And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

ISAIAH 14:3KJV
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Isaiah 14:3 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 14:3 mean?

Isaiah 14:3 describes a future time when the LORD will give relief to His people from their suffering, fear, and the harsh forced labor they endured. The verse promises that God will bring an end to their pain and oppression, offering them true rest from everything that has burdened them.

Isaiah is speaking to the people of Israel, who have experienced sorrow and bondage under foreign powers. The verse comes as part of a prophecy that looks ahead to the day when God will intervene and free them from their troubles. This promise of rest is meant to assure the people that their current hardship is not permanent and that God’s deliverance will be complete and deeply felt.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 14:3

  • "Rest" (נ֫וּחַ, nuach) means to settle down or to be at ease. In this context, it is not just physical rest, but a deep relief from emotional and spiritual burdens as well.
  • "Sorrow" (מַכְאֹב, makh'ov) refers to pain or suffering, often connected to deep grief or distress. The word highlights the intensity of what the people have been experiencing.
  • "Fear" (רָגָז, ragaz) carries the sense of trembling or dread. This shows that the oppression was not only physical but also caused ongoing anxiety and fear.
  • "Hard" (קָשֶׁה, qasheh) describes something severe or cruel. The use of this word for their "bondage" emphasizes just how harsh their forced labor was.

Why Isaiah 14:3 matters

  • Isaiah 14:3 clarifies that God’s promise of rest is not just about stopping work, but about ending deep suffering, fear, and harsh treatment.
  • The verse connects to the larger message of Isaiah 14, where God promises to judge oppressive nations and restore His people, showing that their suffering is seen and will be addressed.
  • This verse helps readers understand that biblical "rest" often includes emotional and spiritual relief, not just a break from physical labor.

Where else these words appear

“sorrow” Hebrew H6090 · used in 4 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 4:9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
  • Psalms 139:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
  • Isaiah 48:5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.

“fear” Hebrew H7267 · used in 7 verses

  • Job 3:17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.
  • Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
  • Job 39:24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.

“hard” Hebrew H7186 · used in 36 verses

  • Genesis 42:7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
  • Deuteronomy 26:6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:
  • 2 Chronicles 10:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

“rest” Hebrew H5117 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 8:4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
  • 2 Samuel 7:11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
  • Isaiah 7:2 And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.