Isaiah 54:6

Translation
King James Version
¶ For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
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KJV (with Strong's)
For the LORD H3068 hath called H7121 thee as a woman H802 forsaken H5800 and grieved H6087 in spirit H7307, and a wife H802 of youth H5271, when thou wast refused H3988, saith H559 thy God H430.
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Complete Jewish Bible
For ADONAI has called you back like a wife abandoned and grief-stricken; "A wife married in her youth cannot be rejected," says your God.
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Berean Standard Bible
For the LORD has called you back, like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit, like the rejected wife of one’s youth,” says your God.
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American Standard Version
For Jehovah hath called thee as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off, saith thy God.
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World English Bible Messianic
For the LORD has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off,” says your God.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
For the Lord hath called thee, being as a woman forsaken, and afflicted in spirite, and as a yong wife when thou wast refused, sayth thy God.
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Young's Literal Translation
For, as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, Called thee hath Jehovah, Even a youthful wife when she is refused, said thy God.
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See also
Isaiah 62:4Ecclesiastes 9:9Hosea 2:14Hosea 2:15Hosea 2:1Hosea 2:2Proverbs 5:18
In the KJVVerse 18,730 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Isaiah 54:6 delivers a profound message of divine compassion and enduring covenant love, addressing Israel, personified as a woman who feels abandoned and deeply grieved. Despite her perception of being forsaken and refused, the LORD affirms His unwavering commitment, likening His relationship with her to that of a husband with his cherished "wife of youth." This verse serves as a tender assurance of God's initiative to restore and comfort His people, underscoring His faithfulness even in their seasons of despair and perceived rejection.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Isaiah 54 stands as a glorious song of comfort and restoration, immediately following the profound prophecy of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53 - The Suffering Servant. The atoning work of the Servant is the foundational premise upon which the promises of renewal in Chapter 54 are built. Chapter 54 begins with a command to a barren woman (representing Zion/Israel) to "sing" and "break forth into singing," promising her a multitude of children and a vast expansion of her dwelling, signifying a reversal of her desolate state, as seen in Isaiah 54:1-3 - The Barren Woman's Joy. Verse 6 then deepens this imagery by directly addressing the emotional state of this "woman," acknowledging her past grief and sense of abandonment, thereby setting the stage for the subsequent promises of eternal kindness, peace, and security detailed in Isaiah 54:7-17 - God's Everlasting Love and Protection. This chapter is part of the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-55), which focuses on God's redemption and restoration of Israel after the Babylonian exile.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The prophecy of Isaiah 54 is primarily directed toward Israel, particularly in the context of their exile and subsequent return. The nation had experienced periods of unfaithfulness, judgment, and the devastating reality of being scattered among the nations, leading to a profound sense of abandonment by God. Culturally, the imagery of a "woman forsaken and grieved in spirit" would resonate deeply with the shame and sorrow associated with barrenness, divorce, or rejection in ancient Near Eastern societies, where a woman's worth was often tied to her ability to bear children and maintain a stable marriage. The phrase "wife of youth" (Hebrew: eshet ne'urim) carries significant weight, referring to a bride married in one's early years, implying a foundational, cherished, and long-standing relationship. This metaphor highlights God's original, deep affection and covenantal commitment to Israel, a bond initiated in their "youth" as a nation, which He views as enduring despite their temporary estrangement or perceived "refusal."
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Isaiah and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it emphasizes Divine Compassion and Initiative, showing God's profound empathy for His people's suffering and His active role in initiating their restoration. It is the LORD who "hath called thee," not Israel's own merit or effort. Secondly, it speaks to Restoration from Despair, acknowledging the deep sorrow and sense of rejection ("grieved in spirit," "when thou wast refused") experienced by the nation, and offering a divine promise to lift them out of this state. Thirdly, the metaphor of the "wife of youth" underscores God's Enduring Covenant Love and Faithfulness. Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God's commitment to His covenant remains steadfast, viewing His relationship with His people as an unbreakable, cherished bond, much like a husband's steadfast love for his first bride. This theme is further developed throughout Isaiah 54 - The Everlasting Covenant of Peace, where God promises an "everlasting covenant of peace" in Isaiah 54:10 - God's Unfailing Love. Finally, the verse offers profound Hope for the Rejected, assuring those who feel cast off or forgotten that God's personal affirmation, "saith thy God," remains a constant source of identity, belonging, and ultimate vindication.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • called (Hebrew, qârâʼ, H7121): Meaning "to call out to," "address by name," "invite," or "proclaim." In this context, it signifies God's active, intentional, and personal initiative to reach out to His people. It's not a passive observation but a deliberate act of summoning and re-engagement, highlighting His desire for reconciliation and restoration.
  • forsaken (Hebrew, ʻâzab, H5800): Meaning "to loosen," "relinquish," "permit," "fail," or "leave destitute." This word captures the deep sense of abandonment and isolation experienced by the "woman," Israel. It conveys a feeling of being left alone, neglected, and without support, emphasizing the profound despair from which God promises to deliver her.
  • refused (Hebrew, mâʼaç, H3988): Meaning "to spurn," "abhor," "cast away (off)," "contemn," "despise," or "reject." This term intensifies the feeling of rejection and indignity. It suggests that the "woman" not only felt abandoned but also actively scorned or deemed unworthy, adding another layer to her grief and highlighting the depth of God's compassionate understanding of her perceived plight.

