Isaiah 4:6

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

²On that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of Israel's survivors. ³Whoever remains in Zion and whoever is left in Jerusalem will be called holy-all in Jerusalem who are recorded among the living- ⁴when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains from the heart of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. ⁵Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a canopy, ⁶a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and the rain.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

tabernacle: Isaiah 8:14, Isaiah 25:4, Psalms 27:5, Psalms 91:1, Psalms 121:5, Psalms 121:6, Proverbs 18:10, Ezekiel 11:16, Hebrews 6:18, Revelation 7:16

for a covert: Isaiah 32:2, Isaiah 32:18, Isaiah 32:19, Matthew 7:24-27, Hebrews 11:7

Reciprocal: Exodus 13:21 - General Exodus 26:14 - a covering Exodus 40:34 - a cloud Exodus 40:38 - fire Numbers 9:16 - General Numbers 35:6 - six cities for refuge Deuteronomy 1:33 - in fire Nehemiah 9:19 - the pillar Job 5:24 - thou shalt know Psalms 9:9 - The Lord Psalms 48:3 - General Song of Solomon 2:3 - I sat Isaiah 49:10 - neither 2 Corinthians 12:9 - the power Revelation 7:15 - dwell

Cross-References

Genesis 4:1
And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man," she said.

Genesis 4:3
So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,

Genesis 4:4
while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:5
but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.

Genesis 4:8
Then Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4:11
Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

Genesis 4:13
But Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Job 5:2
For resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.

Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.

Jeremiah 2:5
This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And there shall be a tabernacle,.... Christ, who tabernacled in our nature, and is the minister of the true tabernacle, which God pitched, and not man; who will be spiritually present in the word and ordinances, where the shepherds pitch their tents; and who will be that to his people as shepherds' tents are to them, to which the allusion is:

for a shadow in the day time from the heat: from the heat of a fiery law, which works wrath; from the flaming sword of justice, which calls for vengeance; from the wrath of God, which is poured forth like fire; from Satan's temptations, compared to fiery darts; and from the violence of persecution; for there will be no more after the last struggle of the beast, and the slaying of the witnesses:

and for a place of refuge; until the indignation be over and past: as Christ is a refuge for sensible sinners to flee unto for safety, from avenging justice, and the wrath of God; so he is a place of security, and has his chambers of safety for saints, from all dangers, and from every enemy, Isaiah 26:20:

and for a covert from storm and from rain; from the blast of the terrible ones, the antichristian powers, which will be as a storm against a wall, Isaiah 25:4 this will be the hour of temptation, which will come upon and try them that dwell upon the earth, from which Christ will preserve his faithful ones, Revelation 3:10.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And there shall be a tabernacle - The reference here is to the “tabernacle,” or sacred “tent” that God directed Moses to make in the wilderness. The image of the cloudy pillar mentioned in the previous verses, seems to have suggested to the mind of the prophet the idea of the tabernacle over which that pillar rested. The principal idea here is, however, not a tabernacle as a symbol of the divine protection, or of divine worship, but of a place of refuge from a tempest; that is, that they should be “safe” under his protection. In Eastern countries they dwelt chiefly in tents. The idea is, therefore, that God would furnish them a place of shelter, a hiding-place from the storm.

In the daytime from the heat - The heat in those regions was often very intense, particularly in the vast plains of sand. The “idea” here is, therefore, one that is very striking. It means, that God would furnish to them a refuge that would be like the comfort derived from a tent in a burning desert.

For a place of refuge - A place to which to flee in the midst of a storm, as a tent would be.

A covert - A place of retreat, a safe place to retire to. The figure used here is not unfrequently employed in the prophets; Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 32:2. In eastern countries this idea would be very striking. While traversing the burning sands of a desert, exposed to the rays of a tropical sun, nothing could be more grateful than the cool shadow of a rock. Such figures are, therefore, common in oriental writings, to denote protection and agreeable shelter from calamities; see the note at Isaiah 32:2. The idea in these verses is:

(1) That God will be a defender of his people.

(2) That he will protect their families, and that his blessing will be upon their dwelling-places; compare the note at Isaiah 59:21.

(3) They may expect his blessing on their religious assemblies.

(4) God, through the promised Messiah, would be a refuge and defense.

The sinner is exposed to the burning wrath of God, and to the storms of divine vengeance that shall beat forever on the naked soul in hell. From all this burning wrath, and from this raging tempest, the Messiah is the only refuge. Through him God forgives sin; and united to him by faith, the soul is safe. There are few images more beautiful than this. Soon the storms of divine vengeance will beat on the sinner. God will summon him to judgment. But then, he who has fled to the Messiah - the Lord Jesus - as the refuge of his soul, shall be safe. He shall have nothing to fear, and in his arms shall find defense and salvation.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 4:6. A tabernacle — In countries subject to violent tempests, as well as to intolerable heat, a portable tent is a necessary part of a traveller's baggage, for defence and shelter. And to such tents the words of the text make evident allusion. They are to be met with in every part of Arabia and Egypt, and in various other places in the East.