Isaiah 54:11-55:5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 54:11-17

Very precious promises are here made to the church in her low condition, that God would not only continue his love to his people under their troubles as before, but that he would restore them to their former prosperity, nay, that he would raise them to greater prosperity than any they had yet enjoyed. In the foregoing chapter we had the humiliation and exaltation of Christ; here we have the humiliation and exaltation of the church; for, if we suffer with him, we shall reign with him. Observe,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 54:11

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempests, and not comforted ,.... Or, "O thou poor" F19 עניה V. L. Munster, Pagninus; "O paupercula", Tigurine version; "inops", Cocceius. church; for the first Christian churches chiefly consisted of poor persons, not many mighty and noble being called; and which were greatly "afflicted" with false teachers, who broached errors and heresies, and made schisms among them; and "tossed with tempests" like a ship at sea; or "stormed" F20 סוערה ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 54:11

Behold, I will lay thy stones "Behold, I lay thy stones" - These seem to be general images to express beauty, magnificence, purity, strength, and solidity, agreeably to the ideas of the eastern nations; and to have never been intended to be strictly scrutinized, or minutely and particularly explained, as if they had each of them some precise, moral, or spiritual meaning. Tobit, in his prophecy of the final restoration of Israel, describes the New Jerusalem in the same oriental manner: "For... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:1-17

The future of the Church. "The person addressed is the ideal Zion, who is practically identical with the ideal or spiritual Israel." I. HER FRUITFULNESS . Nothing to an Israelitish mind can suggest more forcibly the idea of desolation and sorrow in a nation or spiritual community than the childless woman. Historically , the restored exiles may be referred to; physically and to some extent spiritually Israelites, but, while on a foreign soil, and unbaptized with the Spirit,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:11

O thou afflicted (comp. Isaiah 49:14-17 ). Jerusalem is seen as she was during the Captivity—"afflicted" by God's hand, vexed with all his storms, and not yet comforted (Comp. Isaiah 64:10 , Isaiah 64:11 ). Then a fresh vision obliterates the mournful sight. I will lay thy stones with fair colours ; literally, I will lay thy stones in antimony; i.e. I will give them a setting and adornment like that which beautiful women were in the habit of giving to their eyes when they wished to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:11-17

THE GLORY OF THE NEW JERUSALEM , AND THE HAPPINESS OF ITS INHABITANTS . Hitherto Israel has been addressed; now the direct object of address is Jerusalem. The eye of the prophet passes, however, with a glance, from the actual present to the far-distant future, and sees the Zion of God in her heavenly setting, all bedecked with precious stones, as she was seen by the exile of Patmos more than seven centuries later ( Revelation 21:16-21 ). After briefly describing the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 54:11

O thou afflicted - In the previous verses, Yahweh had merely promised protection, and had in general terms assured them of his favor. Here he shows that they should not only be defended, but that his church would rise with great beauty, and be ornamented like a most splendid palace or temple. This is to be regarded as addressed primarily to the exiles in Babylon near to the close of their seventy years’ captivity. But nothing forbids us to apply it to the church in all similar circumstances... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 54:11-12

Isaiah 54:11-12. O thou afflicted, &c. O thou, my church, which hast been in a most afflicted and comfortless condition; behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, &c. I will make thee exceedingly beautiful and pure, stable and glorious. For, as Bishop Lowth justly observes, “these seem to be general images to express beauty, magnificence, purity, strength, and solidity, agreeably to the ideas of the eastern nations; and to have never been intended to be strictly... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Isaiah 54:1-17

Yahweh and Israel reunited (54:1-17)Israel is likened to the wife of Yahweh. Her exile in Babylon was like a period of divorce when God separated her from him because of her sins. During this time she did not increase or prosper as a nation. She is now to return to God and to her homeland, where she will produce greater increase than in the days before the captivity. As an Arab has to enlarge his tent to accommodate more children, so Israel will have to enlarge its borders to accommodate this... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Isaiah 54:11

"O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, behold, I will set thy stones in fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy pinnacles with rubies, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy border of precious stones. And all thy children shall be taught of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they... read more

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