Isaiah 49 21

Isaiah 49:21 kjv

Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?

Isaiah 49:21 nkjv

Then you will say in your heart, 'Who has begotten these for me, Since I have lost my children and am desolate, A captive, and wandering to and fro? And who has brought these up? There I was, left alone; But these, where were they?' "

Isaiah 49:21 niv

Then you will say in your heart, 'Who bore me these? I was bereaved and barren; I was exiled and rejected. Who brought these up? I was left all alone, but these?where have they come from?'?"

Isaiah 49:21 esv

Then you will say in your heart: 'Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away, but who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; from where have these come?'"

Isaiah 49:21 nlt

Then you will think to yourself,
'Who has given me all these descendants?
For most of my children were killed,
and the rest were carried away into exile.
I was left here all alone.
Where did all these people come from?
Who bore these children?
Who raised them for me?'"

Isaiah 49 verses

Isaiah 49 21 Meaning

This verse paints a powerful picture of God's ultimate restoration and vindication of His people, the dispersed Israelites, who will be gathered from afar, as if from distant lands. It assures them that their beloved children, previously lost or scattered, will be returned to them, and their return will be accompanied by joyous celebration and honor, reflecting God's overwhelming mercy and faithfulness.

Isaiah 49 21 Context

Isaiah chapter 49 speaks of the Servant of the Lord (often interpreted as representing Israel or the Messiah) and the ultimate redemption and exaltation that God will bring. Verse 21 is part of a larger oracle that describes the astonishment and joy of Zion (representing Jerusalem and God's people) upon witnessing the return of her dispersed children, who had been scattered and seemingly lost. The preceding verses describe the desolation and grief of Zion, which then transitions to this scene of triumphant ingathering. The historical backdrop is the period of Babylonian exile and the subsequent return, but the prophecy extends to a future, more comprehensive restoration.

Isaiah 49 21 Word Analysis

• אֹתָ֖הּ (otah): Pronoun "her" referring to Zion or Jerusalem.
  • Significance: Directly links the ensuing description to the city/people previously lamenting.
• מִ֤י (mi): Interrogative "who."
  • Significance: Introduces Zion's astonishment and questioning.
• מִי־יָלַד־ (mi yelad-): "Who bore" or "who gave birth to."
  • Word Analysis: Implies creation, origination, and motherly nurturing.
• לִ֣י (li): "to me."
  • Significance: Expresses possession and relation to Zion.
• אֶת־אֵ֑לֶּה (et-’eleh): "these" (accusative marker + demonstrative pronoun).
  • Significance: Refers to the sons and daughters who are returning.
• וַאֲנִ֣י (wa’anî): "and I" or "but I."
  • Significance: Sets up Zion's internal declaration and self-understanding of her desolate state.
• הָיִ֤יתִי (hāyîṯî): "have been" or "was."
  • Significance: Speaks of Zion's past condition of abandonment and loneliness.
• שַׁדּוּל​]] (shaddul): "bereaved" or "childless."
  • Word Analysis: Hebrew root related to losing children or being desolate. Implies a state of extreme loss and inability to produce or sustain offspring.
• וְשׁוּלַּ֖ח​]] (wəshūllaḥ): "and cast away" or "sent away."
  • Word Analysis: Root שׁלח (shalach) meaning to send forth, extend, cast away, divorce. It implies forced separation or abandonment.
• וּסְגֻרָֽה׃ (ūṣəḡūrāh): "and shut up" or "confined."
  • Word Analysis: Root סגר (sagar) meaning to shut, enclose, imprison. Denotes being trapped or cut off.
• קִירֵ֙ט־ (qîrəṯ-): "captivity" or "exile." (Though not present, this theme is deeply interwoven with the context of being "cast away" and "shut up.") The imagery is that of a land emptied by conquest and displacement.
• פְּזוּרָ֔ה (pəzūrāh): "scattered" or "dispersed."
  • Word Analysis: Root פזר (pazar) meaning to scatter abroad, disperse. Denotes being spread out widely and without order.
• אֵיפֹ֥ה (’êfōh): "where?"
  • Significance: Zion's question, emphasizing the seemingly impossible nature of this gathering.
• הֵם׃ (hēm): "they."
  • Significance: Refers to the collected individuals.
• וְהוֹתַ֣רְתִּי (wəhōṯarṯî): "and I am left" or "and I have left behind."
  • Significance: Zion's perspective on having been left behind.
• אֶחָ֖ד (‘eḥād): "one."
  • Significance: Reinforces her past solitary state.
• לְאֵ֖לֶּה (lə’êlleh): "to these" or "among these."
  • Significance: Refers to those remaining with her.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Who bore me these?" – This phrase encapsulates Zion's utter devastation and disbelief. Her sense of identity as a mother is questioned because the "children" she raised have been taken or destroyed, leaving her wondering how she could possibly have produced such a vast multitude that now returns. It’s a cry from profound desolation and apparent fruitlessness.
• "I was bereaved and tossed aside, driven away." – This string of participles in Hebrew ("shaddul wəshūllaḥ wəṣəḡūrāh") paints a stark picture of extreme abandonment. "Bereaved" speaks of loss of offspring, "tossed aside" of being discarded, and "driven away" of forced exile and isolation. It describes a state of utter rejection and alienation from God and from her people.
• "Where then are they?" – This interrogative emphasizes the wonder of the homecoming. After experiencing such profound loss and scattering, Zion cannot comprehend their return. The implication is that they were lost beyond hope.
• "I was left all alone, but these – where were they?" – This clause continues Zion's bewilderment. She remembers being left utterly alone, a remnant of a remnant. The rhetorical question "where were they?" highlights the divine intervention that preserved and gathered them when she believed herself to be completely forsaken. The implication is that God’s hand was at work unseen.

Isaiah 49 21 Bonus Section

The imagery of a mother questioning the origin of her returning children strongly evokes themes found elsewhere in Scripture. It highlights God's role not only as a sovereign planner but as a personal, caring Yahweh who brings His people home from the uttermost parts of the earth. This restoration anticipates the final ingathering of believers in Christ, where all nations will be brought into God's presence. The prophet's astonishment reflects a universal human experience of facing situations that seem insurmountable, only to witness God's miraculous provision and restoration, transforming sorrow into immense joy and overwhelming blessing. The reference to being "bereaved" and "scattered" can also be seen as foreshadowing the suffering of the Messiah, who Himself would be forsaken and apparently cast away, yet through whom the true "children of God" would be gathered from all nations.

Isaiah 49 21 Commentary

Isaiah 49:21 vividly portrays the emotional and theological triumph of God's restoration for His people. Zion, represented as a grieving mother, looks upon a seemingly impossible return of her dispersed children and questions her own capacity to have borne such a multitude, given her history of barrenness, abandonment, and exile ("bereaved," "tossed aside," "driven away," "scattered"). This disbelief underscores the magnitude of God's intervening power. It signifies a restoration so profound it feels like a miraculous birth and an unexpected gathering. The verse speaks not just of physical return from exile but echoes through scripture to represent the spiritual gathering of God's redeemed people. It assures us that God preserves and ultimately reclaims those who appear lost, fulfilling His promises despite human perceptions of impossibility. The overwhelming return of Zion's children signifies God's unyielding faithfulness to His covenant people, leading to ultimate vindication and rejoicing.