What Does Isaiah 51:6 Mean?

“Lift up”

to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative

“beneath for the heavens”

the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r

“your eyes”

an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)

“and look”

to scan, i.e., look intently at; by implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care

near, with or among; often in general, to

“and the earth”

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

“beneath for the heavens”

the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r

“like smoke”

smoke, literally or figuratively (vapor, dust, anger)

“shall vanish away”

to salt whether internally (to season with salt) or externally (to rub with salt)

“and the earth”

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

“like a garment”

a covering, i.e., clothing

“shall wax old”

to fail; by implication to wear out, decay (causatively, consume, spend)

“and they that dwell”

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

“in like”

as, thus, so

properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner

“therein shall die”

to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill

“but my salvation”

something saved, i.e., (abstractly) deliverance; hence, aid, victory, prosperity

“shall be for ever”

properly, concealed, i.e., the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e., (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

“and my righteousness”

rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity)

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

“shall not be abolished”

properly, to prostrate; hence, to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by confusion and fear