Isaiah 46:13 Meaning and Explanation
“I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →God promises that his righteousness and salvation are near, arriving swiftly to Zion, and Israel's glory is being restored.
The Context of Isaiah 46:13
This is the climax of the chapter. Having called both the exiled and the hardened, Isaiah announces the arrival of both God's judgment and his mercy. Zion (Jerusalem) will be restored as the place where God's salvation is made visible to the world.
What Does Isaiah 46:13 Mean?
The promise 'I bring near my righteousness' is present tense—not 'I will eventually,' but 'I am bringing.' It is already in motion. And 'it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry' repeats the urgency: this is not a distant hope but an imminent rescue. The God who declared the end from the beginning is now bringing near what he promised. For those who have waited in exile, these words arrive like the sun after the longest night.
And the final phrase: 'I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.' Zion, destroyed and abandoned, will become again the place where God's saving purpose is visible and made real. Israel, stripped of glory in captivity, will be restored to glory. Not because they earned it, but because God has purposed it, and his word never fails. The chapter ends not with Israel's strength but with their restoration as the sign and seal of God's faithfulness to all creation.
Isaiah 46:13 in the Original Language
קָרוֹב (qarov), 'near' or 'at hand,' emphasizes immediacy and presence, not distance or delay.
Where Isaiah 46:13 Echoes in Scripture
Philippians 4:5 echoes this closeness: 'The Lord is at hand.' The promise of imminent divine presence runs through Scripture from Isaiah's time to Christ's incarnation to the hope of his return.
How to Apply Isaiah 46:13 Today
God's salvation arrives not on our schedule but on his, and we are invited to recognize it when it comes. For the exiled and weary, 'not far off' is the word that changes everything.