Isaiah 60:15-16
Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, with no one passing through, I will make you majestic forever, a joy from age to age. You shall suck the milk of nations; you shall nurse at the breast of kings; and you shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights a powerful contrast: moving from being "forsaken and hated" to becoming "majestic forever." This isn't just about a change in circumstances, but a divine replacement, where God actively makes the forsaken into an enduring source of joy for all generations.
This passage appears in a section of Isaiah where God is speaking of restoring and glorifying Zion, picturing a future of immense prosperity and divine favor. It follows declarations that nations and their kings will be drawn to Zion, bringing their wealth and power to serve her. This verse directly contrasts Zion's past suffering and abandonment with her promised future glory and lasting joy.
Imagine a land so desolate, no one even passes through. This verse paints a stark picture of such abandonment, then flips it to an unimaginable future.
The core of this verse is a powerful contrast.
The shift is absolute. God is not just restoring what was lost; He is elevating it to a state of enduring splendor and delight that surpasses anything previously known.
What does it mean to be 'majestic forever' and a 'joy from age to age'? This isn't just about outward appearance; it's about a profound, God-given reality.
The transformation promised is not superficial; it's an intrinsic change.
This future state is a direct act of God ('I will make you'). It's a testament to His power to restore and elevate, creating a people who reflect His own eternal glory and joy.
Understand the original words
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the one true God, revealed to Moses, emphasizing His self-existence, covenant faithfulness, and holiness.
mōšî‘ēk · Hebrew Noun
One who delivers or rescues others from danger, bondage, or destruction; in a biblical context, it refers to God's divine act of rescuing His people from judgment, sin, or oppression.
gō’ǎlēk · Hebrew Noun
A kinsman-redeemer is one who possesses the legal right or responsibility to buy back, restore, or avenge a relative; applied to God, it signifies His role in reclaiming His people from slavery or judgment.
’ǎbîr ya‘ǎqōḇ · Hebrew Noun phrase
This verse speaks powerfully to the experience of the people of Judah during and after the Babylonian exile. It paints a picture of a once-devastated and abandoned city, promising a future restoration and glory far beyond anything they had known, a hope that would resonate through their subsequent history and find its ultimate fulfillment in the Messianic era.
c. 587–586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonian Empire, under Nebuchadnezzar II, conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and exiled a significant portion of the population. This event plunged the Judean people into a state of desolation and perceived abandonment by God.
586–538 BC
Babylonian Exile
The Judean people lived in exile in Babylon, experiencing hardship and oppression. Their land was left desolate, and Jerusalem became a ruin, a stark contrast to the glorious city described in prophetic visions.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered the Babylonian Empire. His subsequent decree allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Judah and rebuild their Temple.
516 BC
Dedication of the Second Temple
The returned exiles completed the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. While a significant event, it did not fully restore Jerusalem to its former glory or erase the memory of its destruction.
This passage directly parallels Isaiah 60:15 by contrasting past desolation ('Tossed by tempest and not comforted') with future restoration and beauty, emphasizing God's enduring faithfulness and the transformation of sorrow into joy and peace.
Jeremiah 30:18-19Similar to Isaiah 60:15, this prophecy speaks of God restoring Jacob's tents and showing compassion, turning past desolation and sorrow into joy and abundance, where 'their children shall be as they were of old.'
Lamentations 1:1-2This passage provides the stark contrast to Isaiah 60:15, vividly describing the very 'forsaken and hated' state of Jerusalem ('How lonely sits the city that was full of people!... she wept aloud in the night') that God promises to transform into an eternal joy.
Ezekiel 36:34-36This prophecy echoes Isaiah 60:15 by depicting a desolate land made fertile and inhabited again ('the desolate land is tilled... they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden'') after a period of being forsaken and hated.
Revelation 21:3-4This New Testament passage describes the ultimate fulfillment of the promise in Isaiah 60:15, depicting a new creation where God dwells with His people, wiping away every tear, and there is no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, signifying an eternal joy beyond measure.
cambridgeIsaiah 60:15: "Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations."
15 . Instead of thy being forsaken and hated ] Cf. ch. Isaiah 49:14 ; Isaiah 49:21 , Isaiah 54:6 ; Isaiah 54:11 . so that no man went through thee ] with none passing by (or through). 15, 16 . Instead of being shunned and hated by all nations, Zion shall become the joy of the whole earth, her wants being abundantly supplied from the best…
jfbIsaiah 60:15: "Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations."
- forsaken—(Ps 78:60, 61).no man went through thee—Thy land was so desolate that no traveller, or caravan, passed through thee; true only of Israel, not true of the Church (La 1:4).excellency—glory, that is, for ever honored.
The verse highlights a powerful contrast: moving from being "forsaken and hated" to becoming "majestic forever." This isn't just about a change in circumstances, but a divine replacement, where God actively makes the forsaken into an enduring source of joy for all generations.
This passage appears in a section of Isaiah where God is speaking of restoring and glorifying Zion, picturing a future of immense prosperity and divine favor. It follows declarations that nations and their kings will be drawn to Zion, bringing their wealth and power to serve her. This verse directly contrasts Zion's past suffering and abandonment with her promised future glory and lasting joy.
This passage appears in a section of Isaiah where God is speaking of restoring and glorifying Zion, picturing a future of immense prosperity and divine favor. It follows declarations that nations and their kings will be drawn to Zion, bringing their wealth and power to serve her. This verse directly contrasts Zion's past suffering and abandonment with her promised future glory and lasting joy.
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An attribute of God describing His absolute power, strength, and ability to fulfill His purposes and defend His people against all adversaries.
c. 1st century BC – 1st century AD
Hellenistic and Roman Periods
Judea experienced periods of foreign rule under Hellenistic kingdoms and later the Roman Empire. Despite periods of relative autonomy or rebuilding, the nation faced significant political turmoil, foreign influence, and occasional destruction, such as the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
"Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, with no one passing through, I will make you majestic forever, a joy from age to age. You shall suck the milk of nations; you shall nurse at the breast of kings; and…" — The verse highlights a powerful contrast: moving from being "forsaken and hated" to becoming "majestic forever." This isn't just about a change in circumstances, but a divine replacement, where God…
