Isaiah 55

Isaiah 55
← chapter 54 chapter 56 →
The Great Isaiah Scroll, the best preserved of the biblical scrolls found at Qumran from the second century BC, contains all the verses in this chapter.
Book	Book of Isaiah
Hebrew Bible part	Nevi'im
Order in the Hebrew part	5
Category	Latter Prophets
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	23

Isaiah 55 is the fifty-fifth chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Isaiah, and is one of the Books of the Prophets. Chapters 40-55 are known as "Deutero-Isaiah" and date from the time of the Israelites' exile in Babylon.

Text[]

The original text was written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 13 verses.

Textual witnesses[]

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), Codex Leningradensis (1008).^[1]

Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (3rd century BC or later):

• 1QIsa^a: complete
• 1QIsa^b: extant: verses 2‑13
• 4QIsa^c (4Q57): extant: verses 1‑6

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).^[2]

Parashot[]

The parashah sections listed here are based on the Aleppo Codex.^[3] Isaiah 55 is a part of the Consolations (Isaiah 40–66). {P}: open parashah; {S}: closed parashah.

{S} 55:1–5 {S} 55:6–13 {P}

Verse 1[]

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,

and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat;

yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.^[4]

In the Septuagint, the invitation reads:

Go to the water, ... go and buy.^[5]

Verse 3[]

Incline your ear, and come unto me:

hear, and your soul shall live;

and I will make an everlasting covenant with you,

even the sure mercies of David.^[6]

This passage is cited by the Apostle Paul in a synagogue in Antioch, Pisidia, as recorded in Acts 13:34.

Verse 8[]

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,

saith the Lord.^[7]

Verse 9[]

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways,

and my thoughts than your thoughts.^[8]

Anglican bishop Robert Lowth argues that the comparative "higher" is an incorrect translation here, stating this verse instead as:

For as the heavens are high above the earth,

Verse 10[]

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven,

and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth,

and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give

seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:^[9]

Verse 11[]

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:

it shall not return unto me void,

but it shall accomplish that which I please,

and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.^[10]

See also[]

• David
• Related Bible parts: Isaiah 63, Matthew 5, John 7, Acts 13

References[]

Bibliography[]

• Würthwein, Ernst (1995). The Text of the Old Testament. Translated by Rhodes, Erroll F. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-0788-7.

External links[]

Jewish[]

• Isaiah 55 Hebrew with Parallel English

Christian[]

• Isaiah 55 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate