Isaiah 26:6 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 26:6 mean?

Isaiah 26:6 pictures a reversal of power. The poor and needy walk over a once-lofty place that God has brought down. People who had little standing are shown above the place that had stood high over them.

After the city is brought down in verse 5, the sound of feet and steps gives the scene a vivid, physical quality. The verse belongs to a song to be sung in Judah, the land of the people being addressed.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 26:6

• “poor” — עָנִי (ʿani): The word can describe someone who is poor, afflicted, or in a low position. Here it points to people whose circumstances stand in sharp contrast to the city’s former height.
• “needy” — דַּל (dal): The word can describe someone who is weak or lacking resources. Placed beside “poor,” it emphasizes the low standing of the people who tread on the fallen place.

Why Isaiah 26:6 matters

• The verse connects human action with God’s action. Verse 5 says God brings the lofty city down; verse 6 shows the poor and needy walking over what has fallen.
• The image turns height into a measure of standing. The city was “lofty” and brought “to the dust” in verse 5; in verse 6, those called “poor” and “needy” are pictured with the fallen place beneath their feet.
• The two phrases focus attention on the walkers. “The feet of the poor” and “the steps of the needy” make their presence central to the scene, rather than describing the fallen city alone.