Isaiah 2:21 They will flee to caverns in the rocks and crevices in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.

◄ Isaiah 2:21 ►

New International Version
They will flee to caverns in the rocks and to the overhanging crags from the fearful presence of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth.

New Living Translation
while they crawl away into caverns and hide among the jagged rocks in the cliffs. They will try to escape the terror of the LORD and the glory of his majesty as he rises to shake the earth.

English Standard Version
to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.

Berean Standard Bible
They will flee to caverns in the rocks and crevices in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.

King James Bible
To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

New King James Version
To go into the clefts of the rocks, And into the crags of the rugged rocks, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.

New American Standard Bible
In order to go into the clefts of the rocks and the crannies of the cliffs Before the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty, When He arises to terrify the earth.

NASB 1995
In order to go into the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs Before the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty, When He arises to make the earth tremble.

NASB 1977
In order to go into the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs, Before the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty, When He arises to make the earth tremble.

Legacy Standard Bible
In order to go into the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs Before the dread of Yahweh and the splendor of His majesty, When He arises to make the earth tremble.

Amplified Bible
To go into the caverns of the rocks and into the clefts of the [ragged] cliffs [as they flee] From the terror and dread of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty, When He arises to terrify the earth.

Christian Standard Bible
They will go into the caves of the rocks and the crevices in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from his majestic splendor, when he rises to terrify the earth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They will go into the caves of the rocks and the crevices in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from His majestic splendor, when He rises to terrify the earth.

American Standard Version
to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD will be fearsome, marvelous, and glorious when he comes to terrify people on earth--they will hide in caves and in the hills.

English Revised Version
to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They will go into caves in the rocks and into cracks in the cliffs because of the LORD's terrifying presence and the honor of his majesty when he rises to terrify the earth.

Good News Translation
When the LORD comes to shake the earth, people will hide in holes and caves in the rocky hills to try to escape from his anger and to hide from his power and glory.

International Standard Version
They will enter caverns in the rocks and clefts in the cliffs, to escape the terror of the LORD and to escape the splendor of his majesty, when he arises to terrorize the earth.

Majority Standard Bible
They will flee to caverns in the rocks and crevices in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.

NET Bible
so they themselves can go into the crevices of the rocky cliffs and the openings under the rocky overhangs, trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the LORD and his royal splendor, when he rises up to terrify the earth.

New Heart English Bible
to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.

Webster's Bible Translation
To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

World English Bible
to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
To enter into cavities of the rocks, "" And into clefts of the high places, "" Because of the fear of YHWH, "" And because of the honor of His excellence, "" In His rising to terrify the earth.

Young's Literal Translation
To enter into cavities of the rocks, And into clefts of the high places, Because of the fear of Jehovah, And because of the honour of His excellency, In His rising to terrify the earth.

Smith's Literal Translation
To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the fissures of the rocks from the face of the fear of Jehovah, and from the splendor of his majesty in his rising to terrify the earth.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he shall go into the clefts of rocks, and into the holes of stones from the face of the fear of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty, when he shall rise up to strike the earth.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so he will go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the caverns of stone, from the presence of the dread of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty, when he will have risen up to strike the earth.

New American Bible
And they shall go into caverns in the rocks and into crevices in the cliffs, At the terror of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, as he rises to overawe the earth.

New Revised Standard Version
to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts in the crags, from the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
To go into the caves of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he arises to conquer the earth.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
To enter into caves of flint and into cliffs of stone from before the awe of LORD JEHOVAH and from the excellence of his strength, whenever he rises to tread the Earth

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
To go into the clefts of the rocks, And into the crevices of the crags, From before the terror of the LORD, And from the glory of His majesty, When he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
to enter into the caverns of the solid rock, and into the clefts of the rocks, for fear of the Lord, and by reason of the glory of his might, when he shall arise to strike terribly the earth.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Day of Reckoning
…20In that day men will cast away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and gold—the idols they made to worship. 21They will flee to caverns in the rocks and crevices in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth. 22Put no more trust in man, who has only the breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Revelation 6:15-17
Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. / And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. / For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”

Isaiah 2:10
Go into the rocks and hide in the dust from the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty.

Isaiah 2:19
Men will flee to caves in the rocks and holes in the ground, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.

Hosea 10:8
The high places of Aven will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

Luke 23:30
At that time ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

Revelation 9:6
In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, but death will escape them.

Micah 7:17
They will lick the dust like a snake, like reptiles slithering on the ground. They will come trembling from their strongholds in the presence of the LORD our God; they will tremble in fear of You.

Isaiah 13:13
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the wrath of the LORD of Hosts on the day of His burning anger.

Isaiah 24:21-22
In that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven above and the kings of the earth below. / They will be gathered together like prisoners in a pit. They will be confined to a dungeon and punished after many days.

Zephaniah 1:18
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.

Revelation 16:20
Then every island fled, and no mountain could be found.

Isaiah 30:22
So you will desecrate your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual cloths, saying to them, “Be gone!”

Jeremiah 16:19-20
O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of distress, the nations will come to You from the ends of the earth, and they will say, “Our fathers inherited nothing but lies, worthless idols of no benefit at all. / Can man make gods for himself? Such are not gods!”

