New Living Translation
Isaiah 49:22
22This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I will give a signal to the godless nations. They will carry your little sons back to you in their arms; they will bring your daughters on their shoulders.
Isaiah 49:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
- New International Version (NIV)This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I will beckon to the nations, I will lift up my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their hips.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, And set up My standard for the peoples; They shall bring your sons in their arms, And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders;
Context of Isaiah 49:22
20The generations born in exile will return and say, ‘We need more room! It’s crowded here!’ 21Then you will think to yourself, ‘Who has given me all these descendants? For most of my children were killed, and the rest were carried away into exile. I was left here all alone. Where did all these people come from? Who bore these children? Who raised them for me?’” This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I will give a signal to the godless nations. They will carry your little sons back to you in their arms; they will bring your daughters on their shoulders. 23Kings and queens will serve you and care for all your needs. They will bow to the earth before you and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Those who trust in me will never be put to shame.” 24Who can snatch the plunder of war from the hands of a warrior? Who can demand that a tyrant let his captives go?
Read all of Isaiah 49Isaiah 49:22 word by word
כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה אֶשָּׂ֤א אֶל־גּוֹיִם֙ יָדִ֔י וְאֶל־עַמִּ֖ים אָרִ֣ים נִסִּ֑י וְהֵבִ֤יאוּ בָנַ֙יִךְ֙ בְּחֹ֔צֶן וּבְנֹתַ֖יִךְ עַל־כָּתֵ֥ף תִּנָּשֶֽׂאנָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
- Behold, I will lift upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: raiseH5375
- mine handיָדyâd · handH3027
- to the Gentilesגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- and set upרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
- my standardנֵסnês · ensignH5251
- to the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and they shall bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- thy sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- armsחֹ֫צֶןchôtsen · bosomH2684
- and thy daughtersבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- shall be carriedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
- shouldersכָּתֵףkâthêph · shoulderH3802
Cross-references for Isaiah 49:22
- Isaiah 49:12See, my people will return from far away, from lands to the north and west, and from as far south as Egypt.”
- Isaiah 2:2In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
- Isaiah 11:10In that day the heir to David’s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.
- Isaiah 42:1“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations.
- Isaiah 60:3All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance.
- Isaiah 66:20They will bring the remnant of your people back from every nation. They will bring them to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord. They will ride on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the Lord.
- Psalms 22:27The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him.
- Psalms 67:4Let the whole world sing for joy, because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world. Interlude
- Psalms 72:8May he reign from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
- Psalms 86:9All the nations you made will come and bow before you, Lord; they will praise your holy name.
- Malachi 1:11But my name is honored by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
- Luke 13:29And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God.
Commentaries on Isaiah 49:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Thus saith the Lord God - יהוה אדני Adonai Yehovah . Adonai is wanting in one MS., in the Alexandrine copy of the Septuagint, and in the Arabic.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles - To lift up the hand is a sign of beckoning to, or inviting; and the idea here is, that God would call the Gentiles to partake of the blessings of the true religion, and to embrace the Messiah (see the notes at Isaiah 11:11). And set up my standard to the people - To the people of other lands; the word here being synonymous with the word Gentiles. A standard, or an ensign was erected in times of war to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 Zion is addressed as an afflicted widow, bereaved of her children. Numbers flock to her, and she is assured that they come to be a comfort to her. There are times when the church is desolate and few in number; yet its desolations shall not last for ever, and God will repair them. God can raise up friends for returning Israelites, even among Gentiles. They shall bring their children, and make them thy children. Let all deal tenderly and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22bring your sons … carry your daughters: The powerful rulers of the nations, some of whom had once harmed children in Israel, would help them return to Zion (see also Isaiah 60:3–9). In other parts of Isaiah, he imagined people from foreign nations coming to Zion to worship the Lord (see Isaiah 2:2–4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. lift ... hand--that is, beckon to (see on Is 13:2). standard--(Is 11:12). bring ... sons in ... arms--The Gentiles shall aid in restoring Israel to its own land (Is 60:4; 66:20). Children able to support themselves are carried on the shoulders in the East; but infants, in the arms, or astride on one haunch (Is 60:12). "Thy sons" must be distinct from "the Gentiles," who carry them; and therefore cannot primarily refer to converts among the Gentiles.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 49:22
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 49
- 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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries