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 62:1–5. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The prophet here tells us,
I.What he will do for the church.
A prophet, as he is a seer, so he is a spokesman. This prophet resolves to perform that office faithfully, Isa 62:1. He will not hold his peace; he will not rest; he will mind his business, will take pains, and never desire to take his ease; and herein he was a type of Christ, who was indefatigable in executing the office of a prophet and made it his meat and drink till he had finished his work. Observe here,
1.What the prophet's resolution is: He will not hold his peace. He will continue instant in preaching, will not only faithfully deliver, but frequently repeat, the messages he has received from the Lord. If people receive not the precepts and promises at first, he will inculcate them and give them line upon line. And he will continue instant in prayer; he will never hold his peace at the throne of grace till he has prevailed with God for the mercies promised; he will give himself to prayer and to the ministry of the word, as Christ's ministers must (Act 6:4), who must labour frequently in both and never be weary of this well-doing. The business of ministers is to speak from God to his people and to God for his people; and in neither of these must they be silent.
2.What is the principle of this resolution - for Zion's sake, and for Jerusalem's, not for the sake of any private interest of his own, but for the church's sake, because he has an affection and concern for Zion, and it lies near his heart. Whatever becomes of his own house and family, he desires to see the good of Jerusalem and resolves to seek it all the days of his life, Psa 122:8, Psa 122:9; Psa 118:5. It is God's Zion and his Jerusalem, and it is therefore dear to him, because it is so to God and because God's glory is interested in its prosperity.
3.How long he resolves to continue this importunity - till the promise of the church's righteousness and salvation, given in the foregoing chapter, be accomplished. Isaiah will not himself live to see the release of the captives out of Babylon, much less the bringing in of the gospel, in which grace reigns through righteousness unto life and salvation; yet he will not hold his peace till these be accomplished, even the utmost of them, because his prophecies will continue speaking of these things, and there shall in every age be a remnant that shall continue to pray for them, as successors to him, till the promises be performed, and so the prayers answered that were grounded upon them. Then the church's righteousness and salvation will go forth as brightness, and as a lamp that burns, so plainly that it will carry its own evidence along with it. It will bring honour and comfort to the church, which will hereupon both look pleasant and appear illustrious; and it will bring instruction and direction to the world, a light not only to the eyes but to the feet, and to the paths of those who before sat in darkness and in the shadow of death.
II.What God will do for the church.
The prophet can but pray and preach, but God will confirm the word and answer the prayers.
1.The church shall be greatly admired. When that righteousness which is her salvation, her praise, and her glory, shall be brought forth, the Gentiles shall see it. The tidings of it shall be carried to the Gentiles, and a tender of it made to them; they may so see this righteousness as to share in it if it be not their own fault. "Even kings shall see and be in love with the glory of thy righteousness" (Isa 62:2), shall overlook the glory of their own courts and kingdoms, and look at, and look after, the spiritual glory of the church as that which excels.
2.She shall be truly admirable. Great names make men considerable in the world, and great respect is paid them thereupon; now it is agreed that honor est in honorante - honour derives its value from the dignity of him who confers it. God is the fountain of honour and from him the church's honour comes: "Thou shalt be called by a new name, a pleasant name, such as thou wast never called by before, no, not in the day of thy greatest prosperity, and the reverse of that which thou wast called by in the day of thy affliction; thou shalt have a new character, be advanced to a new dignity, and those about thee shall have new thoughts of thee." This seems to be alluded to in that promise (Rev 2:17) of the white stone and in the stone a new name, and that (Rev 3:12) of the name of the city of my God and my new name. It is a name which the mouth of the Lord shall name, who, we are sure, miscalls nothing, and who will oblige others to call her by the name he has given her; for his judgment is according to truth and all shall concur with it sooner or later. Two names God shall give her: - (1.) He shall call her his crown (Isa 62:3): Thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, not on his head (as adding any real honour or power to him, as crowns do to those that are crowned with them), but in his hand. He is pleased to account them, and show them forth, as a glory and beauty to him. When he took them to be his people it was that they might be unto him for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory (Jer 13:11): "Thou shalt be a crown of glory and a royal diadem, through the hand, the good hand, of thy God upon thee; he shall make thee so, for he shall be to thee a crown of glory, Isa 28:5. Thou shalt be so in his hand, that is, under his protection; he that shall put glory upon thee shall create a defence upon all that glory, so that the flowers of thy crown shall never wither nor shall its jewels be lost." (2.) He shall call her his spouse, Isa 62:4, Isa 62:5. This is a yet greater honour, especially