Ezekiel 7:19
They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity.

Isaiah 31:7
For on that day, every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold that your own hands have sinfully made.

Treasury of Scripture

To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he rises to shake terribly the earth.

Isaiah 2:10,19
Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty…

Exodus 33:22
And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

Job 30:6
To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.

Jump to Previous

Arise Arises Ariseth Caverns Clefts Cliffs Cover Cracks Crags Crevices Earth Enter Excellency Fear Flee Glory High Holes Honour Majesty Mightily Order Places Power Rises Rising Rocks Shake Shaking Splendor Strength Terribly Terrify Terror Tops Tremble

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Isaiah 2

1. Isaiah prophesies the coming of Christ's kingdom
6. Wickedness is the cause of God's forsaking
10. He exhorts to fear, because of the powerful effects of God's majesty

Berean Study Bible

They will flee
The phrase "They will flee" indicates a sense of urgency and desperation. In the Hebrew text, the verb used here is "nus," which conveys the idea of escaping or taking flight. This reflects the human instinct to seek safety in times of overwhelming fear or danger. Historically, this imagery is reminiscent of people seeking refuge during invasions or natural disasters, emphasizing the severity of the situation when faced with divine judgment.

to caverns in the rocks
"Caverns in the rocks" suggests a natural hiding place, often used in ancient times for protection against enemies or harsh weather. The Hebrew word "me'arot" refers to these natural formations. Archaeological findings have shown that such caverns were indeed used as shelters, highlighting the authenticity of the imagery. Spiritually, this can symbolize the futility of trying to hide from God's omnipresence and omnipotence.

and crevices in the cliffs
The "crevices in the cliffs" further emphasizes the idea of seeking refuge in seemingly secure places. The Hebrew term "sela'im" refers to narrow openings or splits in rock formations. This imagery underscores the desperation of those trying to escape divine wrath, illustrating that no earthly refuge can provide true safety from God's judgment.

away from the terror of the LORD
The "terror of the LORD" conveys the awe-inspiring and fearsome nature of God's presence. The Hebrew word "pachad" is used here, which can mean dread or fear. This phrase highlights the holiness and power of God, which is so overwhelming that it causes people to seek escape. It serves as a reminder of the reverence due to God and the seriousness of His judgment.

and from the splendor of His majesty
The "splendor of His majesty" contrasts with the terror mentioned earlier, emphasizing the glory and magnificence of God. The Hebrew word "hadar" refers to beauty or majesty, suggesting that God's presence is both fearsome and glorious. This duality reflects the complexity of God's nature, inspiring both reverence and awe.

when He rises to shake the earth
"When He rises to shake the earth" indicates a decisive action by God. The Hebrew verb "qum" means to arise or stand up, suggesting a deliberate and powerful intervention. The imagery of shaking the earth, "ra'ash," conveys a sense of upheaval and transformation. This phrase points to God's sovereign power over creation and His ability to enact judgment, reminding believers of the ultimate accountability to the Creator.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) To go into the clefts of the rocks . . .--Comp. for the phrase, Exodus 33:22. The picture of Isaiah 2:19 is reproduced, with some noticeable variations. As men feel shock after shock of the earthquake, and see the flashing fires, and hear the crash of the thunder, they leave the larger caverns in which they had at first sought shelter, and where they have left the idols that were once so precious, and fly to the smaller and higher openings, the "clefts of the rocks," and the rents of the crags, in their unspeakable panic.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - To go into; or, as they go into; i.e. "as they make their escape, they shall fling the idols away." The clefts of the rocks (comp. Exodus 33:22, the only other passage of Scripture where the word occurs). The tops of the ragged rocks; rather, the rents, or crevices. The idea of hiding themselves from the awful majesty of God is kept up throughout (cf. vers. 10 and 19; and see also Luke 23:30).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

They will flee
לָבוֹא֙ (lā·ḇō·w)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to caverns
בְּנִקְר֣וֹת (bə·niq·rō·wṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 5366: A hole, crevice

in the rocks
הַצֻּרִ֔ים (haṣ·ṣu·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6697: A cliff, a rock, boulder, a refuge, an edge

and crevices
וּבִסְעִפֵ֖י (ū·ḇis·‘i·p̄ê)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5585: A fissure, a bough

in the cliffs,
הַסְּלָעִ֑ים (has·sə·lā·‘îm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5553: A craggy rock

away from
מִפְּנֵ֞י (mip·pə·nê)
Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the terror
פַּ֤חַד (pa·ḥaḏ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6343: A, alarm

of the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

and from the splendor
וּמֵהֲדַ֣ר (ū·mê·hă·ḏar)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1926: Magnificence, ornament, splendor

of His majesty,
גְּאוֹנ֔וֹ (gə·’ō·w·nōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1347: Arrogance, majesty, ornament

when He rises
בְּקוּמ֖וֹ (bə·qū·mōw)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

to shake
לַעֲרֹ֥ץ (la·‘ă·rōṣ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6206: To cause to tremble, tremble

the earth.
הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

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OT Prophets: Isaiah 2:21 To go into the caverns (Isa Isi Is)