
  • Ps 98:9Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
  • Heb 1:8–9But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy 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.