Isaiah 51:6
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.
Original Language Analysis
שְׂאוּ֩
Lift up
H5375
שְׂאוּ֩
Lift up
Strong's:
H5375
Word #:
1 of 24
to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
שָׁמַ֜יִם
beneath for the heavens
H8064
שָׁמַ֜יִם
beneath for the heavens
Strong's:
H8064
Word #:
2 of 24
the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r
עֵֽינֵיכֶ֜ם
your eyes
H5869
עֵֽינֵיכֶ֜ם
your eyes
Strong's:
H5869
Word #:
3 of 24
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
וְֽהַבִּ֧יטוּ
and look
H5027
וְֽהַבִּ֧יטוּ
and look
Strong's:
H5027
Word #:
4 of 24
to scan, i.e., look intently at; by implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care
וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙
and the earth
H776
וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙
and the earth
Strong's:
H776
Word #:
6 of 24
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
מִתַּ֗חַת
H8478
מִתַּ֗חַת
Strong's:
H8478
Word #:
7 of 24
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc
כִּֽי
H3588
כִּֽי
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
8 of 24
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
שָׁמַ֜יִם
beneath for the heavens
H8064
שָׁמַ֜יִם
beneath for the heavens
Strong's:
H8064
Word #:
9 of 24
the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r
כֶּעָשָׁ֤ן
like smoke
H6227
כֶּעָשָׁ֤ן
like smoke
Strong's:
H6227
Word #:
10 of 24
smoke, literally or figuratively (vapor, dust, anger)
נִמְלָ֙חוּ֙
shall vanish away
H4414
נִמְלָ֙חוּ֙
shall vanish away
Strong's:
H4414
Word #:
11 of 24
to salt whether internally (to season with salt) or externally (to rub with salt)
וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙
and the earth
H776
וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙
and the earth
Strong's:
H776
Word #:
12 of 24
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
תִּבְלֶ֔ה
shall wax old
H1086
תִּבְלֶ֔ה
shall wax old
Strong's:
H1086
Word #:
14 of 24
to fail; by implication to wear out, decay (causatively, consume, spend)
וְיֹשְׁבֶ֖יהָ
and they that dwell
H3427
וְיֹשְׁבֶ֖יהָ
and they that dwell
Strong's:
H3427
Word #:
15 of 24
properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
כֵ֣ן
H3651
כֵ֣ן
Strong's:
H3651
Word #:
17 of 24
properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner
יְמוּת֑וּן
therein shall die
H4191
יְמוּת֑וּן
therein shall die
Strong's:
H4191
Word #:
18 of 24
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
וִישֽׁוּעָתִי֙
but my salvation
H3444
וִישֽׁוּעָתִי֙
but my salvation
Strong's:
H3444
Word #:
19 of 24
something saved, i.e., (abstractly) deliverance; hence, aid, victory, prosperity
לְעוֹלָ֣ם
shall be for ever
H5769
לְעוֹלָ֣ם
shall be for ever
Strong's:
H5769
Word #:
20 of 24
properly, concealed, i.e., the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e., (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial
תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה
H1961
תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
21 of 24
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
וְצִדְקָתִ֖י
and my righteousness
H6666
וְצִדְקָתִ֖י
and my righteousness
Strong's:
H6666
Word #:
22 of 24
rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity)
Cross References
Matthew 24:35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.Isaiah 34:4And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.Isaiah 51:8For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.Isaiah 13:13Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.Revelation 20:11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.Isaiah 40:26Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.Deuteronomy 4:19And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.Daniel 9:24Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.Hebrews 9:15And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.Isaiah 45:17But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
Historical Context
Peter quotes this in 2 Peter 3:10-13, describing new heavens and earth. The transience of current creation should relativize earthly concerns and heighten focus on eternal salvation that 'shall not be abolished.'
Questions for Reflection
- How should creation's coming dissolution change your investment priorities between temporal and eternal?
- What does it mean that God's righteousness 'shall not be abolished' while all creation passes away?
Analysis & Commentary
The cosmic vision 'the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment' establishes creation's temporality versus God's eternal salvation. The contrast 'my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished' shows that God's spiritual work outlasts physical creation. This grounds hope in eternal realities, not temporal circumstances (2 Corinthians 4:18).