1SingH7442, O barrenH6135, thou that didst not bearH3205 ; break forthH6476 into singingH7440, and cry aloudH6670, thou that didst not travail with childH2342 : for moreH7227 are the childrenH1121 of the desolateH8074 than the childrenH1121 of the married wifeH1166, saithH559 the LORDH3068. 2EnlargeH7337 the placeH4725 of thy tentH168, and let them stretch forthH5186 the curtainsH3407 of thine habitationsH4908: spareH2820 not, lengthenH748 thy cordsH4340, and strengthenH2388 thy stakesH3489; 3For thou shalt break forthH6555 on the right handH3225 and on the leftH8040; and thy seedH2233 shall inheritH3423 the GentilesH1471, and make the desolateH8074 citiesH5892 to be inhabitedH3427 . 4FearH3372 not; for thou shalt not be ashamedH954 : neither be thou confoundedH3637 ; for thou shalt not be put to shameH2659 : for thou shalt forgetH7911 the shameH1322 of thy youthH5934, and shalt not rememberH2142 the reproachH2781 of thy widowhoodH491 any more. 5For thy MakerH6213 is thine husbandH1166 ; the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635 is his nameH8034; and thy RedeemerH1350 the Holy OneH6918 of IsraelH3478; The GodH430 of the whole earthH776 shall he be calledH7121 . 6For the LORDH3068 hath calledH7121 thee as a womanH802 forsakenH5800 and grievedH6087 in spiritH7307, and a wifeH802 of youthH5271, when thou wast refusedH3988, saithH559 thy GodH430. 7For a smallH6996 momentH7281 have I forsakenH5800 thee; but with greatH1419 merciesH7356 will I gatherH6908 thee. 8In a littleH8241 wrathH7110 I hidH5641 my faceH6440 from thee for a momentH7281; but with everlastingH5769 kindnessH2617 will I have mercyH7355 on thee, saithH559 the LORDH3068 thy RedeemerH1350 . 9For this is as the watersH4325 of NoahH5146 unto me: for as I have swornH7650 that the watersH4325 of NoahH5146 should no more go overH5674 the earthH776; so have I swornH7650 that I would not be wrothH7107 with thee, nor rebukeH1605 thee. 10For the mountainsH2022 shall departH4185, and the hillsH1389 be removedH4131 ; but my kindnessH2617 shall not departH4185 from thee, neither shall the covenantH1285 of my peaceH7965 be removedH4131, saithH559 the LORDH3068 that hath mercyH7355 on thee. 11O thou afflictedH6041, tossed with tempestH5590, and not comfortedH5162, behold, I will layH7257 thy stonesH68 with fair coloursH6320, and lay thy foundationsH3245 with sapphiresH5601. 12And I will makeH7760 thy windowsH8121 of agatesH3539, and thy gatesH8179 of carbunclesH68 H688, and all thy bordersH1366 of pleasantH2656 stonesH68. 13And all thy childrenH1121 shall be taughtH3928 of the LORDH3068; and greatH7227 shall be the peaceH7965 of thy childrenH1121. 14In righteousnessH6666 shalt thou be establishedH3559 : thou shalt be farH7368 from oppressionH6233; for thou shalt not fearH3372 : and from terrorH4288; for it shall not come nearH7126 thee. 15Behold, they shall surelyH1481 gather togetherH1481, but notH657 by me: whosoeverH4310 shall gather togetherH1481 against thee shall fallH5307 for thy sake. 16Behold, I have createdH1254 the smithH2796 that blowethH5301 the coalsH6352 in the fireH784, and that bringeth forthH3318 an instrumentH3627 for his workH4639; and I have createdH1254 the wasterH7843 to destroyH2254 . 17No weaponH3627 that is formedH3335 against thee shall prosperH6743 ; and every tongueH3956 that shall riseH6965 against thee in judgmentH4941 thou shalt condemnH7561 . This is the heritageH5159 of the servantsH5650 of the LORDH3068, and their righteousnessH6666 is of me, saithH5002 the LORDH3068.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE FRUIT OF MESSIAH'S SUFFERINGS, AND OF ISRAEL'S FINAL PENITENCE AT HER PAST UNBELIEF (
Isa 53:6): HER JOYFUL RESTORATION AND ENLARGEMENT BY JEHOVAH, WHOSE WRATH WAS MOMENTARY, BUT HIS KINDNESS EVERLASTING. (Isa. 54:1-17)
Sing--for joy (
Zeph 3:14).
barren--the Jewish Church once forsaken by God, and therefore during that time destitute of spiritual children (
Isa 54:6).
didst not bear--during the Babylonian exile primarily. Secondarily, and chiefly, during Israel's present dispersion.
the children--the Gentiles adopted by special grace into the original Church (
Isa 54:3;
Isa 49:20-
Isa 49:21).
than . . . married wife--than were her spiritual children, when Israel was still a married wife (under the law, before the Babylonian exile), before God put her away [MAURER]. So Paul contrasts the universal Church of the New Testament with the Church of the Old Testament legal dispensation, quoting this very passage (
Gal 4:27). But the full accomplishment of it is yet future.
2 (
Isa 49:19-
Isa 49:20;
Jer 31:31-
Jer 31:36,
Jer 31:38-
Jer 31:39). Thy children shall be so many that thy borders must be extended to contain them.
curtains--the cloth forming the covering of the tent.
spare not--give abundantly the means for the enlargement of the Church (
2Cor 9:5-7).
cords . . . stakes--The more the tent is enlarged by lengthening the cords by which the cloth covering is fastened to the ground, the more the stakes supporting the tent need to be strengthened; the Church is not merely to seek new converts, but to strengthen those she has in the faith. The image is appropriate, as the tabernacle was the symbol of the old Israelitish Church (see on
Isa 33:20).
