BOOK 23 OF 66 · MAJOR PROPHETS · KING JAMES BIBLE

Isaiah 26

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Isaiah 26 Overview

Judah’s future song celebrates a strong city, perfect peace for the trusting, longing for God in judgment, and the hope that the dead shall live, before the people are told to hide briefly while indignation passes.

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26Chapter

21Verses

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Before you read Isaiah 26

Coming from

Isaiah answers worldwide judgment with praise: God topples the city of the ruthless, prepares a feast for all peoples, swallows up death, wipes away tears, and brings down proud Moab.

In this chapter

Leads into

The LORD defeats Leviathan, sings over His fruitful vineyard, disciplines Jacob in measure, gathers Israel one by one, and sounds a great trumpet for exiles to worship at Jerusalem.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The song continues Isaiah 24–27’s restoration vision. It alternates communal confidence with sober recognition that judgment teaches righteousness and that wickedness must still be dealt with.

The interpretive center of Isaiah 26 is the chapter’s own movement: steadfast trust rests in an everlasting rock. Read its poetry, signs, historical references, and later biblical connections from that center rather than treating isolated phrases as detached slogans.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Steadfast trust rests in an everlasting Rock

Peace is grounded in the LORD’s reliability, not in favorable circumstances.

God’s judgments reveal moral reality

The chapter contrasts people who learn righteousness with the wicked who refuse even in a land of uprightness.

Resurrection hope breaks into the prophetic vision

The dead living and awakening is one of the Old Testament’s clearest resurrection statements.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Daniel 12:2

Daniel also speaks explicitly of the dead awakening, some to everlasting life.

John 5:28-29

Jesus describes a coming resurrection in which all in the graves hear His voice.

Isaiah 25:8

The prior promise that death will be swallowed up prepares for resurrection language here.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not use 'perfect peace' as a promise that believers will never experience anxiety or distress.

The verse describes settled trust in God within a song that still includes judgment and waiting.

Do not spiritualize away the resurrection language.

The chapter speaks of the dead living and bodies arising.

Read Isaiah 26 watching for…

the strong city

the mind stayed on the LORD

the everlasting Rock

longing for God during judgment

the dead awakening

Chapter outline4 sections

1-4Judah sings of the strong city and trusts the everlasting LORD 5-11The lofty are brought low while the righteous wait for God’s judgments 12-19God gives peace and promises that the dead shall live again 20-21God’s people are told to hide briefly while the LORD comes to punish iniquity

In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.

The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.

LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.

O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.

We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

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Isaiah 26:17

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