Isaiah 31:5

Easy-to-Read Version

Just as birds fly over their nest to protect it, so the Lord All-Powerful will defend Jerusalem. He will save her. He will "pass over" and save Jerusalem.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Like hovering birds,so the Lord of Armies will protect Jerusalem—by protecting it, he will rescue it,by sparing it, he will deliver it.

Hebrew Names Version
As birds hovering, so will the LORD of Hosts protect Yerushalayim; he will protect and deliver [it], he will pass over and preserve [it].

King James Version
As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.

English Standard Version
Like birds hovering, so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it; he will spare and rescue it."

New American Standard Bible
Like flying birds so the LORD of armies will protect Jerusalem. He will protect and save it; He will pass over and rescue it.

New Century Version
The Lord All-Powerful will defend Jerusalem like birds flying over their nests. He will defend and save it; he will ‘pass over' and save Jerusalem."

Amplified Bible
Like flying birds, so will the LORD of hosts protect Jerusalem; He will protect and save it, He will pass over and rescue it.

World English Bible
As birds hovering, so will Yahweh of Hosts protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver [it], he will pass over and preserve [it].

Geneva Bible (1587)
As birds that flie, so shal the Lord of hostes defend Ierusalem by defending and deliuering, by passing through and preseruing it.

Legacy Standard Bible
Like flying birds so Yahweh of hosts will defend Jerusalem.He will defend and deliver it;He will pass over and provide a way of escape.

Berean Standard Bible
Like birds hovering overhead, so the LORD of Hosts will protect Jerusalem. He will shield it and deliver it; He will pass over it and preserve it."

Contemporary English Version
I, the Lord All-Powerful, will protect Jerusalem like a mother bird circling over her nest."

Complete Jewish Bible
Like hovering birds, Adonai -Tzva'ot will protect Yerushalayim. In protecting it, he will rescue it; in sparing it, he will save it.

Darby Translation
As birds with outstretched wings, so will Jehovah of hosts cover Jerusalem; covering, he will also deliver, passing over, he will rescue [it].

George Lamsa Translation
As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts alight on Jerusalem; he shall alight to deliver, rescue, and help.

Good News Translation
Just as a bird hovers over its nest to protect its young, so I, the Lord Almighty, will protect Jerusalem and defend it."

Lexham English Bible
Like birds flying overhead, so Yahweh of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it; he will pass over and rescue it.

Literal Translation
As birds that fly, so Jehovah of Hosts will shield over Jerusalem; shielding and delivering, and passing over, He will save it .

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Like as byrdes flotre aboute their nestes, so shal the LORDE of hoostes kepe, saue, defende and deliuer Ierusalem.

American Standard Version
As birds hovering, so will Jehovah of hosts protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it, he will pass over and preserve it.

Bible in Basic English
Like birds with outstretched wings, so will the Lord of armies be a cover to Jerusalem; he will be a cover and salvation for it, going over it he will keep it from danger.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
As birds hovering, so will the LORD of hosts protect Jerusalem; He will deliver it as He protecteth it, He will rescue it as He passeth over.

King James Version (1611)
As birds flying, so wil the Lord of hostes defend Ierusalem, defending also hee will deliuer it, and passing ouer, he will preserue it.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Like as the byrdes flutter about their nestes, so shall the Lorde of hoastes, kepe, saue, defende, and deliuer Hierusalem.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
As birds flying, so shall the Lord of hosts defend; he shall defend Jerusalem, and he shall rescue, and save and deliver.

English Revised Version
As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it, he will pass over and preserve it.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
As briddis fleynge, so the Lord of oostis schal defende Jerusalem; he defendynge and delyuerynge, passynge forth and sauynge.

Update Bible Version
As birds hovering, so will Yahweh of hosts protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver [it], he will pass over and preserve [it].

Webster's Bible Translation
As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver [it]; [and] passing over he will preserve [it].

New English Translation
Just as birds hover over a nest, so the Lord who commands armies will protect Jerusalem. He will protect and deliver it; as he passes over he will rescue it.

New King James Version
Like birds flying about, So will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem. Defending, He will also deliver it; Passing over, He will preserve it."

New Living Translation
The Lord of Heaven's Armies will hover over Jerusalem and protect it like a bird protecting its nest. He will defend and save the city; he will pass over it and rescue it."

New Life Bible
Like flying birds, the Lord of All will keep Jerusalem safe. He will keep it safe and bring it out of trouble. He will pass over and save it.

New Revised Standard
Like birds hovering overhead, so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it, he will spare and rescue it.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
As little mother-birds hovering, so, will Yahweh of hosts throw a covering ever Jerusalem, - Covering, so will he rescue, Passing over, so will he deliver!

Douay-Rheims Bible
As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem, protecting and delivering, passing over and saving.

Revised Standard Version
Like birds hovering, so the LORD of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it, he will spare and rescue it.

