Isaiah 60:22 kjv
A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.
Isaiah 60:22 nkjv
A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong nation. I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time."
Isaiah 60:22 niv
The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly."
Isaiah 60:22 esv
The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it.
Isaiah 60:22 nlt
The smallest family will become a thousand people,
and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation.
At the right time, I, the LORD, will make it happen."
Isaiah 60 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:2 | "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you..." | Promise to Abram of a great nation. |
| Gen 13:16 | "I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth..." | Promise of innumerable descendants. |
| Gen 15:5 | "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." | Countless offspring promised to Abram. |
| Exo 1:7 | "But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly..." | Israel's miraculous growth in Egypt. |
| Deut 1:10 | "The LORD your God has multiplied you, so that today you are as the stars..." | Acknowledgment of Israel's vast numbers. |
| Ps 147:5 | "Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure." | God's limitless power. |
| Isa 2:2-3 | "...the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest..." | Future glory of Zion, attracting nations. |
| Isa 5:19 | "...let him make speed, let him hasten his work..." | Irony of challenging God to hasten. |
| Isa 54:1-3 | "Sing, O barren one... for the children of the desolate one will be more..." | Promise of expansion for desolate Israel. |
| Isa 55:11 | "So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty..." | God's word unfailingly achieves its purpose. |
| Jer 31:3-4 | "I have loved you with an everlasting love... I will build you up again..." | God's restoration of Israel. |
| Jer 32:27 | "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?" | God's omnipotence and ability to do the impossible. |
| Ezek 36:11 | "And I will multiply on you man and beast, and they shall multiply..." | Multiplication promised in restoration. |
| Joel 2:28-32 | "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit..." | Prophecy of Spirit outpouring leading to revival/growth. |
| Hab 2:3 | "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end..." | God's vision for the future will not tarry. |
| Zech 8:13 | "...so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing." | Restoration promises for God's people. |
| Mal 3:10 | "...I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing..." | Promise of overflowing blessings and abundance. |
| Matt 13:31-32 | "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed..." | Growth of the kingdom from small beginnings. |
| Acts 2:41 | "...and there were added that day about three thousand souls." | Rapid growth of the early church (Day of Pentecost). |
| Acts 6:7 | "And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly..." | Continued exponential growth of the early church. |
| Rom 9:28 | "For the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and swiftly." | God's decisive and quick action. |
| 1 Cor 1:27-28 | "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise..." | God uses the weak and small for His purposes. |
| Eph 3:20 | "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think..." | God's exceeding power. |
| 2 Pet 3:8 | "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years..." | God's perspective on time and sovereign control. |
| Heb 11:11-12 | "By faith Sarah herself received power... from one man, already as good as dead..." | God enables the 'barren' to bear fruit and multiply. |
Isaiah 60 verses
Isaiah 60 22 Meaning
This verse declares a profound divine promise of exponential and supernatural growth for God's people, particularly Zion, from their present state of perceived insignificance. It promises that those who are numerically small and seemingly weak will be transformed into an innumerable multitude and a powerful nation, far beyond any natural expectation. This radical transformation is explicitly attributed to God's direct intervention, sealed by His divine name, "I am the LORD," and affirmed with the certainty that He will bring it about decisively and rapidly at His appointed time.
Isaiah 60 22 Context
Isaiah chapter 60 is part of the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-66), delivered to God's people during or after the Babylonian exile, a period of immense national distress, scattering, and despair. The preceding chapters emphasize judgment and then glorious future restoration. Chapter 60 specifically focuses on the future glory of Zion (Jerusalem) in the Messianic age, where light shines upon her, and nations flock to her with their wealth and children, serving God. It portrays Zion as becoming an eternal excellence, surpassing its former state of desolation. The entire chapter builds towards a climax of unprecedented prosperity, righteousness, and honor. Verse 22 acts as the culmination of these magnificent promises, reassuring the struggling remnant that God himself guarantees this extraordinary future of expansion and power. It counters the historical reality of Israel's smallness and weakness among empires by declaring a future where, by divine action, they will be utterly transformed.
Isaiah 60 22 Word analysis
- The least of you (Heb. haqqaṭon - הַקָּטֹן): Refers to 'the small one', 'the insignificant one', or 'the youngest'. This highlights the humble or seemingly negligible starting point of God's people or a specific individual within Zion, contrasting sharply with their glorious destiny. It underscores the extent of divine intervention required for the promised growth.
- will become a thousand (Heb. la'elef - לָאֶלֶף): 'to a thousand'. "A thousand" is often used biblically not merely as a literal number but as an expression for an exceptionally large, almost innumerable, multitude. This signifies exponential, supernatural growth, far exceeding natural demographic expansion or what would be humanly possible from a "least" beginning.
- the smallest (Heb. vehaṣṣaʿir - וְהַצָּעִיר): 'the youngest one', 'the little one'. This is a parallel term to "the least," reinforcing the idea of initial insignificance, weakness, or humble status. It reiterates the magnitude of the transformation God will bring about.
- a mighty nation (Heb. legoi ʿaṣum - לְגוֹי עָצוּם): 'to a strong nation', 'a powerful people'. This indicates not only numerical increase but also the attainment of strength, influence, and corporate identity. The transformed group will not just be many, but also impactful and potent in the world, contrary to their present weakness.
- I am the LORD (Heb. ani YHWH - אֲנִי יְהוָה): 'I am Yahweh'. This is God's covenant name, signifying His self-existent, eternal, and all-powerful nature. It acts as a divine signature and an oath, guaranteeing the fulfillment of the preceding promises. It emphasizes God's sovereign authority, trustworthiness, and unique ability to perform what He declares.
- in its time (Heb. b'ittaah - בְעִתָּהּ): 'in her/its appointed time'. This refers to the divinely predetermined and optimal moment for the fulfillment of the promise. It assures that while the glory may not be immediate, it will certainly come to pass according to God's perfect timetable.
- I will do this swiftly (Heb. akhishénnah - אֲחִישֶׁנָּה): 'I will hasten it'. This indicates an acceleration or rapid accomplishment by God Himself once His appointed time arrives. It doesn't mean that the entire process will be without duration, but rather that when God acts, the promised growth and transformation will occur with decisive and extraordinary speed, compressing what might seem like a long natural development into a divine, accelerated act.
Isaiah 60 22 Bonus section
This verse contains an intrinsic paradox that strengthens its message: "in its time" and "I will do this swiftly." This isn't a contradiction but rather illustrates God's sovereign mode of operation. It implies that God has a perfect, predetermined timeline for His plans ("in its time"), but once that divinely appointed moment arrives, His action will be decisive, unhindered, and accomplished with a speed that surpasses human expectation or natural progression ("I will do this swiftly"). This truth reassures the downtrodden that their current suffering and smallness are temporary, and God's eventual restoration will be both timely and miraculously quick. The transformation envisioned is not merely quantitative but also qualitative—from "the smallest" to "a mighty nation," indicating an elevation in stature and power, reflecting the holiness and strength that God bestows upon His redeemed people. This also has typological significance, finding echoes in the explosive growth of the early Christian church from a small, persecuted group into a global movement, driven not by human power but by the Spirit of God.
Isaiah 60 22 Commentary
Isaiah 60:22 serves as a breathtaking summary of divine promise for Zion's future. It powerfully conveys that God's plan for His people transcends all human limitations and natural expectations. From a seemingly insignificant beginning ("the least," "the smallest"), God will bring forth an astonishing multitude ("a thousand") and endow them with profound strength and influence ("a mighty nation"). The force of this promise lies in its divine guarantor: "I am the LORD." This declaration affirms God's covenant faithfulness, omnipotence, and His absolute control over history and destiny. The timing of this grand fulfillment, "in its time," highlights God's sovereign timetable, reassuring that the promise is not forgotten, merely awaiting its opportune moment. Critically, "I will do this swiftly" underscores a miraculous, accelerated intervention. Once the divine timing is met, God will not merely allow growth but will actively, rapidly, and powerfully bring about this unprecedented transformation, establishing His glorious purpose for Zion with dramatic speed and effectiveness. This verse provides immense comfort and a call to faith, as the magnitude of God's action dwarfs any prior state of despair or weakness.