considering what a forlorn condition she had been in. [1.] Her case had been very melancholy. She was called forsaken and her land desolate during the captivity, like a woman reproachfully divorced or left a disconsolate widow. Such as the state of religion in the world before the preaching of the gospel - it was in a manner forsaken and desolate, a thing that no man looked after nor had any real concern for. [2.] It should now be very pleasant, for God would return in mercy to her. Instead of those two names of reproach, she shall be called by two honourable names. First, She shall be called Hephzi-bah, which signifies, My delight is in her; it was the name of Hezekiah's queen, Manasseh's mother (Kg2 21:1), a proper name for a wife, who ought to be her husband's delight, Pro 5:19. And here it is the church's Maker that is her husband: The Lord delights in thee. God by his grace has wrought that in his church which makes her his delight, she being refined, and reformed, and brought home to him; and then by his providence he does that for her which makes it appear that she is his delight and that he delights to do her good. Secondly, She shall be called Beulah, which signifies married, whereas she had been desolate, a condition opposed to that of the married wife, Isa 54:1. "Thy land shall be married, that is, it shall become fruitful again, and be replenished." Though she has long been barren, she shall again be peopled, shall again be made to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children, Psa 113:9. She shall be married, for, 1. Her sons shall heartily espouse the land of their nativity and its interests, which they had for a long time neglected, as despairing ever to have any comfortable enjoyment of it: Thy sons shall marry thee, that is, they shall live with thee and take delight in thee. When they were in Babylon, they seemed to have espoused that land, for they were appointed to settle, and to seek the peace of it, Jer 29:5-7. But now they shall again marry their own land, as a young man marries a virgin that he takes great delight in, is extremely fond of, and is likely to have many children by. It bodes well to a land when its own natives and inhabitants are pleased with it, prefer it before other lands, when its princes marry their country and resolve to take their lot with it. 2. Her God (which is much better) shall betroth her to himself in righteousness, Hos 2:19, Hos 2:20. He will take pleasure in his church: As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, is pleased with his relation to her and her affection to him, so shall thy God rejoice over thee: he shall rest in his love to thee (Zep 3:17); he shall take pleasure in thee (Psa 147:11), and shall delight to do thee good with his whole heart and his whole soul, Jer 32:41. This is very applicable to the love Christ has for his church and the complacency he takes in it, which appears so brightly in Solomon's Song, and which will be complete in heaven.
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.
“For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you.” He calls sons the apostles, the priests and the righteous ones of the church, who constitute the head of the body of the church, as the husband is the head of a woman. These are like husbands to the church through its doctrine and constantly generate spiritual sons to it.
(Verse 5.) For a young man shall dwell with a virgin, and your sons shall dwell in you. And your God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. LXX: And as a young man dwells with a virgin, so shall your sons dwell in you. And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall the Lord rejoice over you. And the Apostle says: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church (Ephesians 5:25). And when he had given an example in another place: For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh, he added, This is a great mystery: but I speak in Christ and in the Church (Ephesians 5:31, 32). If, therefore, due to the brevity of time, which is limited, men ought to have their wives as if they did not have them, how much more holy will be the union between the bridegroom and the bride? This is the bridegroom of whom it is sung in the twelfth psalm: 'And he, like a bridegroom, comes forth from his chamber' (Psalm 18:6). And this is the bride who is frequently mentioned in the Song of Songs, who has no wrinkle or blemish (Song of Songs 4). How Paul desires to offer a chaste virgin to one man, so that she may be holy in body and spirit (I Cor. 7). Concerning her, and under the name of the beloved, the 44th Psalm sings: The queen stood at your right hand, clothed in golden garments, surrounded by variety. (Verse 10). Therefore, just as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride, and a young man with a virgin, in whom there is a holy union: so the Lord will rejoice in her, whose names have been changed.
"As a young man marries a virgin." This is said to the church about the time in the beginning when it was constituted from the Jewish tribes. For the godly disciples were Jewish according to their human origin, but they stood out from the others and took the lead since they had apostolic status. Yet they retained a great love and respect for their religion, so that there seemed to be great affection toward it as a man ought to feel toward a young virgin bride when he lies with her.…
"The Lord will rejoice over you." … For the only-begotten Word of God came down from heaven to make the church fertile, which he presented to himself as a pure virgin, without spot or stain, wholly blameless. She received from him the seeds of the evangelical citizenship, became pregnant and gave birth, not with blood … but rather as one shaped to the beauty of the truth.
