What Does Isaiah 38:6 Mean in the King James?
And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Deliverance does not end with escape: the city released from the enemy’s grasp remains under a covering.
THE MEANING
The threat is plain: you and the place you belong can be under an enemy’s grasp. Release breaks that hold, while protection remains over the city; being brought out does not mean being left exposed.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse dissolves the belief that once immediate danger is escaped, protection ends too.
THE ROOT
אַצִּילְךָ
’atsilekha
GROWS FROM
נצל
n-ṣ-l
To snatch away or rescue from danger.
The verb pictures being pulled out of the enemy’s grasp, giving “deliver” the force of an actual release. The person and the city are both taken out from under the threat.
ALSO GROWS
hitsil: Rescued or delivered.
הִצִּיל
This form carries the same idea of being pulled away from danger that shapes the promise here.
hatsalah: Rescue or deliverance.
הַצָּלָה
This noun names the act of rescue as removal from peril, echoing the release of the person and city.
וְגַנּוֹתִי
ve-gannoti
GROWS FROM
גנן
g-n-n
To cover, shield, or defend.
“defend” in this verse is ve-gannoti. The root gives defense the image of a covering that stays over the city. Paired with נצל (natsal, rescue), it shows the threat’s grasp being broken while protection continues.
ALSO GROWS
yagen: He will defend or protect.
יָגֵן
This form appears with the same city in Isaiah 31:5, linking defense to the covering promised here.
magen: Shield.
מָגֵן
The shield image makes the root’s covering sense visible: defense surrounds and protects what is under threat.
THE PATTERN
Deliverance breaks an enemy’s hold and carries protection over the one brought out.
As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.THE THREAD
As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.Isaiah 31:5 joins גנן (ganan, cover or defend) with נצל (natsal, rescue), the same roots at work here. The repeated pairing shows release and continuing protection as one movement: the city is taken out of danger and held under cover.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us