Isaiah 49:23

Waiting on God Faith Shame

²¹ 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.

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.”

²⁴ Can the plunder be snatched from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be delivered?

²⁵ Indeed, this is what the LORD says: “Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away, and the plunder of the tyrant will be retrieved; I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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.”
KJV: And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
WEB: Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; and those who wait for me won’t be disappointed.”
ASV: And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah; and they that wait for me shall not be put to shame.
DARBY: And kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their princesses thy nursing-mothers: they shall bow down to thee with the face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet. And thou shalt know that I [am] Jehovah; for they shall not be ashamed who wait on me.
BLB: And kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers; facedown to the earth they will bow low to you, and they will lick up the dust of your feet. And you will know that I [am] YHWH; those waiting for Me will not be ashamed.”

ÅB: Og konger skal være dine fosterfedre, og deres dronninger dine ammer; de skal kaste seg på sitt ansikt til jorden for deg, og dine føtters støv skal de slikke, og du skal kjenne at jeg er Herren, og at de som bier etter meg, ikke skal bli til skamme.
OTB: Konger skal være dine fosterfedre, og deres dronninger dine ammer. De skal bøye seg for deg med ansiktet mot jorden; de skal slikke støvet ved dine føtter. Da skal du vite at jeg er Herren; de som håper på meg skal ikke bli til skamme.”
B1930: Og konger skal være dine fosterfedre, og deres dronninger dine ammer; de skal kaste sig på sitt ansikt til jorden for dig, og dine føtters støv skal de slikke, og du skal kjenne at jeg er Herren, og at de som bier efter mig, ikke skal bli til skamme.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Isaiah 60:14
The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down to you; all who reviled you will fall facedown at your feet and call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Read in context
Isaiah 60:16
You will drink the milk of nations and nurse at the breasts of royalty; you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
Read in context
Isaiah 60:3
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Read in context
Micah 7:17
They will lick the dust like a snake, like reptiles slithering on the ground. They will crawl from their holes in the presence of the LORD our God; they will tremble in fear of You.
Read in context
Isaiah 45:14
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you; they will come over in chains and bow down to you. They will confess to you: ‘God is indeed with you, and there is no other; there is no other God.’”
Read in context
Isaiah 60:10–11
Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Although I struck you in anger, yet in favor I will show you mercy.
Read in context
Romans 10:11
It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
Read in context
Psalms 25:3
Surely none who wait for You will be put to shame; but those who are faithless without cause will be disgraced.
Read in context