Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

ISAIAH 8:12KJV
Know the Bible

Isaiah 8:12 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 8:12 mean?

Isaiah 8:12 records God’s instruction to Isaiah not to adopt the people’s suspicions or share their dread. The people were using the word “confederacy” for what alarmed them, but Isaiah was to respond differently from the crowd.

The warning follows God’s instruction to Isaiah not to walk in the way of “this people” (verse 11). The phrase “their fear” points to what the people feared; the verse does not identify the particular threat they had in mind.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 8:12

  • “confederacy” — קֶשֶׁר (qesher): The word can mean a conspiracy or a plot. The KJV word “confederacy” here suggests people joined together for a purpose, possibly a secret one.
  • “afraid” — עָרַץ (ʿarats): The word can carry the sense of being terrified or overcome by dread. It adds force to the command not to share the people’s fear.

Why Isaiah 8:12 matters

  • The warning concerns both talk and emotion. “Say ye not” addresses the people’s accusation, while “neither fear” addresses their response to what they suspect.
  • Isaiah 8:12 belongs to a contrast about whom to fear. In the next verse, God tells Isaiah to regard the Lord as the one to fear, rather than sharing the people’s dread.

Where else these words appear

“fear” Hebrew H4172 · used in 12 verses

  • Genesis 9:2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
  • Deuteronomy 26:8 And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:
  • Isaiah 8:13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

“confederacy” Hebrew H7195 · used in 13 verses

  • 2 Samuel 15:12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
  • 2 Kings 14:19 Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.
  • 2 Chronicles 23:13 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.

“afraid” 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.