Version: King James Version (public domain)
Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isaiah 41:10 is one of the best-known promises in the Bible: God asks his people not to be afraid, because he is present and promises to strengthen, help and uphold them.
Bible text
8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.
12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.
13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Original text
Al tira ki imkha ani; al tishta ki ani Elohekha; imatstikha af azartikha, af temakhtikha bimin tsidki.
Historical context
Who speaks and to whom. Chapters 40 to 55 of Isaiah are addressed to the Jewish people exiled in Babylon in the 6th century BC. Many scholars call this part “Second Isaiah”, written by disciples of the prophet.
The setting. At the start of the chapter, God raises up a conqueror from the east (usually identified with Cyrus, king of Persia), and the nations tremble and make idols to protect themselves. In contrast, Israel hears: “thou, Israel, art my servant” (v. 8) and receives the promise of verse 10.
Explanation
“Fear thou not”
The verse opens with two commands: do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. They do not deny the real danger of exile; they shift the focus to who is standing alongside.
The two reasons
“I am with thee” (presence) and “I am thy God” (covenant). Fear is answered with a relationship, not with an explanation.
God’s three actions
To strengthen, to help and to uphold. The “right hand” is a symbol of power; “of my righteousness” points to God’s faithfulness to the promises he has made.
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How each tradition reads it
Protestant
In evangelical churches, Isaiah 41:10 is one of the verses most often claimed as a personal promise in times of fear, illness or crisis. Preachers usually point out that the promise grows out of God’s covenant with his people and applies to those who trust him.
Jewish
In Jewish tradition the promise is read as addressed to the people of Israel as a whole. The passage Isaiah 40:27–41:16 is the haftarah (reading from the Prophets) for the Torah portion Lech Lecha, which tells of Abraham’s call.
Academic
Scholars identify here the genre of the “salvation oracle”: God’s answer to someone in distress, marked by the formula “fear not”, followed by a reason and a promise of action. The pattern repeats in Isaiah 41:13–14 and 43:1–5.
Each reading is attributed to the tradition that holds it. VersePath does not take sides.
Reflect
Notice the order: first “I am with thee”, then “I will help thee”. Help comes from someone who is already at your side. Which fear are you facing as if you were alone?
Did you know?
- The words “fear not” appear three times between Isaiah 41:10 and 41:14.
- In Hebrew the verse begins with al tira (“fear not”), the same words spoken to Abram in Genesis 15:1.
- It is one of the most searched Bible verses in the United States, with tens of thousands of searches a month.
Frequently asked questions
What does Isaiah 41:10 mean?
It is God’s promise to those who are afraid: he is present, he is their God, and he promises to strengthen, help and uphold them.
Who was “fear not” spoken to in Isaiah 41?
To the people of Israel, called God’s “servant”, who were living in exile in Babylon. Jewish and Christian readers also apply the promise to their personal lives.
Who wrote Isaiah 41?
The book bears the name of the prophet Isaiah (8th century BC). Many scholars attribute chapters 40–55 to disciples who wrote during the exile, in the 6th century BC.
What is “the right hand of my righteousness”?
It is God’s right hand, an image of power, acting in line with his faithfulness to his promises.