Isaiah 54 3

Isaiah 54:3 kjv

For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Isaiah 54:3 nkjv

For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited.

Isaiah 54:3 niv

For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.

Isaiah 54:3 esv

For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities.

Isaiah 54:3 nlt

For you will soon be bursting at the seams.
Your descendants will occupy other nations
and resettle the ruined cities.

Isaiah 54 verses

Isaiah 54 3 Meaning

This verse promises an expansion and multiplication of the barren nation of Israel, depicted as having been forsaken and distressed. God assures them that their descendants will become numerous, possessing and developing their new territories and lands. This is a future promise of abundance following a period of suffering and desolation.

Isaiah 54 3 Context

Isaiah chapter 54 is a passage of comfort and hope directed towards Zion (representing Jerusalem and the people of Israel) after a period of severe suffering and exile. The preceding verses describe her barrenness, shame, and distress. This chapter is presented as a message from God, promising restoration, renewal, and a future of unprecedented expansion and security for His people. The immediate context for verse 3 is the assurance of immense growth following the period of affliction, emphasizing a radical transformation from barrenness to fertility and expansion. This prophecy is often seen as pointing both to the return from Babylonian exile and, more significantly, to the spiritual fruitfulness and global reach of the Church in the New Testament era.

Isaiah 54 3 Word Analysis

• וְ֭הַרְחֵ֬בֶתִי (ve-harchebti):

  • וְ (ve): A common Hebrew conjunction meaning "and." Connects this verse to the preceding promises of enlargement.
  • הַרְחֵ֬בֶתִי (harchebti): First-person singular Piel perfect verb from the root רחב (rachav). The Piel stem often indicates causation or intensity. The meaning is "I will make wide" or "I will cause to become wide/large/broad."
    • Significance: It signifies an active and powerful act by God to cause expansion, going beyond natural growth.
    • Related concept: This "making wide" applies to territory and influence.

• כּ֥וֹחַ (kōach):

  • Literally: "strength," "might," "vigor," "ability."
  • Significance: Here it likely signifies the strength and ability to inhabit and possess these expanded territories. It implies not just spatial enlargement but also the capacity to manage and benefit from it. It can also imply the vitality and fertility that allows for growth.

• שְׁכֵֽנַיִךְ (sh'ḵeynayich):

  • Literally: "your neighbours" or "your dwellers." It is the plural of שָׁכֵן (shochen).
  • שְׁכֵֽנַיִךְ (sh'ḵeynayich): Second-person feminine singular possessive form, "your neighbours."
  • Significance: Refers to those dwelling around or within the extended boundaries of the land. It suggests that the neighbours will be within the enlarged territory, or that previously distant nations (neighbours in a broader sense) will now be brought within the influence or presence of God's people.

• וּשְׁכַב֙ (ū-shəḵav):

  • וּ (ū): Conjunction, "and."
  • שְׁכַב֙ (shəḵav): Second-person feminine singular imperative verb from the root שׁכב (shakav), meaning "to lie down," "to rest," "to cohabit."
  • Significance: In this context, coupled with "dwellers" or "neighbours," it speaks of peaceful dwelling and perhaps a more intimate settling, implying security and belonging within the enlarged domain. It could also imply procreation or cohabitation, linking to the theme of population growth.

• בֹּ֣שׁ (bōš):

  • Literally: "ashamed," "confounded."
  • Significance: Directly contrasts with the previous state of shame described in Isaiah 54:4. The people will no longer be ashamed of their past desolation or perceived weakness.

• יִרַשׁ (yirash):

  • Literally: "will inherit," "will possess." Future tense, third-person masculine singular verb from the root ירש (yarash).
  • Significance: Indicates possession and inheritance, a central theme in God's promises to Israel, signifying rightful claim and benefit from the land.

Isaiah 54 3 Bonus Section

The concept of "possessing the strength of neighbours" can be understood as the inheritance of resources and dominion previously held by surrounding nations. This reflects a theme seen elsewhere in Scripture, where God empowers His people to overcome enemies and thrive. For the early church, this verse resonates in its expansion beyond the borders of Judea into the gentile world, where new converts, formerly estranged from God's covenants, became part of the community of faith. The phrase "cause to lie down shame" suggests not merely the absence of shame but an active subduing or laying to rest of the very experience of shame. In the context of spiritual understanding, the "shame" can refer to sin, the guilt associated with it, and the separation from God, all of which are overcome through Christ's atoning sacrifice and resurrection. The faithful in Christ inherit a righteousness that covers all shame.

Isaiah 54 3 Commentary

Isaiah 54:3 continues the theme of radical expansion for a people previously described as barren and few. God declares, "And I will make wide your dwelling place, and you will possess the habitations of neighbours; and you shall cause to lie down, the shame, and you shall inherit the shame will possess." This verse paints a picture of immense growth and security. The "widening" is not merely physical but signifies an increase in capacity and scope, enabled by God's own "strength" (kōach). The inhabitants, formerly few and ashamed, will not only expand their territory but will also absorb the lands of their neighbours, symbolizing their triumph and secure dominion. This future state inherently contrasts with their past experiences of being weak, dispersed, and oppressed by neighbouring peoples. The inheritance of the "dwellers" implies that the former dwellers of these lands will be superseded or integrated into the new, enlarged populace. The latter part of the verse speaks of vanquishing "shame," with the verb "inherit" suggesting that even the very concepts of shame and former barrenness will be possessed and thus rendered null or transformed. This prophetic declaration offers a powerful assurance of God's ability to overcome any circumstance of past suffering and to establish His people in a place of immense blessing, abundance, and security, pointing towards the future glory of both physical Israel and the spiritual Israel, the Church.