"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."
— Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)
Isaiah 41:13 is the "I will hold your right hand; fear not, I will help you" verse. This page gives the verse, where it sits in Isaiah 41, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Bible verses about fear, Bible verses about courage, and Isaiah 41:10.
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The verse
The King James reads: "For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."
"Hold" is chazaq (H2388), to grasp firmly or strengthen. "Right hand" is yamiyn (H3225). "Fear" is yare' (H3372), to be afraid, and "help" is 'azar (H5826), to help or come to someone's aid.
Where it sits in Isaiah 41
God is speaking to "Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen" (Isaiah 41:8). Three verses earlier comes the better-known promise: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10).
Verses 11-12 say that those who rage against and wage war on God's people "will be as nothing at all." Right after this verse, God repeats himself: "Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you," declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 41:14).
What the verse is saying
In verse 10 God upholds his people with his own right hand. Here he takes hold of their right hand. It is the picture of a parent gripping a child's hand to cross a busy street: the child is still walking, but the grip is not the child's to keep.
The order is worth noticing. God takes hold first, then speaks. "Do not fear" is not a command to feel brave on your own; it comes while your hand is already in his. A psalm says the same thing from the other side: "Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand" (Psalm 73:23).
Questions people ask
What does Isaiah 41:13 say?
In the NIV it says, "For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." The KJV says, "For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."
What does it mean that God holds your right hand?
The Hebrew chazaq means to grasp firmly. It pictures God holding on to his people as they walk, so their safety rests on his grip, not theirs.
Who is Isaiah 41:13 addressed to?
God is speaking to Israel, called "my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen" (Isaiah 41:8).
How is Isaiah 41:13 different from Isaiah 41:10?
Isaiah 41:10 says God upholds you with his righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:13 says he takes hold of your right hand. Both end with the same promise: I will help you.
What other verses are like Isaiah 41:13?
Isaiah 41:10 (do not fear, for I am with you), Psalm 73:23 (you hold me by my right hand), and Deuteronomy 31:6 (he will never leave you nor forsake you) are close companions.
