¶“Pay attention to Me, My people, And listen to Me, My nation; For a law will go out from Me, And I will bring My justice as a light of the peoples.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Listen to me, my people; and hear me, my nation: for a law will go out from me, and I will establish my justice for a light to the peoples.
- KJV Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.
- BSB Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation; for a law will go out from Me, and My justice will become a light to the nations; I will bring it about quickly.
- NKJV “Listen to Me, My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation: For law will proceed from Me, And I will make My justice rest As a light of the peoples.
- NLT “Listen to me, my people. Hear me, Israel, for my law will be proclaimed, and my justice will become a light to the nations.
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 summons His people to attend as His law and justice go out to be a light for the nations.
Overview
God's teaching (torah) and justice will radiate beyond Israel as a light to the peoples, extending His saving order worldwide. This echoes the Servant's mission to the nations (49:6). It is fulfilled as the gospel goes out from Zion through Christ, bringing God's justice and light to all peoples (Acts 1:8).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- 1 Pet 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
- Isa 2:3Many peoples shall go and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For out of Zion the law shall go out, and Yahweh’s word from Jerusalem.
- 1 Cor 9:21to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.
- Isa 49:6Indeed, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel? I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.”
- Isa 42:6“I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations;
- Mic 4:2Many nations will go and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the law will go out of Zion, and Yahweh’s word from Jerusalem;
- Ps 78:1A contemplation by Asaph. Hear my teaching, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.
- Ps 147:20He has not done this for just any nation. They don’t know his ordinances. Praise Yah!
- John 16:8–11When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment;
- Ps 33:12Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh, the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.
- Rom 8:2–4For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
- Luke 2:32a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”
- Exod 33:13Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your way, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight: and consider that this nation is your people.”
- Ps 50:7“Hear, my people, and I will speak; Israel, and I will testify against you. I am God, your God.
- Isa 42:1–4“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights — I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.
- Ps 106:5that I may see the prosperity of your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.
- Matt 12:18–20“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
- Isa 26:2Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith.
- Exod 19:6and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
- Prov 6:23For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 51:4 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.