Isaiah 8:16 — Word Study
WLCצ֖וֹר תְּעוּדָ֑ה חֲת֥וֹם תּוֹרָ֖ה בְּלִמֻּדָֽי׃
BSABind uptsârar [safeguard, wrap up] the testimonytᵉʻûwdâh [confirmation of God's precepts] [and] sealchâtham [close, lock] the lawtôwrâh [instruction, divine guidance] among my discipleslimmûwd [taught ones, followers]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| צ֖וֹר | bind up | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
| תְּעוּדָ֑ה | [the] testimony | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| חֲת֥וֹם | seal up | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
| תּוֹרָ֖ה | [the] instruction | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| בְּלִמֻּדָֽי׃ | among disciples my | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Bind up the testimony and seal the law among my disciples. |
| KJV | Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. |
| ASV | Bind thou up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. |
| YLT | Bind up the testimony, Seal the law among My disciples. |
| WEB | Wrap up the covenant. Seal the law among my disciples. |
| BBE | Let my teaching be kept secret: and my words be given to my disciples only. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of תְּעוּדָ֑ה — see How Translations Differ.
The structure is straightforward, with a main verb followed by an action and its context, emphasizing the directive nature of the verse.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbצָרַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Isaiah 8:16
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Prophecy of Isaiahgenerated
Isaiah 8:16 emphasizes the importance of safeguarding God's testimony and sealing His law among His followers. This instruction comes in a context where many will stumble over the word of God, highlighting the need for clarity and commitment to divine guidance. The following verses illustrate Isaiah's trust in the Lord amidst challenges, reinforcing the significance of adhering to God's teachings.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 29:11 | And the entire vision will be to you like the words sealed in a scroll. If it is handed to someone to read, he will say, “I cannot, because it is sealed.” |
| 2 | Daniel 12:4 | But you, Daniel, shut up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam to and fro, and knowledge will increase.” |
| 3 | Isaiah 8:20 | To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 4:45 | These are the testimonies, statutes, and ordinances that Moses proclaimed to them after they had come out of Egypt, |
| 5 | 2 Kings 11:12 | Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 21 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — צ֖וֹר, Tzorgenerated
The verb צָרַר (tzarar) is an imperative form that means to bind or confine. It suggests a strong action of safeguarding or wrapping up something valuable, in this case, the testimony of God.
This word encompasses a range of meanings, including to besiege or cause distress, but here it focuses on the protective aspect of binding up the testimony to ensure it is preserved among the disciples.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse, reflecting the call to safeguard the testimony and seal the law among the disciples.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main verbs: צ֖וֹר (bind up) and חֲת֥וֹם (seal). Each verb governs its respective object, תְּעוּדָ֑ה (testimony) and תּוֹרָ֖ה (law), forming a clear directive.
The structure emphasizes the actions of binding and sealing, which are crucial for preserving God's instruction among His followers.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates צָרַר as φανεροὶ (G5318), which means 'to make clear' or 'to reveal.' This choice suggests a focus on the clarity of the testimony rather than just the act of binding.
For חָתַם, the translation σφραγιζόμενοι indicates sealing, reinforcing the idea of protection and preservation of the law.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 8:16 instructs to bind up the testimony and seal the law among the disciples. This emphasizes the importance of safeguarding God's teachings and ensuring they are upheld by those who follow Him.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To bind up the testimony means to safeguard and preserve the confirmation of God's precepts, ensuring they are protected and respected among His followers.
Sealing the law signifies the importance of locking in divine guidance and instruction, making it secure and authoritative for the disciples.
The disciples mentioned are those who are taught and instructed in God's ways, emphasizing the community of believers who follow His teachings.
This verse highlights the need for commitment to God's law and testimony, which is a recurring theme in Isaiah, especially in times of uncertainty and challenge.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I safeguard the teachings of God in my life?
- How can I ensure that I am following the divine guidance provided in Scripture?
- What does it mean to me to be a disciple of God's law?
- How can I encourage others to uphold the testimony of God's precepts?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early church father Jerome comments on this verse, emphasizing the importance of joining testimonies and establishing God's law among His followers.
Join the testimonies, establish the law among my disciples, and I will wait for the Lord, who hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 8 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 8:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBind up the testimony,.... These are not the words of the prophet, as Kimchi thinks, but of the Lord to the prophet, and are part of that instruction given him, Isaiah 8:11.
