Isaiah 58:12 kjv
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
Isaiah 58:12 nkjv
Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
Isaiah 58:12 niv
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
Isaiah 58:12 esv
And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.
Isaiah 58:12 nlt
Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.
Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls
and a restorer of homes.
Isaiah 58 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 43:1-3 | "But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." | Echoes the theme of God's presence and protection during difficult passages, highlighting divine intervention in restoration. |
| Jer 30:17 | "For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the LORD, because they have called you an outcast, saying, ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’" | Connects the idea of healing and restoration to a people who have been perceived as rejected or desolate. |
| Eze 36:35 | "And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’" | Directly parallels the imagery of desolation transforming into a garden-like abundance. |
| Ps 107:35-37 | "He turns a desert into a pool of water, a parched land into springs of water. And there he settles the hungry, and they found a city to dwell in. They sow fields and plant vineyards and gather a fruitful harvest." | Illustrates God's power to bring life and fertility to barren places, aligning with the restoration theme. |
| Isa 55:12-13 | "For you shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." | Depicts a future of joy, peace, and natural abundance following a period of distress, reflecting the outcome promised in Isaiah 58:12. |
| Luke 1:78-79 | "By the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Day from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." | Links divine intervention with bringing light to darkness and guidance towards peace, a spiritual parallel to physical restoration. |
| Rev 21:4-5 | "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’" | Presents a final and ultimate restoration where all desolation and sorrow are removed, fulfilling the promise of renewed life. |
| Gal 6:16 | "And as many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy upon them, and upon the Israel of God." | Implies a blessing of peace and mercy upon those who live according to God's principles, connecting righteous living to divine favor and renewal. |
| Eph 2:21-22 | "In whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." | Uses building imagery, where individuals are "built together" as God's dwelling place, echoing the rebuilding of the people and the land. |
| Zech 8:13 | "And as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong." | Shows a reversal of fortune from curse to blessing, mirroring the transformation from desolation to flourishing. |
| Joel 2:23-24 | "Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the early rain for your vindication. ... The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil." | Describes God's provision of abundance after a time of distress, akin to the restoration of a desolate land. |
| Hos 14:5-7 | "I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the cedar of Lebanon; his breaches shall heal; he shall blossom abundantly like the lily, he shall rejoice in the LORD. ... I will answer him and care for him; like a luxuriant terebinth tree I will be with him. From me comes your fruit." | Uses natural imagery of growth, healing, and fruitfulness to describe God's restorative action on His people. |
| Ps 126:5-6 | "May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, shall return with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him." | Captures the principle that hardship and sorrow ("sowing in tears") lead to joy and abundance ("reap with shouts of joy"). |
| Acts 3:19-21 | "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for the restoration of all things about which God has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago." | Connects repentance and turning back to God with times of refreshing and the ultimate restoration of all things. |
| 1 Pet 2:4-5 | "As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to you, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." | Refers to believers as "living stones" built into a spiritual house, paralleling the foundation and rebuilding themes. |
| Rom 11:25-26 | "For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, of a hardening in part has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. And so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, 'The deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.'" | Addresses a future collective salvation for Israel, suggesting a phase of temporary brokenness followed by comprehensive restoration. |
| Rev 7:16-17 | "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." | Presents a heavenly reality free from any form of lack or suffering, representing the ultimate fulfillment of restoration promises. |
| Isa 11:6-9 | "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the yearling shall graze together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like an ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall hand his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." | Describes a transformed and peaceful creation where harmony replaces destruction, reflecting the revitalized and flourishing aspect of the restored land and people. |
| Deut 28:1-14 | "And if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth... But if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God or to be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you..." | Outlines the blessings of obedience and curses for disobedience, framing the historical context of Israel’s covenant relationship with God which includes restoration after discipline. |
| Nah 1:15 | "Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah, fulfill your vows, for the wicked shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off." | Offers a message of good news and peace following judgment, portraying the end of incursions and the beginning of security and festivity. |
Isaiah 58 verses
Isaiah 58 12 Meaning
Those who pass through a desolate or wasted land will become foundations for you, and your people will be rebuilt as God's flock, and the desolate places will become productive like the garden of Eden under divine care, and it will be known that God is faithful in His promises of restoration and healing.
Isaiah 58 12 Context
Isaiah 58 is part of a larger section in Isaiah (chapters 40-66) dealing with God's comfort and restoration of Israel after their exile. Specifically, chapter 58 critiques the Israelites' fasting, which they performed externally without genuine inner repentance and justice. The prophet Isaiah, speaking on behalf of God, emphasizes that true fasting involves loosening the bonds of injustice, caring for the oppressed, and sharing resources.
Verse 11 of chapter 58 promises continuous divine guidance and provision, likening God to a watering source in a dry place. Verse 12 directly builds on this by describing the resulting blessings upon the people and the land when they practice the kind of righteousness God desires. The verse speaks of the lasting impact of their rebuilding efforts and how they will be a testament to God’s faithfulness. It promises that those who were formerly scattered and broken will become foundations, and the ravaged land will be rebuilt and flourish as a garden, bearing witness to the world that God has healed and restored them. This prophecy is set against the backdrop of Israel’s exilic and post-exilic experience, offering a vision of ultimate redemption and renewal.
