Isaiah 51:12
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
Original Language Analysis
ה֖וּא
H1931
ה֖וּא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
3 of 13
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
מְנַחֶמְכֶ֑ם
I even I am he that comforteth
H5162
מְנַחֶמְכֶ֑ם
I even I am he that comforteth
Strong's:
H5162
Word #:
4 of 13
properly, to sigh, i.e., breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e., (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavo
מִֽי
H4310
מִֽי
Strong's:
H4310
Word #:
5 of 13
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
וַתִּֽירְאִי֙
you who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid
H3372
וַתִּֽירְאִי֙
you who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid
Strong's:
H3372
Word #:
7 of 13
to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten
מֵאֱנ֣וֹשׁ
of a man
H582
מֵאֱנ֣וֹשׁ
of a man
Strong's:
H582
Word #:
8 of 13
properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified h0120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively)
יָמ֔וּת
that shall die
H4191
יָמ֔וּת
that shall die
Strong's:
H4191
Word #:
9 of 13
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
וּמִבֶּן
and of the son
H1121
וּמִבֶּן
and of the son
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
10 of 13
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
אָדָ֖ם
of man
H120
אָדָ֖ם
of man
Strong's:
H120
Word #:
11 of 13
ruddy i.e., a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
Cross References
Psalms 118:6The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?1 Peter 1:24For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:Isaiah 2:22Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?John 14:18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.Isaiah 66:13As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.Matthew 10:28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.Isaiah 51:3For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.Isaiah 43:25I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.Psalms 146:4His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.Psalms 92:7When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:
Historical Context
This oracle addressed exiles terrorized by Babylonian power. The empire's military might, brutal suppressions, and apparent permanence bred fear among captive communities. Yet Isaiah reminds them that Babylon, however formidable, consists of mortals who will die. Within decades of this prophecy, Babylonian kings fell in succession, and Persia absorbed the empire. The grass metaphor proved literal - Nebuchadnezzar's dynasty ended swiftly (Daniel 4:30-33). God's comfort proved more substantial than Babylon's threats.
Questions for Reflection
- What mortal threats or human adversaries currently intimidate you, causing you to forget that they 'shall die' and 'be made as grass'?
- How does meditating on God's self-identification 'I, even I, am he that comforteth you' redirect fear from humans to confidence in divine presence?
- In what practical ways can you cultivate fear of God that displaces fear of man in daily decisions and relationships?
Analysis & Commentary
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass? God's self-identification employs the emphatic doubled pronoun anochi anochi (I, even I) - asserting His unique role as comforter. The Hebrew nacham (comfort) appears throughout Isaiah 40-55, marking this section's theme. God Himself provides comfort; no substitute suffices.
The rhetorical question "who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid" challenges the incongruity of fearing mortals while knowing the eternal God. The parallel descriptions "man that shall die" (adam yamut) and "son of man which shall be made as grass" (ben-adam ke-chatsir yinaten) emphasize human frailty and transience. Grass withers quickly (40:6-8); humans share this mortality. Fearing the fleeting while neglecting the eternal reveals theological confusion.
From a Reformed perspective, this verse addresses the fear of man versus fear of God. Human threats appear immediate and tangible; God's presence seems distant. Yet logic demands we fear the eternal Judge who controls ultimate outcomes, not temporary oppressors who cannot touch the soul (Matthew 10:28). Trusting God's comfort displaces fear of human adversaries. This truth liberates believers from intimidation by hostile powers - tyrants fade like grass while God's promises endure forever.