TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 35:1–4. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
In these verses we have,
I.The desert land blooming.
In the foregoing chapter we had a populous and fruitful country turned into a horrid wilderness; here we have in lieu of that, a wilderness turned into a good land. When the land of Judah was freed from the Assyrian army, those parts of the country that had been made as a wilderness by the ravages and outrages they committed began to recover themselves, and to look pleasantly again, and to blossom as the rose. When the Gentile nations, that had been long as a wilderness, bringing forth no fruit to God, received the gospel, joy came with it to them, Psa 67:3, Psa 67:4; Psa 96:11, Psa 96:12. When Christ was preached in Samaria there was great joy in that city (Act 8:8); those that sat in darkness saw a great and joyful light, and then they blossomed, that is, gave hopes of abundance of fruit; for that was it which the preachers of the gospel aimed at (Joh 15:16), to go and bring forth fruit, Rom 1:13; Col 1:6. Though blossoms are not fruit, and often miscarry and come to nothing, yet they are in order to fruit. Converting grace makes the soul that was a wilderness to rejoice with joy and singing, and to blossom abundantly. This flourishing desert shall have all the glory of Lebanon given to it, which consisted in the strength and stateliness of its cedars, together with the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, which consisted in corn and cattle. Whatever is valuable in any institution is brought into the gospel. All the beauty of the Jewish church was admitted into the Christian church, and appeared in its perfection, as the apostle shows at large in his epistle to the Hebrews. Whatever was excellent an desirable in the Mosaic economy is translated into the evangelical institutes.
II.The glory of God shining forth:
They shall see the glory of the Lord. God will manifest himself more than ever in his grace and love to mankind (for that is his glory and excellency), and he shall give them eyes to see it, and hearts to be duly affected with it. This is that which will make the desert blossom. The more we see by faith of the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God the more joyful and the more fruitful shall we be.
III.The feeble and faint-hearted encouraged, Isa 35:3, Isa 35:4.
God's prophets and ministers are in a special manner charged, by virtue of their office, to strengthen the weak hands, to comfort those who could not yet recover the fright they had been put into by the Assyrian army with an assurance that God would now return in mercy to them. This is the design of the gospel,
1.To strengthen those that are weak and to confirm them - the weak hands, which are unable either to work or fight, and can hardly be lifted up in prayer, and the feeble knees, which are unable either to stand or walk and unfit for the race set before us. The gospel furnishes us with strengthening considerations, and shows us where strength is laid up for us. Among true Christians there are many that have weak hands and feeble knees, that are yet but babes in Christ; but it is our duty to strengthen our brethren (Luk 22:32), not only to bear with the weak, but to do what we can to confirm them, Rom 15:1; Th1 5:14. It is our duty also to strengthen ourselves, to lift up the hands which hang down (Heb 12:12), improving the strength God has given us, and exerting it.
2.To animate those that are timorous and discouraged: Say to those that are of a fearful heart, because of their own weakness and the strength of their enemies, that are hasty (so the word is), that are for betaking themselves to flight upon the first alarm, and giving up the cause, that say, in their haste, "We are cut off and undone" (Psa 31:22), there is enough in the gospel to silence these fears; it says to them, and let them say it to themselves and one to another, Be strong, fear not. Fear is weakening; the more we strive against it the stronger we are both for doing and suffering; and, for our encouragement to strive, he that says to us, Be strong has laid help for us upon one that is mighty.
IV.Assurance given of the approach of a Saviour:
"Your God will come with vengeance. God will appear for you against your enemies, will recompense both their injuries and your losses." The Messiah will come, in the fulness of time, to take vengeance on the powers of darkness, to spoil them, and make a show of them openly, to recompense those that mourn in Zion with abundant comforts. He will come and save us. With the hopes of this the Old Testament saints strengthened their weak hands. He will come again at the end of time, will come in flaming fire, to recompense tribulation to those who have troubled his people, and, to those who were troubled, rest, such a rest as will be not only a final period to, but a full reward of, all their troubles, Th2 1:6, Th2 1:7. Those whose hearts tremble for the ark of God, and who are under a concern for his church in the world, may silence their fears with this, God will take the work into his own hands. Your God will come, who pleads your cause and owns your interest, even God himself, who is God alone.
