Isaiah 26:19
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Study Note
Study Note
Isaiah 26:19's declaration 'Thy dead men shall live; together with my dead body shall they arise' is one of the two clearest pre-Christian Old Testament texts on bodily resurrection (the other being Daniel 12:2), appearing within the 'Isaiah Apocalypse' (chapters 24–27). The phrase 'thy dew is as the dew of herbs' employs the regenerative power of morning dew as an image for divine life-giving power, connecting cosmic and biological renewal. The 'my dead body' may be understood as the community of the righteous dead speaking collectively or as the speaker identifying with those who will arise, making the verse a communal resurrection promise. John 5:28–29 ('the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out') develops the resurrection tradition to which this verse contributes, and Paul's 'first fruits' resurrection argument (1 Corinthians 15:20) implies this Isaianic promise.
Other Translations
Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead.
`Thy dead live--My dead body they rise. Awake and sing, ye dwellers in the dust, For the dew of herbs <FI>is<Fi> thy dew, And the land of Rephaim thou causest to fall.
Your dead will come back; their dead bodies will come to life again. Those in the dust, awaking from their sleep, will send out a song; for your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the shades.
Cross References
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, …
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O …
Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth …
Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury; …
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and …
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto …
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God …
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which …
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was …