Chapter Overview
Summary
Isaiah 54 follows Isaiah 53 with the BARREN-WOMAN-REJOICES song — Zion-restored after-the-Servant's-suffering. Verse 1 is cited at Galatians 4:27. Verse 13's 'all your children shall be taught by the LORD' is cited at John 6:45. The chapter is the post-passion-resurrection consolation.
Notable Variants
54:1 'sing, O barren one' → Galatians 4:27 verbatim; 54:10 'mountains depart … my steadfast love shall not depart'; 54:13 'all your children shall be taught by the LORD' → John 6:45.
Structural Notes
MT Isaiah 54 = LXX Isaiah 54. 17 verses.
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.
Masoretic (WLC)
רָנִּי עֲקָרָה לֹא יָלָדָה פִּצְחִי רִנָּה וְצַהֲלִי לֹא־חָלָה כִּי־רַבִּים בְּנֵי־שׁוֹמֵמָה מִבְּנֵי בְעוּלָה אָמַר יְהוָה
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
Septuagint (LXX)
εὐφράνθητι στεῖρα ἡ οὐ τίκτουσα ῥῆξον καὶ βόησον ἡ οὐκ ὠδίνουσα ὅτι πολλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ἐχούσης τὸν ἄνδρα
Rejoice, O barren one who did not bear; break forth and cry, you who have not been in labor; for the children of the desolate one are more than those of her who has the husband
GALATIANS 4:27 CITATION. Paul cites this verse VERBATIM-FROM-LXX at Galatians 4:27 in his Hagar-and-Sarah-allegory: 'For it is written: REJOICE, O BARREN ONE WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND CRY ALOUD, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR! FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE ONE WILL BE MORE THAN THOSE OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.' Paul applies the Sarah-typology — the-once-barren-Sarah's offspring exceeding-the-already-married Hagar's — to-the-Christian-church (Gentile-mission's-fruit) exceeding-the-Sinai-covenant's offspring.
Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your dwellings be stretched out. Do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes.
'Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes' tracks MT. ENLARGE-YOUR-TENT — missional-expansion.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities.
'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' tracks MT.
Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced. For you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
'Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more' tracks MT.
For your Maker is your husband — the LORD of hosts is His name — and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth He is called.
'For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called' tracks MT. MAKER-IS-HUSBAND. Marriage-imagery — Christologically extending-to-Christ-as-bridegroom of-the-church (Eph 5:25–27, Rev 21:2).
For the LORD has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God.
'For the LORD has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God' tracks MT.
For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will gather you.
'For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you' tracks MT.
In overflowing wrath for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting covenant love I will have compassion on you, says the LORD, your Redeemer.
'In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the LORD, your Redeemer' tracks MT. EVERLASTING-LOVE. Jeremiah 31:3 ('I have loved you with an everlasting love') parallel.
This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you and will not rebuke you.
'This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you' tracks MT. NOAHIC-COVENANT-LIKE permanence. Genesis 9:11.
For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my covenant love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
'For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you' tracks MT. CHESED-WILL-NOT-DEPART. The most-comforting-eternal-divine-love-promise. Romans 8:38–39 ('neither death nor life … shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus') Christologically-extends.
O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony and lay your foundations with sapphires.
'O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires' tracks MT. STONES-IN-ANTIMONY. Revelation 21:18–21 (New-Jerusalem-with-jewel-foundations) directly-extends — 'the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel.'
I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncle, and all your walls of precious stones.
'I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones' tracks MT.
And all your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.
Masoretic (WLC)
וְכָל־בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְהוָה וְרַב שְׁלוֹם בָּנָיִךְ
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children
Septuagint (LXX)
καὶ πάντας τοὺς υἱούς σου διδακτοὺς θεοῦ καὶ ἐν πολλῇ εἰρήνῃ τὰ τέκνα σου
And I will make all your sons taught of God, and in great peace shall your children be
JOHN 6:45 CITATION. Jesus cites this verse at John 6:45 in his Bread-of-Life discourse: 'It is written in the Prophets: AND THEY WILL ALL BE TAUGHT BY GOD (esontai pantes didaktoi theou). Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.' Jesus identifies-himself as-the-fulfillment of-the-eschatological-divine-teaching. The new-covenant-internal-teaching (cf. Jer 31:34's 'they shall all know me').
In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
'In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you' tracks MT.
If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you.
'If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you' tracks MT.
Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the destroyer to ruin.
'Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy' tracks MT.
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you shall refute. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.
'No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD' tracks MT. NO-WEAPON-AGAINST-YOU-SHALL-PROSPER. The classic spiritual-warfare promise. Romans 8:31 ('if God is for us, who can be against us?') Christologically-extends.