The Meaning of Isaiah 54:9 Explained

Isaiah 54:9

KJV: For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

YLT: For, the waters of Noah is this to Me, In that I have sworn -- the waters of Noah Do not pass again over the earth -- So I have sworn, Wrath is not upon thee, Nor rebuke against thee.

Darby: For this is as the waters of Noah unto me, since I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth: so have I sworn that I will no more be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

ASV: For this is as the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For this [is as] the waters  of Noah  unto me: for [as] I have sworn  that the waters  of Noah  should no more go over  the earth;  so have I sworn  that I would not be wroth  with thee, nor rebuke  thee. 

What does Isaiah 54:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Yahweh"s restoration of His people to Himself would be permanent; they would never again experience estrangement from Him. As the Lord kept His promise to spare humanity from another universal flood, so He would keep His promise to spare humankind the judgment of separation from Him again. He would neither flood them with His anger nor rebuke His people. This looks toward an eternal change in the relationship between the Lord and His people. One covenant premillennialist wrote the following.
"Since the Jews actually were driven into exile again after their revolt against the Romans in A.D135 , this can only mean that God accounts the Christian Church as true Israel." [1]
Covenant premillennialists, like amillennialists, believe the church will fulfill God"s promises to Israel. But unlike amillennialists, covenant premillennialists believe in an earthly millennial reign of Christ. Dispensational premillennialists believe that Israel will fulfill God"s promises to Israel.

Context Summary

Isaiah 54:1-17 - The Wondrous Love Of God
We have heard the exiles summoned to leave Babylon, and have beheld the Savior becoming the sin-bearer. Here our attention is recalled to the still desolate condition of Jerusalem. See Nehemiah 1:3; Nehemiah 2:3; Nehemiah 2:13-17. Jehovah says, Sing, but Israel replies that she cannot sing so long as she lies desolate. In reply God declares His inalienable love: He is their husband still and has sworn that the waters of death and destruction shall never be able to separate them from Himself. The kindness of His mercy is everlasting, and His covenant of peace shall outlast the mountains and hills.
In the closing paragraph, Isaiah 54:11-17, we behold the chosen city emerging from her heap of ruins. Watched by the eye of the great Architect, wrought by unseen hands, tested by the line and plummet of righteousness, she arises to fulfill her mission to the world. To inspired hearts it seems as though her common stones are jewels. Her children are taught of the Lord. Every accusing voice is hushed. All weapons of destruction are impotent. The New Jerusalem seems to have come down from heaven. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 54

1  The prophet, to comfort the Gentiles, prophesies the amplitude of their church
4  Their safety
6  Their certain deliverance out of affliction
11  Their fair edification
15  And their sure preservation

What do the individual words in Isaiah 54:9 mean?

For like the waters of Noah this [is] to Me for as I have sworn that no longer would cover the waters of Noah no more over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you nor rebuke you
כִּי־ מֵ֥י נֹ֙חַ֙ זֹ֣את לִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי מֵעֲבֹ֥ר מֵי־ נֹ֛חַ ע֖וֹד עַל־ הָאָ֑רֶץ כֵּ֥ן נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי מִקְּצֹ֥ף עָלַ֖יִךְ וּמִגְּעָר־ בָּֽךְ

מֵ֥י  like  the  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
נֹ֙חַ֙  of  Noah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נׄחַ  
Sense: son of Lamech, father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth; builder of the ark which saved his family from the destruction of the world which God sent on the world by the flood; became the new seminal head of the human race because his family were the only survivors of the flood.
זֹ֣את  this  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
לִ֔י  to  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  for  as 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נִשְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי  I  have  sworn 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
מֵעֲבֹ֥ר  that  no  longer  would  cover 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
מֵי־  the  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
נֹ֛חַ  of  Noah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נׄחַ  
Sense: son of Lamech, father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth; builder of the ark which saved his family from the destruction of the world which God sent on the world by the flood; became the new seminal head of the human race because his family were the only survivors of the flood.
ע֖וֹד  no  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָאָ֑רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
כֵּ֥ן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי  have  I  sworn 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
מִקְּצֹ֥ף  that  I  would  not  be  angry 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָצַף  
Sense: to be displeased, be angry, fret oneself, be wroth.
עָלַ֖יִךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וּמִגְּעָר־  nor  rebuke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: גָּעַר  
Sense: (Qal) to rebuke, reprove, corrupt.