Verse Breakdown

  • "For the LORD hath called thee": This opening clause establishes the divine initiative. It is God, YHWH, the covenant-keeping God, who is actively reaching out. The verb "called" (qara') implies a summoning, an invitation, and a declaration of intent, signaling a turning point from perceived abandonment to divine engagement.
  • "as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit": Here, the simile vividly portrays the emotional state of the addressed entity (Israel/Zion). She is likened to a woman who has been abandoned by her husband (forsaken) and whose inner being is deeply pained and sorrowful (grieved in spirit). This acknowledges the profound suffering, desolation, and emotional anguish experienced by God's people during their periods of judgment and exile.
  • "and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused": This phrase further clarifies the nature of the relationship and the depth of the perceived rejection. "A wife of youth" refers to a bride taken in one's early years, signifying a foundational, cherished, and intimate bond. The subsequent "when thou wast refused" indicates that despite this deep, historical connection, she felt spurned or cast off, adding a layer of betrayal and undeserved rejection to her grief. This highlights the paradox of God's enduring love amidst Israel's perception of being rejected.
  • "saith thy God.": This concluding declaration powerfully authenticates the message. It is not merely a human observation or wishful thinking, but a direct, authoritative word from "thy God" (Elohim), emphasizing the personal and covenantal relationship. This divine pronouncement provides ultimate assurance and comfort, cementing the truth of God's compassionate call and His unwavering commitment.

Literary Devices

Isaiah 54:6 is rich in Simile and Metaphor, creating a vivid and emotionally resonant picture of God's relationship with Israel. The nation is portrayed "as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit," a Simile that allows the audience to immediately grasp the depth of despair and isolation being addressed. This then transitions into the Metaphor of "a wife of youth," which powerfully conveys the enduring, foundational, and cherished nature of God's covenantal bond with His people, despite their unfaithfulness or perceived abandonment. The entire passage employs Personification, presenting Israel/Zion as a female figure capable of experiencing deep emotional pain and longing for restoration. Furthermore, the phrase "saith thy God" acts as a Divine Affirmation, lending ultimate authority and certainty to the promises, reinforcing the personal and covenantal nature of the relationship between YHWH and His people.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Isaiah 54:6 profoundly articulates the unwavering nature of God's covenant faithfulness, even when His people feel utterly abandoned due to their own unfaithfulness or the consequences of judgment. It reveals God not as a distant, punitive deity, but as a compassionate husband who understands the depth of His bride's grief and perceived rejection. The "wife of youth" metaphor underscores that the foundation of His relationship with Israel was one of deep love and commitment from the very beginning, a bond that time or tribulation cannot ultimately sever. This divine initiative to "call" the forsaken is a testament to His redemptive love, demonstrating that His grace precedes and enables any human response, ultimately leading to restoration and peace. It's a powerful declaration that God's character is defined by steadfast love and an unbreakable covenant, not by temporary human failures.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Isaiah 54:6 offers immense comfort and hope to all who have experienced feelings of abandonment, rejection, or deep sorrow. In a world where relationships can break, trust can be betrayed, and circumstances can leave us feeling desolate, this verse reminds us that God sees our pain, understands our grief, and actively reaches out to us. Even when we feel like a "woman forsaken" or "refused," God's unchanging love and covenant faithfulness remain steadfast. His "call" is an invitation to return, to be restored, and to remember that our identity is rooted in His unwavering commitment to us, not in our past failures or current circumstances. It encourages us to trust in God's character, knowing that His love is not dependent on our perfection but on His eternal, redemptive nature. This passage serves as a profound assurance that even in our deepest despair, we are cherished by "thy God," who desires to bring us back into a place of intimacy and security.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of your life have you felt "forsaken" or "refused," and how does God's compassionate call in this verse speak to those feelings?
  • What does the imagery of God as a husband to a "wife of youth" reveal about the enduring nature of His commitment to you?
  • How does understanding God's initiative in "calling" the grieved and abandoned change your perspective on your relationship with Him?
  • How can you extend God's compassionate "call" to others in your community who may be feeling rejected or despairing?

