Isaiah 49:21
19 For your ruined and desolate places and your ravaged land will now indeed be too small for your people, and those who devoured you will be far away.
20 Yet the children of your bereavement will say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; make room for us to live here.’
Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me? I was bereaved and barren; I was exiled and rejected. So who has reared them? Look, I was left all alone, so where did they come from?’”
22 This is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and raise My banner to the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
23 Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in Me will never be put to shame.”
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me? I was bereaved and barren; I was exiled and rejected. So who has reared them? Look, I was left all alone, so where did they come from?’”
- KJV
- Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
- WEB
- Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children and am alone, an exile, and wandering back and forth? Who has brought these up? Behold, I was left alone. Where were these?’”
- ASV
- Then shalt thou say in thy heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they?
- DARBY
- And thou shalt say in thy heart, Who hath borne me these, seeing I had lost my children and was desolate, an exile, and driven about? and who hath brought up these? behold, I was left alone; these, where were they?
- BLB
- And you will say in your heart, ‘Who has borne these for me, and I [am] childless and barren, exiled and rejected? And who has raised these? Behold, I was left alone by myself; these—where [are] they [from]?
- ÅB
- Og du skal si i ditt hjerte: Hvem har født meg disse barn? Jeg var jo barnløs og ufruktbar, landflyktig og jaget bort. Og hvem har fostret disse? Jeg var jo enslig tilbake. Hvor var da disse?
- OTB
- Da vil du si i ditt hjerte, ‘Hvem har født meg disse? Jeg var sørgende og barnløs; jeg var i eksil og avvist. Hvem har oppdratt disse? Jeg var helt alene, men disse—hvor har de kommet fra?’”
- B1930
- Og du skal si i ditt hjerte: Hvem har født mig disse barn? Jeg var jo barnløs og ufruktbar, landflyktig og jaget bort. Og hvem har fostret disse? Jeg var jo enslig tilbake. Hvor var da disse?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 64:10
Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wasteland and Jerusalem a desolation.
Read in contextGalatians 3:29
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
Read in contextIsaiah 54:3–8
For you will spread out to the right and left; your descendants will dispossess the nations and inhabit the desolate cities.
Read in contextIsaiah 5:13
Therefore My people will go into exile for their lack of understanding; their dignitaries are starving and their masses are parched with thirst.
Read in contextMatthew 24:29–30
Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’
Read in contextRomans 11:11–17
I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.
Read in contextIsaiah 62:4
No longer will you be called Forsaken, nor your land named Desolate; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be His bride.
Read in contextJeremiah 31:15–17
This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Read in context