Isaiah 54:11
Isaiah 54:11 in Multiple Translations
“O afflicted city, lashed by storms, without solace, surely I will set your stones in antimony and lay your foundations with sapphires.
¶ O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will set thy stones in fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
O troubled one, storm-crushed, uncomforted! see, your stones will be framed in fair colours, and your bases will be sapphires.
My poor storm-damaged city that can't be comforted! Look, I'm going to reset your stones in cement made of antimony, I will use sapphires to lay your foundations.
O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest, that hast no comfort, beholde, I wil lay thy stones with the carbuncle, and lay thy foundation with saphirs,
O afflicted, storm-tossed, not comforted, Lo, I am laying with cement thy stones, And have founded thee with sapphires,
“You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
Oh thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
O poor little one, tossed with tempest, without all comfort, behold I will lay thy stones in order, and will lay thy foundations with sapphires,
You people of Jerusalem [APO],, your enemies acted very violently toward you; it was as though your city was battered by a severe storm, and no one helped you. But now I will cause your city to be rebuilt with stones made of ◄turquoise/valuable stones►, and I will cause the foundations of the city to be made of ◄sapphires/valuable blue stones►.
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 54:11
BAB
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 54:11 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
עֲנִיָּ֥ה
סֹעֲרָ֖ה
לֹ֣א
נֻחָ֑מָה
הִנֵּ֨ה
אָנֹכִ֜י
מַרְבִּ֤יץ
בַּ/פּוּךְ֙
אֲבָנַ֔יִ/ךְ
וִ/יסַדְתִּ֖י/ךְ
בַּ/סַּפִּירִֽים
עֲנִיָּ֥ה
ʻânîy
H6041
afflicted
Adj
סֹעֲרָ֖ה
çâʻar
H5590
to rage
V-Pual-Perf-3fs
לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
נֻחָ֑מָה
nâcham
H5162
to be sorry
V-Pual-Perf-3fs
הִנֵּ֨ה
hinnêh
H2009
behold
Part
אָנֹכִ֜י
ʼânôkîy
H595
I
Pron
מַרְבִּ֤יץ
râbats
H7257
to stretch
V-Hiphil
בַּ/פּוּךְ֙
pûwk
H6320
color
Prep | N-ms
אֲבָנַ֔יִ/ךְ
ʼeben
H68
stone
N-fp | Suff
וִ/יסַדְתִּ֖י/ךְ
yâçad
H3245
to found
Conj | V-Qal-1cs | Suff
בַּ/סַּפִּירִֽים
çappîyr
H5601
sapphire
Prep | N-mp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 54:11
עֲנִיָּ֥ה
ʻânîy
H6041
"afflicted"
Adj
This word describes someone who is depressed, humble, or weak, often due to difficult circumstances, as described in the Psalms and other biblical books.
Definition: 1) poor, afflicted, humble, wretched 1a) poor, needy 1b) poor and weak 1c) poor, weak, afflicted, wretched 1d) humble, lowly
Usage: Occurs in 77 OT verses. KJV: afflicted, humble, lowly, needy, poor. See also: Exodus 22:24; Psalms 88:16; Psalms 9:13.
סֹעֲרָ֖ה
çâʻar
H5590
"to rage"
V-Pual-Perf-3fs
This word means to rage or storm, like a strong wind or a turbulent sea. It can describe a fierce emotion or a violent natural event, and it's translated in the KJV as 'tempest' or 'whirlwind'.
Definition: 1) to storm, rage 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to storm 1a2) stormy, growing storm (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be enraged 1c) (Piel) to storm away 1d) (Pual) to be driven by storm
Usage: Occurs in 7 OT verses. KJV: be (toss with) tempest(-uous), be sore, troubled, come out as a (drive with the, scatter with a) whirlwind. See also: 2 Kings 6:11; Jonah 1:11; Isaiah 54:11.
לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
נֻחָ֑מָה
nâcham
H5162
"to be sorry"
V-Pual-Perf-3fs
To comfort means showing pity or sympathy, as seen in God's actions throughout the Bible, such as in Isaiah 40. The word can also imply regret or remorse, like in the story of Jonah, who was sorry for his actions. It involves easing someone's pain or discomfort.
Definition: : comfort 1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion 1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent 1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted 1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself 1b) (Piel) to comfort, console 1c) (Pual) to be comforted, be consoled 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to be sorry, have compassion 1d2) to rue, repent of 1d3) to comfort oneself, be comforted 1d4) to ease oneself Also means: na.cham (נָחַם ": relent" H5162H)
Usage: Occurs in 100 OT verses. KJV: comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self). See also: Genesis 5:29; Isaiah 12:1; Psalms 23:4.
הִנֵּ֨ה
hinnêh
H2009
"behold"
Part
This Hebrew word is an expression that means 'behold' or 'look', often used to draw attention to something. It appears in Genesis and Isaiah, and is translated as 'behold' or 'lo' in the KJV.
Definition: behold, lo, see, if
Usage: Occurs in 799 OT verses. KJV: behold, lo, see. See also: Genesis 1:29; Genesis 42:35; Deuteronomy 19:18.
אָנֹכִ֜י
ʼânôkîy
H595
"I"
Pron
This simple Hebrew word just means 'I', referring to the speaker, like in Genesis 27 where Esau says 'I' when talking to his father Isaac.
Definition: I (first pers. sing.) Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)
Usage: Occurs in 335 OT verses. KJV: I, me, [idiom] which. See also: Genesis 3:10; Deuteronomy 11:26; 2 Samuel 3:39.
מַרְבִּ֤יץ
râbats
H7257
"to stretch"
V-Hiphil
To stretch or lie down, like an animal, and can imply resting or lurking, as in Exodus 23:5.
Definition: 1) to stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out 1a) (Qal) to lie down, lie 1b)(Hiphil) to cause to lie down 1b1) laying (stones)
Usage: Occurs in 30 OT verses. KJV: crouch (down), fall down, make a fold, lay, (cause to, make to) lie (down), make to rest, sit. See also: Genesis 4:7; Isaiah 11:7; Psalms 23:2.
בַּ/פּוּךְ֙
pûwk
H6320
"color"
Prep | N-ms
This word means a type of eye makeup, specifically a black dye called stibium. In 2 Kings 9:30, it describes the makeup worn by Jezebel. The KJV translates it as paint or fair colors.
Definition: 1) antimony, stibium, black paint 1a) eye cosmetic
Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: fair colours, glistering, paint(-ed) (-ing). See also: 2 Kings 9:30; Isaiah 54:11; Jeremiah 4:30.
אֲבָנַ֔יִ/ךְ
ʼeben
H68
"stone"
N-fp | Suff
In the Bible, this word refers to a stone, which could be a rock, a weight, or even a precious gem. It is used to describe a variety of objects, from building materials to hailstones. The KJV translates it as stone or weight.
Definition: : weight 1) stone (large or small) 1a) common stone (in natural state) 1b) stone, as material 1b1) of tablets 1b2) marble, hewn stones 1c) precious stones, stones of fire 1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon 1e) weight 1f) plummet (stones of destruction) also made of metal 1g) stonelike objects, eg hailstones, stony heart, ice 1h) sacred object, as memorial Samuel set up to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines 1i) (simile) 1i1) sinking in water, motionlessness 1i2) strength, firmness, solidity 1i3) commonness 1j) (metaph) 1j1) petrified with terror 1j2) perverse, hard heart
Usage: Occurs in 239 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] carbuncle, [phrase] mason, [phrase] plummet, (chalk-, hail-, head-, sling-) stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s). See also: Genesis 2:12; 1 Samuel 6:15; Psalms 91:12.
וִ/יסַדְתִּ֖י/ךְ
yâçad
H3245
"to found"
Conj | V-Qal-1cs | Suff
To found or establish something is the meaning of this Hebrew word. It also means to sit down together and consult, as in a meeting or council.
Definition: 1) to found, fix, establish, lay foundation 1a) (Qal) to found, establish, begin 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to fix or seat themselves close together, sit in conclave 1b2) to be founded 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to found 1c2) to establish, appoint, ordain 1d) (Pual) to be founded, be laid 1e) (Hophal) to be founded
Usage: Occurs in 41 OT verses. KJV: appoint, take counsel, establish, (lay the, lay for a) found(-ation), instruct, lay, ordain, set, [idiom] sure. See also: Exodus 9:18; Psalms 89:12; Psalms 2:2.
בַּ/סַּפִּירִֽים
çappîyr
H5601
"sapphire"
Prep | N-mp
The sapphire is a precious gemstone mentioned in the Bible, possibly used to scratch other materials, as seen in Exodus 24:10. It is a blue gem, highly valued for its beauty and rarity. The KJV translates it as sapphire.
Definition: sapphire, lapis lazuli
Usage: Occurs in 11 OT verses. KJV: sapphire. See also: Exodus 24:10; Song of Solomon 5:14; Isaiah 54:11.
Study Notes — Isaiah 54:11
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 54:11 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 54:11
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 54:11
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 54:11
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 54:11
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 54:11
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 54:11
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 54:11
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 54:11
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 54:11
- Sermons on Isaiah 54:11
Context — Future Blessings for Zion
9“For to Me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So I have sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you.
10Though the mountains may be removed and the hills may be shaken, My loving devotion will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be broken,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
11“O afflicted city, lashed by storms, without solace, surely I will set your stones in antimony and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. 13Then all your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their prosperity.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Peter 2:4–6 | As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” |
| 2 | Acts 14:22 | strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 30:17 | But I will restore your health and heal your wounds, declares the LORD, because they call you an outcast, Zion, for whom no one cares.” |
| 4 | Isaiah 54:6 | For the LORD has called you back, like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit, like the rejected wife of one’s youth,” says your God. |
| 5 | 1 Chronicles 29:2 | Now with all my ability I have made provision for the house of my God—gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and slabs of marble—all in abundance. |
| 6 | Exodus 2:23 | After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. |
| 7 | Psalms 34:19 | Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all. |
| 8 | Revelation 21:18–21 | The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were adorned with every kind of precious stone: The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, with each gate consisting of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. |
| 9 | Isaiah 51:21 | Therefore now hear this, you afflicted one, drunken, but not with wine. |
| 10 | Isaiah 49:14 | But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; the Lord has forgotten me!” |
Isaiah 54:11 Summary
[Isaiah 54:11 is a promise from God to His people that He will take them, even in their brokenness and affliction, and rebuild them into something strong and beautiful. He promises to set their stones in antimony, making them durable, and lay their foundations with sapphires, making them valuable and lovely. This is a result of His covenant of peace, which ensures that His love will not depart from them, as seen in Isaiah 54:10 and Jeremiah 31:3. As we trust in God's promise, we can find comfort and hope in His plan to restore and rebuild us, just like He promises in Jeremiah 29:11.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'afflicted city' in Isaiah 54:11?
The 'afflicted city' refers to the people of God, who have been through great trials and difficulties, as seen in Isaiah 51:17-20, but will be restored and rebuilt by God, as promised in Isaiah 54:11-12 and supported by Jeremiah 31:4
What does 'set your stones in antimony' mean?
Antimony is a metal used to make a strong, durable alloy, so setting the city's stones in antimony symbolizes God's promise to make His people strong and resilient, much like the promises in Psalm 37:39 and Isaiah 41:10
Why does God promise to lay the city's foundations with sapphires?
Sapphires represent beauty, durability, and great value, so God's promise to lay the city's foundations with sapphires signifies His plan to establish His people on a firm, beautiful, and lasting foundation, as seen in Revelation 21:19-20
How does this verse relate to the covenant of peace in Isaiah 54:10?
The promise in Isaiah 54:11 is a direct result of God's covenant of peace, which ensures that His loving devotion will not depart from His people, and they will be rebuilt and restored, as seen in Isaiah 61:4 and Ezekiel 37:26
Reflection Questions
- What are some storms that I am currently facing, and how can I trust God to set my 'stones in antimony' and lay my 'foundations with sapphires'?
- In what ways do I feel like an 'afflicted city, without solace', and how can I find comfort in God's promise to restore and rebuild me?
- What are some areas of my life where I need God to establish a strong and durable foundation, and how can I trust Him to do so?
- How can I reflect the beauty and value of sapphires in my life, as a child of God, and what does that look like in my relationships and daily actions?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 54:11
O thou afflicted, tossed with tempests, and not comforted,.... Or, "O thou poor" (s) church; for the first Christian churches chiefly consisted of poor persons, not many mighty and noble being
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 54:11
O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. O thou afflicted ... not comforted - by any one; none gave her help or comfort.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 54:11
O thou afflicted, tossed with tempests, and not comforted; O thou my poor church, frequently been, and wilt again and again be, in a most afflicted and comfortless condition for a time, be not discouraged thereby. I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires; I will make thee exceeding beautiful and glorious. Which yet is not to be understood of outward pomp and worldly glory, as is evident from many places of Scripture, which assure us that Christ’ s kingdom is of another nature, and that the external condition of God’ s church is, and for the most part will be, mean and calamitous in this world; but of a spiritual beauty and glory, consisting in the plentiful effusion of excellent gifts, and graces, and comforts; although these shall be followed with eternal glory in heaven. See the like description of the church’ s glory, , &c.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 54:11
