Isaiah 61 11

Isaiah 61:11 kjv

For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Isaiah 61:11 nkjv

For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Isaiah 61:11 niv

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Isaiah 61:11 esv

For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.

Isaiah 61:11 nlt

The Sovereign LORD will show his justice to the nations of the world.
Everyone will praise him!
His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring,
with plants springing up everywhere.

Isaiah 61 verses

Isaiah 61 11 Meaning

Isaiah 61:11 proclaims God's unwavering commitment to establishing righteousness and praise universally. It employs a vivid agricultural metaphor, comparing the certainty of seeds sprouting from the earth and a garden producing its harvest to the Lord God's sure act of bringing forth His justice and the resulting worship among all nations. This verse signifies the inevitable fulfillment of God's redemptive purposes, culminating in global recognition of His character and glory.

Isaiah 61 11 Context

Isaiah chapter 61 opens with the prophetic declaration of the Servant of the Lord, whom Jesus identifies as Himself (Luke 4:18-19). This Servant is anointed to bring good news, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives, and comfort those who mourn. The subsequent verses describe a complete restoration for Zion: mourning is replaced by joy, ancient ruins are rebuilt, and the people receive double honor instead of shame. God's faithfulness and justice are foundational to an everlasting covenant. Verse 11, therefore, serves as the triumphant conclusion to these promises, providing a natural analogy for the absolute certainty of God's redemptive work manifesting globally. Historically, this prophecy resonated with the exilic and post-exilic Jewish communities, offering hope of restoration beyond mere physical return, hinting at a profound spiritual transformation. It stood in stark contrast to the despair of exile and the impotence of pagan deities, asserting Yahweh's living, active, and fulfilling power.

Isaiah 61 11 Word analysis

• For as: (כִּי כְּ - kî kə) This opening phrase signals a strong comparison and provides the foundational assurance for the promise. It emphasizes certainty and a natural, undeniable process.
• the earth: (הָאָרֶץ - hā’ārets) Refers to the physical ground, the common basis of agricultural life. It represents the natural order that reliably produces growth.
• brings forth: (תּוֹצִיא - tôt͡sî’) A causative verb, meaning "causes to go out" or "produces." It denotes an active, generative force inherent in the earth, which God established.
• its sprouts: (צִמְחָהּ - tsimḥāh) From the root tsamaḥ, meaning "to sprout" or "grow." Refers to new growth, fresh shoots, symbolizing new life, vitality, and promise. The same root tsemakh is used for the Messianic "Branch" (e.g., Jer 23:5), hinting at a deeper layer of meaning.
• and as a garden: (וּכְגַן - ûkəgann) A "garden" (gan) is a cultivated, tended plot, suggesting intentionality, order, and nurturing leading to an even more assured and flourishing yield.
• causes what is sown in it to spring up: (מַזְרִיעַ מִזְרָעֶיהָ - mazrîaʿ mizrā‘eihā) Lit., "causing its seeds to sprout." Emphasizes the certainty of seed (זרע - zeraʿ) growing in prepared soil. It points to an intentional act of planting leading to an expected outcome.
• so: (כֵּן - kēn) This word draws a direct, unequivocal parallel between the natural phenomenon and divine action, cementing the absolute certainty of God's promise.
• the Lord GOD: (אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה - ’Ădonāy Yehwih) The double divine name emphasizes God's supreme authority (Adonai - Sovereign Master) and His covenant faithfulness (Yahweh - personal, redemptive God). This guarantees the power and integrity of the promise.
• will cause...to spring up: (יַצְמִיחַ - yat͡smîaḥ) Again, the causative form of tsamaḥ, "to sprout" or "cause to grow." This reiterates the consistent and certain nature of God's bringing forth.
• righteousness: (צְדָקָה - tsedaqāh) More than just legal uprightness; in Isaiah, it signifies God's redemptive justice, His active intervention to set things right, restore equity, and establish peace. It also implies the righteous living that results from His saving work.
• and praise: (וּתְהִלָּה - ûthîlāh) Refers to adoration, glory, renown, and worship. It is the appropriate response to God's righteousness and salvation. This praise is public and collective.
• before all the nations: (נֶגֶד כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם - neged kol-hagôyim) "In the sight of all the nations," indicating a public, universal, and undeniable manifestation of God's glory and His people's transformation. The scope is global, emphasizing God's universal plan.

Words-group analysis:

• "For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up": This dual agricultural simile powerfully illustrates the natural, undeniable, and vibrant quality of growth. The earth provides general growth, while a garden implies a more cultivated, intentional, and therefore even more assured yield. The imagery evokes life, freshness, and the promise of abundance.
• "so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up": This phrase directly applies the certainty of natural growth to God's spiritual work. The direct parallel signifies that God's actions are as inevitable and fruitful as the most reliable natural processes. The powerful names "Lord GOD" underline the divine authority behind this guarantee.
• "righteousness and praise": These two elements are intrinsically linked. God's act of setting things right (righteousness) naturally evokes worship and honor (praise). The presence of righteousness fosters a spirit of praise, and true praise flows from a recognition of God's just and salvific acts.
• "before all the nations": This final clause expands the scope of God's work beyond Israel. It's a public display, a global testimony to God's transformative power, where His justice and the resulting adoration will be recognized by every people group.

Isaiah 61 11 Bonus section

• The Hebrew word for "sprout" or "branch" (tsemakh) often carries a Messianic overtone in the prophetic literature (e.g., Jer 23:5, Zech 3:8, 6:12). While here it functions literally in the simile, its use concerning what God will cause to spring up—righteousness and praise—implicitly points to the work of the coming Messiah as the agent through whom this ultimate restoration and revelation of God's glory will occur.
• The use of agricultural imagery throughout the Old Testament to depict spiritual fruitfulness and God's blessings would have deeply resonated with an agrarian society, making the promise vivid and concrete. It speaks of organic, living, and abundant growth as opposed to forced or artificial change.
• The polemical aspect of this verse highlights God's consistency and faithfulness in contrast to the capricious and often unproductive gods of the surrounding pagan nations. Unlike idols "who neither see, hear, nor eat," Yahweh is the active, life-giving, and promise-keeping God who actively brings forth His righteous purposes on a global scale.

Isaiah 61 11 Commentary

Isaiah 61:11 stands as a profound theological guarantee, leveraging the predictability of nature to assure the certainty of divine promise. The verse encapsulates the glorious outcome of God's redemptive program, which began with the Servant's mission described earlier in the chapter. Just as a seed, once sown, inherently possesses the life force to sprout and grow into a plant, so too will God's initiative in bringing justice and truth be utterly successful and evident. This "springing up" is not merely a localized event but a global manifestation, "before all the nations," ensuring universal witness to His glory. It promises a transformation where the world will not only recognize God's righteous character but respond with uninhibited praise. This vision extends beyond mere national restoration to a universal revelation of God's saving power, leading to an environment where righteousness flourishes and every tongue acknowledges His majesty. Practically, this verse instills profound hope, reminding believers that God's plans are sovereign, His purposes are steadfast, and His ultimate victory is assured, culminating in widespread justice and adoration.