Read John Gill on Isaiah 8 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentarySay ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. The words of Yahweh. Verse 12. Say ye not, A confederacy - rather.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 8 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThese are, by the consent of all, God’ s words to the prophet. By the testimony and the law or doctrine (for so this word is frequently taken) he understands one and the same thing, as he doth also to wit, the word of God, and especially that which is the main scope and substance thereof, the doctrine of the Messias, which, though now professed by all the Israelites, shall be disowned by the generality of them, when the Messiah shall come. Bind up and seal are to be understood prophetically, Declare and prophesy that it shall be bound up and sealed; as Isaiah is said to make fat, and to blind, &c. , and Jeremiah to root out and pull down, &c., , when they foretell these events. Moreover…
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 8 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 8:16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.Ver. 16. Bind up the testimony, seal the law, &c.] Et lateat, et lucent. let it both be hidden and be conspicuous. Let thy doctrine, saith God here to the prophet, contained in that great roll, or otherwise published (concerning Immanuel especially), be concealed from these profane scoffers, but imparted to my disciples that "sit down at my feet to receive my word." Those Jews in Christ’ s time had the testimony, that is, the gospel preached to them; but they were woefully blinded; so that when the Messiah, to whom all their odd signs so well agreed, was among them, they could by no means own him and receive him. That…
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 8 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(16) Bind up the testimony . . .—The intensity of feeling in which the prophetic utterance of Isa 8:11-15 had its birth, is followed by a corresponding solemnity at its close. The words which had been so full of meaning for the prophet himself are to be impressed on the disciples of Jehovah (for it is He who speaks), i.e., on those who looked to Isaiah as their guide and counsellor. They are to be written on a parchment roll, as men wrote the sacred Book of the Law; the roll is to be sealed up, partly as a security against its being tampered with, till the time came for its disclosure (Daniel 12:4), partly as an attestation, like the seal of a king’s letter (1 Kings 21:8; Esther 3:12), that…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 8 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 16. Among my disciples.] בלמדי belimmudai. The Septuagint render it τουμημαθειν. Bishop Chandler, Defence of Christianity, p. 308, thinks they read מלמד, that it be not understood, and approves of this reading. - Abp. Secker.
Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 8 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges16–18. The prophet, recognising the failure of his work as regards the nation, prepares a written record of his teaching, and deposits this as a sealed document in the custody of his disciples. By this solemn act he forms an inner circle of religious fellowship, which is the nucleus of the new people of God. See General Introd. p. xxxi.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 8 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleBind up - This expression is one that is applicable to a volume, or roll of writing. Thus far the prophet seems to have had the roll opened, which is mentioned in Isaiah 8:1.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 8 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Bind up the testimony and seal the law among my disciples.
Wrap up the covenant. Seal the law among my disciples.
Bind up the testimony and seal the law among my disciples.
Tie up the scroll as legal evidence, seal the official record of God’s instructions and give it to my followers.
Tyndale line
Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
Bind thou up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
Bind thou up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
Binde vp the testimonie: seale vp the Law among my disciples.
Strictly literal
Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
Bind up the testimony, Seal the law among My disciples.
Bind up the testimony, || Seal the Law among My disciples.
Bind up the testimony, seal up the law among my disciples.
Bind up my testimony, seal the official record, and give it to my disciples.
From the Latin
Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
Simplified
Safeguard this testimony, seal these instructions—they are for my disciples.
Let my teaching be kept secret: and my words be given to my disciples only.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of the verse, with all five words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align closely with the Masoretic Text, confirming the preservation of this instruction.
צ֖וֹר תְּעוּדָ֑ה חֲת֥וֹם תּוֹרָ֖ה בְּלִמֻּדָֽי׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
צור תעודה וחתום תורה בלמד׳י
5 words on the leather.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 8:16
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word צָרַר (tsarar) is built from a primitive root meaning to bind or confine. It covers a range of meanings including to besiege, cause distress, and show hostility. The word can also denote making a rival-wife. Notably, it appears in Leviticus 18:18.
צוּר vb. confine, bind, besiege
base
צָרַר vb. bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped
trans.
Qal bind or tie up
Pu. tied up (mended by tying)
intrans.
Qal be scant, cramped, in straits
Hiph. make narrow for, press hard upon, cause distress to
base
[צָרַר] vb. denom. Hiph. suffer distress
base
צָרַר vb. shew hostility toward, vex
base
[צָרַר] vb. denom. make a rival-wife;—Qal Lv 18:18
ref
H6887a צוּר confine, bind, besiege H6887b צָרַר bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped H6887c צָרַר vb. denom. Hiph. suffer distress H6887d צָרַר shew hostility toward, vex H6887e צָרַר vb. denom. make a rival-wife
6887 tsarar tsaw-rar'
a primitive root; to cramp, literally or figuratively,
transitive or intransitive (as follows):--adversary, (be in)
afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress,
enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait
(trouble), vex.
צָרַר (tsa.rar) — to confine.
to confine, besiege
Another spelling of tsur (צוּר "to confine" H6696A)
צָרַר (tsa.rar) — to constrain.
1) to bind, be narrow, be in distress, make narrow, cause distress, besiege, be straitened, be bound
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bind, tie up, shut up
1a2) to be scant, be cramped, be in straits
1b) (Pual) to be bound, be tied up
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make narrow for, cause distress to, press hard upon
צָרַר (tsa.rar) — to distress.
to suffer distress
צָרַר (tsa.rar) — to vex.
to show hostility toward, vex
צָרַר (tsa.rar) — to rival.
to make a rival-wife
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singularHVqv2ms
תְּעוּדָה (t`uwdah) means 'testimony' or 'attestation.' It is derived from the root word for 'to bear witness' and encompasses meanings related to confirmation and prophetic injunctions. The entries consistently emphasize its use in contexts of testimony and attestation.
