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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 51:1–3.
Observe, 1. How the people of God are here described, to whom the word of this consolation is sent and who are called upon to hearken to it, Isa 51:1. They are such as follow after righteousness, such as are very desirous and solicitous both to be justified and to be sanctified, are pressing hard after this, to have the favour of God restored to them and the image of God renewed on them. These are those that seek the Lord, for it is only in the say of righteousness that we can seek him with any hope of finding him. 2. How they are here directed to look back to their original, and the smallness of their beginning: "Look unto the rock whence you were hewn" (the idolatrous family in Ur of the Chaldees, out of which Abraham was taken, the generation of slaves which the heads and fathers of their tribes were in Egypt); "look unto the hole of the pit out of which you were digged, as clay, when God formed you into a people." Note, It is good for those that are privileged by a new birth to consider what they were by their first birth, how they were conceived in iniquity and shapen in sin. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. How hard was that rock out of which we were hewn, unapt to receive impressions, and how miserable the hole of that pit out of which we were digged! The consideration of this should fill us with low thoughts of ourselves and high thoughts of divine grace. Those that are now advanced would do well to remember how low they began (Isa 51:2): "Look unto Abraham your father, the father of all the faithful, of all that follow after the righteousness of faith as he did (Rom 4:11), and unto Sarah that bore you, and whose daughters you all are as long as you do well. Think how Abraham was called alone, and yet was blessed and multiplied; and let that encourage you to depend upon the promise of God even when a sentence of death seems to be upon all the means that lead to the performance of it. Particularly let it encourage the captives in Babylon, though they are reduced to a small number, and few of them left, to hope that yet they shall increase so as to replenish their own land again." When Jacob is very small, yet he is not so small as Abraham was, who yet became father of many nations. "Look unto Abraham, and see what he got by trusting in the promise of God, and take example by him to follow God with an implicit faith." 3. How they are here assured that their present seedness of tears should at length end in a harvest of joys, Isa 51:3. The church of God on earth, even the gospel Zion, has sometimes had her deserts and waste places, many parts of the church, through either corruption or persecution, made like a wilderness, unfruitful to God or uncomfortable to the inhabitants; but God will find out a time and way to comfort Zion, not only by speaking comfortably to her, but by acting graciously for her. God has comforts in store even for the waste places of his church, for those parts of it that seem not regarded or valued. (1.) He will make them fruitful, and so give them cause to rejoice; her wildernesses shall put on a new face, and look pleasant as Eden, and abound in all good fruits, as the garden of the Lord. Note, It is the greatest comfort of the church to be made serviceable to the glory of God, and to be as his garden in which he delights. (2.) He will make them cheerful, and so give them hearts to rejoice. With the fruits of righteousness, joy and gladness shall be found therein; for the more holiness men have, and the more good they do, the more gladness they have. And where there is gladness, to their satisfaction, it is fit that there should be thanksgiving, to God's honour; for whatever is the matter of our rejoicing ought to be the matter of our thanksgiving; and the returns of God's favour ought to be celebrated with the voice of melody, which will be the more melodious when God gives songs in the night, songs in the desert.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
3 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.
(Chapter 51, verses 1 and following) Listen to me, you who pursue what is just and seek the Lord. Consider the rock from which you were hewn, and the quarry from which you were dug. Consider Abraham your father, and Sarah who bore you; for when I called him, he was but one, then I blessed him and made him many. Therefore, the Lord will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places, and make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of praise. LXX: Listen, you who pursue what is just, and seek the Lord. Pay attention to the sturdy rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for he was alone when I called him, but I blessed him and multiplied him. And now I will comfort you, Zion. I have made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of praise. While the sleeping ones are in sorrow and perpetual grief, who kindled a fire for themselves and made the flames very strong, you who pursue justice and seek the Lord (which signifies the choir of the Apostles and of those who believe through the Apostles), look back at the rock, that is, your father Abraham, from whom you were cut off, and at the cave of the lake, from which you were cut off, that is, Sarah who bore you. And consider this, that when he was of one hundred years and his wife was barren, I multiplied his children like the stars of the sky, so that the multitude would surpass the number. If, therefore, from one man so many thousands of people have been born, what great thing is it for me to restore the ruins of Zion and to change its deserts into a paradise of pleasure and into the garden of the Lord which God planted in Eden opposite the East? And let there be found in it joy and gladness instead of diverse trees, confession and the voice of praise. The Jews refer this to Zerubbabel's time, because after the devastation of Babylon, Zion was restored, the Temple was built, and the ancient religion was restored. But how does it say above (in chapter XLIX, 22, 23) to Zion: They will bring your sons in their arms, and they will carry your daughters on their shoulders. And your kings will be your foster fathers, and your queens will be your foster mothers. And: Behold, these will come from afar, and those from the north and the sea, and those from the southern land; when Zion says: The place is too narrow for me, make room for me to dwell, which excludes the mediocrity of those times, and are not known to be fulfilled above earthly Jerusalem: thus the Lord also speaks here to those who persecute what is just, according to what is said elsewhere: Seek peace, and pursue it (Psalm XXXIII, 5); and again: Pursuing hospitality (Romans XI, 13). And they seek the Lord, so that from past events he may infer his presence: since much more difficult things have already happened, they should not doubt the future things that are promised. Furthermore, it is said by the persecutors of justice according to the Septuagint, that they may look upon the most sturdy rock, which they have cut down, and the pit of the trap they have dug, that is, the Lord as Savior, about whom the Apostle speaks: And that rock was Christ (I Cor. X, 4). And elsewhere it is written: He set my feet upon a rock (Ps. XXXIX, 3). And again: They have pierced my hands and feet. For they have pierced my side with a spear, from which blood and water have flowed, and they have pierced my hands and feet, as the Lord and Savior himself said: They have pierced my hands and feet, they have numbered all my bones (Ps. 22:16). We can call the rock that was hewn out the sepulcher of the Savior, in which he was buried, and rising from the dead, he begot innumerable children. And he was called Abraham, that is, the father of many nations. Just as Sarah, once barren, is interpreted as the Church, which is also called Zion, whom the Lord has comforted, and has made her desolate places like a paradise. For she has more children of the desolate than of her who has a husband. And what is said: And I will place in the paradise of the Lord those things that are towards the West, or in the garden of God, signifies that which, while sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, a sudden light has risen. The paradise, in which we turn our delights, is translated in Hebrew as Eden (), about which it is written in the beginning of Genesis. And this should be noted, that in Zion, which is compared to the paradise of God, there should be nothing other than joy and gladness, confession and the voice of praise, so that what the saints with the Angels of God will do in heaven, they should also meditate on this constantly on earth in the praise of the Lord.
The Jews refer this to the time of Zerubbabel, because after the devastation of Babylon Zion was restored and its temple built up and the old religion reinstated.… But here the Lord speaks to those who were persecuting him because he was righteous.… Moreover, according to the Septuagint, it is said to the persecutors of righteousness that they are to look on the hardest stone, which they cut out, and on the pit of the crater that they dug, that is, on the Lord and Savior, about whom the apostle said, “The rock was Christ.” We can say that the cut-out rock means the tomb of the Savior into which he was placed. When he rose from the dead, he bore innumerable children and was called Abraham, that is, the father of many nations, just as Sarah’s once sterile womb means the church, which is otherwise called Zion, whom the Lord comforted and made its desert places like paradise.
“Righteous,” he says, instead of “righteousness,” which is through Christ through faith in him, a faith that justifies the ungodly and removes all stain from those who have been filthy, and cleanses them in the Spirit and prepares for them the shining honor of sonship. They pursue righteousness, not in the sense of driving it before them and so away from their minds, but of running toward it to take hold of it. As David said, “Seek peace and pursue it.” … The speech of the holy prophets always draws figures from the visible and the tangible things. For it has expressions that transcend reference, the senses and even the mind. In this way “Zion” is mentioned—not that we think of the earthly city but rather take it to be the spiritual one, that is, the church of the living God. Or how else would we see the words of the prophet coming true?…“Worship in spirit and truth,” and the power of spiritual worship gave off the pleasant spiritual fragrance and joy in the hope that is in Christ. For if we trust that our body of lowliness will be transformed into the body of his glory, so we shall be with him and reign with him, assembled among the children of God and enriched with his divine and life-giving Spirit. We too bring forward the spiritual harvest to him—the confession and hymns of thanksgiving. For with such sacrifices is God well pleased.
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Summary
Isaiah 51:1 issues a profound divine summons to those who earnestly pursue righteousness and diligently seek the Lord, urging them to reflect deeply on their origins. Through the powerful and evocative metaphors of a "rock" from which they were "hewn" and a "hole of the pit" from which they were "digged," the prophet calls the discouraged people of Israel to remember God's miraculous and deliberate work in establishing their nation from humble and seemingly barren beginnings. This act of remembrance serves as a vital source of comfort, reassurance, and renewed faith, anchoring them in God's unwavering faithfulness and omnipotent power to fulfill His promises, even amidst distress, exile, and uncertainty.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 51:1 inaugurates a pivotal section within the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-66), specifically chapters 51:1-52:12, which are replete with messages of hope, restoration, and divine intervention for God's exiled people. Preceding chapters, such as Isaiah 40, have powerfully established God's incomparable sovereignty and omnipotence. This verse marks a strategic shift, directly addressing the faithful remnant within Israel who, despite widespread despair and the harsh realities of exile, continue to "follow after righteousness" and "seek the LORD." It sets the thematic foundation for subsequent prophecies of deliverance, the vindication of God's people, and the glorious establishment of His righteous kingdom, directly confronting the spiritual weariness and existential questions of those who feel abandoned or forgotten. The opening imperative, "Hearken to me," underscores the critical importance and urgency of the message that follows.
Historical & Cultural Context
The primary historical backdrop for Isaiah 40-66, and thus for Isaiah 51:1, is the Babylonian exile, or the period leading up to and anticipating it. The people of Judah had endured the devastating destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, coupled with forced displacement to a foreign land under foreign dominion. This profound upheaval led many to question God's covenant promises, their national identity, and their very future. Culturally, they were immersed in pagan practices and ideologies, which further intensified the challenge to their monotheistic faith in Yahweh. The vivid imagery of "hewing from a rock" and "digging from a pit" would have resonated deeply with a people familiar with quarrying, masonry, and construction. However, here, it is applied metaphorically to their national origins, emphasizing their humble and miraculous beginnings from Abraham and Sarah, an elderly, childless couple, whose initial call and promise are recounted in Genesis 12:1-3.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully articulates and reinforces several central themes prevalent throughout the book of Isaiah. Firstly, it champions the theme of Remembrance of Origins, compelling the audience to transcend their immediate, disheartening circumstances and recall the foundational, miraculous acts of God in their history. Secondly, it profoundly underscores God's Sovereign Choice and Power, illustrating how He brought forth a mighty nation from seemingly barren and improbable sources, a theme consistently echoed in God's initial covenant with Abraham and Sarah, as seen in Genesis 17:15-21. Thirdly, the verse serves as a powerful testament to God's Unwavering Faithfulness, demonstrating that the same God who initiated their existence with such power and purpose is unequivocally capable of restoring and fulfilling His promises, even when human circumstances appear insurmountable. Finally, the verse specifically addresses the theme of Righteousness and Seeking the Lord, identifying and affirming a distinct group within Israel—those who remain committed to God's ways—thereby conveying that their diligent pursuit of Him is recognized and will ultimately be rewarded.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
A primitive root; "to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after; ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for)." In this context, "seek" describes an active, intentional, and earnest pursuit of the Lord, signifying a diligent desire to know God, His will, and His presence, often implying a seeking for divine favor or intervention rather than passive waiting.