Young's Literal Translation
As birds flying, so doth Jehovah of Hosts Cover over Jerusalem, covering and delivering, Passing over, and causing to escape.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Like flying birds so the LORD of hosts will protect Jerusalem. He will protect and deliver it; He will pass over and rescue it.

Contextual Overview

¹ Look at the people going down to Egypt for help. They think the horses they get will save them. They hope the many chariots and powerful soldiers will protect them. But the people don't trust the Holy One of Israel. They didn't ask the Lord for help. ² But he is the wise one who is bringing the disaster. And they will not be able to stop what he commanded. The Lord will attack those who are evil and all who try to help them. ³ The Egyptians are only human, not God. The horses from Egypt are only animals, not spirit. The Lord will stretch out his arm, and the helper will be defeated. And those who wanted help will fall. They will all be destroyed together. ⁴ The Lord told me: "When a lion or its cub catches an animal to eat, the lion stands over the dead animal and roars, and nothing can frighten it away. If men come and yell at the lion, the lion will not be afraid. They might make a lot of noise, but the lion will not run away." In the same way, the Lord All-Powerful will come down to Mount Zion. He will fight on that hill. ⁵ Just as birds fly over their nest to protect it, so the Lord All-Powerful will defend Jerusalem. He will save her. He will "pass over" and save Jerusalem.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

birds: Isaiah 10:14, Exodus 19:4, Deuteronomy 32:11, Psalms 46:5, Psalms 91:4

defending: Psalms 37:40

passing: Or rather, as Bp. Lowth renders, "leaping forward," pasoacḣ As the mother bird spreads her wings to cover her young, throws herself before them, and opposes the rapacious bird that assaults them; so shall Jehovah protect, as with a shield, Jerusalem from the enemy, protecting and delivering, springing forward and rescuing her. Exodus 12:27

Reciprocal: Exodus 14:14 - the Lord 2 Kings 19:34 - I will defend 2 Chronicles 32:22 - Lord Isaiah 4:5 - all the glory Isaiah 10:12 - I will Isaiah 37:35 - I will Zechariah 9:8 - I will

Cross-References

Genesis 21:22
Then Abimelech and Phicol spoke with Abraham. Phicol was the commander of Abimelech's army. They said to Abraham, "God is with you in everything you do.

Genesis 31:2
Then Jacob noticed that Laban was not as friendly as he had been in the past.

Genesis 31:3
The Lord said to Jacob, "Go back to your own land where your ancestors lived. I will be with you."

Genesis 31:13
I am the God who came to you at Bethel, and there you made an altar, poured olive oil on it, and made a promise to me. Now I want you to be ready to go back to the country where you were born.'"

Genesis 31:42
But the God of my ancestors, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, was with me. If God had not been with me, you would have sent me away with nothing. But he saw the trouble that I had and the work that I did, and last night God proved that I am right."

Genesis 31:53
May the God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their ancestors judge us guilty if we break this agreement." Jacob's father, Isaac, called God "Fear." So Jacob used that name to make the promise.

Genesis 32:9
Then Jacob said, "God of my father Abraham! God of my father Isaac! Lord , you told me to come back to my country and to my family. You said that you would do good to me.

Genesis 48:15
And Israel blessed Joseph and said, "My ancestors, Abraham and Isaac, worshiped our God, and that God has led me all my life.

Genesis 50:17
He said, ‘Tell Joseph that I beg him to please forgive his brothers for the bad things they did to him.' So now Joseph, we beg you, please forgive us for the bad things we did to you. We are the servants of God, the God of your father." That message made Joseph very sad, and he cried.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem,.... As the preceding metaphor expresses the mighty power of God, this his tenderness and affection, as well as his speed and swiftness in the deliverance of his people. As birds in the air, at a distance, especially the eagle, have their eye upon their nests, and their young ones in them, and when in danger fly to their assistance, and hover over them, and about them, to keep off those that would hurt them, or carry them away; so the Lord, on high, sees his people when in distress, and hastens to help them, and does surround, protect, and defend them: thus the Lord did, when Sennacherib with his army besieged Jerusalem; who boasted, with respect to other nations, that he had "found as a nest the riches of the people", and that "there was none that moved the wing against him", Isaiah 10:14 to which it is thought the allusion is here:

defending also he will deliver [it]; from present distress, the siege of the Assyrian army:

[and] passing over he will preserve [it]; passing over the city of Jerusalem to the army of the king of Assyria, that lay encamped against it; and smiting that by an angel with a sudden destruction, preserved the city from the ruin it was threatened with. The allusion is rightly thought to be to the Lord's passing over the houses of the Israelites, when he destroyed the firstborn in Egypt, Exodus 12:23 where the same word is used as here, and nowhere else.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As birds flying - This is another comparison indicating substantially the same thing as the former, that Yahweh would protect Jerusalem. The idea here is, that He would do it in the same manner as birds defend their young by hovering over them, securing them under their wings, and leaping forward, if they are suddenly attacked, to defend them. Our Saviour has used a similar figure to indicate his readiness to have defended and saved the same city Matthew 23:27, and it is possible that he may have had this passage in his eye. The phrase ‘birds flying,’ may denote the “rapidity” with which birds fly to defend their young, and hence, the rapidity with which God would come to defend Jerusalem; or it may refer to the fact that birds, when their young are attacked, fly, or flutter around them to defend them; they will not leave them.

