The Meaning of Isaiah 26:11 Explained

Isaiah 26:11

KJV: LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

YLT: O Jehovah, high is Thy hand -- they see not, They see the zeal of the people, and are ashamed, Also, the fire -- Thine adversaries, consumeth them.

Darby: Jehovah, thy hand is lifted up, but they do not see: yet they shall see thy jealousy for the people, and be ashamed; yea, the fire which is for thine adversaries shall devour them.

ASV: Jehovah, thy hand is lifted up, yet they see not: but they shall see thy zeal for the people, and be put to shame; yea, fire shall devour thine adversaries.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

LORD,  [when] thy hand  is lifted up,  they will not see:  [but] they shall see,  and be ashamed  for [their] envy  at the people;  yea, the fire  of thine enemies  shall devour  them. 

What does Isaiah 26:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Even though the unrighteous do not recognize God"s messages to them now, they will one day understand, when He brings these enemies of His into judgment.

Context Summary

Isaiah 26:11-21 - Chastened By Suffering
When God ordains our peace, a world in arms cannot disturb us. Our peace results from the conviction that God is going before us and preparing our works. But be careful to make mention of His name, that is, to give Him the glory.
Do not be afraid of your enemies. When God brings you back from the ends of the earth, He will free you from their toils and snares. Let us, as Isaiah 26:16 suggests, pour out our prayers, as a vessel its contents; though, as the Hebrew signifies, those prayers are but whispers. It is true that apart from God we work no deliverance in the earth, Isaiah 26:18, but when He speaks, even the dead live. Jesus, the resurrection and the life, speaks in Isaiah 26:19. What comfort results to those that dwell in the dust of self-abasement and despair to look up to the ever-living Christ, from whom streams of life-giving energy come to believing hearts! Arise and sing, thou broken heart: even now the stone is being rolled from the door of thy sepulcher; the morning dew is distilling upon thee. Cast out by earth, thou shalt be welcomed by heaven, and sheltered in God's secret place till the storm-burst has spent itself. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 26

1  Trust in God's Provision

What do the individual words in Isaiah 26:11 mean?

Yahweh [when] is lifted up Your hand not they will see but they will see and be ashamed for [their] envy of people Yes the fire of Your enemies shall devour them -
יְהוָ֛ה רָ֥מָה יָדְךָ֖ בַּל־ יֶחֱזָי֑וּן יֶחֱז֤וּ וְיֵבֹ֙שׁוּ֙ קִנְאַת־ עָ֔ם אַף־ אֵ֖שׁ צָרֶ֥יךָ תֹאכְלֵֽם ס

יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
רָ֥מָה  [when]  is  lifted  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
יָדְךָ֖  Your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יֶחֱזָי֑וּן  they  will  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: חָזָה  
Sense: to see, perceive, look, behold, prophesy, provide.
יֶחֱז֤וּ  but  they  will  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָזָה  
Sense: to see, perceive, look, behold, prophesy, provide.
וְיֵבֹ֙שׁוּ֙  and  be  ashamed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
קִנְאַת־  for  [their]  envy 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: קִנְאָה  
Sense: ardour, zeal, jealousy.
עָ֔ם  of  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אַף־  Yes 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אַף  
Sense: also, yea, though, so much the more adv.
אֵ֖שׁ  the  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
צָרֶ֥יךָ  of  Your  enemies 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: צַר 
Sense: narrow, tight.
תֹאכְלֵֽם  shall  devour  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation