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Isaiah 49:13

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¶ Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

Sing {H7442}, O heavens {H8064}; and be joyful {H1523}, O earth {H776}; and break forth {H6476} into singing {H7440}, O mountains {H2022}: for the LORD {H3068} hath comforted {H5162} his people {H5971}, and will have mercy {H7355} upon his afflicted {H6041}.

Sing, heaven! Rejoice, earth! Break out in song, you mountains! For ADONAI is comforting his people, having mercy on his own who have suffered.

Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; break forth in song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and He will have compassion on His afflicted ones.

Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for Jehovah hath comforted his people, and will have compassion upon his afflicted.

Commentary

Isaiah 49:13 is a powerful declaration of divine comfort and restoration, situated within the prophetic book of Isaiah, specifically in the section often referred to as "Second Isaiah" (chapters 40-55). This part of Isaiah primarily addresses the exiled people of Israel, offering messages of hope and redemption from their Babylonian captivity.

Context

This verse follows a passage where Israel, personified as Zion, expresses feelings of abandonment and forgetfulness by the Lord (as seen in Isaiah 49:14). In stark contrast to these fears, verse 13 bursts forth with a jubilant command for all creation to rejoice. It serves as a divine assurance that God has not forgotten His people but is actively engaged in their deliverance and restoration. The preceding verses in chapter 49 detail the mission of the Servant of the Lord and God's unwavering commitment to gathering Israel back to their land.

Key Themes

  • Divine Comfort and Restoration: The central message is God's active intervention to console and restore His people. After a period of suffering and exile, the Lord Himself provides solace, turning sorrow into joy.
  • Universal Rejoicing: The command for the heavens, earth, and mountains to "sing" and "be joyful" signifies the cosmic scope of God's redemptive work. The restoration of His people is not merely a local event but one that warrants the praise of all creation, echoing themes found in Psalms 96:11-12 and Revelation 5:13.
  • God's Mercy and Compassion: The phrase "will have mercy upon his afflicted" highlights God's tender character. He is not only powerful but also deeply compassionate towards those who are suffering, humble, or oppressed.
  • Faithfulness to Covenant: This verse underscores God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises, even when His people feel forgotten. His comfort and mercy are a direct fulfillment of His covenant love.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "comforted" is nacham (נחם), which implies not just soothing but also a deep sense of compassion, regret, and relief. It suggests God's active involvement in alleviating distress.
  • "Mercy" comes from the Hebrew racham (רחם), which is closely related to the word for "womb" or "bowels." This conveys a profound, visceral, and motherly compassion—a tender, heartfelt pity that moves God to action. This deep mercy is extended to His suffering people.
  • "Afflicted" translates the Hebrew aniy (עני), referring to those who are poor, humble, oppressed, or suffering. It emphasizes God's particular concern and care for the vulnerable and downtrodden.

Practical Application

Isaiah 49:13 offers immense hope and encouragement for believers today. When facing personal "exile" or periods of distress, sorrow, or feeling forgotten, this verse reminds us that God's comfort is assured. He sees our affliction and responds with profound mercy. It calls us to participate in the universal chorus of praise, recognizing that even our individual struggles are part of a larger divine plan of restoration and that God is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. This verse encourages us to trust in God's unwavering faithfulness and compassion, knowing that His comfort will turn our lament into singing.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 44:23 (12 votes)

    Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done [it]: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.

  • Isaiah 51:3 (7 votes)

    For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

  • Psalms 96:11 (5 votes)

    Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

  • Psalms 96:13 (5 votes)

    Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

  • Isaiah 52:9 (5 votes)

    Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

  • Isaiah 40:1 (4 votes)

    ¶ Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

  • Isaiah 40:2 (4 votes)

    Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.