Isaiah 54:1

¶ Sing, O barren, thou [that] didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou [that] didst not travail with child: for more [are] the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

Sing {H7442}, O barren {H6135}, thou that didst not bear {H3205}; break forth {H6476} into singing {H7440}, and cry aloud {H6670}, thou that didst not travail with child {H2342}: for more {H7227} are the children {H1121} of the desolate {H8074} than the children {H1121} of the married wife {H1166}, saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}.

"Sing, barren woman who has never had a child! Burst into song, shout for joy, you who have never been in labor! For the deserted wife will have more children than the woman who is living with her husband," says ADONAI.

“Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth in song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.

Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith Jehovah.

Isaiah 54:1 stands as a powerful and prophetic declaration of hope and restoration, addressed to a people who felt desolate and barren. Following the profound message of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53, this verse shifts focus to the glorious future awaiting God's people, particularly Jerusalem, personified as a barren woman.

Context

This verse is the opening of Isaiah's "Little Book of Comfort" (chapters 40-66), specifically within the section (chapters 49-55) that emphasizes God's deliverance and restoration of Israel after their Babylonian exile. The imagery of a "barren" woman reflects the perceived desolation, humiliation, and lack of growth experienced by Jerusalem and its inhabitants during their period of punishment and dispersion. It suggests a time when the covenant people felt forgotten or unable to produce spiritual fruit or physical offspring. The command to "sing" and "cry aloud" is a radical call to rejoice in advance of a promised, miraculous transformation.

Key Themes

  • Divine Reversal: The central theme is God's ability to turn barrenness into abundant fruitfulness. What seems impossible from a human perspective is made gloriously possible by divine intervention.
  • Hope for the Desolate: It offers profound hope to those who feel neglected, abandoned, or unproductive. God promises a future where their descendants, or spiritual "children," will far outnumber those of seemingly stable or "married" nations.
  • Spiritual Expansion: While initially addressed to Israel, this prophecy has a broader spiritual application, particularly in the New Testament. Paul later applies this prophecy in Galatians 4:27, interpreting the 'barren' woman as the heavenly Jerusalem, representing the church and believers by faith, contrasting with the earthly Jerusalem under the law. This highlights the inclusion of Gentiles and the spiritual growth of God's family.
  • God's Faithfulness: The verse underscores God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises, even when His people have been unfaithful or have suffered greatly.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "barren," `aqarah (עֲקָרָה), strongly conveys the idea of being childless and unable to bear offspring, a significant societal stigma in ancient times. The term "desolate" (שׁוֹמֵמָה, shomemah) further emphasizes a state of abandonment, ruin, or emptiness, often used to describe deserted cities or lands. The contrast with "married wife" (בַּעֲלָהּ, ba'alah), literally "her husband's wife," highlights the apparent stability and expected fertility of a woman in a secure marriage, making the promise to the desolate even more striking and miraculous.

Related Scriptures

  • This promise of future abundance echoes God's covenant with Abraham, who was also promised countless descendants despite initial barrenness (Genesis 15:5).
  • The theme of God bringing life from seemingly dead situations is central to the biblical narrative, foreshadowing even the resurrection power of God, who "calleth those things which be not as though they were."
  • This joyous command to sing anticipates the glorious future described in Isaiah 60:1, where Zion is told to "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee."

Practical Application

For believers today, Isaiah 54:1 serves as a profound source of encouragement. If you feel spiritually barren, unproductive, or abandoned in your circumstances, this verse assures you that God sees your desolation and promises to transform it into flourishing fruitfulness. It reminds us that God's plans for His people are always grander than our current limitations or perceived failures. We are called to rejoice in faith, knowing that God is faithful to His promises, and His kingdom will expand far beyond what we can imagine, bringing forth spiritual children from unexpected places.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Galatians 4:27

    For it is written, Rejoice, [thou] barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

  • Isaiah 62:4

    Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

  • 1 Samuel 2:5

    [They that were] full have hired out themselves for bread; and [they that were] hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

  • Hebrews 11:11

    Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

  • Hebrews 11:12

    Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

  • Zechariah 9:9

    ¶ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

  • Psalms 113:9

    He maketh the barren woman to keep house, [and to be] a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

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