What is the spiritual signifigance [sic] of “train”, if any, that Isaiah saw in his vision of the Lord. This certainly must have been more than a typical robe that we read about in chapter 6. Thanks, Wayne Cash, Howe, Ok
The KJV, ASV and RSV in Isaiah 6:1 simply refer to the Lord’s “train” filling the temple, whereas the NKJV states: “the train of His robe.” The original language word for “train” means “hem”; therefore, the NKJV adds the word “robe” (italicized to show that it is not in the original) to help the English reader better understand precisely what is filling the temple in the vision, namely the “hem.”1 The NIV and NASB also read “the train of his robe,” without the italics, however, which does not show that the word “robe” was added for clarification. Elsewhere, the word “hem” appears instead of “train” in the following verses: Exodus 28:33-34; 39:24-26. “Skirts” appears instead of either “train” or “hem” in these verses: Jeremiah 13:22, 26; Lamentations 1:9; Nahum 3:5.
The Holy Spirit, through the words of Jesus Christ and the pen of the apostle John, applied the prophecy of Isaiah 6:1-13 to the Christ (John 12:34-41). The Holy Spirit had inspired Isaiah to write the Isaiah 6 context and no one, therefore, is more capable of making the appropriate application (Acts 28:25-26). Fittingly, the word “hem” appears respecting the attire of Aaron, the high priest (Exodus 28:33-34; 39:24-26), to which hem bells and pomegranates were attached. (Elsewhere, though, as noted above, “skirts” appears in references not applicable to the Christ.) Jesus, we learn from the New Testament (Hebrews 6:20; 9:11), is our high priest.
In the vision, the Lord’s robe, inclusive of its hem and whatever might be expected to be hanging from the hem, completely fill the floor of the temple. There is no standing room (i.e., no room for anyone else) so that the angels that are styled seraphim must fly and not stand (Isaiah 6:2).
He saw the Lord, and what more he saw was the all-filling robe of the indescribable One. As far as the eye of the seer could look at first, the ground was covered by this splendid robe. There was consequently no room for any one to stand. And the vision of the seraphim is in accordance with this.2
We may conclude from the “train” (hem) of the Christ’s robe filling the temple in the vision that he is preeminent in glory. Further, one may deduce from Isaiah 6:1; Exodus 28:33-34 and John 12:41 that our Lord’s attire in Isaiah’s vision is not only kingly, but priestly (as in the high priest) also. Yet, he is at the same time the King of kings (John 18:37; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16). Isaiah 6:1 depicts him as king and perhaps as priest, too.
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1 shuwl (shool); from an unused root meaning to hang down; a skirt; by implication, a bottom edge: hem, skirt, train. Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.
2 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.
