Isaiah 54 1

Isaiah 54:1 kjv

Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

Isaiah 54:1 nkjv

"Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman," says the LORD.

Isaiah 54:1 niv

"Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the LORD.

Isaiah 54:1 esv

"Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married," says the LORD.

Isaiah 54:1 nlt

"Sing, O childless woman,
you who have never given birth!
Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem,
you who have never been in labor.
For the desolate woman now has more children
than the woman who lives with her husband,"
says the LORD.

Isaiah 54 verses

Isaiah 54 1 meaning

Isaiah 54:1 is a prophetic call to joyful celebration addressed to Jerusalem, personified as a barren and desolate woman. Despite a history of unproductivity, loss, and apparent abandonment (symbolizing the exilic period and spiritual desolation), God commands her to sing with unrestrained joy. The reason given is a miraculous promise: she will soon have more children than a woman who has always been fertile and married, signaling a divine outpouring of restoration, demographic growth, and spiritual expansion beyond natural expectation, demonstrating God's unwavering covenant faithfulness after the suffering of the Messiah described in the preceding chapter.

Isaiah 54 1 Context

Isaiah chapter 54 follows directly after chapter 53, which profoundly describes the suffering, death, and resurrection of the Messiah. The glorification and expansion promised in chapter 54 are a direct consequence of the Suffering Servant's atoning work. Historically, the passage addresses Israel's post-exilic condition, characterized by despair over Jerusalem's desolation and depopulation, feeling like a forsaken "barren wife" among nations. Spiritually, it serves as a prophecy not just for physical Israel's return and rebuilding, but also, as explicitly noted in the New Testament, for the inclusion of the Gentiles into the covenant family of God through Christ, leading to an abundant, worldwide spiritual offspring far exceeding what natural Israel could produce. It transforms the paradigm of blessing from natural fertility and prosperity to divine grace that establishes a new, spiritual family.

Isaiah 54 1 Word analysis

• Sing (רָנִּ֥י, ran·ni): An imperative command, urging jubilant and exultant praise. It denotes a ringing cry, often associated with victory, salvation, and profound joy stemming from God's intervention.
• O barren (עֲקָרָ֔ה, aqa·ra): A feminine noun referring to a woman who is unable to conceive or bear children. In this context, it metaphorically represents Jerusalem or the covenant people, feeling unfruitful, devastated, and depleted by exile and desolation. It speaks to a deep sense of national and spiritual shame or unproductivity.
• thou that didst not bear (לֹא יָלָֽדָה, lo' ya·la·da): This phrase explicitly reiterates and emphasizes the state of childlessness, underscoring the completeness of her barrenness and lack of offspring. Yalad means to bring forth, beget, or give birth.
• break forth into singing (פִצְחִי רִנָּה, pitz·ḥi rin·na): A more intense command than "sing." Patsach means to burst out or erupt, signifying an explosive, uncontained release of joy. Rinnah denotes a loud cry of joy or a shout of triumph. It demands an overt, exuberant display of praise, defying the apparent reality of her desolate state.
• and cry aloud (וְצַהֲלִ֤י, wə·tsa·ha·li): Another strong imperative, meaning to shout, cheer, or exult, similar to the sound a horse makes (whinnying). It further amplifies the demand for boisterous and uninhibited celebration.
• thou that didst not travail with child (לֹֽא־חָ֔לָה, lo cha·la): Refers to experiencing the pangs or pains of labor. It stresses the complete absence of any birthing process, reinforcing the barrenness from every angle.
• for (כִּי, ki): A causal conjunction, introducing the divine reason and motivation for the seemingly irrational command to rejoice. It marks the transition from command to promise.
• more are the children (רַבִּ֤ים בְּֽנֵי־, rab·bîm bə·nê): Rabbim means many, numerous, great in number. B'nei means sons or children. This declares a numerical superiority of offspring, promising abundance beyond measure.
• of the desolate (שׁוֹמֵמָה, šō·me·māh): Feminine noun/adjective describing one who is devastated, deserted, or laid waste. It highlights the past state of emptiness and abandonment experienced by the "barren" one. This desolation, both physical and spiritual, is about to be gloriously reversed.
• than the children of the married wife (מִבְּנֵ֥י בַעֲלָ֖הּ, mib·bə·nê va·‘a·lāh): This sets up a profound contrast. Ba'alah refers to a wife, specifically one with a husband, typically indicating stability and a natural capacity for bearing children. God is declaring that the one who was previously desolate will have a greater spiritual legacy than a naturally fruitful woman, underscoring the supernatural, divine origin of this increase.
• saith the Lord (אָמַ֖ר יְהוָֽה, a·mar Yah·weh): This concluding phrase functions as an authoritative seal on the entire declaration, asserting that this promise is from Yahweh, the sovereign and faithful God, rendering its fulfillment absolutely certain and immutable.

Isaiah 54 1 Bonus section

This verse contains a powerful polemical challenge to the prevailing cultural narratives of ancient societies, where fertility was a prime indicator of divine blessing and social standing. By commanding the barren to rejoice in a promise of unmatched offspring, God inverts human wisdom and asserts His sovereign control over life, destiny, and fruitfulness. The miraculous birth motif (Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah) that punctuates Israel's history prepares the audience for this grand, spiritual culmination, demonstrating a consistent divine pattern: where human ability fails, God's power and promise triumph. The "married wife" could also symbolize other nations or even the previous covenant's limitations, highlighting the boundless scope of the New Covenant's expansion. This divine promise extends beyond temporal blessings to spiritual regeneration, forming an everlasting family through the atoning work foreshadowed in Isa 53.

Isaiah 54 1 Commentary

Isaiah 54:1 bursts forth as a declaration of astounding grace and reversal, following the profound suffering of the Messiah. It challenges a core human understanding of blessing and curse, where barrenness was seen as a sign of divine displeasure. Instead, God commands His "barren" people—Jerusalem/Judah, desolate from exile and suffering—to sing with extravagant joy, because a miraculous increase of offspring awaits her. This is not a result of human effort or natural fertility, but a direct, sovereign act of God. The promised multitude of children, surpassing those of the naturally "married wife," points beyond physical restoration to the exponential growth of God's spiritual family, dramatically fulfilled in the New Covenant through the inclusion of the Gentiles. The passage underlines that divine fruitfulness arises from an impossible situation, glorifying God's power and faithfulness, and teaching His people that true blessing stems from His redemptive work rather than human ability or condition.