3 break forth--rather, "burst forth" with increase; thy offspring shall grow, answering to "thy seed" in the parallel clause.
thy seed--Israel and her children, as distinguished from "the Gentiles."
desolate cities--of Israel (
Isa 44:26).
4 (
Isa 41:10,
Isa 41:14).
shame of thy youth--Israel's unfaithfulness as wife of Jehovah, almost from her earliest history.
reproach of widowhood--Israel's punishment in her consequent dismissal from God and barrenness of spiritual children in Babylon and her present dispersion (
Isa 54:1;
Isa 49:21;
Jer 3:24-
Jer 3:25;
Jer 31:19;
Hos 2:2-
Hos 2:5).
5 (
Isa 62:5;
Jer 3:14). That God was Israel's "Maker," both as individuals and as the theocratic kingdom, is the pledge of assurance that He will be her Redeemer (
Isa 43:1-
Isa 43:3). Hebrew, "makers . . . husbands"; plural for singular, to denote excellency.
of Israel . . . whole earth--Not until He manifests Himself as God of Israel shall He appear as God of the whole earth (
Ps 102:13,
Ps 102:15-
Ps 102:16;
Zech 14:5,
Zech 14:9).
6 called--that is, recalled: the prophetic past for the future.
forsaken--that had been forsaken.
when thou--or, "when she was rejected"; one who had been a wife of youth (
Ezek 16:8,
Ezek 16:22,
Ezek 16:60;
Jer 2:2) at the time when (thou, or) she was rejected for infidelity [MAURER]. "A wife of youth but afterwards rejected" [LOWTH].
7 small moment--as compared with Israel's coming long prosperity (
Isa 26:20;
Isa 60:10). So the spiritual Israel (
Ps 30:5;
2Cor 4:17).
gather thee--to Myself from thy dispersions.
8 In a little wrath--rather, "In the overflowing of wrath"; as
Pro 27:4, Margin, [GESENIUS]. The wrath, though but "for a moment," was overflowing while it lasted.
hid . . . face-- (
Isa 8:17;
Ps 30:7).
everlasting--in contrast to "for a moment."
9 I am about to do the same in this instance as in Noah's flood. As I swore then that it should not return (
Gen 8:21;
Gen 9:11), and I kept that promise, so I swear now to My people, and will perform My promise, that there shall be no return of the deluge of My wrath upon them. LOWTH, on insufficient authority, reads (the same will I do now as), "in the days of Noah."
10 (
Isa 51:6;
Ps 89:33-
Ps 89:34;
Rom 11:29).
covenant of my peace-- (
2Sam 23:5). The covenant whereby I have made thee at peace with Me.
11 not comforted--by anyone; none gave her help or comfort.
lay . . . with fair colours--rather, "lay . . . in cement of vermilion" [LOWTH]. The Hebrew for "fair colors" means stibium, the paint with which Eastern women painted their eyelids and eyelashes (
2Kgs 9:30). The very cement shall be of the most beautiful color (
Rev 21:18-
Rev 21:21).
12 windows--rather, "battlements"; literally, "suns"; applied to battlements from their radiated appearance.
agates--rather, "rubies."
carbuncles--literally, "sparkling gems"; the carbuncle when held to the sun becomes like a burning coal.
all thy borders--rather, "thy whole circuit," consisting of precious stones. The glory of the Church on earth, when the Hebrew Church, according to the original design, shall be the metropolis of Christendom.
13 Quoted by the Saviour (
John 6:45), to prove that in order to come to Him, men must be "drawn" by the Father. So
Jer 31:34;
Mic 4:2;
1Cor 2:10;
Heb 8:10;
Heb 10:16;
1John 2:20.
great . . . peace--generally (
Ps 119:165). Specially referring to the peaceful prosperity which shall prevail under Messiah in the latter days (
Isa 2:4,
Isa 9:6).
14 righteousness--the characteristic of the reign of Messiah (
Isa 11:4-
Isa 11:5;
Ps 72:2,
Ps 72:4;
Rev 19:11).
far from oppression, &c.--far from suffering oppression; "for thou shall have nothing to fear."
15 gather together, &c.--that is, If it should happen that enemies "gather together" against thee (
Ps 2:2), they will not have been sent by Me (compare
Hos 8:4) as instruments of My wrath (nay, it will be with My disapproval); for "whosoever shall gather together," &c. (
Ps 59:3).
fall for thy sake--rather, "shall come over to thy side" [LOWTH]. Literally, "fall to thee" (
Jer 21:9;
Jer 39:9). To be fully fulfilled to Jerusalem hereafter (
Zech 14:16).
16 The workman that forms "weapons against thee" (
Isa 54:17) is wholly in My power, therefore thou needest not fear, having Me on thy side.
for his work--rather, "by his labor [HORSLEY]. "According to the exigencies of his work" [MAURER].
waster to destroy-- (
Isa 10:5-
Isa 10:7;
Isa 37:26-
Isa 37:27;
Isa 45:1-
Isa 45:6). Desolating conquerors who use the "instruments" framed by "the smith." The repetition of the "I" implies, however, something in the latter half of the verse contrasted with the former understand it, therefore, thus: "I have in My power both him who frames arms and him who destroys them (arms)" [ROSENMULLER].
17 tongue . . . condemn--image from a court of justice. Those who desire to "condemn" thee thou shalt "condemn" (
Exod 11:7;
Josh 10:21;
Ps 64:8;
Rom 8:1,
Rom 8:33).
righteousness . . . of me-- (
Isa 45:24;
Isa 46:13). Rather, "(this is) their justification from Me." Their enemies would "condemn" them, but I justify and vindicate them, and so they condemn their enemies.