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Isaiah 49:19

Isaiah 49:19 in Multiple Translations

For your ruined and desolate places and your ravaged land will now indeed be too small for your people, and those who devoured you will be far away.

For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.

For, as for thy waste and thy desolate places, and thy land that hath been destroyed, surely now shalt thou be too strait for the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.

For though the waste places of your land have been given to destruction, now you will not be wide enough for your people, and those who made you waste will be far away.

Your ruined towns and abandoned places and devastated lands will be crowded with people, while those who took over your country will be long gone.

For thy desolations, and thy waste places, and thy land destroied, shall surely be now narow for them that shall dwell in it, and they that did deuoure thee, shalbe farre away.

Because thy wastes, and thy desolate places, And the land of thy ruins, Surely now are straitened because of inhabitants, And far off have been those consuming thee.

“For, as for your waste and your desolate places, and your land that has been destroyed, surely now that land will be too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away.

For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.

For thy deserts, and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction shall now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be chased far away.

Your land has been ruined and caused to become desolate/abandoned [DOU], but some day it will be filled with people, and those who conquered you will be far away.

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Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 49:19

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Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Isaiah 49:19 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB
HEB כִּ֤י חָרְבֹתַ֨יִ/ךְ֙ וְ/שֹׁ֣מְמֹתַ֔יִ/ךְ וְ/אֶ֖רֶץ הֲרִֽסֻתֵ֑י/ךְ כִּ֤י עַתָּה֙ תֵּצְרִ֣י מִ/יּוֹשֵׁ֔ב וְ/רָחֲק֖וּ מְבַלְּעָֽיִ/ךְ
כִּ֤י kîy H3588 for Conj
חָרְבֹתַ֨יִ/ךְ֙ chorbâh H2723 desolation N-fp | Suff
וְ/שֹׁ֣מְמֹתַ֔יִ/ךְ shâmêm H8074 be desolate Conj | V-Qal | Suff
וְ/אֶ֖רֶץ ʼerets H776 land Conj | N-cs
הֲרִֽסֻתֵ֑י/ךְ hărîyçûwth H2035 ruins N-fs | Suff
כִּ֤י kîy H3588 for Conj
עַתָּה֙ ʻattâh H6258 now Adv
תֵּצְרִ֣י yâtsar H3334 be distressed V-Qal-Imperf-2fs
מִ/יּוֹשֵׁ֔ב yâshab H3427 to dwell Prep | V-Qal
וְ/רָחֲק֖וּ râchaq H7368 to remove Conj | V-Qal-3cp
מְבַלְּעָֽיִ/ךְ bâlaʻ H1104 to swallow up V-Piel | Suff
Hebrew Word Study

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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 49:19

כִּ֤י kîy H3588 "for" Conj
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Definition: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
Usage: Occurs in 3910 OT verses. KJV: and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 26:16; Genesis 42:15.
חָרְבֹתַ֨יִ/ךְ֙ chorbâh H2723 "desolation" N-fp | Suff
This word refers to a place that has been laid waste or destroyed, often due to war or disaster. In the Bible, it is used to describe the consequences of sin and disobedience. The prophet Ezekiel used this word to describe a desolate city.
Definition: a place laid waste, ruin, waste, desolation
Usage: Occurs in 42 OT verses. KJV: decayed place, desolate (place, -tion), destruction, (laid) waste (place). See also: Leviticus 26:31; Jeremiah 27:17; Psalms 9:7.
וְ/שֹׁ֣מְמֹתַ֔יִ/ךְ shâmêm H8074 "be desolate" Conj | V-Qal | Suff
The word 'shamem' means to be desolate or devastated, like a place left empty and destroyed, often used to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Definition: : destroyed/deserted 1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled 1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate 1b2) to be appalled 1c) (Polel) 1c1) to be stunned 1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle) 1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst) 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated 1d2) to appal, show horror 1e) (Hophal) to lay desolate, be desolated 1f) (Hithpolel) 1f1) to cause to be desolate 1f2) to be appalled, be astounded 1f3) to cause oneself desolation, cause oneself ruin
Usage: Occurs in 80 OT verses. KJV: make amazed, be astonied, (be an) astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make) desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay, lie, make) waste, wonder. See also: Leviticus 26:22; Jeremiah 50:13; Psalms 40:16.
וְ/אֶ֖רֶץ ʼerets H776 "land" Conj | N-cs
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Definition: : soil 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.
הֲרִֽסֻתֵ֑י/ךְ hărîyçûwth H2035 "ruins" N-fs | Suff
This word means complete destruction or ruin, like a demolished building. It is used to describe the aftermath of war or disaster. The KJV Bible translates it as destruction.
Definition: destruction, ruin, overthrow
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: destruction. See also: Isaiah 49:19.
כִּ֤י kîy H3588 "for" Conj
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Definition: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
Usage: Occurs in 3910 OT verses. KJV: and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 26:16; Genesis 42:15.
עַתָּה֙ ʻattâh H6258 "now" Adv
This word means now or at this time, like in Exodus when God says now is the time to act. It can also be used to connect ideas or show a change in time, as seen in the book of Isaiah.
Definition: 1) now 1a) now 1b) in phrases
Usage: Occurs in 422 OT verses. KJV: henceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas. See also: Genesis 3:22; Joshua 24:23; 2 Samuel 24:13.
תֵּצְרִ֣י yâtsar H3334 "be distressed" V-Qal-Imperf-2fs
This word describes being in distress or a tight spot, like being narrow or cramped. It's used in the Bible to describe difficult situations, such as in Psalm 119:143.
Definition: 1) to bind, be distressed, be in distress, be cramped, be narrow, be scant, be in straits, make narrow, cause distress, beseige 1a) (Qal) to suffer distress
Usage: Occurs in 10 OT verses. KJV: be distressed, be narrow, be straitened (in straits), be vexed. See also: Genesis 32:8; Nehemiah 9:27; Proverbs 4:12.
מִ/יּוֹשֵׁ֔ב yâshab H3427 "to dwell" Prep | V-Qal
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Definition: 1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sit, sit down 1a2) to be set 1a3) to remain, stay 1a4) to dwell, have one's abode 1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited 1c) (Piel) to set, place 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to sit 1d2) to cause to abide, set 1d3) to cause to dwell 1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited 1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to) 1e) (Hophal) 1e1) to be inhabited 1e2) to make to dwell Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)
Usage: Occurs in 977 OT verses. KJV: (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry. See also: Genesis 4:16; Leviticus 25:18; Joshua 13:6.
וְ/רָחֲק֖וּ râchaq H7368 "to remove" Conj | V-Qal-3cp
To remove or go far away, as in Genesis 21:16 where Hagar is sent away by Abraham. It means to create distance or separate oneself from something or someone.
Definition: v 1) to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away 1a) (Qal) to be far, be distant 1b) (Piel) to send far away, extend 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to make or exhibit distance, be gone far 1c2) to remove, put far away 2) (Niphal) loose v inf (as adv) 3) at a distance
Usage: Occurs in 56 OT verses. KJV: (a-, be, cast, drive, get, go, keep (self), put, remove, be too, (wander), withdraw) far (away, off), loose, [idiom] refrain, very, (be) a good way (off). See also: Genesis 21:16; Psalms 119:150; Psalms 22:12.
מְבַלְּעָֽיִ/ךְ bâlaʻ H1104 "to swallow up" V-Piel | Suff
This word means to swallow or destroy something completely. It can be used to describe something being eaten up or destroyed, like in a natural disaster or a strong storm. The Bible uses it to convey total destruction.
Definition: 1) to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to swallow down 1a2) to swallow up, engulf 1b) (Niphal) to be swallowed up 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to swallow 1c2) to swallow up, engulf 1c3) squandering (fig.) 1d) (Pual) to be swallowed up 1e) (Hithpael) to be ended
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: cover, destroy, devour, eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up). See also: Genesis 41:7; Psalms 106:17; Psalms 21:10.

