TRV
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 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
4 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.
For the divine voice says somewhere in the prophecy of Isaiah, “Consider Abraham, your father, and Sarah, who gave you birth.” Scripture gives this admonition to those who wander outside virtue. Just as at sea those who are carried away from the direction of the harbor bring themselves back on a course by a clear sign, on seeing either a beacon light raised up high or some mountain peak coming into view, in the same way Scripture by the example of Abraham and Sarah may guide again to the harbor of the divine will those adrift on the sea of life with a pilotless mind.
(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.
Nothing made is an obstacle to my power: not the fact that I called just one man or that old age was on him, or that Sarah lacked the physical capability; yet his race was [indeed] increased, just as I had wished. Be unbelieving no longer, therefore, even though you are [now] easy to count; I will make you too many to number.
He is leaving aside the unbelievers here in order to address those who have believed: it is to them that he gives the name of enamored with God and with righteousness. He comforts them because they are few in number and invites them to turn their eyes toward their ancestors: he reminds them of Abraham and Sarah and the many thousands of descendants who came from them. This is similar to the term expressed in the divine Gospels: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” It is the same here.
Continue studying Isaiah 51:2 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 51:2 serves as a profound divine summons to a discouraged Israel, urging them to recall their humble origins and the miraculous work of God in their foundational history. By directing their gaze to Abraham and Sarah, God reminds His people that their entire nation sprang from a solitary, aged, and barren couple, demonstrating His sovereign power to call, bless, and multiply from nothing, thereby instilling hope and confidence in His unfailing promises even in times of seeming impossibility and national despair.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is strategically placed within the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-55), a prophetic section primarily addressed to the Jewish exiles in Babylon, or those facing similar despair and questioning God's faithfulness. Following the majestic pronouncements of God's incomparable power and sovereignty in chapters 40-48 and the introduction of the Servant of the Lord in chapters 49-50, Isaiah 51 begins a direct appeal for the people to "listen" and "look" (v. 1). This call aims to shift their focus from their present distress and perceived insignificance to God's past acts of salvation and His glorious future promises for Zion. Verse 1 employs a powerful metaphor, urging them to look to the "rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged," symbolizing their origins. Verse 2 then clarifies and concretizes this metaphor by explicitly naming Abraham and Sarah, providing a tangible, historical example of God's ability to bring forth a multitude from a singular, seemingly unpromising source, thereby laying a robust foundation for the subsequent promises of comfort, restoration, and ultimate triumph for God's people.
Historical & Cultural Context
The primary audience for this message was the Jewish exiles in Babylon, who had endured decades of captivity, witnessed the devastating destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and faced the profound challenge of preserving their national and religious identity in a foreign land. They felt abandoned, numerically insignificant, and questioned how God's covenant promises to Abraham and David could still hold true. Their national existence seemed to hang by a thread. In this context, the reminder of Abraham and Sarah was not a mere historical anecdote but a potent theological anchor. Abraham, a lone wanderer from Ur, and Sarah, a barren woman past childbearing age, represented the ultimate "nothing" from which God miraculously brought forth a great nation. This historical precedent profoundly underscored God's ability to act independently of human strength, favorable circumstances, or numerical advantage, offering a message of profound hope to a people who felt they had nothing left. The emphasis on "father" and "mother" also resonated deeply with the patriarchal and familial structures prevalent in ancient Near Eastern cultures, reinforcing their connection to a divinely chosen lineage and a covenant-keeping God.
Key Themes
Isaiah 51:2 powerfully reinforces several major theological and narrative themes prevalent throughout Isaiah and the broader Old Testament. Firstly, it highlights Divine Sovereignty and Initiative, emphasizing that God's plan for Israel originated not from human merit or existing strength, but from His unilateral and gracious call to Abraham when he was "alone." This echoes the foundational call in Genesis 12:1-3, where God initiates the covenant and promises to make Abraham a great nation. Secondly, the verse underscores the theme of Humble Beginnings and Miraculous Increase, reminding the exiles that their vast nation began with one elderly, childless couple. God's ability to "blessed him, and increased him" from such unlikely origins serves as a profound reassurance that He can restore and multiply His people again, even from a state of exile or desolation, fulfilling promises like those in Genesis 15:5 and Genesis 22:17. Thirdly, it calls for Remembering Spiritual Heritage and Covenant Faithfulness. By urging them to "look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah," God compels His people to recall their spiritual roots and the unwavering covenant established with their ancestors. This heritage is a vital source of identity, hope, and confidence in God's enduring plan, providing a robust foundation for trust in future restoration and a reminder that God's promises are immutable.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root (H5027) means "to scan, i.e. look intently at; by implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care; (cause to) behold, consider, look (down), regard, have respect, see." The imperative "Look" is not a casual glance but an earnest, focused contemplation. It implies a deliberate act of remembering and considering, urging the audience to internalize the profound significance of Abraham and Sarah's story as a source of divine truth and hope. It is an invitation to perceive God's past actions with understanding, faith, and a renewed sense of His providential care.
This primitive root (H7121) means "to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications); bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say." In this context, "I called him alone" signifies God's sovereign, initiating act. It emphasizes that Abraham's blessing and the subsequent formation of Israel were not a result of human initiative, merit, or existing strength, but entirely God's unilateral choice and summons. It speaks powerfully to divine election and the transformative power of God's authoritative word.
This primitive root (H7235) means "to increase (in whatever respect); (bring in) abundance (-antly), be in authority, bring up, continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have, make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more (in number), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty(-eous), process (of time), sore, store, thoroughly, very." This word powerfully conveys the miraculous multiplication of Abraham's descendants from a single, barren source. It highlights God's ability to bring forth fruitfulness and abundance, fulfilling His promise to make Abraham the father of a multitude, even when humanly impossible. It is a profound testament to God's power to reverse barrenness and desolation into flourishing life and national greatness.
Verse Breakdown
"Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah [that] bare you"
This is an imperative command, urging the people to direct their attention, memory, and faith to their foundational patriarch and matriarch. "Abraham your father" and "Sarah that bare you" emphasize their direct lineage and the physical and spiritual heritage they inherited. It is a poignant call to remember the very roots of their existence as a nation, a powerful reminder that their identity and covenant standing are inextricably linked to God's initial, miraculous work through this couple. This command serves as an anchor in times of national upheaval and doubt.
"for I called him alone"
This clause provides the divine reason and justification for the command to look back. God Himself initiated the relationship with Abraham when he was "alone," signifying his solitary state, without a nation, land, or heir. This highlights God's sovereign choice and the fact that Abraham's blessing and the subsequent formation of Israel were entirely God's doing, not dependent on human strength, merit, or pre-existing conditions. It underscores the unilateral and unmerited nature of God's covenant, emphasizing His divine initiative as the sole source of their national identity and blessing.