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Summary
Isaiah 62:5 presents a radiant vision of God's profound joy and unwavering commitment to His restored people, Zion. Through the tender and celebratory imagery of a wedding, the prophet conveys the intimate, passionate, and secure relationship that will exist between the Lord and His beloved community, symbolizing a complete spiritual and physical renewal where God delights in His people as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, and the exiled inhabitants return to embrace their land anew.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within the latter portion of the Book of Isaiah, often referred to as "Second Isaiah" (chapters 40-55) and "Third Isaiah" (chapters 56-66), which primarily focus on themes of comfort, restoration, and the future glory of Israel after the Babylonian exile. Chapters 60-62 specifically describe the magnificent return and re-establishment of Zion (Jerusalem) as a radiant city, a beacon for the nations. The preceding verses in Isaiah 62 emphasize God's unceasing work on behalf of Zion, promising her new names—"Hephzibah" (My delight is in her) and "Beulah" (Married)—which signify her restored favor and intimate relationship with God, culminating in the marriage imagery of Isaiah 62:4. Verse 5 serves as the climactic expression of this divine delight and covenantal bond.
Historical & Cultural Context
The original audience of Isaiah 62 would have been the Jewish exiles, either still in Babylon or recently returned to a desolate homeland. Their capital, Jerusalem, lay in ruins, and their national identity was shattered. In ancient Near Eastern culture, marriage was a foundational institution, symbolizing covenant, permanence, and the establishment of a household and lineage. The bridegroom's joy was a profound, public expression of fulfillment and new beginnings. The imagery of "sons marrying thee" (Zion) would have resonated deeply, signifying the physical return of the scattered populace to rebuild and re-inhabit the land of Israel, establishing a new generation rooted in their heritage. This was a powerful promise of reversal from the desolation and barrenness that had plagued the land and its people during the exile.
Key Themes
Isaiah 62:5 powerfully articulates several key themes pervasive in Isaiah and the broader prophetic literature. Foremost is Divine Delight and Joy, portraying God not as a distant or wrathful deity, but as one who passionately rejoices over His people, a sentiment echoed in Zephaniah 3:17. This highlights God's emotional investment in His covenant relationship. Secondly, the verse underscores Restoration and Re-establishment, illustrating the complete renewal of Zion, both physically and spiritually. The "sons marrying thee" metaphorically depicts the return of the exiled population to resettle and possess their land, transforming desolation into vibrant life. Finally, the Covenant Relationship is central, with the marriage metaphor serving as a profound symbol of the exclusive, intimate, and faithful bond between God and His people, a recurring motif throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Jeremiah 3:14 and Hosea 2:19-20).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root means "to be master; hence, to marry." It conveys the idea of possession and dominion, emphasizing a deep, proprietary, and committed union. When applied to the young man marrying a virgin or the sons marrying Zion, it signifies a complete and secure taking possession, much like a husband takes possession of his wife, establishing a permanent and exclusive bond.
This word means "a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense." In this context, "thy sons" refers to the returning exiles, the descendants of Israel. Their "marrying" Zion (the land/city) signifies their re-inhabitation, rebuilding, and re-establishment of a thriving community, ensuring the continuity and flourishing of the nation in its promised land. They are the ones who will build up and possess the land, like sons inheriting and cherishing their family heritage.
This root means "to be bright, i.e. cheerful; be glad, greatly, joy, make mirth." It denotes an exuberant, effusive, and profound delight. This is not a passive happiness but an active, overflowing joy, mirroring the intense celebration of a bridegroom on his wedding day. When applied to God, it reveals His passionate, unreserved joy over His restored and beloved people.
Verse Breakdown
"For [as] a young man marrieth a virgin"
This clause establishes the first part of the simile, drawing on the universal human experience of a joyous, foundational event. The marriage of a young man to a virgin symbolizes a fresh start, purity, passionate love, and the beginning of a new family line, full of hope and promise. It sets the tone for the profound joy and commitment that follows.
"[so] shall thy sons marry thee"
This is the first application of the simile. "Thy sons" refers to the returning exiles, the people of Israel. "Thee" refers to Zion, personified as a virgin bride. This imagery signifies the passionate re-inhabitation and re-establishment of the land and city of Jerusalem by its rightful inhabitants. It speaks of a complete and loving reunion, where the people take possession of and are devoted to their restored homeland, much like a husband to his wife, ensuring its future and prosperity.
"and [as] the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride"
This clause introduces the second, parallel simile, intensifying the theme of joy. The bridegroom's joy on his wedding day is one of the most profound and celebrated human emotions—a joy of fulfillment, possession, and deep affection for his beloved. This sets the stage for the ultimate expression of divine delight.