תְּעוּדָה n.f. testimony, attestation
base
H8584 תְּעוּדָה testimony, attestation
8584 t`uwdah teh-oo-daw'
from 5749; attestation, i.e. a precept, usage:--testimony.
see HEBREW for 05749
תְּעוּדָה (te.u.dah) — testimony.
1) testimony, attestation, confirmation
1a) testimony, (prophetic) injunction
1b) attestation
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
Testimony
(1.) Witness or evidence (2 Thess. 1:10).
(2.) The Scriptures, as the revelation of God’s will (2 Kings 11:12; Ps. 19:7; 119:88; Isa. 8:16, 20).
(3.) The altar raised by the Gadites and Reubenites (Josh. 22:10).
The whole revelation of God, testifying to man what he is to believe, do, and hope, Ps 19:7 119:88,99 1Co 1:6 Re 1:2. The two stone tables of the law were a visible "testimony" or witness of God’s covenant with his people; and hence the ark of the covenant was called sometimes the testimony, or the ark of the testimony, Ex 25:22 34:29. See ARK.
→ LEGAL
See EVIDENCE
See WITNESSES
Ark of
See ARK
חָתַם (cha.tam) means to seal or affix a seal. It covers various forms, including sealing up, locking up, and being stopped. The verb appears in different stems, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating various nuances of sealing and closure. The Aramaic equivalent is also noted.
חָתַם vb. seal, affix seal, seal up
Qal
seal, affix one’s seal, in attestation
seal up, fasten up by sealing
Niph. (it was) written and sealed
Pi. lit. by day they seal up for themselves, i.e acc. to most, they shut themselves up
Hiph. or hath his flesh (genital organ) shewn stoppage by reason of his flux.
base
H2856 חָתַם seal, affix seal, seal up
2856 chatham khaw-tham'
a primitive root; to close up; especially to seal:--make an
end, mark, seal (up), stop.
חָתַם (cha.tam) — to seal.
1) to seal, seal up, affix a seal
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to seal, affix one's seal
1a2) to seal up, fasten up by sealing
1b) (Niphal) to seal
1c) (Piel) to lock up
1d) (Hiphil) to be stopped
Aramaic equivalent: cha.tam (חֲתַם "to seal" H2857)
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singularHVqv2ms
תּוֹרָה (towrah) encompasses concepts of direction, instruction, and law, particularly relating to divine or human guidance. It refers to legal directives, customs, and teachings, including the Decalogue and the Pentateuch. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as prophetic and priestly instruction, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.
תּוֹרָה n.f. direction, instruction, law
instruction
law (prop. direction)
custom, manner
base
H8451 תּוֹרָה direction, instruction, law . instruction
. law (prop. direction)
. custom, manner
8451 towrah to-raw'
or torah {to-raw'}; from 3384; a precept or statute,
especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch:--law.
see HEBREW for 03384
תּוֹרָה (to.rah) — instruction.
1) law, direction, instruction
1a) instruction, direction (human or divine)
1a1) body of prophetic teaching
1a2) instruction in Messianic age
1a3) body of priestly direction or instruction
1a4) body of legal directives
1b) law
1b1) law of the burnt offering
1b2) of special law, codes of law
1c) custom, manner
1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
in-struk'-shun.
See CATECHIST; EDUCATION; SCHOOL.
→ From nature Pr 24:30-34; Ec 1:13-18; 3; 4:1; Mt 6:25-30
→ See PARABLES
→ From the study of human nature Ec 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12
→ By Object Lessons
The pot of manna Ex 16:32
→ The pillar of twelve stones at the fords of the Jordan River Jos 4:19-24
→ Fringes on the borders of garments Nu 15:38,39
→ Symbolically wearing sackcloth and going barefoot Isa 20:2,3
→ The linen sash Jer 13:1-11
(1) The Value of
--SEE Knowledge (3), KNOWLEDGE
Wisdom (5), WISDOM
(2) Examples of Spiritual
לִמֻּד (limmuwd) means 'taught' or 'instructed' and is derived from the root meaning to teach. It encompasses meanings such as 'disciple,' 'accustomed,' and 'learned.' The term highlights the process of learning or being taught, particularly in a discipleship context.
לִמֻּד adj. taught
taught, as disciples
accustomed to something
base
H3928 לִמֻּד taught
3928 limmuwd lim-mood'
or limmud {lim-mood'}; from 3925; instructed: -accustomed,
disciple, learned, taught, used.
see HEBREW for 03925
לִמֻּד (lim.mud) — disciple.
1) taught, learned, discipled
1a) taught
1b) accustomed to (something)
Prep | Adj | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp1bs