Isaiah 49:23 net — Kings will be your children’s guardians; their princesses will nurse your children. With their faces to the ground they…

NET Bible

"Kings will be your children’s guardians; their princesses will nurse your children. With their faces to the ground they will bow down to you and they will lick the dirt on your feet. Then you will recognize that I am the LORD; those who wait patiently for me are not put to shame."

— Isaiah 49:23, NET Bible

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Isaiah 49:23 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.”

  • ASV

    “And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah; and they that wait for me shall not be put to shame. ”

  • WEB

    “Kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am Yahweh; and those who wait for me shall not be disappointed."”

  • DRB

    “And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens thy nurses: they shall worship thee with their face toward the earth, and they shall lick up the dust of thy feet. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be confounded that wait for him.”

  • BBE

    “And kings will take care of you, and queens will give you their milk: they will go down on their faces before you, kissing the dust of your feet; and you will be certain that I am the Lord, and that those who put their hope in me will not be shamed.”

  • KJVA

    “And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.”

Isaiah 49 — Context

20

Yet the children born during your time of bereavement will say within your hearing,‘This place is too cramped for us, make room for us so we can live here.’

21

Then you will think to yourself,‘Who bore these children for me? I was bereaved and barren, dismissed and divorced. Who raised these children? Look, I was left all alone; where did these children come from?’”

22

This is what the Sovereign LORD says:“Look I will raise my hand to the nations; I will raise my signal flag to the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.

23

Kings will be your children’s guardians; their princesses will nurse your children. With their faces to the ground they will bow down to you and they will lick the dirt on your feet. Then you will recognize that I am the LORD; those who wait patiently for me are not put to shame.

24

Can spoils be taken from a warrior, or captives be rescued from a conqueror?

25

Indeed,” says the LORD,“captives will be taken from a warrior; spoils will be rescued from a conqueror. I will oppose your adversary and I will rescue your children.

26

I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will get drunk on their own blood, as if it were wine. Then all humankind will recognize that I am the LORD, your deliverer, your protector, the Powerful One of Jacob.”

Isaiah 49:23 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Isaiah 49:23 say?
Isaiah 49:23 in the NET Bible reads: “Kings will be your children’s guardians; their princesses will nurse your children. With their faces to the ground they will bow down to you and they will lick the dirt on your feet. Then you will recognize that I am the LORD; those who wait patiently for me are not put to shame.”
Where is Isaiah 49:23 in the Bible?
Isaiah 49:23 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Isaiah, chapter 49, verse 23.
Who wrote Isaiah?
Isaiah is traditionally attributed to Isaiah son of Amoz. Many critical scholars propose multiple authors ("Deutero-" and "Trito-Isaiah") for chapters 40–66; conservative scholarship holds to single Isaianic authorship. It was written c. 740–680 BC.
What is the book of Isaiah about?
Isaiah is the most quoted prophet in the New Testament — a sweeping vision of God's holiness, Judah's sin, coming judgment, and a promised Servant who would bear the iniquity of many. From "Holy, holy, holy" to "by his stripes we are healed," Isaiah speaks the gospel before the gospel.
What are the major themes of Isaiah?
Isaiah explores themes including Holiness, Judgment, Servant of the LORD, Hope, Salvation, Restoration. These themes shape the meaning and context of Isaiah 49:23.
What translation should I read Isaiah 49:23 in?
Isaiah 49:23 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Isaiah 49:23?
Isaiah 49:23 reads (NET): “Kings will be your children’s guardians; their princesses will nurse your children. With their faces to the ground they will bow down to you and they will lick the dirt on your feet. Then you will recognize that I am the LORD; those who wait patiently for me are not put to shame.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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