Isaiah 34:1

Come near, O nations, to listen; pay attention, O peoples. Let the earth hear, and all that fills it, the world and all that springs from it.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The prophet delivers a divine summons to all nations, peoples, and the entire earth to witness an impending judicial declaration. This call occurs immediately before Yahweh’s announced fury against all hostile armies and political powers.

The words — The imperative קִרְב֤וּ (kirvu) commands the nations to "draw near" as witnesses, while הַקְשִׁ֑יבוּ (hakshivu) demands they "pay attention" to the verdict being pronounced.

The thread — This creation-witness motif recurs in Isaiah 1:2, 41:1, and 43:9, where the prophet consistently calls the earth, islands, and gathered peoples to hear or assemble before God’s word or judgment.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that every political entity and the physical world are summoned to observe God’s judicial action, leaving no audience exempt from the announcement.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

קִרְב֤וּkir.Vudraw near גוֹיִם֙go.YimO nations לִשְׁמֹ֔עַli/sh.Mo.a'to/ hear וּלְאֻמִּ֖יםu./le.'u.Mimand/ O peoples הַקְשִׁ֑יבוּhak.Shi.vupay attention תִּשְׁמַ֤עtish.Ma'let it hear הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ha./'A.retzthe/ earth וּמְלֹאָ֔הּu./me.lo.'A/hand/ what fills/ it תֵּבֵ֖לte.Vel[the] world וְכָל־ve./kholand/ all צֶאֱצָאֶֽיהָ׃tze.'e.tza.'Ei./haproduce<s>/ its

King James Version

Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.

Cross-references

Isaiah 1:2 Listen, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me.
Isaiah 41:1 “Be silent before Me, O islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come forward and testify; let us together draw near for judgment.
Isaiah 43:9 All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and proclaim to us the former things? Let them present their witnesses to vindicate them, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
1 Corinthians 10:26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”
Deuteronomy 32:1 Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
Isaiah 33:13 You who are far off, hear what I have done; you who are near, acknowledge My might.”
Jeremiah 22:29 O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!
Micah 6:1 Hear now what the LORD says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.
Psalms 49:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world,
Psalms 50:1 A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from where the sun rises to where it sets.