Isaiah 25:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: like heat in a dry place. You subdue the noise of the foreigners; as heat by the shade of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is put down.

NIV: and like the heat of the desert. You silence the uproar of foreigners; as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is stilled.

NASB: Like heat in a dry land, You subdue the uproar of foreigners; Like heat by the shadow of a cloud, the song of the ruthless is silenced.

CSB: like heat in a dry land, you will subdue the uproar of barbarians. As the shade of a cloud cools the heat of the day, so he will silence the song of the violent.

NLT: or like the relentless heat of the desert. But you silence the roar of foreign nations. As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat, so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled.

KJV: Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.

NKJV: You will reduce the noise of aliens, As heat in a dry place; As heat in the shadow of a cloud, The song of the terrible ones will be diminished.

When the circumstances of life seem hopeless, the Lord steps in as a comfort and protection for His people. The most brutal invaders of Isaiah's era were the Assyrians. But ruthless men and nations have existed, and still do exist, in every age on this side of the Lord's judgment of the world. These cruel nations always threaten in one way or another. Isaiah praises the Lord because He intervenes in seemingly hopeless situations. God provides relief, protection, and eventually salvation to His people when it appears there is no hope (Isaiah 25:2–4).

That rescue is depicted as the Lord as subduing the "noise," or uproar, of the foreigners. As in other verses (Isaiah 25:2), those opposed to God are broadly called "foreigners," in contrast to the supposedly God-honoring Israelites. Isaiah pictures the deafening battle cries of the enemy warriors as they bear down on their targets. The Lord stops their cries in their throats by the exercise of His power. God ends their battle songs, which was meant to intimidate their victims. He is the hope of the hopeless in the face of the ruthless.

The verse ends with an example comparing the Lord to a cloud that comes between those melting under the sun and the blistering heat.

Isaiah 25:1–5 follows a description judgment over the whole world for humanity's sinfulness (Isaiah 24:21–23). Here, Isaiah declares his praise for the Lord. He speaks of God's eternal plan. He celebrates God for defeating His earthly enemies. To do this, Isaiah uses variations of the term "foreigners," contrasting God's people of Israel with the nations who rejected the Lord.

Isaiah's description of the Lord's judgment on the earth is followed by celebration. This comes at the beginning of the Lord's reign over all the earth. The prophet declares his own praise for God's wonderful works and righteous plans. The Lord protects the needy from the ruthless. At the inaugural banquet, the Lord swallows up death forever and wipes away every tear. All the people declare that they were right to wait on their Lord to save them. The Lord judges unbelieving Moab by trampling them into their place.

In the previous chapter, the Lord of hosts is said to reign on Mount Zion following His judgment of the entire earth. Here, Isaiah declares His praise for the Lord who protects the poor and needy. At an inaugural banquet for His kingdom, the Lord swallows up death forever. He also takes away the shame of His people's sin while wiping away their tears. The people rejoice and are glad for waiting on the Lord's salvation. The Lord destroys Moab—symbolic of nations who reject God—in judgment for not trusting in Him.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).