And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just describe a future gathering of exiles; it highlights that God's call will reach those considered utterly lost and discarded, like the "ready to perish" in Assyria and the "outcasts" in Egypt. This shows God's heart extending even to those society has forgotten or written off.
And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This prophecy concludes a section of judgment and restoration that began in chapter 24. After describing devastating judgment upon the whole earth and specific pronouncements against oppressors, God promises to gather His scattered people. This verse paints a vivid picture of that ultimate gathering, showing the exiles from distant lands returning to worship the Lord in Jerusalem.
Imagine a sound so powerful it transcends borders, calling home the lost and forgotten. What does this 'great trumpet' signify?
The 'great trumpet' isn't just a signal; it's a powerful symbol of God's divine call to gather His people. Historically, trumpets were used to assemble the Israelites for important events—feasts, warnings, and calls to worship. Here, it signifies God's sovereign act to call back His scattered children from distant lands.
This summons isn't random; it's a deliberate act of providence, much like the decree of Cyrus that allowed the exiles to return. It’s God initiating the restoration, using even human decrees as part of His grand plan.
The verse speaks of those 'ready to perish' and 'outcasts.' How does God transform their despair into worship?
The people described are in dire straits – 'ready to perish' in Assyria and 'outcasts' in Egypt. These aren't just geographical locations; they represent states of brokenness, exile, and near annihilation.
Yet, the prophecy doesn't end with their suffering. The trumpet's call leads them from this state of despair to the holy mountain to worship the LORD. This transformation is key: God doesn't just rescue His people; He restores them to a place of relationship and devotion, where their brokenness is met by His healing presence and their exile by His sacred dwelling.
Understand the original words
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shophar · Hebrew Noun
A divine signal or proclamation, often associated with the gathering of God's people, the announcement of judgment, or the arrival of the King. It carries the weight of authority and eschatological finality.
abad · Hebrew Verb/Adjective
A term describing those who have wandered away from God's covenant, become scattered in judgment, or are spiritually alienated. God's mission is to seek and save those who are in this state.
shachah · Hebrew Verb
To bow down or prostrate oneself before God in humility and reverence. It is an expression of total submission, devotion, and acknowledgment of God's supreme holiness and sovereignty.
qodesh har · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A location set apart as sacred for the presence and dwelling of God. It represents the place where heaven and earth meet, signifying holiness, divine authority, and the center of God's reign.
While Isaiah's prophecy points to the literal return of exiled Jews from Assyria and Egypt to worship in Jerusalem, the imagery of a 'great trumpet' calling the lost and scattered also resonates with the universal spiritual gathering through the Gospel, extending God's redemptive plan far beyond ancient borders.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Exile of Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, scattering its people and deporting many to various parts of the empire. This event creates the 'lost sheep' of Israel, many ending up in Assyrian territories.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Neo-Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and exiles a significant portion of the remaining Judean population to Babylonia (which had absorbed the Neo-Assyrian Empire). Many Jews also fled to Egypt, fearing reprisal, as foretold by Jeremiah.
538 BC
Cyrus' Decree and Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great, king of Persia (which had conquered Babylonia), issues a decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the return, though not all exiles went back, and the 'lost tribes' were not directly part of this restoration.
Post-Exilic Period— this verse
Continued Jewish Dispersion
Following the return from Babylonian exile, Jewish communities continued to exist in various parts of the former Assyrian and Babylonian empires, as well as in Egypt and beyond. These communities were often subject to foreign rule and faced varying degrees of assimilation or hardship.
c. 1st Century AD onwards
The Gospel and the 'Great Trumpet'
The New Testament interprets the 'great trumpet' as the proclamation of the Gospel. This message calls together God's chosen people, not just from historical lands of exile like Assyria and Egypt, but from all nations, for spiritual worship.
This passage mirrors Isaiah's imagery of a great trumpet blast, here signaling the gathering of the elect from the four winds after Jesus' return, echoing the restoration theme.
1 Corinthians 15:52Paul uses the imagery of a trumpet sounding to describe the resurrection and transformation of believers, connecting the 'great trumpet' to a divine signal for a miraculous gathering and new reality.
Zechariah 10:10This verse speaks of God bringing His people back from Egypt and Assyria, directly paralleling Isaiah's mention of these specific regions as places from which the scattered will return.
Amos 9:11-12This prophecy foretells the restoration of David's fallen tent and the reclaiming of a remnant from Edom and all nations, signifying a comprehensive gathering and re-establishment of God's people.
1 Thessalonians 4:16This text describes the Lord descending with the 'trumpet call of God' to raise the dead in Christ, linking the sounding of a trumpet with a climactic divine gathering and the inauguration of God's kingdom.
barnesIsaiah 27:13: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem."
The great trumpet shall be blown - This verse is designed to describe in another mode the same fact as that stated in Isaiah 27:12 , that Yahweh would re-collect his scattered people. The figure is derived from the trumpet which was blo…
clarkeIsaiah 27:13: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem."
The great trumpet shall be blown - Does not this refer to the time spoken of by our Lord, Matthew 24:31 : He shall send forth his angels - the preachers of his Gospel with a great sound of a trumpet - the earnest invitation to be saved…
The verse doesn't just describe a future gathering of exiles; it highlights that God's call will reach those considered utterly lost and discarded, like the "ready to perish" in Assyria and the "outcasts" in Egypt. This shows God's heart extending even to those society has forgotten or written off.
This prophecy concludes a section of judgment and restoration that began in chapter 24. After describing devastating judgment upon the whole earth and specific pronouncements against oppressors, God promises to gather His scattered people. This verse paints a vivid picture of that ultimate gathering, showing the exiles from distant lands returning to worship the Lord in Jerusalem.
This prophecy concludes a section of judgment and restoration that began in chapter 24. After describing devastating judgment upon the whole earth and specific pronouncements against oppressors, God promises to gather His scattered people. This verse paints a vivid picture of that ultimate gathering, showing the exiles from distant lands returning to worship the Lord in Jerusalem.
"And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain at Jerusalem." — The verse doesn't just describe a future gathering of exiles; it highlights that God's call will reach those considered utterly lost and discarded, like the "ready to perish" in Assyria and the "outc…
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Last reviewed October 2026