"[so] shall thy God rejoice over thee"
This is the climactic statement, revealing the depth of God's feeling for Zion. Just as a bridegroom finds overflowing, exultant joy in his bride, so the Almighty God, the Lord of all creation, will rejoice over His people. This portrays God's active, passionate, and personal delight in His restored community, signifying His complete satisfaction and pleasure in their renewed relationship.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 62:5 is rich in Simile, using the conjunction "as... so" to draw direct comparisons between human marriage and God's relationship with Zion. Two distinct similes are employed: "as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee" and "as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." This technique makes the abstract concept of divine love and commitment tangible and relatable. The verse also employs Metaphor and Personification, as Zion (representing Jerusalem and Israel) is personified as a virgin bride, and later simply "thee," to whom both her "sons" (the returning exiles) and God are united in a marriage-like bond. This anthropomorphic portrayal of a city as a woman allows for the application of intimate human emotions and relationships to a collective entity. Furthermore, the description of God's joy as mirroring that of a human bridegroom is an instance of Anthropomorphism, attributing human emotions and actions (rejoicing) to God to help the audience grasp the depth and intensity of His divine affection and delight.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 62:5 stands as a powerful testament to God's unwavering covenant faithfulness and His ultimate desire for intimate communion with His people. It reveals a God who is not merely sovereign and just, but also deeply relational and emotionally invested in His creation, particularly in those He has chosen. The marriage metaphor, a recurring theme throughout biblical theology, speaks to the exclusivity, permanence, and profound joy of this divine-human bond. It foreshadows the ultimate realization of God's redemptive plan, where His people are fully restored, purified, and united with Him in an unbreakable covenant of love, culminating in an eternal state of mutual delight and fellowship. This verse provides a profound glimpse into the very heart of God, radiating His passionate love and exuberant joy over His redeemed.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 62:5 offers believers today an incredibly comforting and empowering truth: God delights in us with an overflowing, passionate joy akin to that of a bridegroom for his bride. This verse challenges us to move beyond a transactional view of faith and embrace the reality of a deeply relational God who finds immense pleasure in His redeemed people. Understanding that we are the object of such divine affection can transform our self-perception, our worship, and our daily walk. It invites us to live in the confidence of His unwavering love, inspiring gratitude and a desire to honor this sacred bond. Just as the restored Zion was called to live in the light of God's favor, so too are we called to live lives that reflect the joy and commitment of this divine marriage, anticipating the ultimate consummation of God's union with His Church.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who are "thy sons" and what does it mean for them to "marry thee" (Zion)?
In this prophetic context, "thy sons" refers to the Jewish exiles who would return from Babylon to their homeland. "Thee" refers to Zion, which represents both the city of Jerusalem and the land of Israel. The phrase "shall thy sons marry thee" is a powerful metaphor for the complete and passionate re-inhabitation and re-establishment of the desolate land by its rightful people. It signifies that the returning exiles would take possession of and devotedly cultivate the land, making it fruitful and vibrant again, much like a husband commits to and cherishes his wife. This imagery underscores the permanence and intimacy of their renewed connection to their ancestral home, transforming a barren landscape into a thriving community (see also Isaiah 49:18-20).
What is the significance of God "rejoicing" over His people in this verse?
The significance of God "rejoicing" over His people is profound. The Hebrew word used (H7797, sûws) conveys a sense of exuberant, overflowing, and even leaping joy, akin to the boundless happiness of a bridegroom on his wedding day. This portrays God not as a distant or indifferent deity, but as one who is deeply, personally, and passionately invested in His relationship with His people. It highlights His profound delight, satisfaction, and pleasure in their restoration and in their renewed covenant bond. This divine joy is a central theme in Scripture, emphasizing God's loving character and His desire for intimate fellowship with humanity, as seen in Zephaniah 3:17.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 62:5 finds its ultimate and most glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ and His relationship with the Church. While initially a promise to literal Israel, the New Testament reveals that the Church, comprised of both Jew and Gentile believers, is the spiritual Israel, the true Zion, the beloved bride of Christ. Just as God rejoiced over Old Testament Israel, so too does Christ, the divine Bridegroom, rejoice over His Church. This is beautifully articulated in passages like Ephesians 5:25-27, where Christ's sacrificial love for the Church is likened to a husband's love for his wife, purifying her to present her to Himself as a radiant bride. John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the "bridegroom" in John 3:29, indicating the arrival of the promised one who brings ultimate joy and fulfillment. The marriage supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19:7-9 and the description of the New Jerusalem descending as a "bride adorned for her husband" in Revelation 21:2 beautifully portray the consummation of this divine romance. Thus, Isaiah 62:5 is not merely a historical promise but a vibrant prophecy of the eternal, joyful union between Christ and His redeemed people, a relationship characterized by profound delight, unwavering commitment, and everlasting communion.