Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

ISAIAH 35:4KJV
Know the Bible

Isaiah 35:4 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 35:4 mean?

Isaiah 35:4 encourages those who are anxious or afraid to be strong and not to fear, promising that God will come with justice and will save them. The verse assures people that God’s arrival will bring both retribution for wrongs and rescue for those in need.

Isaiah is speaking to people who are discouraged and fearful, likely because of threats or hardships facing them. The message is meant to comfort and strengthen them by focusing on God's power to intervene. The verse sits within a larger passage describing a future time of restoration and hope for God’s people.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 35:4

  • "Fearful" (מַהֵר, maher): This word often means "hasty" or "anxious," painting a picture of hearts that are quick to be unsettled or troubled. It highlights the emotional state of the people being addressed.
  • "God" (אֱלֹהִים, Elohim): The use of this general term for God emphasizes His power and authority, reinforcing the idea that the one coming to save is no ordinary helper.
  • "Vengeance" (נָקָם, naqam): This word means more than just revenge; it carries the sense of just retribution or setting things right. It assures the fearful that God’s intervention will address wrongs done to them.
  • "Save" (יָשַׁע, yasha): This word means to deliver or rescue, underscoring the promise that God’s coming is not only about judgment but also about bringing real help and safety.

Why Isaiah 35:4 matters

  • Isaiah 35:4 clarifies that God’s justice is not just about punishment, but also about restoring and rescuing those who are suffering or afraid.
  • The verse connects to the wider chapter, which describes a future transformation and hope for people who have experienced hardship, showing that God’s promises include both judgment and mercy.
  • It helps clear up the misunderstanding that God’s arrival is only something to fear; for those who trust Him, it is also a source of strength and reassurance.

Where else these words appear

“vengeance” Hebrew H5359 · used in 17 verses

  • Leviticus 26:25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
  • Psalms 58:10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
  • Isaiah 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

“recompence” Hebrew H1576 · used in 17 verses

  • Judges 9:16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;
  • Psalms 137:8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
  • Isaiah 66:6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

“fearful” Hebrew H4116 · used in 60 verses

  • Genesis 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
  • Judges 9:48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
  • 2 Chronicles 24:5 And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.