Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?

ISAIAH 2:22KJV
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Isaiah 2:22 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 2:22 mean?

Isaiah 2:22 urges people to stop putting their trust in human beings, reminding them that humans are fragile and temporary, with life that depends on something as fleeting as breath in their nostrils. The verse questions why anyone would consider humans as worthy of ultimate trust or importance.

Isaiah is speaking to the people of Judah, warning them against relying on human leaders or human strength instead of God. This verse comes at the end of a passage where Isaiah describes the coming judgment and the futility of human pride. The focus is on the limited and mortal nature of people, highlighting how unreliable human power is compared to God.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 2:22

  • "Cease" (חָדַל, chadal, H2308) means to stop or refrain. Here, it is a strong command to break off reliance or trust in people.
  • "Man" (אָדָם, adam, H120) refers to humanity in general, not just a specific individual, emphasizing the universal frailty of people.
  • "Breath" (נְשָׁמָה, neshamah, H5397) is the word for the breath of life, pointing to how a person’s life is sustained by something as insubstantial as air.
  • "Nostrils" (אַף, aph, H639) literally means "nose" or "nostrils," underlining the physical vulnerability of humans—life depends on each breath.
  • "Of" (חָשַׁב, chashav, H2803) is often used for counting or considering value, so the verse asks what real value or account can be given to a human whose life is so fragile.

Why Isaiah 2:22 matters

  • Isaiah 2:22 clears up the common misunderstanding that human power or leadership can offer lasting security; the verse insists that only God is truly dependable.
  • The verse highlights the theme of human frailty that runs through Isaiah 2, contrasting human pride with God’s ultimate authority and permanence.
  • This verse serves as a transition, summing up the warning against pride and setting the stage for the rest of Isaiah’s message about trusting in God rather than people.

Where else these words appear

“breath” Hebrew H5397 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
  • 1 Kings 15:29 And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:
  • Job 37:10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.

“Cease” Hebrew H2308 · used in 56 verses

  • Genesis 11:8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
  • Ruth 1:18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
  • Job 16:6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

“of” Hebrew H2803 · used in 122 verses

  • Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
  • 2 Chronicles 9:20 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
  • Proverbs 27:14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.