Isaiah 8:5 — Word Study
WLCוַיֹּ֣סֶף יְהוָ֔ה דַּבֵּ֥ר אֵלַ֛י ע֖וֹד לֵאמֹֽר׃
BSAAnd the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] spokedâbar [to communicate, command] toʼêl meyâçaph▸ furtherʻôwd [again, still, saying]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֣סֶף | and he repeated | Verb, Hiphil, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| יְהוָ֔ה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| דַּבֵּ֥ר | to speak | Verb, Piel, infinitive construct common |
| אֵלַ֛י | to me | Preposition, suffix |
| ע֖וֹד | again | Adv |
| לֵאמֹֽר׃ | saying | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | And the LORD spoke to me further: |
| KJV | ¶ The LORD spake also unto me again, saying, |
| ASV | And Jehovah spake unto me yet again, saying, |
| YLT | And Jehovah addeth to speak unto me again, saying: |
| WEB | Yahweh spoke to me yet again, saying, |
| BBE | And the Lord said again to me, |
Where they part company is עוֹד — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is straightforward, with a single main clause indicating God's ongoing communication.



4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיהוה
verbיָסַף
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 8:5
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 — Prophecies Against Israelgenerated
Isaiah 8:5 shows the ongoing dialogue between God and the prophet Isaiah. This verse emphasizes that God is not silent; He actively engages with His chosen messenger, providing further revelations about the fate of His people. The context includes warnings about the consequences of rejecting God's guidance, as seen in the following verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 7:10 | Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָסַף, vai.Yo.sefgenerated
The verb יָסַף (yasaf) means to add or increase. In this verse, it indicates that the LORD is not finished speaking; He is repeating or augmenting His message to Isaiah. The Hiphil form suggests that God is actively causing this communication to happen.
This word is often used in contexts where something is being added or continued, reflecting God's persistent engagement with His people. The parsing as a sequential imperfect indicates that this action is ongoing and part of a larger narrative.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, where the BSB has spoke, and so do the KJV and ASV. All three translations maintain the sense of God actively communicating.
Where translations differ is in the rendering of עוֹד — again or still. The BSB and KJV use saying, while the NETB and BBE choose again.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is יָסַף, he added, which governs the entire sentence. The structure shows that God is the subject and the action of speaking is emphasized as part of His ongoing communication.
The sentence is built around the action of God speaking, with additional phrases indicating direction and repetition. This highlights the continuity of God's message to Isaiah.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יָסַף as προσέθετο, meaning 'he added.' This choice reflects a similar sense of continuation but may also imply a more formal addition to a previous message.
The use of κύριος for יְהוָה underscores the divine authority of the speaker, aligning with the Greek tradition of emphasizing God's sovereignty.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 8:5 tells us that the LORD spoke to Isaiah again, adding more instructions. This shows that God continues to communicate with His prophet, emphasizing the importance of His message.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that God's communication with Isaiah is ongoing, showing His commitment to guide and instruct His prophet.
Yahweh is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His relationship with Israel and His role as their guide and protector.
This verse is part of a series of messages where God warns Israel about the consequences of their actions and their need to return to Him.
It illustrates the importance of listening to God's guidance and being open to His messages, as He continually seeks to direct His people.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I be more attentive to God's guidance in my life, as Isaiah was?
- What are some ways I might be ignoring or rejecting God's messages?
- In what areas do I need to seek God's direction more earnestly?
- How can I encourage others to listen for God's voice in their lives?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers referenced this verse to discuss God's ongoing communication and the significance of His messages, providing insights into its spiritual meaning.
[Isaiah] uses the “king of Assyria” as a symbol for the Antichrist.Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 8 →
Obviously the only way to preserve the understanding of this passage is to explain its spiritual meaning. By the softly proceeding water of Siloam it means the gospel teaching of the word of salvation,Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 8 →
And the Lord added, speaking to me again, saying: Because this people has rejected the waters of Siloam that flow gently, and has preferred Rezin and the son of Remaliah, therefore behold,Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 8 →
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 8:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe Lord spake also unto me again,.... In the same prophecy, or in another; the Targum is, "the Word of the Lord added to speak with me again;'' but rather Jehovah the Father, or the Spirit of the
Read John Gill on Isaiah 8 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe LORD spake also unto me again, saying, The Lord spake also unto me ... Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly. Their source is on the southeast of Zion and east of Jerusalem.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 8 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 8:5 The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,Ver. 5. The Lord spake also unto me again, saying.] Heb., And the Lord further added to speak unto me. Here the Israelites, apart from the Syrians, are specially threatened with destruction, because they abandoned their brethren, the two other tribes, and trusted to confederacies and aids of foreign princes.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 8 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5–8. The Assyrian invasion of Judah threatened.
Read Cambridge 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
And the LORD spoke to me further:
Yahweh spoke to me yet again, saying,
And the LORD spoke to me further:
The Lord spoke to me again:
Tyndale line
¶ The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,
And Jehovah spake unto me yet again, saying,
And the LORD spake unto me yet again, saying,
The LORD spoke also to me again, saying,
And the Lord spake yet againe vnto me, saying,
Strictly literal
And Jehovah spoke again to me, saying,
And Jehovah addeth to speak unto me again, saying:
And YHWH adds to speak to me again, saying,
And the Lord continued to speak unto me again, saying,
Yahweh spoke to me again,
From the Latin
And the Lord spoke to me again, saying:
Simplified
Then the Lord spoke to me again, saying,
And the Lord said again to me,
Word by word, the decisions they made
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 largely agree in their wording, with minor variations in order. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support the Masoretic Text, though some words are restored by editors, indicating possible textual damage.
