Word Study: "Vindication" Isaiah 54:17

Isaiah 54:17 – “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses •you in •judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord.”[1] Within this verse I would argue that “vindication” and “heritage” are the most important words. After reading this verse in the context of the whole chapter, it appears that this verse is a summary of all the promises listed before it. This chapter promises peace and victory for the Lord’s servants. This appears to be the “heritage” promised in the vindication that comes from the Lord. While both heritage and vindication are pertinent, my focus will be on “vindication”.

In Hebrew vindication is translated as, צְדָקָה, meaning honesty, justice, and justness.[2] Vindication is most widely used to mean righteous or righteousness. We can see that this makes the most sense since Isaiah is a book of prophecy that predicts the coming of our Savior. In this specific verse however the third most widely used definition makes the most sense – vindication.[3] The Lord’s servants will be made righteous, and they will receive justice. It is God who provides justice for all the wrongdoings done toward His servants.

This term also means righteousness as vindicated salvation.[4] As a book of a major prophet, this makes sense in the grand scheme of God’s redemption story. This verse seals the promise of salvation and a victorious God for His people. This term is important not only in the chapter but the book as a whole. The theme of Isaiah is God’s ideal covenant for His people that is to be realized after judgment of those who rebel against His authority.[5]

Vindication and salvation are for the Lord’s servants despite all of the troubles that have been presented to them as mentions prior to this verse within the chapter.

[1] Isaiah 54:17, NASB [2] “Vindication,” Logos.com, accessed August 15, 2023, https://app.logos.com/guides/word?layout=one&reference=lbs%2Fhe%2F%D7%A6%D6%B0%D7%93%D6%B8%D7%A7%D6%B8%D7%94&tile=left&zzls=2eMKcwo3CjcKxbsKDMBRFw7%2FDpUnDnsKQHWPDgMKFDcKaMVvDhsKqwoMJL8KKFcKwwqnDrSTCqsKQw7%2FCvcKGJVkidcK7OsOvw553FsK4wqPDs8OaGmh4BsKzMjjCtsOzw7xpwqdJwpnDgUPDs8K1JBguRk0IDcKww57DmsKrZ8KHw4PCkcKIwpbDkx3ClcKcOTzCo0NzQsOPesOdwo9Iw7LDjijDn8OXJcONBS0Lw4olZMOwc0PDtwvDjQJBwo%2FDq8KjEcOPIcOhw5lpw6t0SMKXXMOEwpjCvXcVFRXDicOGLsKowobCh3XCg2dkL0lbwpF9RcK6w53CmmvCscOlwo%2FCjcOLZ8Kuwot%2Fw6nDucKmV8KnwqDDr8KpEMOcDV9WLz0Zw6N3w7wDfsO8X8Ov. [3] IBID [4] “צְדָקָה,” Logos.com (Logos), accessed August 15, 2023, https://app.logos.com/books/LLS%3A46.30.7/headwords/%D7%A6%D6%B0%D7%93%D6%B8%D7%A7%D6%B8%D7%94?layout=one&tile=left&zzls=2eMKcdcKOwrEOwoIwEMKGw5%2FDpRI3w5IKSFA2dXVzNA7CrcKcw5oILcK2BWNIwp9Cwp9BV0fCn0Rew4fDqmBYHG7DucOvwrvDu8K%2FFhrDlEYoCVkYQMOFJBbDk8KqwprCq8KyZDI3wpDCrVofw5rCvWQlQgbClCt1MHTCsVgOw6JpSMKGJA3CqcOGLWrClBs0wpQLXsOgIMKaSWbDuCQhUUzCkhEJUwjDoFjCoz5Dw5bCghXDhcOnUcKBW8Orw6NKC8KlwoXDtcKbKHYuaMKBbcKsaDxgdcKNwr3Cqx43w75yfcKnXS1yX35SOsOvN8O9wrw%2BdcOcw5A9w5LDrsO2enTCl8OXwrPCu8O7wrl6w7jCr03DqsOcw5rCvQEVfWPDvw%3D%3D. [5] David S Dockery, Concise Bible Commentary (Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group, 2016), 218.