And passing over - פסוח pâsoach. Lowth renders this, ‘Leaping forward.’ This word, which is usually applied in some of its forms to the Passover Exodus 12:13, Exodus 12:23, Exodus 12:27; Numbers 9:4; Joshua 5:11; 2 Chronicles 30:18, properly means, as a verb, “to pass over,” and hence, to preserve or spare. The idea in the passage is, that Yahweh would protect Jerusalem, as a bird defends its young.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 31:5. Passing over - "Leaping forward"] The generality of interpreters observe in this place an allusion to the deliverance which God vouchsafed to his people when he destroyed the first-born of the Egyptians, and exempted those of the Israelites sojourning among them by a peculiar interposition. The same word is made use of here which is used upon that occasion, and which gave the name to the feast which was instituted in commemoration of that deliverance, פסח pesach. But the difficulty is to reconcile the commonly received meaning of that word with the circumstances of the similitude here used to illustrate the deliverance represented as parallel to the deliverance in Egypt.

"As the mother birds hovering over their young,

So shall JEHOVAH God of hosts protect Jerusalem;

Protecting and delivering, passing over, and rescuing her."

This difficulty is, I think, well solved by Vitringa, whose remark is the more worthy of observation, as it leads to the true meaning of an important word, which hitherto seems greatly to have been misunderstood, though Vitringa himself, as it appears to me, has not exactly enough defined the precise meaning of it. He says, "פסח pasach signifies to cover, to protect by covering: σκεπασω ὑμας, Septuagint. JEHOVAH obteget ostium; 'The Lord will cover or protect the door:'" whereas it means that particular action or motion by which God at that time placed himself in such a situation as to protect the house of the Israelite against the destroying angel; to spring forward, to throw one's self in the way, in order to cover and protect. Cocceius comes nearer to the true meaning than Vitringa, by rendering it gradum facere, to march, to step forward; Lexicon in voc. The common meaning of the word פסח pasach upon other occasions is to halt, to be lame, to leap, as in a rude manner of dancing, (as the prophets of Baal did, 1 Kings 18:26,) all which agrees very well together; for the motion of a lame person is a perpetual springing forward, by throwing himself from the weaker upon the stronger leg. The common notion of God's passage over the houses of the Israelites is, that in going through the land of Egypt to smite the first-born, seeing the blood on the door of the houses of the Israelites, he passed over, or skipped, those houses, and forbore to smite them. But that this is not the true notion of the thing, will be plain from considering the words of the sacred historian, where he describes very explicitly the action: "For JEHOVAH will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood on the lintels and on the two side posts, JEHOVAH will spring forward over (or before) the door, ופסח יהוה על הפתח upasach Yehovah al happethach, and will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses to smite you," Exodus 12:23. Here are manifestly two distinct agents, with which the notion of passing over is not consistent, for that supposes but one agent. The two agents are the destroying angel passing through to smite every house, and JEHOVAH the Protector keeping pace with him; and who, seeing the door of the Israelite marked with the blood, the token prescribed, leaps forward, throws himself with a sudden motion in the way, opposes the destroying angel, and covers and protects that house against the destroying angel, nor suffers him to smite it. In this way of considering the action, the beautiful similitude of the bird protecting her young answers exactly to the application by the allusion to the deliverance in Egypt. As the mother bird spreads her wings to cover her young, throws herself before them, and opposes the rapacious bird that assaults them, so shall JEHOVAH protect, as with a shield, Jerusalem from the enemy, protecting and delivering, springing forward and rescuing her; ὑπερβαινων, as the three other Greek interpreters, Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion, render it. The Septuagint, περιποιησεται instead of which MS. Pachom. has περιβησεται, circumeundo proteget, "in going about he shall protect," which I think is the true reading. - Homer, II. viii. 329, expresses the very same image by this word: -

Αιας δ' ουκ αμελησε κασιγνητοιο πεσοντος,

Αλλα θεων περιβη, και οἱ σακος αμφεκαλυψε:

"____ But Ajax his broad shield displayed,

And screened his brother with a mighty shade."

______ Ὁς Χρυσην αμφιβεβηκας. Il. i. 37

Which the scholiast explains by περιβεβηκας, ὑπερμαχεις, i.e., "Thou who strictly guardest Chryses." - L. On this verse Kimchi says, "The angel of the Lord which destroyed the Assyrians is compared to a lion, Isaiah 31:4, for his strength: and here (Isaiah 31:5) to flying birds, for his swiftness.