Or צֻר; from צוּר; properly, a cliff (or sharp rock, as compressed); generally, a rock or boulder; figuratively, a refuge; also an edge (as precipitous); edge, [idiom] (mighty) God (one), rock, [idiom] sharp, stone, [idiom] strength, [idiom] strong. While often a divine epithet for God Himself (e.g., Deuteronomy 32:4), here it metaphorically refers to the foundational source or origin from which the people of Israel were "hewn," emphasizing the stability, strength, and foundational nature of their beginning, rooted in God's creative and covenantal act.
Or חָצֵב; a primitive root; "to cut or carve (wood, stone or other material); by implication, to hew, split, square, quarry, engrave; cut, dig, divide, grave, hew (out, -er), made, mason." This verb vividly portrays the laborious and deliberate process of extracting and shaping stone from a quarry. Applied to Israel, it signifies their formation as a distinct people, shaped and brought into being by God's intentional and powerful hand, much like a skilled craftsman shapes raw material into a purposeful structure.
Verse Breakdown
"Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD:"
This opening imperative is a direct, urgent, and authoritative call to attention. It specifically targets a distinct remnant within Israel—those who actively pursue moral and spiritual rectitude ("follow after righteousness") and who earnestly desire and search for God ("seek the LORD"). This distinguishes them from the general population who may have become complacent or apostate, highlighting their spiritual sensitivity, commitment, and readiness to receive divine instruction.
"look unto the rock [whence] ye are hewn,"
The command to "look" (H5027, nâbaṭ', to scan, look intently at, regard with pleasure, favor or care) is an invitation to deep, contemplative reflection. The "rock" is a powerful metaphor for their foundational origin, widely understood to refer to Abraham. The phrase "whence ye are hewn" vividly depicts their national formation, implying that they were not self-made but were deliberately shaped and brought forth by God from this initial, seemingly insignificant, and humanly improbable source.
"and to the hole of the pit [whence] ye are digged."
This parallel clause reinforces the previous image with different but complementary metaphors. The "hole of the pit" (H4718 maqqebeth, a perforator, quarry; H953 bôwr, a pit-hole, cistern, dungeon) further emphasizes the humble, perhaps even obscure, and certainly dependent nature of their origins. The verb "digged" (H5365, nâqar', to bore, penetrate, quarry, dig, pick out, pierce) reiterates the divine effort and intentionality involved in bringing them into existence, again pointing to Sarah, who, like a "pit" or barren womb, was miraculously made fruitful by God's power.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 51:1 is profoundly enriched by its use of Metaphor and Parallelism. The central metaphors of "rock" and "hole of the pit" are not literal geological features but powerful symbolic representations of the ancestral origins of Israel, specifically Abraham and Sarah. This imagery vividly conveys the idea of a people being divinely quarried or excavated from a seemingly barren or insignificant source, thereby emphasizing God's creative, formative, and sovereign power. The phrases "whence ye are hewn" and "whence ye are digged" form a tight Synonymous Parallelism, where the second phrase reiterates and intensifies the meaning of the first, reinforcing the concept of their divinely orchestrated formation from humble beginnings. Furthermore, the verse employs a strong Imperative ("Hearken," "look"), directly commanding the audience to engage in this vital act of remembrance and reflection, thereby highlighting the urgency and profound importance of the message for their spiritual well-being, identity, and hope.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse profoundly connects to the broader biblical narrative of God's unwavering covenant faithfulness and His astonishing ability to bring forth life, purpose, and a mighty nation from the most unlikely and humanly impossible sources. It serves as a potent reminder to God's people that their identity, existence, and future are not predicated on their own strength, merit, or current circumstances, but entirely on His sovereign choice, miraculous power, and enduring promises. The call to remember their origins in Abraham and Sarah is, at its core, a call to remember the God who makes the impossible possible, who faithfully fulfills His promises against all odds, and who remains steadfastly true to His covenant, even when His people are in exile, despair, or facing seemingly insurmountable challenges. This foundational truth serves as an unshakeable anchor for faith, demonstrating that if God could miraculously create a nation from an old, barren couple, He is certainly capable of restoring, redeeming, and blessing His people again.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 51:1 offers a timeless, deeply comforting, and profoundly empowering message for believers navigating discouragement, uncertainty, or a sense of spiritual barrenness in their lives or in the world around them. It extends a gracious invitation to look back at God's consistent faithfulness, both in the grand tapestry of biblical history and in the intimate details of our own spiritual journeys. This reflection helps us recognize that our spiritual heritage and present standing are rooted not in our own strength, accomplishments, or perceived worthiness, but entirely in His gracious, powerful, and often surprising work. When we feel as though we are in a "pit" of despair, facing insurmountable challenges, or questioning God's presence, this verse calls us to remember the "Rock" from which we were "hewn"—the unchanging character of God, His steadfast love, and the foundational truth of His redemptive work. This active remembrance fosters profound humility, deep gratitude, and a renewed, unshakeable confidence that the God who initiated a good work in us and in His church is utterly faithful to complete it. It powerfully encourages us to persist in actively "seeking the LORD" and diligently "following after righteousness," knowing with certainty that He sees, acknowledges, and responds to such devoted hearts, and that our ultimate hope rests securely in His past faithfulness and His unfailing future promises.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is the "rock" and "hole of the pit" being referred to in Isaiah 51:1?
