Tree of Life Version
Isaiah 49:20
20The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears, “The place is too cramped for me! Make room for me to settle in.”
Isaiah 49:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.
- New International Version (NIV)The children born during your bereavement will yet say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; give us more space to live in.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears: 'The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell in.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)The children you will have, After you have lost the others, Will say again in your ears, ‘The place is too small for me; Give me a place where I may dwell.’
Context of Isaiah 49:20
18Lift up your eyes around and see: all of them will gather and come to you.” “As I live” —it is Adonai’s declaration— “you will wear them all as jewelry and bind them on like a bride.” 19For your waste and desolate places and your destroyed land will now be surely too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away. The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears, “The place is too cramped for me! Make room for me to settle in.” 21Then you will say in your heart, “Who has borne these for me? Wasn’t I bereaved of my children— barren, an exile and wandering? So who has raised these? Behold, I was left alone— these, where were they?” 22Thus says Adonai Elohim: “Look, I will lift My hand to the nations, and raise My banner to the peoples! They will bring your sons on their chest, and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
Read all of Isaiah 49Isaiah 49:20 word by word
ע֚וֹד יֹאמְר֣וּ בְאָזְנַ֔יִךְ בְּנֵ֖י שִׁכֻּלָ֑יִךְ צַר־לִ֥י הַמָּק֖וֹם גְּשָׁה־לִּ֥י וְאֵשֵֽׁבָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- which thou shalt have, after thou hast lostשִׁכֻּלִיםshikkûlîym · bereavementH7923
- the other, shall sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- again in thine earsאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · earH241
- The placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- too straitצַרtsar tsâr · narrowH6862
- for me: giveנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
- to me that I may dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
Cross-references for Isaiah 49:20
- Isaiah 60:4Lift up your eyes and look all around: they all gather—they come to you— your sons will come from far away, your daughters carried on the hip.
- Matthew 3:9and do not think that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’! For I tell you that from these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
- Galatians 4:26But the Jerusalem above is free—she is our mother.
- Isaiah 51:3For Adonai will comfort Zion. He will comfort all her waste places. He will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of Adonai. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and a sound of melody.
- Isaiah 54:1“Sing, barren one, who has not given birth. burst into singing and shout, you who have not travailed. For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married one,” says Adonai.
- Joshua 17:14Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua saying: “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? For we are a numerous people whom Adonai has thus far blessed?”
- 2 Kings 6:1Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place where we are living in your presence is too cramped for us.
Commentaries on Isaiah 49:20
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The children which thou shalt have - The increase of the population shall be so great. After thou hast lost the other - Hebrew, The sons of thy widowhood.‘ That is, after thou hast lost those that have been killed in the wars, and those that have died in captivity in a distant land, there shall be again a great increase as if they were given to a widowed mother. And perhaps the general truth is taught here, that the persecution of the people of God will…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. 19-21The population growth would extend beyond Israel to include people from other nations who turn to the Lord (see Isaiah 56:6–8; Revelation 7:9). make room: The increased population would need space far beyond Israel's traditional borders (see also Zechariah 2:4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. children ... after ... other--rather, "the children of thy widowhood," that is, the children of whom thou hast been bereft during their dispersion in other lands (see on Is 47:8) [Maurer]. again--rather, "yet." give place--rather, "stand close to me," namely, in order that we may be the more able to dwell in in the narrow place [Horsley]. Compare as to Israel's spiritual children, and the extension of the gospel sphere, Ro 15:19, 24; 2Co 10:14-16. But…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 49:20
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
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