To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

ISAIAH 2:21KJV
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Isaiah 2:21 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 2:21 mean?

Isaiah 2:21 describes people fleeing into the cracks and high places of rocks, terrified by the presence and majesty of the LORD when He rises to shake the earth. The verse paints a picture of people desperately seeking shelter from God's overwhelming power and glory during a time of judgment.

In this passage, the prophet Isaiah is speaking to the people of Judah, warning them about a coming day when God’s presence will be so awe-inspiring and fearsome that people will try to hide from it. The verse is part of a larger section describing the "day of the LORD," a time when human pride will be humbled and God's greatness will be unmistakable.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 2:21

  • "fear" (פַּחַד, pachad): This word means terror or dread. Isaiah uses it to show that people are not just respectfully afraid, but deeply terrified by the LORD’s presence.
  • "majesty" (גָּאוֹן, ga'on): This word refers to exalted splendor or grandeur. The verse emphasizes that it is not just God's anger, but also His overwhelming majesty, that causes people to hide.
  • "to shake terribly" (עָרוֹץ, arutz): This word carries the sense of causing to tremble or quake violently. It highlights that God’s action is not gentle but earth-shaking, affecting all creation.

Why Isaiah 2:21 matters

  • Isaiah 2:21 clarifies that the fear people feel is not just about punishment, but about being confronted with the sheer greatness and holiness of God.
  • The verse connects to the broader theme in Isaiah 2 of human pride being brought low and God alone being exalted, showing that no one can stand confidently before His glory.
  • This verse helps explain the imagery used in later prophetic and apocalyptic writings, where hiding in rocks or caves is a common response to divine judgment.

Where else these words appear

“clefts” Hebrew H5366 · used in 2 verses

  • Exodus 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

“tops” Hebrew H5585 · used in 6 verses

  • Judges 15:8 And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
  • Judges 15:11 Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
  • Isaiah 27:10 Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof.

“terribly” Hebrew H6206 · used in 15 verses

  • Deuteronomy 1:29 Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them.
  • Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
  • Isaiah 2:19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

“glory” Hebrew H1926 · used in 29 verses

  • Leviticus 23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
  • Psalms 90:16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
  • Proverbs 31:25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.