What Does Isaiah 28:5 Mean in the King James?

In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

Isaiah 28:5 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The crown is not something the remnant holds; the LORD himself becomes the honor that surrounds it.

THE MEANING

The verse places the LORD himself as the crown of glory and beauty for what remains of his people. The remnant is marked not only by what has survived, but by the honor that rests around it.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

What remains after loss is not merely a discarded leftover: the verse names the LORD as its crown.

THE ROOT

שְׁאָר

she'ar

GROWS FROM

שאר

Remain; be left over.

“residue” in this verse is she'ar. The root adds the concrete sense of what remains. The verse places the LORD himself as the crown of those who remain, so their survival is met with presence and honor.

ALSO GROWS

sha'ar: Remain; be left.

שָׁאַר

The verb names the continuing that lies within the idea of a remnant.

she'erit: Remnant; remainder.

שְׁאֵרִית

This related noun makes the shared root visible in another word for what remains.

עֲטֶרֶת

ateret

GROWS FROM

עטר

Surround; crown.

The root carries the sense of crowning and encircling. Since the LORD is said to be for a crown, the image is not only an award held at a distance: his presence is the honor surrounding those who remain.

ALSO GROWS

atar: Crown; encircle.

עָטַר

The verb gives the crown image its action: to crown is to encircle with honor.

atarah: Crown; wreath.

עֲטָרָה

This related noun names the crown itself, the visible form of the honor in the verse.

THE PATTERN

When outward glory fades, the LORD becomes the lasting crown of those who remain.

Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!

Isaiah 28:1 · KJVThe human crown is a fading flower, setting up the contrast with the LORD as crown for the remnant.

Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

Isaiah 62:3 · KJVThe crown of glory is held in the LORD’s hand, echoing honor received and kept in his care.

And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

1 Peter 5:4 · KJVThe crown is received from the chief Shepherd and does not fade, extending the image of lasting honor.

THE THREAD

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

Isaiah 10:20 · KJV

The Hebrew word for “remnant” here shares the ⁨שאר⁩ (sha’ar, remain) root with “residue” in Isaiah 28:5. In Isaiah 10, what remains no longer leans on the one who struck it; here, the LORD himself is the crown of what remains.

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