Isaiah 14:32

Literal Standard Version

And what does one answer the messengers of a nation? That YHWH has founded Zion, || And the poor of His people take refuge in it!

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
What answer will be given to the messengers from that nation?The Lord has founded Zion,and his oppressed people find refuge in her.

Hebrew Names Version
What then shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD has founded Tziyon, and in her shall the afflicted of his people take refuge.

King James Version
What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

English Standard Version
What will one answer the messengers of the nation? "The Lord has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people find refuge."

New American Standard Bible
"What answer will one give the messengers of the nation? That the LORD has founded Zion, And the poor of His people will take refuge in it."

New Century Version
What shall we tell the messengers from Philistia? Say that the Lord has made Jerusalem strong and that his poor people will go there for safety.

Amplified Bible
"Then what answer will one give the messengers of the [Philistine] nation? That the LORD has founded Zion, And the afflicted of His people will seek and find refuge in it."

World English Bible
What then shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, and in her shall the afflicted of his people take refuge.

Geneva Bible (1587)
What shall then one answere the messengers of the Gentiles? That the Lorde hath stablished Zion, and the poore of his people shall trust in it.

Legacy Standard Bible
How then will one answer the messengers of the nation?That Yahweh has founded Zion,And the afflicted of His people will take refuge in it."

Berean Standard Bible
What answer will be given to the envoys of that nation? "The LORD has founded Zion, where His afflicted people will find refuge."

Contemporary English Version
If a messenger comes from a distant nation, you must say: "The Lord built Zion. Even the poorest of his people will find safety there."

Complete Jewish Bible
And what is one to answer the messengers of the nation? That Adonai founded Tziyon, and there the poor of his people will find refuge.

Darby Translation
And what shall be answered to the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and the afflicted of his people find refuge in it.

Easy-to-Read Version
But what will the messengers from that nation report about us? They will say, "The Lord made Zion strong, and his poor people went there for safety."

George Lamsa Translation
What shall one then answer the messengers of the nations? That the LORD has founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall take refuge in it.

Good News Translation
How shall we answer the messengers that come to us from Philistia? We will tell them that the Lord has established Zion and that his suffering people will find safety there.

Lexham English Bible
And what will one answer the messengers of the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, and the needy of his people will take refuge in it.

Literal Translation
What then shall one answer to the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah has founded Zion, and the poor of His people shall trust in it.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Who shall then maynteyne the messages of the Gentyles? But the LORDE stablisheth Syon, & the poore of my people shall put their trust in him.

American Standard Version
What then shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and in her shall the afflicted of his people take refuge.

Bible in Basic English
What answer, then, will my people give to the representatives of the nation? That the Lord is the builder of Zion, and she will be a safe place for the poor of his people.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
What then shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and in her shall the afflicted of His people take refuge.

King James Version (1611)
What shall one then answere the messengers of the nation? that the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poore of his people shall trust in it.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
What shall one then aunswere the messengers of the Gentiles? For the Lorde hath stablished Sion, and the poore of his people that be therein shall put their trust in it.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And what shall the kings of the nations answer? That the Lord has founded Sion, and by him the poor of the people shall be saved.

English Revised Version
What then shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and in her shall the afflicted of his people take refuge.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And what schal be answerid to the messangeris of folk? for the Lord hath foundid Sion, and the pore men of his puple schulen hope in hym.

Update Bible Version
What then shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, and in her shall the afflicted of his people take refuge.

Webster's Bible Translation
What shall [one] then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

New English Translation
How will they respond to the messengers of this nation? Indeed, the Lord has made Zion secure; the oppressed among his people will find safety in her.

New King James Version
What will they answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD has founded Zion, And the poor of His people shall take refuge in it.

New Living Translation
What should we tell the Philistine messengers? Tell them, "The Lord has built Jerusalem; its walls will give refuge to his oppressed people."

New Life Bible
What answer will be given to the men sent by the nation? That the Lord is the builder of Zion, and it will be a safe place for His people who are poor and troubled."

New Revised Standard
What will one answer the messengers of the nation? "The Lord has founded Zion, and the needy among his people will find refuge in her."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
What, then, shall one answer the messengers of a nation? That Yahweh, hath founded Zion, And in her, shall seek refuge the oppressed of his people.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And what shall be answered to the messengers of the nations? That the Lord hath founded Sion, and the poor of his people shall hope in him.

Revised Standard Version
What will one answer the messengers of the nation? "The LORD has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people find refuge."

Young's Literal Translation
And what doth one answer the messengers of a nation? `That Jehovah hath founded Zion, And in it do the poor of His people trust!'

THE MESSAGE
What does one say to outsiders who ask questions? Tell them, " God has established Zion. Those in need and in trouble find refuge in her."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"How then will one answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD has founded Zion, And the afflicted of His people will seek refuge in it."