While the terms "rock" and "hole of the pit" can metaphorically refer to God Himself as the ultimate source of Israel's existence (as seen in passages like Deuteronomy 32:4), in the immediate context of Isaiah 51:1, they are widely interpreted by scholars as powerful metaphorical references to Abraham and Sarah, the patriarchs from whom the nation of Israel sprang. Abraham is understood as the "rock" from which the nation was "hewn," symbolizing the strong, foundational beginning. Sarah, with her initially barren womb, is represented by the "hole of the pit" from which they were "digged," emphasizing the miraculous and humanly impossible nature of their origin. This vivid imagery underscores God's supernatural intervention in bringing forth a mighty nation from an elderly, childless couple (see Genesis 17:15-21).
Why does Isaiah use such vivid imagery of "hewing" and "digging"?
The imagery of "hewing from a rock" and "digging from a pit" is incredibly vivid, purposeful, and deeply symbolic. It highlights the laborious, intentional, and powerful act of God in creating the nation of Israel. It emphasizes that Israel did not come into being by natural means or human effort alone, but by a sovereign, supernatural intervention. Just as a quarryman meticulously extracts valuable stone from a seemingly unyielding rock or excavates a pit for a specific purpose, God "extracted" and shaped a people for Himself from an unlikely and humble origin. This imagery serves to powerfully remind the discouraged exiles that the same omnipotent and faithful God who initiated their existence with such deliberate care and power is certainly capable of restoring and delivering them again, thereby reinforcing His sovereign power, unwavering faithfulness, and steadfast commitment to His covenant promises.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 51:1 finds its most profound Christ-centered fulfillment by transcending the physical lineage of Israel to embrace the spiritual lineage of all believers in Christ. While the "rock" and "pit" initially point to Abraham and Sarah as the physical progenitors, the New Testament progressively reveals Jesus Christ as the ultimate "Rock" upon whom God builds His true spiritual Israel—the Church. Just as ancient Israel was "hewn" from Abraham, believers are now spiritually "hewn" from Christ, becoming part of a new creation (as articulated in 2 Corinthians 5:17) and living stones in a spiritual house (beautifully described in 1 Peter 2:5). The prophetic call to "look unto the rock" thus transforms into an invitation to fix our gaze upon Christ, the foundational cornerstone rejected by human builders but chosen and precious in God's sight (as revealed in 1 Peter 2:6-8). Our righteousness is not our own, nor is it achieved by human effort, but it is imputed to us through faith in Him (a truth powerfully stated in Philippians 3:9). We are those who truly "follow after righteousness" and "seek the LORD" by seeking Christ, in whom all the magnificent promises of God find their definitive "Yes" and "Amen" (as confirmed in 2 Corinthians 1:20). Therefore, remembering our spiritual origins in Christ reminds us that our salvation, our identity, our hope, and our very existence as God's people are entirely rooted in His finished work on the cross and His resurrection power, empowering us to face any challenge with unwavering confidence in the God who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that do not exist (a profound theological truth in Romans 4:17).