וַיֹּ֣סֶף יְהוָ֔ה דַּבֵּ֥ר אֵלַ֛י ע֖וֹד לֵאמֹֽר׃
5 of the 6 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.
ויוסף יהוה דבר אל׳י עוד לאמור
6 words on the leather.
ויוסף [יהוה] [דבר] אל׳י עוד [לאמר]
2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.
[ויסף] יהוה דבר אל׳י עוד [לאמר]
3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.
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 8:5
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.
יָסַף (yacaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to add or increase. It can denote actions like joining oneself to something or continuing to do a task. The entries indicate its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, with nuances of doing something again or augmenting an amount.
יָסַף 214 vb. add
Qal add
Niph.
join (intr.), join oneself to
be joined, added to
Hiph.
add
sq. inf. add to do = do again or more
sq. Impf.
sq. Impf. asynd.
base
H3254 יָסַף add . add
. . join (intr.), join oneself to
. be joined, added to
. . add
. . sq. inf. add to do = do again or more
. sq. Impf.
. sq. Impf. asynd.
3254 yacaph yaw-saf'
a primitive root; to add or augment (often adverbial, to
continue to do a thing):--add, X again, X any more, X cease, X
come more, + conceive again, continue, exceed, X further, X
gather together, get more, give more-over, X henceforth,
increase (more and more), join, X longer (bring, do, make,
much, put), X (the, much, yet) more (and more), proceed
(further), prolong, put, be (strong-) er, X yet, yield.
יָסַף (ya.saph) — to add: again.
: again/continue/more[instances]
1) to add, increase, do again
1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to join, join oneself to
1b2) to be joined, be added to
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to add, increase
1c2) to do more, do again
יָסַף (ya.saph) — to add.
: add/more[amount]
1) to add, increase, do again
1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to join, join oneself to
1b2) to be joined, be added to
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to add, increase
1c2) to do more, do again
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vhw3ms
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
דָבַר (dabar) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to speak.' It encompasses a range of actions including declaring, commanding, and conversing. The root suggests a figurative use of words, with some entries noting a rare destructive sense of subduing. Various forms of the verb indicate different nuances, such as speaking with one another or making promises.
[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)
Qal speak
Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk
Pi. speak
Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for
Hithp. speaking this word
Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues
base
H1696 דָבַר speak (original mng. dub.)
1696 dabar daw-bar'
a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used
figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive
sense) to subdue:--answer, appoint, bid, command, commune,
declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse,
say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think,
use (entreaties), utter, X well, X work.
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: speak.
: speak/tell/command
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: subdue.
: subdue
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: promise.
: promise/declare
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
V-Piel-Inf-a — Verb · Piel · infinitive construct commonHVpcc
The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),
prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place
Where the limit is actually entered, into
Of direction towards anything
Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
Of rule or standard according to (rare)
Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
base
H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place
. Where the limit is actually entered, into
. Of direction towards anything
. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
. Of rule or standard according to (rare)
. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
413 'el ale
(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});
a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but
occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or
among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,
against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,
by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,
over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,
with(-in).
אֶל (el) — to(wards).
1) to, toward, unto (of motion)
2) into (limit is actually entered)
2a) in among
3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)
4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)
5) in addition to, to
6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of
7) according to (rule or standard)
8) at, by, against (of one's presence)
9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs
עוֹד (owd) primarily denotes a sense of iteration or continuance, functioning mostly as an adverb meaning 'still,' 'yet,' or 'again.' It can also imply addition or repetition, as in 'more' or 'besides.' The word appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing persistence or continuation.
עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
base
H5750 עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
5750 `owd ode
or rod {ode}; from 5749; properly, iteration or continuance;
used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again,
repeatedly, still, more:--again, X all life long, at all,
besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer,
(any) more(-over), X once, since, (be) still, when, (good,
the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet
(within).
see HEBREW for 05749
עוֹד (od) — still.
subst
1) a going round, continuance
adv
2) still, yet, again, besides
2a) still, yet (of continuance or persistence)
2b) still, yet, more (of addition or repetition)
2c) again
2d) still, moreover, besides
Aramaic equivalent: od (עוֹד "still" H5751)
Adv — AdvHAcmsa
a-gen': Advb. denoting repetition; in New Testament, generally for palin, "back," "once more." Occasionally, it has the force of a connective, synonymous with "moreover," as in Ro 15:10 ff; 1Co 3:20, etc. The expression "born again" of the King James Version, Joh 3:3,7; 1Pe 1:23, translating the Greek "anothen" and "ana" in composition, becomes in the Revised Version (British and American) "anew," i.e. "over again." As these particles mean "from above" and "up," their use as indicating repetition is sometimes disputed, but without further foundation than that "again" does not exhaust the meaning.
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
HR/Vqcc — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