Historical interpretation
Four Centuries of Reception
8 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Here also the coming of God for salvation, bringing many blessings, is precisely foretold. The prophet says that there will be a cure for the deaf, sight for the blind, yes, even healing for the lame and tongue-tied, and this was fulfilled only at the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ, by whom the eyes of the blind were opened, and the deaf regained their hearing. Why need I say, how many palsied and deaf and lame also received physical cure by the hands of his disciples? And how many others, afflicted with various diseases and maladies, received of him healing and salvation, according to the inspired prediction of prophecy and according to the unimpeachable testimony of the holy Gospels? And the prophecy here disguises under the name of “desert” the church of the Gentiles, which for long years deserted of God is being evangelized by those of whom we are speaking, and it says that besides other blessings the glory of Lebanon will be given to the desert. Now it is customary to call Jerusalem Lebanon allegorically, as I will show, when I have time, by proofs from holy Scripture. This prophecy before us, therefore, teaches that by God’s presence with men the glory of Lebanon will be given to that which is called “desert,” that is to say, the church of the Gentiles.
This, too, was fulfilled, was clearly fulfilled, by our Savior’s miraculous works after John’s preaching. Notice therefore how he bears good tidings to the desert, not generally or to any desert but to one particular desert by the bank of the Jordan. This was because John lived there and baptized there, as Scripture says, “John was in the desert baptizing.” … I think the desert here is a symbol of that which of old was void of all God’s good things, I mean the church of the Gentiles. And the river by the desert that cleanses all that are bathed therein is a figure of some cleansing spiritual power, of which the Scriptures speak, saying, “The movements of the river make glad the city of God.” And this means the ever-flowing stream of the Holy Spirit welling from above and watering the city of God, which is the name for life according to God. This river of God, then, has reached even to the desert, that is the Gentile church, and even now supplies it with the living water that it bears.
Moreover, it is said in this prophecy that the glory of Lebanon and the honor of Carmel shall be given to this wilderness. What is the glory of Lebanon but the worship performed through the sacrifices of the Mosaic law, which God refused in the prophecy which says, “Why do you bring me Lebanon from Sheba? And of what service to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?” He has transferred the glory of Jerusalem to the desert of Jordan, since, from the times of John, the ritual of holiness began to be performed not at Jerusalem but in the desert. In like manner, too, the honor of the law and of its more external ordinances was transferred to the wilderness of Jordan for the same reason, namely, that they who need the healing of their souls no longer hastened to Jerusalem but to that which was called the wilderness, because there the forgiveness of sins was preached.
And “the excellence of Carmel” is given to the soul that bears the likeness to the desert, that is, the grace bestowed through the Spirit. For since Elijah dwelt in Carmel, and the mountain became famous and renowned by the virtue of him who dwelt there, and since moreover John the Baptist, illustrious in the spirit of Elijah, sanctified the Jordan, therefore the prophet foretold that “the excellence of Carmel” should be given to the river.
And where shall we place that oracle of Isaiah, which cries to the wilderness, “Be glad, O thirsty wilderness. Let the desert rejoice and blossom as a lily, and the desolate places of Jordan shall blossom and shall rejoice”? For it is clear that it is not to places without soul or sense that he proclaims the good tidings of joy, but he speaks, by the figure of the desert, of the soul that is parched and unadorned.
And “the glory of Lebanon,” from the similitude of its lofty trees, he transfers to the river. For as great Lebanon presents a sufficient cause of wonder in the very trees that it brings forth and nourishes, so is the Jordan glorified by regenerating people and planting them in the paradise of God. And of them, as the words of the psalmist say, ever blooming and bearing the foliage of virtues, “the leaf shall not wither,” and God shall be glad, receiving their fruit in due season, rejoicing, like a good planter, in his own works.
