The Meaning of Isaiah 28:6 Explained

Isaiah 28:6

KJV: And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

YLT: And for a spirit of judgment To him who is sitting in the judgment, And for might to those turning back the battle to the gate.

Darby: and for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

ASV: and a spirit of justice to him that sitteth in judgment, and strength to them that turn back the battle at the gate.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And for a spirit  of judgment  to him that sitteth  in judgment,  and for strength  to them that turn  the battle  to the gate. 

What does Isaiah 28:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 28:1-13 - The Decay Of An Intemperate People
A new series of prophecies begins here and extends to Isaiah 32:20. Samaria is described as a faded crown or garland on the nation's head because it was disgraced by the national drunkenness. See Amos 4:1. So corrupted was she by strong drink and its attendant evils that the Assyrian invader would plunder her as a man gathers ripe figs. But to Judah, that is, the remnant, the Lord would be a crown or garland, not of pride but of glory. His beauty would not be as a fading flower, but a lasting diadem. What wine is to the sensuous man, that God is to the spiritual. See Ephesians 5:18. You that have to form right judgments, and you that have to turn the battle from the gate, will find all your need in Him. In Isaiah 28:7-8 we have a terrible picture of widespread effects of strong drink; and in Isaiah 28:9-10 the prophet recites the ribald remarks addressed to himself by the roisterers of those evil days. He replies that God would Himself answer them by the stern accents of the Assyrian tongue, which would sound like stammering, Isaiah 28:11; and this would befall them because they would not need the wooing accents of His love, Isaiah 28:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 28

1  The prophet threatens Ephraim for their pride and drunkenness
5  The residue shall be advanced in the kingdom of Christ
7  He rebukes their error
9  Their unwillingness to learn
14  And their security
16  Christ the sure foundation is promised
17  Their security shall be tried
23  They are incited to the consideration of God's providence

What do the individual words in Isaiah 28:6 mean?

for a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment and for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate -
וּלְר֖וּחַ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט לַיּוֹשֵׁב֙ עַל־ הַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט וְלִ֨גְבוּרָ֔ה מְשִׁיבֵ֥י מִלְחָמָ֖ה שָֽׁעְרָה ס

וּלְר֖וּחַ  for  a  spirit 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט  of  justice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
לַיּוֹשֵׁב֙  to  him  who  sits 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
הַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט  judgment 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וְלִ֨גְבוּרָ֔ה  and  for  strength 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גְּבוּרָה  
Sense: strength, might.
מְשִׁיבֵ֥י  to  those  who  turn  back 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
מִלְחָמָ֖ה  the  battle 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
שָֽׁעְרָה  at  the  gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation