Isaiah 54:7 — Word Study
WLCבְּרֶ֥גַע קָטֹ֖ן עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ וּבְרַחֲמִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים אֲקַבְּצֵֽךְ׃
BSAFor a briefqâṭân [small, short] momentregaʻ I forsook youʻâzab■ [abandoned, loosened] but with greatgâdôwl [abundant, vast] compassionracham [tender love, mercies] I will bring you backqâbats▸ [gather, collect]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּרֶ֥גַע | for a moment | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| קָטֹ֖ן | small | Adj |
| עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ | I abandoned you | Verb qal perfect first person common singular, suffix |
| וּבְרַחֲמִ֥ים | and in compassion | Conjunction, preposition, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| גְּדֹלִ֖ים | great | Adj |
| אֲקַבְּצֵֽךְ׃ | I will gather you | Verb piel imperfect first person common singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will bring you back. |
| KJV | For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. |
| ASV | For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. |
| YLT | In a small moment I have forsaken thee, And in great mercies I do gather thee, |
| WEB | “For a small moment I have forsaken you, but I will gather you with great mercies. |
| BBE | For a short time I gave you up; but with great mercies I will take you back again. |
Where they part company is קָטֹ֖ן — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with a contrasting conjunction, emphasizing the shift from forsaking to gathering.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Isaiah 54:7
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Promise of Restorationgenerated
Isaiah 54:7 is part of a larger message where God reassures His people after a time of distress. He acknowledges a moment of forsaking but emphasizes His overwhelming compassion that will lead to their restoration. This reflects God's enduring relationship with His people, highlighting both His discipline and His mercy.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 26:20 | Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves a little while until the wrath has passed. |
| 2 | Isaiah 60:10 | Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Although I struck you in anger, yet in favor I will show you mercy. |
| 3 | Psalm 30:5 | For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning. |
| 4 | 2 Corinthians 4:17 | For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison. |
| 5 | 2 Peter 3:8 | Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 18 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ, 'a.zav.Tikhgenerated
The verb עָזַב (azab) means to abandon or forsake. It indicates a deliberate act of leaving or loosening one's hold on something. In this verse, it conveys the sense of God temporarily withdrawing His presence from His people.
The parsing as a perfect verb in the first person suggests a completed action — God has indeed forsaken them for a moment. This highlights the gravity of the abandonment but also sets the stage for the promise of restoration that follows.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against. The BSB uses forsook, which is also found in the KJV and ASV, maintaining the sense of abandonment.
Where they part company is with קָטֹ֖ן — small (ASV, KJV) versus short (BBE, NETB). The former emphasizes size, while the latter focuses on duration.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ (I abandoned you) governs the sentence, with two phrases describing the circumstances: a prepositional phrase indicating the brief moment and another phrase expressing the compassion with which God will gather His people back.
The structure emphasizes the contrast between the moment of forsaking and the promise of gathering, showing the relationship between God's discipline and His mercy.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ with σε, meaning 'you.' This choice reflects a direct address to the people, emphasizing the personal nature of God's actions.
The Greek word ξρόνον for בְּרֶ֥גַע indicates a focus on time, paralleling the Hebrew sense of a brief moment but without the same connotation of fleetingness.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 54:7 speaks of a time when God temporarily forsook His people, but He promises to gather them back with great compassion. This verse highlights both the seriousness of abandonment and the depth of God's love.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies a temporary withdrawal of God's presence, indicating a period of discipline or testing.
God promises to gather His people back with great compassion, emphasizing His desire to restore the relationship.
It emphasizes the brief duration of God's forsaking, contrasting it with the vastness of His compassion.
This verse illustrates that while God may allow moments of abandonment, His ultimate intention is to restore and show love.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I felt abandoned, and how can I see God's compassion in those moments?
- How can I apply the understanding of God's brief discipline in my life?
- What does it mean for me to trust in God's promise of restoration?
- How can I show compassion to others who may be feeling forsaken?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers have commented on this verse, discussing God's discipline and the promise of restoration, as seen in the quotations from Gregory of Nazianzus and Jerome.
I seem, indeed, to hear that voice from him who gathers together those who are broken and welcomes the oppressed.… The measure of his kindness exceeds the measure of his discipline.Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 54 →
It is clear that in no way is this said to Jerusalem, which never ruled over the whole world, but to the church of Christ whose inheritance is the whole world.The Lord left [the church] for a brief moment, momentarily hiding his face;Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 54 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 54:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleFor a small moment have I forsaken thee,.... The people of God seem to be forsaken by him when he hides his face from them, as it is afterwards explained; when they are in distress, and he does not
Read John Gill on Isaiah 54 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFor a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. For a small moment have I forsaken thee - as compared with Israel's coming long prosperity (Isaiah 26:20; Isaiah 60:10).
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 54 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleFor a small moment; for the space of some few years, as seventy years in Babylon, and some such intervals, which may well be called a small moment in comparison of God’ s everlasting kindness mentioned in the next verse. Forsaken thee; withdrawn my favour and help from thee, and left thee in thine enemies’ hands. With great mercies, such as are most precious and sweet for quality, as is here said, and such as are of long continuance, as is said in the following verse, will I gather thee from all the places where thou art dispersed, from all the parts of the world.
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 54 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 54:7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.Ver. 7. For a small moment have I forsaken thee.] I have made thee believe so, at least, by suffering thee to "fall into manifold temptations," but for thy greatest good: as (1.) For probation; (2.) For prevention; (3.) For purgation; (4.) For preparation to mercy. And although it should last as long as life, yet that were but for a moment. For what is life but a spot of time between two eternities? And God therefore taketh liberty to do it, because he hath such an eternity of time to reveal his kindness in; time enough for kisses and embraces. But usually God taketh off the smarting plaster as…
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 54 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(7) For a small moment.—Historically the words point to the seventy years of exile, as being but a transient interruption of the manifestation of the everlasting mercies. Spiritually they have wider and manifold fulfilments in the history of individuals, of the Church, of mankind.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 54 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 7. For a small moment - "In a little anger"] So the Chaldee and Syriac, either reading רגז regaz, for רגע rega; or understanding the latter word as meaning the same with the former, which they both make use of. See Psalms 30:5; Psalms 35:20, in the Septuagint, where they render רגע rega by οργη, anger.
Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 54 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7, 8. Jehovah’s anger was but a momentary interruption of His kindness to Israel; His mercy is everlasting. Comp. Psalms 30:5. will I gather thee] can hardly mean “draw thee to myself”; it denotes the gathering together of the scattered children of Zion.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 54 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleFor a small moment - The Chaldee and Syriac render this, ‘In a little anger.’ Lowth has adopted this, but without sufficient authority. The Hebrew means, ‘For a little moment;’ a very short time.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 54 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
“For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will bring you back.
“For a small moment I have forsaken you, but I will gather you with great mercies.
“For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will bring you back.
“For a short time I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you.
Tyndale line
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
For a litle while haue I forsaken thee, but with great compassion will I gather thee.
Strictly literal
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
In a small moment I have forsaken thee, And in great mercies I do gather thee,
“In a small moment I have forsaken you, || And in great mercies I gather you,
But for a brief moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I again receive thee.
“For a short time I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you.
From the Latin
For a, small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee.
Simplified
I deserted you for just a little while, but I will bring you back, showing you a great deal of kindness.
For a short time I gave you up; but with great mercies I will take you back again.
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint align closely, with all six words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some variations, particularly with the restoration of certain words, but the essential message of momentary abandonment followed by compassion remains consistent.
בְּרֶ֥גַע קָטֹ֖ן עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ וּבְרַחֲמִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים אֲקַבְּצֵֽךְ׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ברוגע קטן עזבתי׳ך וברחמים גדולים אקבצ׳ך
6 words on the leather.
[ברגע] קטן עזבתי׳ך [וברחמים] [גדלים] [אקבצ׳ך]
1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 4 supplied entire by an editor.
ברגע קטן עזבתי׳ך [וברחמים] [גדלים] [אקבצ׳ך]
2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.
[ברגע] [קטן]
2 words of the verse are on this fragment — 2 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 54:7
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
רֶ֫גַע (rega) refers to a very brief period of time, translated as 'moment' or 'instant.' It can denote a short space of time, such as 'for a moment' or 'in a moment.' The word is derived from a root meaning 'to wink,' emphasizing its fleeting nature.