(Chapter 35, verses 1, 2) The desolate and impassable will rejoice, and solitude will exult and flourish like a lily. It will sprout and blossom; with joy and praise it will exult. The glory of Lebanon has been given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the Lord and the splendor of our God. LXX: Rejoice, O desert, thirsting, and let the solitude exult and flourish like a lily. The deserts of the Jordan will blossom and exult; the glory of Lebanon has been given to it, and the honor of Carmel. And my people will see the glory of the Lord and the majesty of our God. Since Jerusalem has been turned into pitch and its smoke rises forever, and it is inhabited by the pelican and the hedgehog, the ibis and the raven, the dragons and the ostriches, demons and half-man half-horse creatures, lamia and hairy beings: and the Lord's fulfilled sentence is upon it: 'Your house will be left to you desolate' (Luke 13:35): therefore, what was once deserted, of which it is said in the Psalm: 'The voice of the Lord shaking the wilderness', and the Lord will shake the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord prepares the stags; and it reveals the thickets of the forests (Psalm 28:8,9), it will be transformed into the abundance of all things, and the beasts of the nations will be driven out from the fighting stags, from all the forests, which previously possessed them, so that what is said in the same Prophet may be fulfilled: Rejoice, O barren one, you who do not bear; burst forth and cry out, you who are not in labor; for the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who has a husband (Isaiah 54:1). This was previously thirsty, or impassable, not having life-giving waters, and the Lord did not walk (or enter) through it, which now will blossom into a lily, or as the Eagle expressed more significantly, an opening, which we can call a swelling rose with not yet expanded leaves. However, it will blossom, as the Apostle declares: We are the good odor of Christ in every place (II Cor. II, 15). And that from the Song of Songs: Flowers have been seen in the land; mandrakes have given forth their fragrance (Cant. VII, 12, 13). And what is placed in the LXX, 'and the deserts of the Jordan shall rejoice,' is not found in Hebrew, but we can say: in the Jordan river, the baptism of repentance was shown, which the Lord signed and confirmed with his washing. And because it is figuratively said about the wilderness, which refers to the nations, in which John was, it can be subsequently joined to the Jordan, so that through the desert of the nations we come to the baptism of the Savior. And what follows, the glory of Lebanon was given to him, and the beauty of Carmel and Sharon, according to the previous explanation we must understand, in which we said that Lebanon or the Temple of Jerusalem is meant, as Zachariah says: Open, Lebanon, your gates (Zach. XI, 1); and Ezekiel: A great eagle with great wings and full of feathers, which has a direction to enter Lebanon and Carmel (Ezek. XVII. 3): the former meaning the people, of whom it has been said above: And it will be a desert in Carmel, and Carmel will be counted as a wilderness (Isa. XXIII, 9); and Sharon has the same meaning, Scripture saying: Sharon has become like a desert. Therefore, all brightness, worship of God, and knowledge of circumcision, and the most fertile and open places, which are called Sharon, for which Symmachus interpreted as fields, will be given to the once deserted Church, and its inhabitants will see the glory of the Lord, and the beauty or greatness of our God.
After John was killed, the Lord saw the time drawing near and withdrew to a deserted place called Bethsaida. This teaches mystically that a deserted Judah, which had beheaded its prophets by not believing them, would later become fruitful in the desert of a church that possessed no man of the Word. Hence, the beautiful Bethsaida means “house of fruitfulness.” For it was about it that Isaiah said, “The desert and the dry land will rejoice, and the wilderness will exult and bloom like the lily,” and again, “they will see the glory of the Lord and the beauty of our God.”
Continue studying Isaiah 35:1 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
Isaiah 35:1 opens a profound prophetic vision of future restoration and divine transformation, serving as a powerful beacon of hope. It paints a vivid picture of the most desolate and barren places—the wilderness, solitary place, and desert—being radically changed by God's presence. These arid lands are depicted as bursting forth with life, beauty, and exuberant joy, blossoming like a rose. This verse promises a glorious reversal of the curse and a comprehensive renewal that permeates creation, foreshadowing a time of unprecedented divine blessing and comfort for God's people.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 35 stands as a striking and deliberate contrast to the preceding chapter, Isaiah 34, which vividly describes widespread desolation, divine judgment, and the destruction of the nations, particularly Edom. Following such a bleak portrayal, chapter 35 bursts forth with imagery of vibrant life, healing, and restoration for God's redeemed people, often referred to as "the highway of holiness." This dramatic juxtaposition emphasizes God's sovereign power to bring about radical transformation, shifting from judgment to ultimate salvation. It functions as a "little gospel" within the book of Isaiah, providing a concentrated message of hope and future glory that anticipates the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of His kingdom, a theme echoed in the later chapters concerning the Servant of the Lord, such as Isaiah 42.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecies in Isaiah were delivered to a people facing or experiencing the consequences of their sin, including the threat and reality of exile under Assyrian and later Babylonian empires. For the ancient Israelites, the "wilderness" (Hebrew: midbar) was a potent symbol—a place of barrenness, danger, and divine judgment, yet also a site of God's miraculous provision and covenantal presence, as seen in the Exodus journey. The imagery of a desert blooming was not merely poetic but deeply significant in an arid land where water meant life and fertility was a sign of divine blessing. The promise of the desert rejoicing and blossoming would have offered immense comfort and hope to a people enduring hardship, reminding them of God's power to reverse their desolate circumstances and bring about a new era of flourishing, a theme particularly relevant to the exilic context of Isaiah 40.
Key Themes
This verse introduces several major theological and narrative themes that resonate throughout Isaiah and the broader biblical narrative. The primary theme is Divine Transformation, showcasing God's unparalleled power to radically alter the most desolate and seemingly hopeless situations into scenes of vibrant life and beauty. This transformation is accompanied by Joy and Rejoicing, personified in the very landscape, indicating a pervasive and overflowing gladness that extends beyond humanity to all of creation, reflecting the joy of God's redemptive work. The phrase "blossom as the rose" signifies Abundant Blessing and Fertility, an outpouring of beauty, prosperity, and life where there was once only barrenness. This speaks to a time of unprecedented divine favor and provision. Ultimately, Isaiah 35:1 serves as a powerful message of Hope for the Future, offering a vision of ultimate restoration and renewal that transcends immediate suffering, pointing towards an eschatological reality where God's presence brings complete healing and flourishing, echoing the promises of a new heaven and new earth found in Revelation 21.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From the root דָבַר (dâbar) in the sense of driving, this term refers to a pasture (i.e., open field, whither cattle are driven) and, by implication, a desert. It denotes a desolate, uncultivated, and often uninhabited region. In the biblical context, it frequently symbolizes hardship, testing, and barrenness, making its promised transformation in this verse a powerful testament to God's miraculous intervention.
This primitive root means to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion), typically resulting in exuberant joy or gladness. It conveys an intense, almost physical expression of delight and mirth. The personification of the desert "rejoicing" emphasizes the profound and overwhelming joy that will accompany God's restoration, permeating the very fabric of creation.
Of uncertain derivation, this term probably refers to meadow-saffron. While translated "rose" in the KJV, scholarly consensus often points to a type of lily or crocus, known for its striking beauty and ability to bloom in less fertile ground. The precise flower is less important than the imagery it conveys: a sudden, unexpected, and breathtaking display of beauty, fertility, and flourishing life in a place previously characterized by barrenness.
Verse Breakdown
"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them"
This initial clause introduces the central theme of radical, divinely-initiated transformation. The "wilderness" (H4057, midbâr) and "solitary place" (H6723, tsîyâh, meaning aridity or desert) represent the most desolate and barren parts of the land, symbolically reflecting the spiritual and physical desolation experienced by God's people. The personification of these places as "glad" (H7797, sûws, to be bright, cheerful) immediately signals a reversal of their natural state, indicating an outpouring of joy and life that is divinely initiated. The phrase "for them" refers to God's redeemed people, indicating that this transformation of the land is a direct result of God's favor and presence among His chosen ones.
"and the desert shall rejoice"
This phrase reinforces and expands upon the previous clause through synonymous parallelism. The "desert" (H6160, ʻărâbâh, referring specifically to a sterile valley or plain) is also personified, experiencing profound "rejoicing" (H1523, gîyl, exuberant joy). This repetition emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the coming gladness, underscoring that no part of the desolate landscape will be untouched by God's restorative power. The joy is not merely human, but cosmic, a reflection of creation responding to its Creator's redemptive work.
