Isaiah 29:17 kjv
Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
Isaiah 29:17 nkjv
Is it not yet a very little while Till Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, And the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest?
Isaiah 29:17 niv
In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field and the fertile field seem like a forest?
Isaiah 29:17 esv
Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?
Isaiah 29:17 nlt
Soon ? and it will not be very long ?
the forests of Lebanon will become a fertile field,
and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.
Isaiah 29 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 29:17 | "Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?" | The Lord will transform what is barren into productive and what is productive into a protected, wilder state, indicating a radical change in perception and reality. |
| Isaiah 35:1-2 | "The wilderness and the desert shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the rose." | Foreshadows a divine act of restoration and beautification, aligning with the theme of transformation. |
| Isaiah 60:13 | "The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the pine, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious." | Links Lebanon with divine glory and beauty, echoing the verse's focus on transformation and increased value. |
| Jeremiah 31:12 | "They shall come and sing for joy on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord." | Describes rejoicing and radiance in connection with Zion, reflecting the joy of God's transformative work. |
| Amos 9:13 | "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed." | Depicts an era of abundant harvest and prosperity, a consequence of divine blessing and transformation. |
| John 3:30 | "He must increase, but I must decrease." | Highlights a necessary shift in focus and value, where Christ's importance grows as worldly focus diminishes. |
| 2 Corinthians 5:17 | "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." | Directly speaks to a complete transformation, a new state of being, mirroring the verse's theme of radical change. |
| Romans 11:17 | "But if some branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them and became a partaker of the root and the richness of the olive tree." | Illustrates how the seemingly less favored (wild olive) can be incorporated into the rich sustenance of the true vine, signifying a redemptive transformation. |
| Revelation 21:5 | "And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”" | A powerful statement of ultimate divine renewal, encompassing all of creation, far exceeding the specific prophecy. |
| Revelation 11:15 | "Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”" | Points to a climactic transformation of global authority and dominion, from worldly to divine rule. |
| Psalm 127:1 | "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." | Underscores that true and lasting value or productivity comes from divine involvement. |
| Matthew 13:44 | "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then, in his joy, he sold all that he had and bought that field." | Illustrates how something initially hidden or seemingly insignificant can hold immense, transformative value when recognized. |
| Ephesians 2:10 | "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." | Describes believers as God's creation, intended for specific, valuable purposes, implying a transformation into usefulness. |
| 1 Peter 2:4-5 | "As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious, you yourselves, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house." | Highlights how rejected elements become precious and integral parts of a divine structure, mirroring the transformation theme. |
| Philippians 3:7-8 | "But whatever gain I had, I counted loss for the sake of Christ. To this day I still regard them as loss for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." | Depicts a re-evaluation of values, where previous advantages become worthless compared to Christ, signifying a profound shift. |
| Romans 8:19 | "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God." | Speaks of an awaiting transformation, a revelation of divine purpose that will change the perceived state of existence. |
| Hosea 2:15 | "And I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor for an open door of hope." | Uses Achor (meaning trouble) as a symbol of hope and new beginnings, showcasing transformation from despair to promise. |
| Joel 2:28-29 | "Then afterward I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh..." | Connects the outpouring of the Spirit with a coming era of blessing and transformation for Israel. |
| Haggai 2:7 | "And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come..." | Prophesies a future event that will bring wealth and significance, implying a transformation of current economic or social states. |
| Malachi 4:1-2 | "For behold, the day is coming, burned like an oven..." | Describes a judgment that will ultimately lead to righteousness and healing, a form of transformative purification. |
Isaiah 29 verses
Isaiah 29 17 Meaning
This verse signifies a profound and imminent transformation concerning Israel. What was once considered useless or foolish will become valuable and useful, especially in a practical, transformative way. It points to a divine work that will utterly change the perceived value and function of things, highlighting God's power to remake and redeem.
Isaiah 29 17 Context
Isaiah 29 describes the impending judgment on Jerusalem (referred to as "Ariel" or "lion of God"). The people had become complacent, relying on their own wisdom and traditions rather than God's. God's judgment would be overwhelming and confusing, like a banquet for the dead. However, within this judgment, there is also a promise of future restoration and purification. Verse 17 appears in this context of God's eventual merciful intervention after judgment. It shifts from the immediate doom to a future, renewed state, assuring a profound positive transformation for the land and its people. This prophecy speaks to a time when God's hand will dramatically alter the physical landscape and the spiritual state of the remnant.
Isaiah 29 17 Word Analysis
- "Is it not yet a very little while,"
- "Yet": implies that the time of change is approaching, but has not fully arrived.
- "A very little while": suggests a limited period before the transformation occurs, emphasizing the imminent nature of God's action. This phrasing often sets the stage for significant future events in prophetic literature.
- "and Lebanon"
- Lebanon: Symbolizes a place of strength, beauty, and possibly a foreign power or the grandeur associated with cedars. It evokes images of impressive forests.
- "shall be turned into"
- "Turned into": A metaphor for complete transformation, change in nature, or complete reversal.
- "a fruitful field,"
- "Fruitful field": Represents abundance, fertility, and productivity. The majestic, untamed beauty of the forest (Lebanon) is contrasted with the cultivated, productive nature of a field.
- "and the fruitful field"
- Reiteration of "fruitful field": Sets up the second part of the contrast.
- "shall be regarded as"
- "Regarded as": Indicates a change in perception, valuation, and use, possibly implying a return to a wilder, less cultivated state.
- "a forest?"
- "Forest": Here, it represents a place perhaps more natural, dense, or even seen as overgrown and less accessible compared to a cultivated field. The transformation is from a tamed, productive agricultural land back to a wilder, densely wooded area. This implies a surprising reordering of priorities and values.
Words Group Analysis
The phrase "Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest" presents a striking paradox. It suggests a complete inversion of what is expected. The famed, majestic forests of Lebanon, symbolic of natural strength and beauty, will become something even more valuable for its productivity (a fruitful field). Conversely, the highly valued "fruitful field" of cultivation will be treated as a forest. This could mean it becomes uncultivated again, but the term "forest" might also carry positive connotations of rich abundance and hidden value, or a divine rewilding. The overall sense is of God's radical power to reshape and revalue all things according to His perfect design, overriding human assessments of worth and utility.
Isaiah 29 17 Bonus Section
The transformation described mirrors the overarching narrative of redemption found throughout the Bible. From creation's fall to redemption and new creation, God consistently works to overturn the effects of sin and bring about a perfected state. This specific prophecy speaks to a profound economic, ecological, and spiritual realignment, emphasizing that true abundance and "fruitfulness" ultimately stem from God's design, not human effort alone. The recalibration of value from what is man-made productive to what is God-designated fruitful (even if appearing wild) speaks to a heavenly perspective on utility and worth. The image also connects to Christ as the true vine (John 15) and the ultimate source of spiritual fruitfulness, surpassing earthly agricultural yields.
Isaiah 29 17 Commentary
This verse encapsulates God's power to radically transform the existing order, both physically and in terms of human perception. The magnificent cedars of Lebanon, known for their strength and beauty, will be made even more valuable through cultivation, producing abundant crops. Simultaneously, the carefully cultivated fields, prized for their fruitfulness, will be treated as a dense forest. This duality highlights that God’s plans for renewal involve surprising and profound shifts. What is considered most valuable will become something else, and what is already valuable will be treated in an unexpectedly different way. This foreshadows a future era of restoration and divine dominion where God's reordering will bring about a state superior to humanly conceived productivity or beauty, revealing true value and purpose.