The Meaning of Isaiah 51:8 Explained

Isaiah 51:8

KJV: For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

YLT: For as a garment eat them doth a moth, And as wool eat them doth a worm, And My righteousness is to the age, And My salvation to all generations.

Darby: For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

ASV: For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation unto all generations.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the moth  shall eat them up  like a garment,  and the worm  shall eat  them like wool:  but my righteousness  shall be for ever,  and my salvation  from generation  to generation. 

What does Isaiah 51:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Their unbelieving critics would pass away in time, the product of natural decay (cf. Isaiah 50:11). But God"s righteousness and salvation will last forever, and so will those who trust in Him who will bring them to pass (cf. Isaiah 50:10).

Context Summary

Isaiah 51:1-11 - "awake, O Arm Of Jehovah!"
This chapter is extremely dramatic. We are conscious that we are nearing a revelation of unparalleled sublimity. As we hear the thrice Hearken in Isaiah 1:1-8, and the thrice Awake, Isaiah 51:9, which follows, we realize that we are traversing the entrance portico of a noble temple. When God says, Hearken, it is for us to ask Him to fulfill-Awake!
Recall the loneliness of Abraham. "He was but one!" Terah died, Lot dropped away, Hagar was thrust out, Isaac was laid on the altar, but the fire that burned in his heart only grew brighter. Do not despair if you are alone in your stand for God. One acorn, when the life of Nature touches it, may become parent to a forest. These exiled Jews hardly dared to hope that they could escape from their foes. The air was heavy with their revilings, but compare Isaiah 51:8 with Isaiah 50:9. With such assurances we may face a world in arms. The forces of evil are strong, but God is stronger. The clouds threaten, but the sun is shining. Don't forget the Lord thy Maker, thy Redeemer, thy Father! He cannot fail or forsake! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 51

1  An exhortation after the pattern of Abraham, to trust in Christ
3  By reason of his comfortable promises,
4  Of his righteous salvation
7  And man's mortality
9  Christ by his sanctified arm defends his from the fear of man
17  He bewails the afflictions of Jerusalem
21  And promises deliverance

What do the individual words in Isaiah 51:8 mean?

For like a garment will eat them up the moth and like wool Will eat them the worm but My righteousness forever will be and My salvation from generation to generation -
כִּ֤י כַבֶּ֙גֶד֙ יֹאכְלֵ֣ם עָ֔שׁ וְכַצֶּ֖מֶר יֹאכְלֵ֣ם סָ֑ס וְצִדְקָתִי֙ לְעוֹלָ֣ם תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וִישׁוּעָתִ֖י לְד֥וֹר דּוֹרִֽים ס

כַבֶּ֙גֶד֙  like  a  garment 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
יֹאכְלֵ֣ם  will  eat  them  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
עָ֔שׁ  the  moth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָשׁ 
Sense: moth.
וְכַצֶּ֖מֶר  and  like  wool 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶמֶר  
Sense: wool.
יֹאכְלֵ֣ם  Will  eat  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
סָ֑ס  the  worm 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סָס  
Sense: moth.
וְצִדְקָתִי֙  but  My  righteousness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.
לְעוֹלָ֣ם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
וִישׁוּעָתִ֖י  and  My  salvation 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יְשׁוּעָה  
Sense: salvation, deliverance.
לְד֥וֹר  from  generation  to 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.
דּוֹרִֽים  generation 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation