Isaiah 32:4

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Isaiah 32:4 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.
Isaiah 32:4 — American Standard Version

Context — Isaiah 32

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
4And the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, &c.] Such who have been hasty and precipitant, as the wordf634 signifies; who have not given themselves time to consider what they have read or heard, or has been proposed unto them, and have hastily received every thing that has been suggested to them, especially by carnal sense and reason, shall now sit down, and coolly consider things, and so gain an understanding of divine and spiritual knowledge, of the knowledge of Christ, of his person, offices, grace, righteousness, and salvation; an experimental knowledge and understanding of these things, heart and not head knowledge: and the tongue of the stammerer shall be ready to speak…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“rash--rather, "the hasty"; contrast "shall not make haste" (Isa 28:16); the reckless who will not take time to weigh religious truth aright. Or else, the well-instructed [HORSLEY]. stammers--those who speak confusedly on divine things (compare Exo 4:10-12; Jer 1:6; Mat 10:19-20). Or, rather, those drunken scorners who in stammering style imitated Isaiah's warnings to mock them [MAURER] (Isa 28:7-11, Isa 28:13-14, Isa 28:22; Isa 29:20); in this view, translate, "speak uprightly" (agreeably to the divine law); not as English Version, referring to the distinctness of articulation, "plainly."”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The heart also of the rash - Margin, ‘Hasty.’ The Hebrew word denotes those who hasten; that is, those who are precipitate in forming a judgment, or deciding on a course of action. They do not take time to deliberate, and consequently they are led headlong into error, and into improper courses of life. Shall understand knowledge - They shall take time to deliberate; and they shall consequently form a more enlightened judgment. And the tongue of the stammerers - The ‘stammerers’ (compare the note at Isaiah 28:11) seem here to denote those who had indistinct and confused views of subjects, or who were incapable of expressing clear and intelligible views of divine truth. Shall be ready to speak…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“The rash - Who were hasty in judging of things; which is an argument of ignorance and folly. The tongue - That used to speak of the things of God, darkly, and doubtfully; which though it was in part fulfilled in Hezekiah, yet was truly and fully accomplished only by Christ, who wrought this wonderful change in an innumerable company both of Jews and Gentiles. Isaiah 32:5”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“heart: Isa 29:24; Neh 8:8-12; Mat 11:25, Mat 16:17; Act 6:7, Act 26:9-11; Gal 1:23 rash: Heb. hasty the tongue: Exo 4:11; Sol 7:9; Luk 21:14, Luk 21:15; Act 2:4-12, Act 4:13 plainly: or, elegantly Isaiah 32:5”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification