I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about trees growing in a barren place; it's about God actively transforming that barrenness into a lush, thriving garden. The sheer variety of trees listed – cedars, acacias, myrtles, olives, cypresses, planes, and pines – signifies a complete and abundant re-creation of the desolate landscape, a powerful symbol of God's ability to bring life and beauty where there was none.
I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together,
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is speaking to His people, who are in exile and feeling weak and helpless. He has just declared His intention to bring them back, and now He paints a vivid picture of how He will transform their barren journey home. This verse describes God making the desolate wilderness a place of refreshing beauty, a stark contrast to the harshness of their current reality and the challenges of their return.
Imagine a barren desert, dry and lifeless. Now, picture it bursting with vibrant trees, offering shade and beauty. What could this incredible transformation symbolize?
Isaiah 41:19 paints a powerful picture of God's ability to bring life and beauty to the most desolate places.
A New Landscape
Instead of the typical thorny scrub and harsh emptiness of the desert, God promises to plant trees like the majestic cedar, fragrant myrtle, and life-giving olive. He doesn't just scatter them; He 'sets' them together, suggesting intentional design and abundance.
More Than Just Trees
Commentators note that these trees weren't native to the arid regions described. Their appearance signifies God's direct intervention and power to create something new where nothing seemed possible. This isn't just about a picturesque landscape; it's a tangible sign of God's restoration and care for His people, especially as they journeyed from exile.
What if these beautiful trees aren't just about the scenery, but about the people themselves? How does that change how we read this promise?
Beyond the literal landscape, these trees serve as a profound symbol for God's people, particularly during and after their exile.
From Thorns to Timber
Commentaries suggest that the trees represent converted individuals, transformed by God's grace. Just as the desert is changed from a place of thorns and barrenness to one of valuable and beautiful trees, so God reshapes individuals into something useful and pleasing.
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Diverse Gifts, One Purpose
The variety of trees mentioned—cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, pine, plane—points to the diverse gifts and roles within God's people. Each has its unique beauty and purpose, yet God sets them 'together' in the desert, implying unity and collective strength under His plan.
Understand the original words
tsiyyah · Hebrew Noun
A place of extreme desolation, dryness, and lack of life, serving as a contrast to the life-giving presence and provision of God.
This beautiful image of trees flourishing in a barren desert speaks powerfully to the exiles in Babylon. It wasn't just a poetic hope for a green land, but a promise that God could transform their seemingly impossible, desolate circumstances into a place of life and beauty, just as He would transform their exiled state into a restored nation.
c. 598 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports a significant portion of Judah's elite, including King Jehoiachin, to Babylon following a siege of Jerusalem.
587/586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and carries off many more Judeans into exile, marking the end of the Judean monarchy.
c. 580 BC
Ezekiel's Prophecies in Exile
The prophet Ezekiel, himself in exile, delivers messages of judgment and hope to the exiles, emphasizing God's presence even in Babylon.
c. 550 BC
Cyrus the Great Rises to Power
Cyrus begins his conquests, uniting the Medes and Persians and expanding his empire, setting the stage for the eventual fall of Babylon.
c. 545-539 BC— this verse
Isaiah's "Second Isaiah" Prophecies
This prophetic voice, likely written during the Babylonian Exile, offers comfort and hope to the exiles, promising restoration and a transformed future, including the literal planting of trees in desolate places.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, opening the way for the exiled Jews to eventually return to their homeland.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus and Return to Jerusalem
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple.
This passage describes a similar miraculous transformation of the desert into a place of abundance and beauty, echoing the imagery of fruitful trees in barren lands.
Jeremiah 2:6This verse contrasts the barrenness and danger of the desert with the life-giving nature of God's provision, setting the stage for God's promise in Isaiah to bring life to the desolate.
Ezekiel 17:22-24This passage uses the imagery of planting a tender shoot from the highest cedar in Israel, symbolizing God's future restoration and exaltation of His people, much like planting trees in the wilderness.
Psalm 104:16This Psalm speaks of trees planted by the Lord, describing the cedars of Lebanon as a testament to God's provision and beauty in creation, which parallels the idea of God intentionally planting trees in Isaiah.
cambridgeIsaiah 41:19: "I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:"
19 . The desert itself shall be transformed into a grove of stately and beautiful trees. I will plant ] Better: I will place . The shittah tree is the acacia. The myrtle is only mentioned in exilic and post-exilic writings; ch. Isaiah 55:13 ; Zechariah 1:8 ; Zechariah 1:10 f.; Nehemiah 8:15 . the oil tree ]…
jfbIsaiah 41:19: "I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:"
- (Isa 32:15; 55:13).shittah—rather, the "acacia," or Egyptian thorn, from which the gum Arabic is obtained [Lowth].oil tree—the olive.fir tree—rather, the "cypress": grateful by its shade.pine—Gesenius translates, "the holm."box tree—not the shrub used for bordering flower beds, but [Gesenius] a kind of c…
This verse isn't just about trees growing in a barren place; it's about God actively transforming that barrenness into a lush, thriving garden. The sheer variety of trees listed – cedars, acacias, myrtles, olives, cypresses, planes, and pines – signifies a complete and abundant re-creation of the desolate landscape, a powerful symbol of God's ability to bring life and beauty where there was none.
God is speaking to His people, who are in exile and feeling weak and helpless. He has just declared His intention to bring them back, and now He paints a vivid picture of how He will transform their barren journey home. This verse describes God making the desolate wilderness a place of refreshing beauty, a stark contrast to the harshness of their current reality and the challenges of their return.
God is speaking to His people, who are in exile and feeling weak and helpless. He has just declared His intention to bring them back, and now He paints a vivid picture of how He will transform their barren journey home. This verse describes God making the desolate wilderness a place of refreshing beauty, a stark contrast to the harshness of their current reality and the challenges of their return.
"I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together," — This verse isn't just about trees growing in a barren place; it's about God actively transforming that barrenness into a lush, thriving garden. The sheer variety of trees listed – cedars, acacias,…
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Last reviewed October 2026