FAQ

Who is the "woman" being addressed in Isaiah 54:6?

Answer: The "woman" being addressed in Isaiah 54:6 is a personification of Israel, or more specifically, Zion/Jerusalem. This imagery is consistent throughout Isaiah, where Israel is often depicted as a wife to the LORD, and her barrenness or desolation represents her captivity and spiritual state. The preceding verses in Isaiah 54:1-3 - The Barren Woman's Joy explicitly call for the "barren one who bore no child" to "break forth into singing," promising her a multitude of descendants and expansion, clearly identifying her with the nation of Israel, particularly in its post-exilic restoration.

What does the phrase "wife of youth" signify in this context?

Answer: The phrase "wife of youth" (Hebrew: eshet ne'urim) signifies a bride married in one's early years, representing a foundational, cherished, and long-standing relationship. In the context of God and Israel, it speaks to the deep, original covenant bond established by God with His people at the very beginning of their national existence, such as at Mount Sinai in Exodus 19 - The Covenant at Sinai. Despite Israel's unfaithfulness and subsequent periods of perceived abandonment or judgment, God views this initial relationship as enduring and precious, emphasizing His unwavering commitment and the unbreakable nature of His covenant love, as seen in passages like Jeremiah 31:3 - God's Everlasting Love.

How does Isaiah 54:6 relate to the preceding chapter, Isaiah 53?

Answer: Isaiah 54:6 is deeply connected to Isaiah 53 - The Suffering Servant, which describes the atoning work of the Suffering Servant. The Servant's sacrifice for the sins of the people is the theological bedrock upon which the promises of restoration and comfort in Isaiah 54 are built. It is because the Servant "bore our griefs and carried our sorrows" in Isaiah 53:4 - The Suffering Servant's Burden and made "his soul an offering for guilt" in Isaiah 53:10 - The Servant's Guilt Offering that the "woman forsaken and grieved in spirit" can now be "called" back by the LORD. The Servant's redemptive work provides the basis for God's renewed covenant with His people, transforming their desolation into joy and their perceived rejection into an everlasting bond of peace.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Isaiah 54:6, with its tender portrayal of God calling a "woman forsaken and grieved in spirit" back as a "wife of youth," finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the divine Bridegroom who comes not for the righteous, but for the broken, the outcast, and those who feel utterly rejected by the world and even by God. Just as Israel felt forsaken due to her sins and exile, humanity, alienated from God by sin, is truly "grieved in spirit" and "refused" by a holy God. Yet, Christ, through His atoning sacrifice, bridges this chasm. He is the one who, by His suffering and death on the cross, makes it possible for God to "call" us back into an intimate, everlasting covenant relationship. The Church, composed of all believers, becomes the "bride" of Christ, whom He loves and for whom He gave Himself up, cleansing her to present her as a glorious, spotless bride, as described in Ephesians 5:25-27 - Christ and the Church. His "call" is an invitation to all who are weary and heavy-laden, as promised in Matthew 11:28 - Come to Me, All Who Are Weary, offering a new covenant of grace where there is no longer any condemnation for those who are in Him, as declared in Romans 8:1 - No Condemnation in Christ Jesus. Through Christ, the perceived rejection is transformed into eternal acceptance, and the grief of separation is replaced by the joy of an unbreakable union with God, foreshadowing the ultimate marriage supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19:7-9 - The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

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Commentary on Isaiah 54 verses 6–10

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

The seasonable succour and relief which God sent to his captives in Babylon, when they had a discharge from their bondage there, are here foretold, as a type and figure of all those consolations of God which are treasured up for the church in general and all believers in particular, in the covenant of grace.

