Isaiah 32:2
And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
Original Language Analysis
וְהָיָה
H1961
וְהָיָה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 14
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
אִ֥ישׁ
And a man
H376
אִ֥ישׁ
And a man
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
2 of 14
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
ר֖וּחַ
from the wind
H7307
ר֖וּחַ
from the wind
Strong's:
H7307
Word #:
4 of 14
wind; by resemblance breath, i.e., a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the
וְסֵ֣תֶר
and a covert
H5643
וְסֵ֣תֶר
and a covert
Strong's:
H5643
Word #:
5 of 14
a cover (in a good or a bad, a literal or a figurative sense)
כְּפַלְגֵי
as rivers
H6388
כְּפַלְגֵי
as rivers
Strong's:
H6388
Word #:
7 of 14
a rill (i.e., small channel of water, as in irrigation)
מַ֣יִם
of water
H4325
מַ֣יִם
of water
Strong's:
H4325
Word #:
8 of 14
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
כָּבֵ֖ד
of a great
H3515
כָּבֵ֖ד
of a great
Strong's:
H3515
Word #:
12 of 14
heavy; figuratively in a good sense (numerous) or in a bad sense (severe, difficult, stupid)
Cross References
Isaiah 25:4For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.Isaiah 44:3For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:Isaiah 9:6For 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.Isaiah 43:20The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.Isaiah 7:14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.Isaiah 41:18I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.Psalms 143:9Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.Zechariah 13:7Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern travelers understood these metaphors viscerally. Desert winds could sandblast exposed travelers; flash floods in wadis killed; dehydration meant death; scorching sun caused collapse. Finding shelter—a rock outcropping, a water source—meant survival. Isaiah's audience, living in semi-arid climate, instantly grasped the life-or-death nature of these provisions. Christ is life itself in the wilderness of fallen world.
Questions for Reflection
- How have you experienced Christ as 'hiding place,' 'water,' and 'shade' during life's storms and deserts?
- What does it mean that He doesn't remove storms but shelters us within them?
- Who in your life needs to discover Christ as refuge—and how can you point them to Him?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind (וְהָיָה־אִישׁ כְּמַחֲבֵא־רוּחַ, vehayah-ish kemachave-ruach)—a אִישׁ (ish, man) will be like a מַחֲבֵא (machave, hiding place, shelter) from רוּחַ (ruach, wind, spirit). And a covert from the tempest (וְסֵתֶר זָרֶם, veseter zarem)—a סֵתֶר (seter, covering, hiding place) from זֶרֶם (zerem, flood, downpour, storm). As rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land (כְּפַלְגֵי־מַיִם בְּצָיוֹן כְּצֵל סֶלַע־כָּבֵד בְּאֶרֶץ עֲיֵפָה, kefalegey-mayim betsayon ketsel sela-kaved be'erets ayefah).
The 'man' (אִישׁ, ish) is most naturally the Messianic king of verse 1. He provides shelter from life's storms—not removing trials but being present refuge within them. The imagery accumulates: hiding from wind, cover from tempest, water in desert, shade from rock. Each metaphor addresses desperate need: exposure, flood, thirst, exhaustion. Christ embodies all—John 4:14 (living water), Matthew 11:28 (rest for weary), Psalm 61:2 (rock higher than I). First Corinthians 10:4 identifies Christ as the rock providing water in wilderness.