"and blessed him, and increased him"
This final clause details the comprehensive outcome of God's calling and covenant faithfulness. The "blessed him" refers to the holistic favor and prosperity bestowed upon Abraham, encompassing spiritual, material, and familial aspects, establishing him as the recipient of divine favor. The "increased him" specifically points to the miraculous multiplication of his descendants, fulfilling the promise that he would become the father of a multitude, even against all natural odds. This demonstrates God's boundless power to bring forth greatness and abundance from the most unlikely and humble beginnings, providing a powerful precedent for His ability to restore and multiply the exiled nation, transforming their desolate state into a flourishing future.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 51:2 primarily employs Allusion and Metaphor. The verse is a direct and poignant allusion to the foundational narrative of Abraham and Sarah found in the book of Genesis, recalling their advanced age, Sarah's barrenness, God's audacious promise, and the miraculous birth of Isaac, which ultimately led to the formation of the nation of Israel. This historical allusion serves as a powerful Paradigm or Type, presenting Abraham and Sarah as a quintessential model of God's ability to create something vast, significant, and enduring from a solitary, seemingly impossible beginning. This historical precedent functions as a compelling Analogy for Israel's current situation in exile, suggesting that just as God brought forth a mighty nation from one barren couple, He is fully capable of restoring and multiplying a desolate and scattered nation. Furthermore, the preceding verse (Isaiah 51:1) uses the Metaphor of "rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged," which verse 2 then clarifies and concretizes by explicitly naming Abraham and Sarah. They become the living embodiment of that "rock" and "pit," transforming the abstract imagery into a concrete, deeply meaningful historical example, making the message of hope tangible, relatable, and deeply rooted in their national consciousness.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 51:2 powerfully reinforces the overarching biblical theme of God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises, particularly His extraordinary ability to bring life and fruitfulness out of barrenness, desolation, and human impossibility. It underscores that God's power is not limited by human weakness, natural constraints, or dire circumstances. The calling of Abraham "alone" highlights divine election and initiative, establishing that Israel's very existence and their future restoration are rooted solely in God's sovereign choice and His unfailing word, rather than in their own merit, strength, or numbers. This foundational truth serves as a deep well of comfort and assurance for a people facing despair, reminding them that the same God who miraculously formed a mighty nation from one old, childless couple can surely restore and multiply them again, ensuring the continuity of His redemptive plan.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 51:2 offers profound spiritual encouragement for believers today, inviting us to find hope and strength in God's historical faithfulness. When we face seemingly insurmountable challenges, personal "barrenness" (whether spiritual, relational, vocational, or physical), or feel like a small, insignificant minority in a hostile world, this verse calls us to "look" intently at God's past works. Just as He brought forth a mighty nation from Abraham and Sarah, a couple who were "as good as dead" (Hebrews 11:12), He can bring life, fruitfulness, and breakthrough from our most desolate circumstances. Our limitations do not limit God's boundless power. Remembering God's past faithfulness, both in biblical history and in our own personal testimonies, strengthens our faith for future challenges, reminding us that we are part of a grand, divine story of creation, redemption, and multiplication, initiated and sustained by an all-powerful, covenant-keeping God who delights in turning barrenness into blessing.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does God tell the people to "look unto Abraham and Sarah" specifically?
God directs the exiles to Abraham and Sarah because they represent the ultimate, tangible example of His power to create something magnificent from nothing. At the time of God's initial call, Abraham was a lone individual, and both he and Sarah were elderly and barren, humanly incapable of producing an heir. Yet, God "called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him," miraculously bringing forth a great nation through them. This historical precedent serves as a powerful reminder to the discouraged exiles that God's ability to fulfill His promises is not dependent on human strength, numbers, or favorable circumstances, but solely on His sovereign power and faithfulness. It is a call to remember their miraculous roots and the foundational act of God that brought their very existence as a people into being, thereby instilling profound hope for their future restoration, even from their current state of desolation, much like the profound truth found in Romans 4:19-21.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 51:2 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is the true and greater Abraham. While the verse calls Israel to remember their physical progenitors, Abraham and Sarah, as a source of hope for national restoration, the New Testament reveals that true spiritual lineage and the ultimate "increase" come through faith in Christ. Abraham is called the "father of all who believe" (Romans 4:11), and through Christ, Gentiles are grafted into the covenant promises made to Abraham, becoming spiritual descendants (Romans 11:17-24). Just as God "called him alone" (Abraham) and brought forth a multitude, so too did God send His "only begotten Son" (John 3:16), who, though seemingly alone in His sacrificial death on the cross, became the source of spiritual life and multiplication for an innumerable host of believers from every nation, tribe, people, and language (Revelation 7:9). Christ, the true "seed" of Abraham (Galatians 3:16), embodies God's power to bring life out of death, fruitfulness out of barrenness, and a vast spiritual family from one solitary, divinely chosen individual, establishing a new and better covenant that surpasses the old in glory and reach (Hebrews 8:6).