Isaiah 54:11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, [and] not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.Ver. 11. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted.] This is the Church’ s style and state in this present life: Ecclesia est haeres crucis, The church’ s cross clings, saith Luther. None out of hell have suffered more than saints. Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours.] So that thou shalt be a city of pearl, having for thy foundation the Lord Christ, for thy windows, the holy prophets, apostles, and other faithful preachers, by whose ministry thou shalt receive the light of true knowledge, and for thy walls and gates the divine protection. See Revelation 21:11-21. All this is to be understood as the spiritual excellence of the Church, which is begun in this life, and to be perfected in the life to come. And lay thy foundations with sapphires.] Compare Exodus 24:10, where Moses and the eiders are said to have "seen the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in its clearness." To show that God had now changed their condition, their bricks made in their bondage to sapphire, their lying and sooting among the pots into the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers of pure gold.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 54:11
(11) I will lay thy stones with fair colours.—The first germ of the idealising symbolism of the new Jerusalem. The language of Tob 13:16-17, shows the impression which it made on the Jews of the captivity. It takes its highest form, excluding all thoughts of a literal fulfilment, in Revelation 21:19-21. The Hebrew word for “fair colours” indicates the kohl, the black powder of antimony, or manganese, used by women in the East on eyelids and eyebrows, so as to enhance the brilliancy of the eyes. (2 Kings 9:30, 1 Chronicles 29:2, Jeremiah 4:30.) Here, apparently, it is used in the same way as the setting of the sapphires and other gems. For “windows” read pinnacles.Sapphires . . .—As with the choice of the twelve gems for the High Priest’s breast-plate, it is probable that each stone, over and above its visible beauty, had a symbolical significance. Sapphire, e.g., represented the azure of the firmament, as the “sapphire throne” of the Eternal (Exodus 24:10, Ezekiel 1:26; Ezekiel 10:1), and the rubies (not “agates”) and carbuncles may, in like manner, have answered to the fiery glow of the Divine love and the Divine wrath.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 54:11
Verse 11. Behold, I will lay thy stones - "Behold, I lay thy stones"] These seem to be general images to express beauty, magnificence, purity, strength, and solidity, agreeably to the ideas of the eastern nations; and to have never been intended to be strictly scrutinized, or minutely and particularly explained, as if they had each of them some precise, moral, or spiritual meaning. Tobit, in his prophecy of the final restoration of Israel, describes the New Jerusalem in the same oriental manner: "For Jerusalem shall be built up with sapphires, and emeralds, and precious stones; thy walls, and towers, and battlements, with pure gold. And the streets of Jerusalem shall be paved with beryl, and carbuncle, and stones of ophir." Tob. 13:16, 17. Compare also Revelation 21:18-21.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 54:11
11, 12. The outward splendour of the new Jerusalem described in highly figurative language; comp. Tob 13:16-17; Revelation 21:18-21. I will lay thy stones with fair colours] lit. in antimony (R.V. marg.). Antimony (pϋkh) was used by Oriental females as an eye-powder to blacken the edges of the eyelids and enhance the lustre of the eyes (2 Kings 9:30; Jeremiah 4:30; comp. the name of Job’s third daughter, Keren-hap-pukh, ‘horn of eye-powder,’ Job 42:14. see further Lane, Manners and Customs, &c. ed. 1890, pp. 29 ff.). In the figure the antimony would represent the costly mortar used to set off the brilliancy of the still more costly stones. The ἄνθρακα of the LXX. seems to stand for πτκ (instead of τεκ), a kind of precious stone; see Exodus 28:18 &c. In 1 Chronicles 29:2, where we read of “stones of pϋkh” (R.V. “stones for inlaid work”) prepared for the Temple, the idea must be different; but whether that passage has any connexion with the present image is doubtful. I will lay thy foundations (lit. “I will found thee”) with sapphires] Exodus 24:10; Ezekiel 1:26.
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 54:11
O thou afflicted - In the previous verses, Yahweh had merely promised protection, and had in general terms assured them of his favor.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 54:11
11, 12. Hitherto the Church, or Zion, has been a lone female, afflicted, or insulted; tossed with tempest, unprotected, jostled about, furious storms driving in upon her; but now, instead of ruined
Sermons on Isaiah 54:11
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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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 |
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(Pdf Book) Intolerance by Sister Joela | Sister Joela addresses the challenges of navigating the storm of end-time humanism in her sermon 'Intolerance.' She draws parallels between the choices made by Lot and the moral di |
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After the Holiness Meeting by Samuel Logan Brengle | Samuel Logan Brengle emphasizes the significance of receiving the Holy Spirit after a holiness meeting, encouraging believers to maintain their faith even if they do not initially |
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The Forgiving Nature of God by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes the forgiving nature of God, illustrating how even in deep despair, like that experienced by David, one can find hope and restoration through God's mercy |
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Christ in Isaiah - Part 2 by H.J. Vine | H.J. Vine emphasizes the profound wisdom of God as revealed through Christ in Isaiah, illustrating how the Servant of the Lord embodies divine wisdom and purpose. He contrasts the |
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Zion's Foundations, Windows, Gates and Boarders by J.C. Philpot | J.C. Philpot preaches about the precious promises of God, emphasizing that these promises are exceedingly great and precious to the church of God only in specific circumstances whe |
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The Chief Cornerstone by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher talks about the importance of humility and realizing that we don't amount to much in the eyes of God. He shares his experiences at camp meetings where |