Isaiah 55:5

Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory on you.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Israel in the wake of establishing a Davidic figure as a witness and commander to the peoples. The declaration points to a future reversal of Israel's historical isolation.

The words — תִּקְרָא (tik.Ra') = you will call or summon; גּוֹי (Goy) = a nation. The Hebrew pairs the active summons of an unfamiliar people with their responsive flight toward Israel.

The thread — The motif of unknown nations gathering to Israel appears in Isaiah 60:5, Isaiah 60:9, and Zechariah 2:11. These texts trace a consistent prophetic line of foreign influx tied to divine glory.

Why it lands — The text declares that Israel's future honor will draw outsiders who previously had no relationship with God. It demands recognition that the gathering is initiated by divine action, not human strategy.

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

הֵ֣ןhenthere!גּ֤וֹיGoya nation לֹֽא־lo'-[which] not תֵדַע֙te.Da'you know תִּקְרָ֔אtik.Ra'you will call וְג֥וֹיve./Goyand/ a nation לֹֽא־lo'-[which] not יְדָע֖וּךָye.da.'U./khathey have known/ you אֵלֶ֣יךָ'e.Lei./khato/ you יָר֑וּצוּya.Ru.tzuthey will run לְמַ֙עַן֙le.Ma.'anon account of יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your וְלִקְד֥וֹשׁve./li/k.Do.oshand/ to/ [the] holy [one] of יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsrael כִּ֥יkifor פֵאֲרָֽךְ׃ סfe.'a.Ra/khhe has glorified/ you

King James Version

Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

Cross-references

Isaiah 60:5 Then you will look and be radiant, and your heart will tremble and swell with joy, because the riches of the sea will be brought to you, and the wealth of the nations will come to you.
Isaiah 60:9 Surely the islands will wait for Me, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead, to bring your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.
Zechariah 2:11 “On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD, and they will become My people. I will dwell among you, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me to you.
Isaiah 56:8 Thus declares the Lord GOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel: “I will gather to them still others besides those already gathered.”
John 17:1 When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.
Romans 15:20 In this way I have aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
Genesis 49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.
Psalms 18:43 You have delivered me from the strife of the people; You have made me the head of nations; a people I had not known shall serve me.
Isaiah 55:4 Behold, I have made him a witness to the nations, a leader and commander of the peoples.
Psalms 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”