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Isaiah 54

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Tanakh · chapter reading guide

Isaiah Chapter 54

Isaiah Chapter 54 presents 17 verses in a searchable Hebrew text unit. This original reading guide identifies observable themes and a practical path through the chapter without adding an unverified interpretation.

Rashi's commentary

Verse 1
"Sing, oh barren one" Jerusalem, who was as one who never gave birth:

Edition: Sefaria Community Translation. License: CC0. Sefaria.

Malbim's commentary

Verse 11
"Poor one." After the prophet already prophesied that the barren one would have many children, which is an allegory for the ingathering of the exiles, he describes that at that time Zion will still not be rebuilt on her hill. This poor one, who is Zion, will still storm in the rage of her spirit because she still is not comforted. (This was similarly expressed above in chapter 49, "Behold, these shall come from afar... -- And Zion will say, the Lord has abandoned me..." which is similarly expressing that at the time of the ingathering, Zion would yet sit in ruins, as I explained there.) He is saying: 'the barren woman' is already filled with joy, because 'many are the children of the desolate'; but the 'poor one' is still 'storming, still 'not comforted,' i.e., the land is filled with people returned from the exile, yet Zion is still not built. God replies to her: "Behold, I set your floor-stones with puch" -- the stones on which the foundation rests will be Nofech-stones, and the foundation itself will be of Sapir-stones.
Verse 12
Kadkhod is the gemstone called Shoham, according to the Sages.
Nofech was the tribal gemstone of Yehuda, and is the symbol of kingship; Sapir was the tribal gemstone of Yissachar, and is the symbol of wisdom and of Torah. These two will be the foundation of the building: the crown of Torah and the crown of kingship.
Shoham was the stone of Yosef, and is the symbol of success and wealth. This will be the window for sunshine, symbolizing "the delight of the sun's harvest" (Deuteronomy.33.14), an outpouring of wealth and success.
Ekdach was the stone of Levi, a symbol of the Divine Service — This was the gate: "This is the gateway to Hashem; the righteous shall enter through it." (Psalms.118.20)
"And your entire boundary will be precious stones"; the stones of the remaining tribes will be set into the rest of the building.
Also included is the idea that all the tribes will be united then, and will never again split into two kingdoms.
Discord and conflict in a country result from any of four causes, two internal and two external. A. poverty. This he precluded by describing the great wealth and success that would be theirs. B. religious disagreements and sectarian groups based on differences of dogma, as there were during the Second Temple, when the Sadducees and the Boethusians arose. Addressing this, the prophet said:

Edition: Sefaria Community Translation. License: CC0. Sefaria.

Original text

Verse 1

רׇנִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה לֹ֣א יָלָ֑דָה פִּצְחִ֨י רִנָּ֤ה וְצַֽהֲלִי֙ לֹא־חָ֔לָה כִּֽי־רַבִּ֧ים בְּֽנֵי־שׁוֹמֵמָ֛ה מִבְּנֵ֥י בְעוּלָ֖ה אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה׃

Shout, O infertile one, You who bore no child! Shout aloud for joy, You who did not travail! For the children of the wife forlorn Shall outnumber those of the espoused —said G OD .

Verse 2

הַרְחִ֣יבִי׀ מְק֣וֹם אׇהֳלֵ֗ךְ וִירִיע֧וֹת מִשְׁכְּנוֹתַ֛יִךְ יַטּ֖וּ אַל־תַּחְשֹׂ֑כִי הַאֲרִ֙יכִי֙ מֵיתָרַ֔יִךְ וִיתֵדֹתַ֖יִךְ חַזֵּֽקִי׃

Enlarge the site of your tent, Extend the size of your dwelling, Do not stint! Lengthen the ropes, and drive the pegs firm.

Verse 3

כִּֽי־יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹ֖אול תִּפְרֹ֑צִי וְזַרְעֵךְ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם יִירָ֔שׁ וְעָרִ֥ים נְשַׁמּ֖וֹת יוֹשִֽׁיבוּ׃

For you shall spread out to the right and the left; Your offspring shall dispossess nations And shall people the desolate towns.

Verse 4

אַל־תִּֽירְאִי֙ כִּֽי־לֹ֣א תֵב֔וֹשִׁי וְאַל־תִּכָּלְמִ֖י כִּ֣י לֹ֣א תַחְפִּ֑ירִי כִּ֣י בֹ֤שֶׁת עֲלוּמַ֙יִךְ֙ תִּשְׁכָּ֔חִי וְחֶרְפַּ֥ת אַלְמְנוּתַ֖יִךְ לֹ֥א תִזְכְּרִי־עֽוֹד׃

Fear not, you shall not be shamed; Do not cringe, you shall not be disgraced. For you shall forget The reproach of your youth, And remember no more The shame of your widowhood.

Verse 5

כִּ֤י בֹעֲלַ֙יִךְ֙ עֹשַׂ֔יִךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמ֑וֹ וְגֹֽאֲלֵךְ֙ קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֱלֹהֵ֥י כׇל־הָאָ֖רֶץ יִקָּרֵֽא׃

For the One who made you—whose name is “ G OD of Hosts”— Will espouse you. The Holy One of Israel—who is called “God of all the Earth”— Will redeem you.

Verse 6

כִּֽי־כְאִשָּׁ֧ה עֲזוּבָ֛ה וַעֲצ֥וּבַת ר֖וּחַ קְרָאָ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאֵ֧שֶׁת נְעוּרִ֛ים כִּ֥י תִמָּאֵ֖ס אָמַ֥ר אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ׃

G OD has called you back As a wife forlorn and forsaken. Can one cast off the wife of his youth? —said your God.

Verse 7

בְּרֶ֥גַע קָטֹ֖ן עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ וּבְרַחֲמִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים אֲקַבְּצֵֽךְ׃

For a little while I forsook you, But with vast love I will bring you back.

Verse 8

בְּשֶׁ֣צֶף קֶ֗צֶף הִסְתַּ֨רְתִּי פָנַ֥י רֶ֙גַע֙ מִמֵּ֔ךְ וּבְחֶ֥סֶד עוֹלָ֖ם רִחַמְתִּ֑יךְ אָמַ֥ר גֹּאֲלֵ֖ךְ יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס}

In slight anger, for a moment, I hid My face from you; But with kindness everlasting I will take you back in love —said G OD your Redeemer.

Verse 9

כִּֽי־מֵ֥י נֹ֙חַ֙ זֹ֣את לִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי מֵעֲבֹ֥ר מֵי־נֹ֛חַ ע֖וֹד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כֵּ֥ן נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי מִקְּצֹ֥ף עָלַ֖יִךְ וּמִגְּעׇר־בָּֽךְ׃

For this to Me is like the waters of Noah: As I swore that the waters of Noah Nevermore would flood the earth, So I swear that I will not Be angry with you or rebuke you.

Verse 10

כִּ֤י הֶהָרִים֙ יָמ֔וּשׁוּ וְהַגְּבָע֖וֹת תְּמוּטֶ֑ינָה וְחַסְדִּ֞י מֵאִתֵּ֣ךְ לֹא־יָמ֗וּשׁ וּבְרִ֤ית שְׁלוֹמִי֙ לֹ֣א תָמ֔וּט אָמַ֥ר מְרַחֲמֵ֖ךְ יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס}

For the mountains may move And the hills be shaken, But my loyalty shall never move from you, Nor My covenant of friendship be shaken —said G OD , who takes you back in love.

Verse 11

עֲנִיָּ֥ה סֹעֲרָ֖ה לֹ֣א נֻחָ֑מָה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י מַרְבִּ֤יץ בַּפּוּךְ֙ אֲבָנַ֔יִךְ וִֽיסַדְתִּ֖יךְ בַּסַּפִּירִֽים׃

Unhappy, storm-tossed one, uncomforted! I will lay carbuncles as a byform of nophekh ; so already Rashi. as your building stones And make your foundations of sapphires.

Verse 12

וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י כַּֽדְכֹד֙ שִׁמְשֹׁתַ֔יִךְ וּשְׁעָרַ֖יִךְ לְאַבְנֵ֣י אֶקְדָּ֑ח וְכׇל־גְּבוּלֵ֖ךְ לְאַבְנֵי־חֵֽפֶץ׃

I will make your battlements of rubies, Your gates of precious stones, The whole encircling wall of gems.

Verse 13

וְכׇל־בָּנַ֖יִךְ לִמּוּדֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְרַ֖ב שְׁל֥וֹם בָּנָֽיִךְ׃

And all your children shall be disciples of G OD , And great shall be the happiness of your children;

Verse 14

בִּצְדָקָ֖ה תִּכּוֹנָ֑נִי רַחֲקִ֤י מֵעֹ֙שֶׁק֙ כִּי־לֹ֣א תִירָ֔אִי וּמִ֨מְּחִתָּ֔ה כִּ֥י לֹֽא־תִקְרַ֖ב אֵלָֽיִךְ׃

You shall be established through righteousness. You shall be safe from oppression, And shall have no fear; From ruin, and it shall not come near you.

Verse 15

הֵ֣ן גּ֥וֹר יָג֛וּר אֶ֖פֶס מֵאוֹתִ֑י מִי־גָ֥ר אִתָּ֖ךְ עָלַ֥יִךְ יִפּֽוֹל׃

Surely no harm can be done Without My consent: Whoever would harm you Shall fall because of you.

Verse 16

(הן) [הִנֵּ֤ה] אָנֹכִי֙ בָּרָ֣אתִי חָרָ֔שׁ נֹפֵ֙חַ֙ בְּאֵ֣שׁ פֶּחָ֔ם וּמוֹצִ֥יא כְלִ֖י לְמַעֲשֵׂ֑הוּ וְאָנֹכִ֛י בָּרָ֥אתִי מַשְׁחִ֖ית לְחַבֵּֽל׃

It is I who created the smith To fan the charcoal fire And produce tools for each purpose; So it is I who create The instruments of havoc.

Verse 17

כׇּל־כְּלִ֞י יוּצַ֤ר עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ לֹ֣א יִצְלָ֔ח וְכׇל־לָשׁ֛וֹן תָּקוּם־אִתָּ֥ךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט תַּרְשִׁ֑יעִי זֹ֡את נַחֲלַת֩ עַבְדֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֧ה וְצִדְקָתָ֛ם מֵאִתִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס}

No weapon formed against you Shall succeed, And every tongue that contends with you at law You shall defeat. Such is the lot of G OD ’s servants, Such their triumph through Me —declares G OD .

English translation: THE JPS TANAKH: Gender-Sensitive Edition · CC-BY-NC

Isaiah 54

Isaiah Chapter 54

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