Isaiah 49:19 kjv
For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
Isaiah 49:19 nkjv
"For your waste and desolate places, And the land of your destruction, Will even now be too small for the inhabitants; And those who swallowed you up will be far away.
Isaiah 49:19 niv
"Though you were ruined and made desolate and your land laid waste, now you will be too small for your people, and those who devoured you will be far away.
Isaiah 49:19 esv
"Surely your waste and your desolate places and your devastated land ? surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
Isaiah 49:19 nlt
"Even the most desolate parts of your abandoned land
will soon be crowded with your people.
Your enemies who enslaved you
will be far away.
Isaiah 49 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 49:21 | Then said I, I am lost; my hope is cut off from the Lord. | Self-reflection and despair, countered by divine assurance. |
| Ps 22:6 | But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. | Song of God’s suffering servant. |
| Ps 27:10 | When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. | God’s unwavering care in abandonment. |
| Ps 40:17 | But I am poor and needy: yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; my God, tarry not. | Expression of need and reliance on God’s intervention. |
| Ps 71:10 | For thine enemies reproach me; and they that hate me take counsel together against my life. | Similar plea against opposition. |
| Jer 15:10 | Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to all the earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet they all curse me. | Jeremiah's lament over his difficult calling. |
| Lam 3:8 | Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. | Lamentations’ description of God’s apparent silence. |
| Lam 1:1 | How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! | Imagery of desolation and abandonment. |
| Mark 10:45 | For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. | Christ's mission as servant and redeemer. |
| Luke 1:52 | He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. | Mary's Magnificat, celebrating God's reversal of fortunes. |
| John 15:18 | If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. | Jesus’ warning of worldly opposition. |
| John 16:33 | These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. | Jesus' promise of peace amidst tribulation. |
| Rom 8:17 | And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. | Sharing in Christ’s suffering for future glory. |
| 2 Cor 4:8 | We are troubled on every side, yet not oppressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; | The apostles' endurance of suffering without despair. |
| 2 Cor 11:23 | Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. | Paul's account of his hardships for the gospel. |
| 2 Cor 12:10 | Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. | Finding strength in weakness and suffering for Christ. |
| Phil 3:10 | That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; | Paul's pursuit of Christ's suffering and resurrection power. |
| Heb 12:2 | Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. | Jesus’ example of enduring suffering for a greater reward. |
| Rev 12:11 | And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. | Believers overcoming through Christ's sacrifice and testimony. |
| Isa 40:31 | But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. | Promise of strength for those who wait on God. |
Isaiah 49 verses
Isaiah 49 19 Meaning
For who is making waste of me and my life, and of those who afflict me with cruelty, truly I am destitute and sorrowful; but the Lord Jehovah will be my strength and my aid. He will rescue and deliver me from all that makes me miserable and brings me down.
Isaiah 49 19 Context
Isaiah 49 presents the powerful and suffering Servant of the Lord, who, despite facing rejection and desolation, is commissioned by God to bring salvation to Israel and the nations. This chapter is a pivotal moment in the depiction of God’s redemptive plan, portraying the Servant's difficult but ultimately victorious mission. Verse 19 shifts to describe the Servant’s dire circumstances and God’s promise of future abundance and vindication in contrast to his present state. The imagery contrasts the desolation of the Servant and his people with a future of overwhelming prosperity and growth.
Isaiah 49 19 Word Analysis
For (וְאִם - v'im): A conjunctive particle indicating a conditional or hypothetical situation; "and if," or "but if." It introduces a statement of severe affliction or abandonment.
who (מִשּׂוֹמֵם - misōmēm): From the root סוּם (sum), meaning "to lay waste," "to destroy," "to desolate," "to render empty." It signifies one who makes things desolate, bringing ruin or utter destruction, implying a state of emptiness and devastation.
made me desolate (וְאַףְעִירֵם - v'apʿīrēm): The verb עִיר (ʿīr) means "to awaken," "to stir up," but here, combined with the accusative particle אַף (af - "even"), it carries a sense of making bare, stripping, or emptying. The plural suffix indicates multiple agents causing this desolation.
and (וְ - v'): Connects the previous state of desolation with the subsequent affliction.
of them (אוֹתִי - ōtî): From אָתוֹ (atô), a particle of negation or a rhetorical question "is it not?" or "surely," often expressing lament or complaint. Used here with the object pronoun "me." This combination signals a question or lament about the identity of the desolators. Scholars suggest this reading, "And my enemies?"
that afflict me (אֹיְבַי - 'ōyəbay): Plural of אִיּוֹב ('îyôb), from the root אָיַב ('āyab), meaning "to be hostile," "to be an enemy." It denotes adversaries or enemies.
truly (כִּי - kî): A common conjunction introducing a statement of certainty or affirmation; "for," "because," "indeed," "surely." It emphasizes the reality of the state that follows.
I am desolate (עָזְבָה — āzəvāh): From the root עָזַב (ʿāzab), meaning "to forsake," "to leave," "to abandon," "to be forsaken." It expresses a state of being abandoned, deserted, and therefore left in a desolate condition.
and sorrowful (וּבְלִי־אֵין־לִי־מְנֵחָה — ūḇəlî-'ên-lî-mənēḥāh): A compound phrase: וּבְלִי ('uḇəlî) "and without"; אֵין ('ên) "there is not"; לִי (lî) "to me"; מְנֵחָה (mənēḥāh) "rest," "solace," "comfort." Literally "and without there is not to me rest," meaning "and without solace" or "and I have no comfort." This vividly describes a state of profound distress and lack of comfort.
Word Group Analysis:
- "For who is making waste of me and of them that afflict me truly I am desolate and without comfort": This entire clause sets up a lament. The question implicitly asks for an identification of those causing the suffering and a declaration of the resulting desolate state. The phrasing "made me desolate" and "afflict me" points to both internal desolation and external oppression.
- "My enemies?": This clarifies that the "afflictors" are the enemies of the speaker, adding a layer of hostility and deliberate opposition to the suffering described.
- "Indeed I am desolate and without comfort": This is a strong affirmation of the deep spiritual and emotional barrenness caused by this affliction, highlighting a complete lack of inner solace.
Isaiah 49 19 Bonus Section
The language used here is intensely personal and evocative of deep distress, mirroring expressions found in the Psalms, particularly those of David during times of intense persecution. The sentiment of being made "desolate" and having "no comfort" speaks to a spiritual emptiness and isolation that only a divine intervention can rectify. The structure of posing a rhetorical question followed by a stark declaration of one's condition is a literary device used to draw attention to the gravity of the suffering. This verse sets the stage for the remarkable turnaround that God promises, illustrating His faithfulness in lifting up those who are brought low by their adversaries. It also foreshadows the experience of Christ, who, while on the cross, expressed a sense of abandonment, only to be resurrected to ultimate victory.
Isaiah 49 19 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the deep suffering of the Servant of the Lord, who, despite being chosen for a divine purpose, finds himself in a state of profound desolation and abandonment. The Servant questions those who have made him so bare and are actively afflicting him, recognizing them as enemies. He affirms his state as one of utter desolation, devoid of any comfort or rest. This reflects the immense hardship faced by those who are God's instruments of salvation, often meeting with opposition and misunderstanding from the world. However, the subsequent verses in Isaiah 49 reveal God's powerful response and the ultimate vindication and expansion of the Servant's influence.