Isaiah 59:21

“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not depart from you, and My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and grandchildren, from now on and forevermore,” says the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Yahweh speaks to the people of Zion in the wake of the Redeemer's coming (v. 20), declaring a covenant that is His own initiative and guarantee.

The words — בְּרִית (berith, "covenant") names the binding commitment, while רוּחַ (ruach, "spirit/wind/breath") is what the covenant actually delivers — not a code but a retained presence.

The thread — This runs through Jeremiah 31:31, Ezekiel 36:25, and Hebrews 10:16, where the new covenant is defined by God's internal action (laws in the heart, cleansing, Spirit given) rather than external compliance.

Why it lands — The verse places permanence on God's side: the Spirit and the words do not depart because He holds them, not because the people are faithful enough to keep them.

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

וַאֲנִ֗יva./'a.Niand/ I זֹ֣אתzotthis בְּרִיתִ֤יbe.ri.T/i[is] covenant/ my אוֹתָם֙'o.Ta/mwith/ them אָמַ֣ר'a.Marhe says יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh רוּחִי֙ru.Ch/ispirit/ my אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhich עָלֶ֔יךָ'a.Lei./kha[is] on/ you וּדְבָרַ֖יu./de.va.Ra/iand/ words/ my אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which שַׂ֣מְתִּיSam.tiI have put בְּפִ֑יךָbe./Fi./khain/ mouth/ your לֹֽא־lo'-not יָמ֡וּשׁוּya.Mu.shuthey will depart מִפִּיךָ֩mi./pi./Khafrom/ mouth/ your וּמִפִּ֨יu./mi./Piand/ from/ [the] mouth of זַרְעֲךָ֜zar.'a./Khaoffspring/ your וּמִפִּ֨יu./mi./Piand/ from/ [the] mouth of זֶ֤רַעZe.ra'[the] offspring of זַרְעֲךָ֙zar.'a./Khaoffspring/ your אָמַ֣ר'a.Marhe says יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh מֵעַתָּ֖הme./'a.Tahfrom/ now וְעַד־ve./'ad-and/ until עוֹלָֽם׃ סo.Lamperpetuity

King James Version

As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
Hebrews 10:16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”
Ezekiel 36:25 I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
Jeremiah 32:38 They will be My people, and I will be their God.
Hebrews 8:6 Now, however, Jesus has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises.
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Isaiah 51:16 I have put My words in your mouth, and covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”
Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
John 4:14 But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”