רֶ֫גַע n.m. a moment
base
H7281 רֶ֫גַע a moment
7281 rega` reh'-gah
from 7280. a wink (of the eyes), i.e. a very short space of
time:--instant, moment, space, suddenly.
see HEBREW for 07280
רֶ֫גַע (re.ga) — moment.
1) a moment
adv
2) for a moment, at one moment...at another moment
with prep
3) in a moment
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
mo'-ment (regha`, "a wink"; atomos, "an atom," stigme, "a point," parautika, immediately," "forthwith"): "Moment" is not used in Scripture for a division of time, but for an instant of time, as the wink or twinkling of the eye (Ex 33:5; Nu 16:21,45; La 4:6; 1Co 15:52), or for a short period of time (Job 20:5; Ps 30:5; Isa 26:20; 2Co 4:17). The division of the hour into sixty minutes was certainly known in Babylonia, and the Jews were made acquainted with it, at…
קָטָן (qatan) means small, young, or unimportant. It can refer to size, quantity, or age, and is often used to describe something insignificant. The entries indicate that it is a diminutive form, with variations in spelling. The lexicons highlight its meanings consistently, without significant disagreement.
קָטָן adj. small, young, unimportant
base
קָטֹן 64 adj. small, insignificant
base
H6996a קָטָן small, young, unimportant H6996b קָטֹן small, insignificant
6996 qatan kaw-tawn'
or qaton {kaw-tone'}; from 6962; abbreviated, i.e.
diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or
figuratively (in age or importance):--least, less(-er),
little (one), small(-est, one, quantity, thing),
young(-er, -est).
see HEBREW for 06962
קָטָן (qa.tan) — small.
young, small, unimportant
Another spelling of qa.ton (קָטֹן ": small" H6996B)
קָטֹן (qa.ton) — small.
: small
small, insignificant
קָטֹן (qa.ton) — small: young.
: young
small, insignificant
A sub-meaning of qa.ton (קָטֹן ": small" H6996B)
Adj — AdjHAamsa
עָזַב (azab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to leave, forsake, or let loose. It encompasses a range of actions from abandoning or neglecting to setting free. The entries suggest it can also imply restoration or repair, though this aspect is less emphasized. Notably, the term can describe both active and passive states, such as being forsaken or deserted.
עָזַב 213 vb. leave, forsake, loose
Qal
leave, c. acc.
leave, abandon, forsake
let loose, set free, let go
Niph.
be left to
be forsaken, of house of God
H5800a עָזַב leave, forsake, loose .. leave, c. acc.
. leave, abandon, forsake
. let loose, set free, let go
. . be left to
. be forsaken, of house of God
. (or Qal pass.) be deserted, of city
H5800b עָזַב restore, repair(?)
5800 `azab aw-zab'
a primitive root; to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit,
etc.:--commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave
(destitute, off), refuse, X surely.
עָזַב (a.zav) — to leave: forsake.
1) to leave, loose, forsake
1a) (Qal) to leave
1a1) to depart from, leave behind, leave, let alone
1a2) to leave, abandon, forsake, neglect, apostatise
1a3) to let loose, set free, let go, free
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be left to
1b2) to be forsaken
1c) (Pual) to be deserted
עָזַב (a.zav) — to restore.
1) to restore, repair
1a) (Qal) to repair
עָזַב (a.zav) — to leave: release.
1) to leave, loose, forsake
1a) (Qal) to leave
1a1) to depart from, leave behind, leave, let alone
1a2) to leave, abandon, forsake, neglect, apostatise
1a3) to let loose, set free, let go, free
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be left to
1b2) to be forsaken
1c) (Pual) to be deserted
עָזַב (a.zav) — Forsaken.
This name means to restore, repair
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
עָזַב (a.zav) — to leave: neglect.
V-Qal-Perf-1cs | Suff — Verb qal perfect first person common singular · suffixHVqp1cs/Sp2fs
רַחַם (racham) primarily means 'womb' and is associated with the idea of nurturing. It also refers to 'compassion' in its plural form, רַחֲמִים (rachamim), indicating a deep, tender love or mercy. The word is built from a root that conveys a sense of cherishing, often linked to the maternal aspect of compassion.