Contextual Overview

²⁴YHWH of Hosts has sworn, saying, "As I thought—so has it not been? And as I counseled—it stands; ²⁵To break Asshur in My land, || And I tread him down on My mountain, || And his yoke has turned from off them, || Indeed, his burden turns aside from off their shoulder. ²⁶This [is] the counsel that is counseled for all the earth, || And this [is] the hand that is stretched out for all the nations. ²⁷For YHWH of Hosts has purposed, || And who makes void? And His hand that is stretched out, || Who turns it back?" ²⁸In the year of the death of King Ahaz was this burden: ²⁹"Do not rejoice, Philistia, all of you, || That the rod of your striker has been broken, || For from the root of a serpent comes out a viper, || And its fruit [is] a flying, burning serpent. ³⁰And the firstborn of the poor have delighted, || And the needy lie down in confidence, || And I have put to death your root with famine, || And it slays your remnant. ³¹Howl, O gate; cry, O city, || You are melted, Philistia, all of you, || For smoke has come from the north, || And there is none alone in his set places." ³²And what does one answer the messengers of a nation? That YHWH has founded Zion, || And the poor of His people take refuge in it!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

shall one: Isaiah 39:1, 2 Samuel 8:10, 2 Kings 20:12-19

the Lord: Isaiah 12:6, Isaiah 37:32, Psalms 87:1, Psalms 87:5, Psalms 102:16, Psalms 102:28, Psalms 132:13, Psalms 132:14, Matthew 16:18

and the: Isaiah 11:4, Isaiah 25:4, Zephaniah 3:12, Zechariah 11:7, Zechariah 11:11, James 2:5

trust in it: or, betake themselves unto it, Proverbs 18:10, Matthew 24:15, Matthew 24:16, Hebrews 12:22

Reciprocal: Genesis 11:9 - Babel Joshua 9:27 - in the place 1 Kings 11:13 - for Jerusalem's 1 Kings 15:4 - and to establish 2 Chronicles 6:6 - But I have chosen Jerusalem 2 Chronicles 6:34 - toward 2 Chronicles 32:19 - the God Job 5:16 - the poor Psalms 9:11 - which Psalms 20:2 - out Psalms 53:6 - out Psalms 69:35 - God Psalms 87:2 - The Lord Psalms 99:2 - great Psalms 102:13 - Thou Psalms 125:1 - be as mount Psalms 147:2 - build Isaiah 8:18 - which Isaiah 18:4 - consider in my dwelling place Jeremiah 25:12 - that I Jeremiah 25:26 - drink Jeremiah 33:2 - the maker Lamentations 1:21 - thou wilt Ezekiel 48:35 - The Lord Daniel 5:26 - God Zephaniah 3:15 - he hath 2 Timothy 2:19 - the foundation Hebrews 11:10 - whose

Gill's Notes on the Bible

What shall [one] then answer the messengers of the nation?.... Or nations, of any of the nations. Not the messengers sent to Hezekiah, Isaiah 39:1 but rather such as were sent to him, to congratulate him upon his victory over the Philistines; or any others that were sent, and came from other nations, that inquired about these matters, and the answer returned is,

That the Lord hath founded Zion; and not Hezekiah; he had given his people victory over their enemies, and protected, defended, and established them, and therefore ought to have all the glory:

and the poor of his people shall trust in it; or, "betake themselves to it"; as to a place of safety, being founded by the Lord, and under his protection. So the church of God, which often goes by the name of Zion in Scripture, is of his founding; he has laid Christ as the foundation of it, and such as are sensible of their spiritual poverty, misery, and danger, trust in him; not in Zion, but in the foundation God has laid in Zion, or built his church upon.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

What shall one then answer - The design of this verse is obvious. It is to show that Judea would be safe from the invasions of the Philistines, and that God was the protector of Zion. For this purpose the prophet refers to messengers or ambassadors who should be sent for any purpose to Jerusalem, either to congratulate Hezekiah, or to form an alliance with the Jews. The prophet asks what answer or information should be given to such messengers when they came respecting their state? The reply is, that Yahweh had evinced his purpose to protect his people.

Of the nation - Of any nation whose ambassadors should be sent into Judea.

That the Lord hath founded Zion - That he is its original founder, and that he has now shown his regard for it by protecting it from the Philistines. It would be safe from their attacks, and Yahweh would thus show that he had it under his own protection. The Septuagint renders this, ‘And what shall the kings of the Gentiles then answer? That the Lord hath founded Zion.’ The scope of the passage is the assurance that Zion would be safe, being founded and preserved by Yahweh; and that the Philistines had no cause of triumph at the death of Ahaz, since God would still be the protector of his people. The doctrine established by this passage is, that in all the changes which take place by the death of kings, princes, magistrates, and ministers; and in all the revolutions which occur in kingdoms, the enemies of the people of God have no cause for rejoicing. God is the protector of his church; and he will show that he has founded Zion, and that his people are safe, No weapon that is formed against his people shall prosper, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against his church.

Shall trust in it - In Zion. It was a strongly fortified city, God was its protector, and in times of calamity his people could betake themselves there in safety. In this strong place the most weak and defenseless - the poorest of the people, would be safe. In the church of God, the poor are the objects of as deep regard as the rich; the humble, the meek, the weak, the feeble, are there safe, and no power of an enemy can reach or affect them. God is their defender and their friend; and in his arms they are secure.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 14:32. The messengers of the nation - "The ambassadors of the nations"] The Septuagint read גוים goyim, εθνων, plural; and so the Chaldee, and one MS. The ambassadors of the neighbouring nations, that send to congratulate Hezekiah on his success, which in his answer he will ascribe to the protection of God. See 2 Chronicles 32:23. Or, if גוי goi singular, the reading of the text, be preferred, the ambassadors sent by the Philistines to demand peace. - L.

The Lord hath founded Zion — Kimchi refers this to the state of Zion under Hezekiah, when the rest of the cities of Judea had been taken, and this only was left for a hope to the poor of God's people: and God so defended it that Rabshakeh could not prevail against it.

The true Church of God is a place of safety; for as all its members are devoted to God, and walk in his testimonies, so they are continually defended and supported by him. In the congregations of his people, God dispenses his light and salvation; hence his poor or humble ones expect in his ordinances the blessings they need.