"and blossom as the rose"
This final clause provides the specific imagery of transformation, moving beyond mere emotion to tangible manifestation. The desert will not merely be glad or rejoice, but it will "blossom" (H6524, pârach, to break forth as a bud, to bloom, to flourish) with vibrant life. The comparison "as the rose" (H2261, or lily/crocus) highlights the beauty, unexpectedness, and abundance of this flourishing. It signifies an explosion of fertility and aesthetic delight in a place previously devoid of such things, symbolizing the spiritual and physical renewal that God will bring to His people and their land, turning barrenness into a garden of delight.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 35:1 is rich with powerful literary devices that amplify its message of hope and transformation. Personification is central to the verse, as the "wilderness," "solitary place," and "desert" are endowed with human emotions and actions: they "shall be glad" and "rejoice." This device vividly conveys the profound and pervasive impact of God's redemptive work, suggesting that even the inanimate creation will participate in the coming joy and renewal. Furthermore, Symbolism is employed, with the "wilderness," "solitary place," and "desert" representing not only literal barren landscapes but also the spiritual and physical desolation experienced by God's people due to judgment or exile. Conversely, the "rose" (or lily/crocus) symbolizes beauty, fertility, and abundant life, signifying the miraculous flourishing that God will bring. Finally, Parallelism is evident, particularly synonymous parallelism, where "the wilderness and the solitary place" are paralleled with "the desert," and "shall be glad" is paralleled with "shall rejoice." This repetition reinforces the central message of comprehensive transformation and joy, adding emphasis and poetic rhythm to the prophecy.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 35:1 is a profound theological statement about God's redemptive power and His unwavering commitment to His covenant people. It articulates a vision of complete reversal—where desolation becomes delight, and barrenness overflows with beauty. Theologically, it underscores the truth that God is not limited by human circumstances or natural limitations; He can bring life out of death, hope out of despair, and beauty out of ashes. This verse is a powerful affirmation of God's sovereignty over creation and His capacity to restore what is broken, not merely to its former state, but to a state of even greater glory and joy. It points to an eschatological hope, a future where God's presence so permeates the earth that even the most desolate parts of creation respond with exuberant praise, a foretaste of the new heavens and new earth where all things are made new.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 35:1 offers enduring hope and profound encouragement for all who navigate "wilderness" seasons in their lives—be they spiritual droughts, emotional barrenness, physical trials, or periods of deep despair. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that no situation is too desolate, too hopeless, or too barren for God to transform. Just as the literal desert is promised to blossom with vibrant life, so too can God bring beauty, joy, and new beginnings to the most challenging and seemingly unproductive circumstances of our lives. It calls us to cultivate a radical faith in God's power to restore what is broken, to bring joy out of sorrow, and to manifest His glory even in the most unexpected and unlikely places. This prophecy encourages us to look beyond our present difficulties and perceived limitations to the promised future, where God's presence brings ultimate and complete restoration, reminding us that our hope is anchored in a God who specializes in turning deserts into gardens.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the "rose" imagery in this verse?
While the KJV translates the Hebrew word chăbatstseleth as "rose," it more likely refers to a type of lily, crocus, or meadow-saffron. Regardless of the precise flower, its significance lies in its striking beauty and its ability to bloom in less fertile or even arid ground. The imagery conveys a dramatic and miraculous transformation from barrenness to flourishing life, symbolizing an outpouring of fertility, beauty, and prosperity where there was once only desolation. It emphasizes the unexpected and abundant nature of God's blessing and restoration, turning a place of death into a vibrant garden.
How does Isaiah 35:1 relate to the broader message of the book of Isaiah?
Isaiah 35:1 is a pivotal verse within the book of Isaiah, serving as a powerful counterpoint to the preceding chapters that detail God's judgment and the desolation of the land and nations. It marks a dramatic shift in tone, introducing a section focused on comfort, redemption, and future glory for God's people. This verse encapsulates Isaiah's overarching message of divine sovereignty, demonstrating God's power to bring both judgment and ultimate salvation. It foreshadows the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of His kingdom, where righteousness will flourish and creation itself will be renewed, echoing themes found in Isaiah 60 and Isaiah 65.
Does the phrase "for them" refer to a specific group of people?
Yes, "for them" in Isaiah 35:1 refers to God's redeemed people, specifically the remnant of Israel who will return from exile and experience God's promised restoration. The entire chapter of Isaiah 35 describes the blessings and glory awaiting those who walk on the "Highway of Holiness," a path prepared by God for His chosen ones. This transformation of the wilderness is not a random act but a direct manifestation of God's favor and presence among His people, signaling their deliverance and the flourishing of their homeland as a testament to His faithfulness.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 35:1 finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate source of spiritual transformation and renewal. Just as the prophet foretold the literal desert blossoming, Jesus' ministry inaugurated a spiritual blossoming, bringing life to those in spiritual wildernesses. He came to preach good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, as prophesied in Isaiah 61:1-2 and fulfilled in Luke 4:18-19. Where there was spiritual barrenness, Jesus brought the living water (John 7:38) and the bread of life (John 6:35), transforming hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. His death and resurrection are the ultimate act of turning desolation into delight, conquering sin and death to bring new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). The joy and blossoming described in Isaiah 35:1 are fully realized in the kingdom of God, which Jesus proclaimed and established, and will be consummated in the new heavens and new earth, where God's presence makes all things truly new, and the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:1-5).