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And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
Isaiah 28:6 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
  • BSB a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.
  • NKJV For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
  • NASB A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment, A strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.
  • NLT He will give a longing for justice to their judges. He will give great courage to their warriors who stand at the gates.

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

God will give a spirit of justice to judges and strength to those who defend the city's gates.

Overview

The Lord promises to equip His remnant with righteous judgment and courage to repel the enemy. Where leaders had failed in justice, God himself supplies the wisdom and strength needed. This reflects how God graciously empowers His people for faithful service, ultimately through His Spirit given in Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 17

  • Ps 18:32–34It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
  • John 5:30I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
  • Num 11:16–17And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
  • Isa 11:2–4And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
  • Josh 1:9Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
  • Isa 32:15–16Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.
  • John 3:34For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
  • Gen 41:38–39And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
  • Prov 20:8A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
  • 1 Kgs 3:28And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.
  • Ps 46:1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
  • 2 Chr 32:8With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
  • Deut 20:4For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
  • Ps 46:11The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
  • Ps 72:1–4Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.
  • 1 Cor 12:8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
  • Num 27:16–18Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

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 28:6YouTube · 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 28:6 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.