I. Look back to former troubles, and in comparison with them God's favours to his people appear very comfortable, Isa 54:6-8. Observe, 1. How sorrowful the church's condition had been. She had been as a woman forsaken, whose husband was dead, or had fallen out with her, though she was a wife of youth, upon which account she is grieved in spirit, takes it very ill, frets, and grows melancholy upon it; or she had been as one refused and rejected, and therefore full of discontent. Note, Even those that are espoused to God may yet seem to be refused and forsaken, and may be grieved in spirit under the apprehensions of being so. Those that shall never be forsaken and left in despair may yet for a time be perplexed and in distress. The similitude is explained (Isa 54:7, Isa 54:8): For a small moment have I forsaken thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee. When God continues his people long in trouble he seems to forsake them; so their enemies construe it (Psa 71:11); so they themselves misinterpret it, Isa 49:14. When they are comfortless under their troubles, because their prayers and expectations are not answered, God hides his face from them, as if he regarded them not nor designed them any kindness. God owns that he had done this; for he keeps an account of the afflictions of his people, and, though he never turned his face against them (as against the wicked, Psa 34:16), he remembers how often he turned his back upon them. This arose indeed from his displeasure. It was in wrath that he forsook them and hid his face from them (Isa 57:17); yet it was but in a little wrath: not that God's wrath ever is a little thing, or to be made light of (Who knows the power of his anger?), but little in comparison with what they had deserved, and what others justly suffer, on whom the full vials of his wrath are poured out. He did not stir up all his wrath. But God's people, though they be sensible of ever so small a degree of God's displeasure, cannot but be grieved in spirit because of it. As for the continuance of it, it was but for a moment, a small moment; for God does not keep his anger against his people for ever; no, it is soon over. As he is slow to anger, so he is swift to show mercy. The afflictions of God's people, as they are light, so they are but for a moment, a cloud that presently blows over. 2. How sweet the returns of mercy would be to them when God should come and comfort them according to the time that he had afflicted them. God called them into covenant with himself when they were forsaken and grieved; he called them out of their afflictions when they were most pressing, Isa 54:6. God's anger endures for a moment, but he will gather his people when they think themselves neglected, will gather them out of their dispersions, that they may return in a body to their own land, - will gather them into his arms, to protect them, embrace them, and bear them up, - and will gather them at last to himself, will gather the wheat into the barn. He will have mercy on them. This supposes the turning away of his anger and the admitting of them again into his favour. God's gathering his people takes rise from his mercy, not any merit of others; and it is with great mercies (Isa 54:7), with everlasting kindness, Isa 54:8. The wrath is little, but the mercies are great; the wrath is for a moment, but the kindness everlasting. See how one is set over against the other, that we may neither despond under our afflictions nor despair of relief.

II. Look forward to future dangers, and in defiance of them God's favours to his people appear very constant, and his kindness everlasting; for it is formed into a covenant, here called a covenant of peace, because it is founded in reconciliation and is inclusive of all good. Now,

1.This is as firm as the covenant of providence. It is as the waters of Noah, that is, as that promise which was made concerning the deluge that there should never be the like again to disturb the course of summer and winter, seed-time and harvest, Isa 54:9. God then contended with the world in great wrath, and for a full year, and yet at length returned in mercy, everlasting mercy; for he gave his word, which was as inviolable as his oath, that Noah's flood should never return, that he would never drown the world again; see Gen 8:21, Gen 8:22; Gen 9:11. And God has ever since kept his word, though the world has been very provoking; and he will keep it to the end; for the world that now is is reserved unto fire. And thus inviolable is the covenant of grace: I have sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, as I have been, and rebuke thee, as I have done. He will not be so angry with them as to cast them off and break his covenant with them (Psa 89:34), nor rebuke them as he has rebuked the heathen, to destroy them, and put out their name for ever and ever, Psa 9:5.

