Isaiah 4:5
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And the LORD will create on every dwelling place of mount Zion, and on her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for on all the glory shall be a defense.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And the LORD will create on every dwelling place of mount Zion, and on her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for on all the glory shall be a defense.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And Jehovah will create over the whole habitation of mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory'shall be spread a covering.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And over every living-place on Mount Zion, all over all her meetings, the Lord will make a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for over all, the glory of the Lord will be a cover and a tent;
Webster's Revision
And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense.
World English Bible
Yahweh will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And the LORD will create over the whole habitation of mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for over all the glory shall be spread a canopy.
Clarke's Isaiah 4:5 Bible Commentary
And the Lord will create - One MS., the Septuagint, and the Arabic, have יביא yabi, He shall bring: the cloud already exists; the Lord will bring it over. This is a blessed promise of the presence of God in all the assemblies of his people.
Every dwelling place "the station" - The Hebrew text has, every station: but four MSS. (one ancient) omit כל col, all; very rightly, as it should seem: for the station was Mount Zion itself, and no other. See Exodus 15:17. And the Septuagint, Arabic, and MSS., add the same word כל col, before מקראה mikraeha, probably right: the word has only changed its place by mistake. מקראיה mikrayeh, "the place where they were gathered together in their holy assemblies," says Sal ben Melech. But twenty-five of Kennicott's MSS., and twenty-two of De Rossi's fifty-three editions, besides the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic, have the word in the plural number.
A cloud and smoke by day - This is a manifest allusion to the pillar of a cloud and of fire which attended the Israelites in their passage out of Egypt, and to the glory that rested on the tabernacle, Exodus 13:21; Exodus 40:38. The prophet Zechariah, Zechariah 2:5, applies the same image to the same purpose: -
"And I will be unto her a wall of fire round about;
And a glory will I be in the midst of her."
That is, the visible presence of God shall protect her. Which explains the conclusion of this verse of Isaiah; where the makkaph between כל col, and כבוד cabod, connecting the two words in construction, which ought not to be connected, has thrown an obscurity upon the sentence, and misled most of the translators.
For upon all the glory shall be a defense - Whatever God creates, he must uphold, or it will fail, Every degree of grace brings with it a degree of power to maintain itself in the soul.
Barnes's Isaiah 4:5 Bible Commentary
And the Lord will create - The meaning of this verse and the next is, that God would take his people into his holy care and protection. The idea is expressed by images drawn, in this verse, from the protection which he afforded to the Israelites in their journeying from Egypt. The word "create" means here, he will afford, or furnish, such a defense.
Upon every dwelling-place ... - Upon all the habitations of his people; that is, they shall be secure, and regarded as under his protection. The word "upon" refers to the fact that the pillar of cloud stood "over" the tabernacle in the wilderness, as a symbol of the divine favor and presence. So his protection should be "on" or "over" the houses of all his people; compare Psalm 92:4-6.
Of mount Zion - compare the note at Isaiah 1:8.
And upon her assemblies - Their convocations; their sacred assemblies, such as were called together on the Sabbath; Leviticus 23:2; Numbers 28:18. It refers here to their "future" assemblies, and, therefore, includes the Christian church assembled to worship God.
A cloud and smoke by day - This refers to the pillar of cloud that went before the Israelites in their journey in the wilderness; Exodus 13:21; Exodus 14:20.
By day - By day, this appeared to them as a cloud; by night, as a pillar of fire; Exodus 13:21-22. That is, it was always conspicuous, and could be seen by all the people. A pillar of cloud could not have been seen by night; and God changes the symbols of his presence and protection, so that at all times his people may see them. The meaning here is, that as God gave to the Israelites a symbol of his presence and protection, so he would be the protecter and defender of his people hereafter.
For upon all the glory - Above all the "glorious object;" that is, his church, his people. It is here called 'the glory,' as being a glorious, or an honorable object.
A defense - This word properly means "a covering, a protection," from the verb "to cover," and means that God will protect, or defend his people.
Wesley's Isaiah 4:5 Bible Commentary
4:5 Create - Will in a marvellous manner produce, as it were by a new creation. A cloud - A pillar of cloud and fire, like that wherewith he directed the Israelites, when they came out of Egypt: whereby he implies, that God would be their protector, and their glory.The glory - Upon all that church and people, which God will make so glorious; upon all holy assemblies of sincere Christians.