רֶ֫חֶם, רַ֫חַם n.m. womb
base
רַחֲמִים n.m. abs. pl. intens. compassion
base
H7356a רֶ֫חֶם, רַ֫חַם womb H7356b רַחֲמִים abs. pl. intens. compassion
7356 racham rakh'-am
from 7355; compassion (in the plural); by extension, the womb
(as cherishing the fetus); by implication, a maiden:--
bowels, compassion, damsel, tender love, (great, tender)
mercy, pity, womb.
see HEBREW for 07355
רַחַם (ra.cham) — womb.
womb
Another spelling of re.chem (רֶ֫חֶם "womb" H7358)
רַחֲמִים (ra.cha.mim) — compassion.
compassion
Aramaic equivalent: re.chem (רַחֲמִין "compassion" H7359)
Conj | Prep | N-mp — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine plural absoluteHC/R/Ncmpa
kom-pash'-un: Compassion is the translation of racham, "to love," "pity," "be merciful" (De 13:17; 30:3); of rachamim, "mercies" (1Ki 8:50); of chamal, "to pity," "spare" (Ex 2:6; 1Sa 23:21); rachum (Ps 78:38; 86:15; 111:4; 112:4; 145:8), is rendered by the American Standard Revised Version "merciful." We have splagchnizomai, "to have the bowels yearning," in Mt 9:36; 14:14, etc.; sumpatheo (Heb 10:34), "to suffer with (another)"; sumpathes (1Pe 3:8, the…
→ OF GOD
See GOD, MERCY OF
→ OF CHRIST
See JESUS, COMPASSION OF
גָּדוֹל (gadol) means 'great' and covers a wide range of meanings, including large in size, number, intensity, sound, age, and importance. It can also refer to notable individuals or even God. Additionally, it appears as a proper noun in reference to a person named in Nehemiah 11:14. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, but do not present significant disagreement.
גָּדוֹל 622 adj. great
in magnitude and extent
in number
in intensity
in sound, loud
in age
in importance
in phrases
cstr.
as subst. concr. do great things
† as subst. neut. greatness of arm
H1419a גָּדוֹל great . in magnitude and extent
. in number
. in intensity
. in sound, loud
. in age
. in importance
. in phrases
. cstr.
. as subst. concr. do great things
. † as subst. neut. greatness of arm
H1419b הַגְּדוֹלִים father of Zabdiel
1419 gadowl gaw-dole'
or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}; from 1431; great (in any
sense); hence, older; also insolent:--+ aloud, elder(-est), +
exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter,
thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble,
proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.
see HEBREW for 01431
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: large.
adj
1) great
1a) large (in magnitude and extent)
1b) in number
1c) in intensity
1d) loud (in sound)
1e) older (in age)
1f) in importance
1f1) important things
1f2) great, distinguished (of men)
1f3) God Himself (of God)
subst
1g) great things
1h) haughty things
1i) greatness
Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K)
§ Haggedolim = "the great one"
(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Haggedolim.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.11.14
§ Haggedolim = "the great one"
(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Great (Sea).
adj
great
Also named: pe.lish.ti (פְּלִשְׁתִּי "(Sea of the )Philistines" H6430I)
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: old.
adj
1) great
1a) large (in magnitude and extent)
1b) in number
1c) in intensity
1d) loud (in sound)
Adj — AdjHAampa
קָבַץ (qabats) is a Hebrew verb meaning to gather or collect. It encompasses various forms, including assembling, being gathered, and taking away. The entries indicate its use in different stems, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, which reflect nuances in meaning and action.
קָבַץ 127 vb. gather, collect
Qal gather, collect
Niph.
intrans. assemble, gather
pass. be gathered
Pi. 51 gather together
Pu. of land
Hithp. gather together (intrans.), be gathered together
base
H6908 קָבַץ gather, collect
6908 qabats kaw-bats'
a primitive root; to grasp, i.e. collect:--assemble
(selves), gather (bring) (together, selves together, up),
heap, resort, X surely, take up.
קָבַץ (qa.vats) — to gather.
1) to gather, assemble
1a) (Qal) to gather, collect, assemble
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to assemble, gather
1b2) to be gathered
1c) (Piel) to gather, gather together, take away
1d) (Pual) to be gathered together
1e) (Hithpael) to gather together, be gathered together
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs | Suff — Verb piel imperfect first person common singular · suffixHVpi1cs/Sp2fs