Isaiah 58 12 Word analysis
- וְקֹטְבִיּ֖וּ (və· qō·ṭə·bî ·û)
- Transliteration:
vekatbiu - Meaning: "and your foundation-layers," or "those who will build foundations."
- Significance: Refers to those who will establish or re-establish the community and its structures, becoming a new firm base.
- Transliteration:
- חֲרָב֖וֹת (ḥă· rā· bō· wə)
- Transliteration:
charaboth - Meaning: "desolations," "ruins," "waste places."
- Significance: Refers to areas that have been devastated, perhaps by war, neglect, or natural disaster, highlighting the extent of the prior destruction.
- Transliteration:
- תִּבָּנֶ֣נָּה (tî· bā· nɛ· nā)
- Transliteration:
tibannena - Meaning: "they shall be built up."
- Significance: Indicates a passive rebuilding, signifying that God is the active agent in restoring these desolations.
- Transliteration:
- וּמִיּוֹתָ֖מִים (ū· mî · yô· ṯā · mîm)
- Transliteration:
umi yothamim - Meaning: "and from those who are in ruins," or "and those from everlasting," but most scholars interpret this in context as continuity of past devastation impacting future existence. It's linked to the prior 'desolations'. A more robust translation is "from the remnants" or "from what was wasted and old".
- Significance: Connects the building back to what was lost or in ruins, emphasizing the thoroughness of the restoration.
- Transliteration:
- יְקוֹמְמ֖וּ (yə· qō· mɛ · mû)
- Transliteration:
yekomemu - Meaning: "they shall stand up," "they shall be raised up," or "they shall cause to rise."
- Significance: Implies a resurrection or a state of being restored to a strong, standing position, overcoming the former brokenness.
- Transliteration:
- וְאֶפְתָּ֖ח (wə· ’əp· ṯā)
- Transliteration:
vephatach - Meaning: "and I will open."
- Significance: God's action of making way, allowing access and renewal.
- Transliteration:
- גְּמֻלּ֥וֹת (gə· mul · lôṯ)
- Transliteration:
gemuloth - Meaning: "recompenses," "rewards," or "benefits."
- Significance: Refers to the good that comes as a result of obedience and righteous action, God's promised blessings.
- Transliteration:
- עוֹלָֽמִים (ʿō · lã · mîm)
- Transliteration:
olamim - Meaning: "everlasting," "eternal," or "perpetuity."
- Significance: Emphasizes the lasting and unending nature of the blessings and restoration promised by God.
- Transliteration:
Group Analysis
- "Those who will build foundations from the desolations": This phrase signifies that individuals or groups who have endured significant hardship and destruction will become the strong, stable basis for the new community and its rebuilt structures. They are the ones who, having survived ruin, will establish the future.
- "and the waste places will be built up, and from those in ruins they shall be raised up": This imagery portrays a complete reversal of the devastation. The empty, destroyed sites will not only be repaired but will become inhabited and strong, and the people or places that were broken and ruined will be revitalized and made to stand firm.
- "and I will open the everlasting rewards/benefits": This highlights God’s active role in initiating and providing lasting blessings that will flow from the renewed state of the people and the land.
Isaiah 58 12 Bonus section
This verse resonates with the New Testament concept of the church being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2:4-6). Believers are described as "living stones" that are being built into a spiritual house. This connection highlights that the rebuilding and foundational roles promised in Isaiah are spiritually fulfilled in the body of Christ. The idea of desolate places becoming like a garden of Eden points to the ultimate, eschatological hope of a renewed earth where God's presence fully heals all brokenness (Revelation 21:4-5). The "everlasting rewards" mentioned can be understood as the eternal life and heavenly kingdom promised through Jesus Christ, the ultimate expression of God's restorative work.
Isaiah 58 12 Commentary
Isaiah 58:12 is a powerful promise of restoration and enduring blessing. It assures that through faithfulness to God's ways, specifically embodying righteousness and justice, the devastated aspects of life – both personal and communal – will be rebuilt. The imagery speaks of people who, having been through significant trial and loss ("desolations" and "ruins"), will form the strong foundation of a re-established community. This rebuilding is not merely a repair but a revitalization, with waste places becoming sites of habitation and strength.
Furthermore, God is presented as the initiator of this renewal, opening "everlasting rewards." This means the blessings received are not temporary but are established as a perpetual inheritance, a sign of God's faithfulness and covenant love. This verse signifies hope for healing, recovery, and enduring prosperity following periods of suffering, rooted in God's transformative power. It underscores the idea that righteous living, characterized by care for others and justice, leads to deep and lasting well-being, not just for individuals but for the entire community, mirroring the promises of new life and a flourishing creation found throughout Scripture.