Study Notes — Isaiah 49:19

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1 Zechariah 10:10 I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon until no more room is found for them.
2 Isaiah 54:1–2 “Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth in song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD. “Enlarge the site of your tent, stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not hold back. Lengthen your ropes and drive your stakes in deep.
3 Jeremiah 30:18–19 This is what the LORD says: “I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents and have compassion on his dwellings. And the city will be rebuilt on her own ruins, and the palace will stand in its rightful place. Thanksgiving will proceed from them, a sound of celebration. I will multiply them, and they will not be decreased; I will honor them, and they will not be belittled.
4 Psalms 56:1–2 Be merciful to me, O God, for men are hounding me; all day they press their attack. My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me.
5 Isaiah 51:3 For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and melodious song.
6 Isaiah 49:25–26 Indeed, this is what the LORD says: “Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away, and the plunder of the tyrant will be retrieved; I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children. I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
7 Hosea 1:10–11 Yet the number of the Israelites will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted. And it will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’ Then the people of Judah and of Israel will be gathered together, and they will appoint for themselves one leader, and will go up out of the land. For great will be the day of Jezreel.
8 Zechariah 2:4 and said to him, “Run and tell that young man: ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the multitude of men and livestock within it.
9 Zechariah 2:11 “On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD, and they will become My people. I will dwell among you, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me to you.
10 Ezekiel 36:9–15 For behold, I am on your side; I will turn toward you, and you will be tilled and sown. I will multiply the people upon you—the house of Israel in its entirety. The cities will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will fill you with people and animals, and they will multiply and be fruitful. I will make you as inhabited as you once were, and I will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the LORD. Yes, I will cause My people Israel to walk upon you; they will possess you, and you will be their inheritance, and you will no longer deprive them of their children. For this is what the Lord GOD says: Because people say to you, ‘You devour men and deprive your nation of its children,’ therefore you will no longer devour men or deprive your nation of its children, declares the Lord GOD. I will no longer allow the taunts of the nations to be heard against you, and you will no longer endure the reproach of the peoples or cause your nation to stumble, declares the Lord GOD.”

Isaiah 49:19 Summary

Isaiah 49:19 is a promise from God that He will restore and increase the population of His people, to the point where their current land will be too small. This verse reminds us that God is our Redeemer and Restorer, who can take ruined and desolate places and make them new and flourishing, just as He promises in Jeremiah 31:12. As we trust in God's promises, we can have hope that He will bring about restoration and increase in our own lives, just as He did for the Israelites. This is similar to what we see in Psalm 126:1-3, where the Lord restores the fortunes of His people and fills their mouths with laughter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean for the ruined and desolate places to be too small for the people?

This verse, Isaiah 49:19, indicates that God will restore and increase the population of His people to the point where their current land will be insufficient, much like the promise made to Abraham in Genesis 17:5-6, where God says He will make Abraham the father of many nations.

Who are those who devoured the people of God?

In the context of Isaiah 49:19, those who devoured the people of God likely refer to the enemies of Israel, such as the Babylonians or Assyrians, who oppressed and persecuted them, similar to what is described in Isaiah 1:7-8, where the land is left desolate by foreign invaders.

Is this verse only applicable to the Israelites or does it have a broader application?

While Isaiah 49:19 is specifically addressed to the Israelites, its themes of restoration and redemption can also be applied to the church, as seen in Ephesians 2:13-14, where Gentiles are brought near to God through the blood of Christ.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Isaiah 49?

Isaiah 49:19 is part of a larger section that describes the restoration of Israel and the coming of the Messiah, as seen in Isaiah 49:1-7, where the Servant of the Lord is introduced as the one who will bring light to the nations and redemption to Israel.

Reflection Questions

  1. What are the 'ruined and desolate places' in my life that God wants to restore?
  2. How can I trust God to bring about restoration and increase in my life, just as He promises in Isaiah 49:19?
  3. What are some ways that I can 'make room' for God to work in my life, as the children of bereavement ask in Isaiah 49:20?
  4. How can I apply the promise of Isaiah 49:19 to my own life, knowing that God is my Redeemer and Restorer?

Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 49:19

For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction,.... Or "thy land of destruction, or thy destroyed land" (n); laid waste and desolate by the enemy, without inhabitants; such

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 49:19

For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 49:19

Thy waste and thy desolate places; thy own land, which is now waste and desolate, and whereof divers parts lay formerly waste and desolate for want of people to possess and manage them. The land of thy destruction; or rather, thy land of destruction; so called because it is devoted and shall be exposed to destruction. Shall be far away, to wit, from thee.

Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 49:19

Isaiah 49:19 For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.Ver. 19. For thy waste and thy desolate places.] Heb., Thy wastenesses and thy desolations. The true Church then may lie waste and desolate and not be so gloriously visible, as the Papists falsely say it always is. Shall even now be too narrow.] A metaphor from cities that being overcrowded send out colonies into other countries. And they that swallowed thee up.] See Isaiah 49:17.

Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 49:19

(19) Shall even now be too narrow.—Literally, with a vivid abruptness, thou shalt be . . . The over population of the future is contrasted with the depopulation of the past (Isaiah 3:6; Isaiah 4:1).

Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 49:19

Ch. Isaiah 49:14 to Isaiah 50:3. The Consolation of Zion(i) Isaiah 49:14-21. In an apostrophe to Jerusalem the prophet announces the speedy return of her population and the rebuilding of her waste places. The poetry of the passage is singularly beautiful, and charged with tender emotion. Zion, the idealised city, is the wife of Jehovah, and the mother of her inhabitants. Although she now thinks of herself as rejected and barren (Isaiah 49:14), she is assured of the unchanging love of her God (Isaiah 49:15-16) which will soon be manifested in her restoration to the joy of motherhood (17–20). The ecstasy of amazement and delight with which she recognises and welcomes her children (Isaiah 49:21) is finely opposed to the opening picture of her desolation and despondency. Note also the contrast between the whole conception and the fate of the “virgin daughter of Babylon” (Isaiah 47:8-9). (ii) Ch. Isaiah 49:22 to Isaiah 50:3. Three oracles, confirming the promise to Zion. (1) Isaiah 49:22-23. On a signal from Jehovah the nations shall bring home the scattered children of Zion; nay, their kings and queens shall esteem it an honour to foster the newly-formed community. (2) Isaiah 49:24-26. No earthly power can interpose between Jehovah and the deliverance of His people; Israel is His lawful prey, and none shall pluck them from Him (see the notes below). In thus representing the deliverance as effected by force, the prophet no doubt has in view the one nation that would not obey the signal of Isa 49:22. (3) Isaiah 50:1-3. Lastly, there exists no legal impediment to the redemption of Israel; Jehovah has issued no sentence of formal rejection against His people, nor has anyone acquired the rights of a creditor over them (Isaiah 49:1). He therefore expresses surprise that there is so little response to the promise of salvation, so little faith in His almighty power.

Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 49:19

For thy waste and thy desolate places - Thy land over which ruin has been spread, and ever which the exile nation mourns. And the land of thy destruction - That is, thy land laid in ruins.

Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 49:19

19. In the import of Isa 49:16-18 our Version and the Hebrew quite accurately coincide, though the Hebrew is occasionally broken; as for example: Thy waste and thy desolate places — More literally,

Sermons on Isaiah 49:19

SermonDescription
Tim Keller The Gospel by Tim Keller In this sermon, the speaker discusses the three results of the gospel that flow into our lives: restructuring of the heart, removal of sin, and reversal of values. The restructurin
Bill McLeod Breaking Out of the Boundaries by Bill McLeod In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the tendency of Christians to resist change and cling to the familiar. He uses the analogy of bears on a canoe trip to illustrate this point.
T. Austin-Sparks The Arm of the Lord - Part 6 by T. Austin-Sparks In this sermon, the preacher discusses the theme of resurrection and its significance in the Bible. He highlights various instances in the New Testament where the resurrection of J
T. Austin-Sparks The Arm of the Lord - Part 5 by T. Austin-Sparks In this sermon, the speaker discusses the new prospect and hope that comes with the foundation laid by the cross. The Lord is focused on recovering, restoring, and rebuilding His p
Stephen Kaung Isaiah Chapter 62 by Stephen Kaung In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of seeing the church from God's perspective, despite our current circumstances. He reminds the audience that God is working to
Zac Poonen (Galatians) Ch4:8-Ch5:13 by Zac Poonen In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the concept of being a child of God and the responsibility that comes with it. He emphasizes that although we may call God our Father and liv
Brother Yun Back to Jerusalem Vision by Brother Yun This sermon emphasizes the importance of having faith in God's promises and being obedient to His calling, even in the face of challenges and persecution. It encourages believers t

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