2.It is more firm than the strongest parts of the visible creation (Isa 54:10): The mountains shall depart, which are called everlasting mountains, and the hills be removed, though they are called perpetual hills, Hab 3:6. Sooner shall they remove than God's covenant with his people be broken. Mountains have sometimes been shaken by earthquakes, and removed; but the promises of God were never broken by the shock of any event. The day will come when all the mountains shall depart and all the hills be removed, not only the tops of them covered, as they were by the waters of Noah, but the roots of them torn up; for the earth and all the works that are therein shall be burned up; but then the covenant of peace between God and believers shall continue in the everlasting bliss of all those who are the children of that covenant. Mountains and hills signify great men, men of bulk and figure. Do these mountains seem to support the skies (as Atlas) and bear them up? They shall depart and be removed. Creature-confidences shall fail us. In vain is salvation hoped for from those hills and mountains. But the firmament is firm, and answers to its name, when those who seem to prop it are gone. When our friends fail us our God does not, nor does his kindness depart? Do these mountains threaten, and seem to top the skies, and bid defiance to them, as Pelion and Ossa? Do the kings of the earth, and the rulers, set themselves against the Lord? They shall depart and be removed. Great mountains, that stand in the way of the salvation of the church, shall be made plain (Zac 4:7); but God's kindness shall never depart from his people, for whom he loves he loves to the end; nor shall the covenant of his peace ever be removed, for he is the Lord that has mercy on his people. Therefore the covenant is immovable and inviolable, because it is built not on our merit, which is a mutable uncertain thing, but on God's mercy, which is from everlasting to everlasting.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 6–10. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 6, 7) Because the Lord has called you, a forsaken and grieving woman, with the Spirit: and said your God to the wife rejected from her youth. For a moment, in a small thing, I have forsaken you: and in great mercies, I will gather you. In a moment of anger, I have hidden my face from you for a little while: and in everlasting mercy, I have shown compassion to you, says your Redeemer, the Lord. LXX: The Lord did not call you a forsaken and timid woman, nor did your God say of you, a woman who is hated from her youth. I have left you for a short time, but with great mercy I will have compassion on you. In a little burst of anger I turned my face away from you, but with everlasting mercy I will have compassion on you, says the Lord who delivered you. These friends of the Jews insult the abandoned woman and the wife despised from her youth, whom the Lord left for a moment and for a little while, saying that Jerusalem is. He who hides his face for a little while will receive her in everlasting mercies and will change her past sorrow into joy. According to the Hebrew, it does not say that she was called a forsaken and despised woman by the Lord, nor like a wife who has been hated since her youth, but rather that He left her for a little while and turned His face away from her in order to have mercy on her forever. So if the Jews and those among us who are Judaizers say that Israel has been forsaken for a little while so that God may have mercy on them in the coming of Christ, and they interpret 'a little while' in comparison to all of eternity, why do they not allow us to say that there is a little while of time in which the Gentiles have been forsaken, so that those who were once of God in their youth may receive eternal mercy in their old age? Especially when, in the calling of Israel, the crowd of Gentiles was never excluded; but the door of return was always open to them through proselytes, so that just as we seem to be temporarily excluded by their calling, so may their perpetual exclusion grant us a return to God. But we said perpetual exclusion, if they do not repent. Otherwise, the Apostle Paul says: God has confined all under sin, so that he may have mercy on all (Galatians 3:22). We, who are gathered from both the Church of the people, are interpreted; and the Jews of Jerusalem receive: who follow only allegory, and in the most difficult places of free debate, they avoid nascent questions, referring them to the sinful soul, which, rejected by God, not out of hatred, but out of dispensation, so that, burdened by the weight of evils, she may return to her original man; and having lost her substance, she may not despair of the mercy of the Father (Luke 15). It is a great mercy to meet a returning son, to extend a ring and a robe, and a kiss, and to say to a blind brother, according to the likeness of another parable, 'Friend, if I am good, why is your eye wicked?' (Matthew 20:15).
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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