New International Version
Isaiah 54:1
1“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord.
Isaiah 54:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married," says the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Sing, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labor. For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,” says the Lord.
Context of Isaiah 54:1
“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord. 2“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. 3For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.
Read all of Isaiah 54Isaiah 54:1 word by word
רָנִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה לֹ֣א יָלָ֑דָה פִּצְחִ֨י רִנָּ֤ה וְצַהֲלִי֙ לֹא־חָ֔לָה כִּֽי־רַבִּ֧ים בְּֽנֵי־שׁוֹמֵמָ֛ה מִבְּנֵ֥י בְעוּלָ֖ה אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Singרָנַןrânan · to singH7442
- O barrenעָקָר‛âqâr · barrenH6135
- didst not bearיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
- break forthפָּצַחpâtsach · to break outH6476
- into singingרִנָּהrinnâh · cryH7440
- and cry aloudצָהַלtsâhal · to cry outH6670
- didst not travail with childחוּלchûl chîyl · to twist: writh in painH2342
- for moreרַבrab · manyH7227
- the childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of the desolateשָׁמֵםshâmêm · be desolate: destroyedH8074
- of the married wifeבָּעַלbâ‛al · rule: to marryH1166
- saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Isaiah 54:1
- Isaiah 62:4No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married.
- Galatians 4:27For it is written: “Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”
- Isaiah 42:10Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.
- Isaiah 44:23Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.
- Isaiah 49:13Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
- Isaiah 55:12You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
- Psalms 67:3May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you.
- Psalms 98:3He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
- Zephaniah 3:14Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!
- Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
- Revelation 7:9After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
- 1 Samuel 2:5Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
- Psalms 113:9He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord.
- Hebrews 11:11And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.
Commentaries on Isaiah 54:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear "Shout for joy, O thou barren, that didst not bear" - The Church of God under the Old Testament, confined within the narrow bounds of the Jewish nation, and still more so in respect of the very small number of true believers, and which sometimes seemed to be deserted of God her husband, is the barren woman, that did not bear, and was desolate. She is exhorted to rejoice, and to express her joy in the strongest…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Sing, O barren - That is, shout for joy, lift up the voice of exultation and praise. The barren‘ here denotes the church of God under the Old Testament, confined within the narrow limits of the Jewish nation, and still more so in respect to the very small number of true believers, and which seemed sometimes to be deserted of God, her husband (Lowth). It is here represented under the image of a female who had been destitute of children, and who now has…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The increase of the church by the conversion of the Jews and Gentiles. (Is. 54:1-5) Its certain deliverance. (Is. 54:6-10) Its triumphant state is described. (Is. 54:11-17) Verses 1-5 Observe the low state of religion in the world, for a long time before Christianity was brought in. But by preaching the gospel, multitudes were converted from idols to the living God. This is matter of great rejoicing to the church. The bounds of the church were extended…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1In the ancient world, a woman who had not given birth after marriage would feel ashamed. Isaiah compares Jerusalem to a woman without children who celebrates when she finally has them (see Galatians 4:27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-17Israel converted is compared to a wife (Is 54:5; Is 62:5) put away for unfaithfulness, but now forgiven and taken home again. The converted Gentiles are represented as a new progeny of the long-forsaken but now restored wife. The pre-eminence of the Hebrew Church as the mother Church of Christendom is the leading idea; the conversion of the Gentiles is mentioned only as part of her felicity [Horsley]. 1. Sing--for joy (Zep 3:14). barren--the Jewish Church…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 54:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 54
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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