The prophecy doesn't just change names from "Forsaken" to "My Delight Is in Her" and "Desolate" to "Married"—it reveals that the reason for this transformation is God's deep pleasure in His people. The new names aren't just labels; they are declarations of God's active, joyful affection and the intimate, covenantal relationship He is establishing.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Lord is speaking to His people, who have experienced long periods of exile and devastation, feeling abandoned and desolate. This passage promises a radical transformation, not just a return from captivity, but a complete change in their identity and relationship with God. The focus shifts from their past shame to a future of divine delight and marital union, where their land itself will reflect this renewed relationship.
Imagine being labeled by your worst moments. What if God could give you a name that defines His love for you instead?
In this passage, God declares a radical shift for His people and their land. They had been known by names that reflected their pain and exile: 'Forsaken' and 'Desolate.' These names weren't just labels; they were the reality of their broken relationship with God and the devastation of their homeland.
But God promises a profound reversal.
God replaces these painful identifiers with names that speak of His active delight and commitment: 'My Delight Is in Her' (Hephzibah) and 'Married' (Beulah). This isn't just a change of words; it's a declaration of a renewed covenant and a restored relationship. Your identity is not defined by your past failures or current struggles, but by God's unchanging love and His choice to delight in you.
What does it mean for God to 'delight' in you? It's more than just liking; it's a deep, abiding joy rooted in His covenant.
The core of this transformation lies in the reason God gives: 'for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be married.' The names 'Hephzibah' (My Delight Is in Her) and 'Beulah' (Married) aren't arbitrary. They reflect God's deep, personal pleasure in His people and His unwavering commitment to them.
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Understand the original words
chaphats · Hebrew Verb
To take pleasure in someone or something with deep satisfaction, affection, and emotional warmth; it describes the intense favor God feels toward His people.
ba'al · Hebrew Verb/Adjective
A sacred, binding covenant relationship between two parties, often used as a profound metaphor for the intimate, exclusive, and faithful love between God and His people.
sus · Hebrew Verb
The act of finding intense joy, gladness, and celebration; in Scripture, God is frequently described as experiencing profound delight and joy over the well-being and holiness of His people.
This prophecy in Isaiah 62 speaks directly to the experience of the Jewish people after the devastation of the Babylonian exile. The names 'Forsaken' and 'Desolate' reflected their painful reality, but the prophet proclaims a future of radical restoration and divine delight, where they would be called 'My Delight Is in Her' and their land 'Married.'
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Babylonian forces conquer Jerusalem, destroy the First Temple, and carry many of the inhabitants into exile. The land is left largely desolate.
c. 538 BC
Cyrus' Edict and Return from Exile
The Persian king Cyrus allows the Jewish exiles to return to Judah and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the restoration period.
c. 516 BC
Dedication of the Second Temple
The Second Temple in Jerusalem is completed and dedicated, signifying a partial return to national and religious life, though under foreign rule.
c. 458 BC
Ezra's Reforms
The priest Ezra leads a group of exiles back to Jerusalem and institutes religious reforms aimed at strengthening the community's identity and adherence to the Law.
c. 445 BC
Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem's Walls
Nehemiah, cupbearer to the Persian king, receives permission to return and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, a crucial step in restoring the city's security and prominence.
c. 6th-5th century BC— this verse
The Exilic and Post-Exilic Period
This period, spanning the Babylonian exile and the return, was marked by profound loss, divine judgment, and a subsequent, though often challenging, restoration. The prophetic voices, including Isaiah's, offered hope for ultimate renewal and a new covenant.
This passage speaks of restoring health and healing wounds, mirroring Isaiah's promise of calling Jerusalem 'My Delight Is in Her' and removing the name 'Forsaken'.
Ezekiel 36:35This verse describes the land, once desolate, becoming like the Garden of Eden, directly paralleling the transformation from 'Desolate' to 'Married' that Isaiah proclaims for the land.
Hosea 2:16-20Here, God promises to betroth His people to Himself in righteousness, faithfulness, and steadfast love, echoing the theme of marriage and delight that replaces abandonment and desolation.
Revelation 21:2This passage describes the New Jerusalem coming down from God, adorned as a bride for her husband, which beautifully fulfills the prophetic imagery of the land and people being married and delighted in by the Lord.
cambridgeIsaiah 62:4: "Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married."
4, 5 . The reunion of Zion with her Husband and her children. Cf. ch. Isaiah 49:14 ff., Isaiah 54:1 f., 4 ff. Forsaken ] Hebr. ‘ăsûbâh ; found as a proper name in 1 Kings 22:42 . Similarly Hephzi-bah (= “delight in her”) is the actual name of the mother of Manasseh ( 2 Ki…
pulpitIsaiah 62:4: "Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married."
Verse 4. - Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken. Judah had believed herself" forsaken" of God (Isaiah 49:14), and had actually been, in a certain sense, forsaken "for a small moment" (Isaiah 54:7). Her enemies, it would seem, had gone so far as to give her the name in de…
The prophecy doesn't just change names from "Forsaken" to "My Delight Is in Her" and "Desolate" to "Married"—it reveals that the reason for this transformation is God's deep pleasure in His people. The new names aren't just labels; they are declarations of God's active, joyful affection and the intimate, covenantal relationship He is establishing.
The Lord is speaking to His people, who have experienced long periods of exile and devastation, feeling abandoned and desolate. This passage promises a radical transformation, not just a return from captivity, but a complete change in their identity and relationship with God. The focus shifts from their past shame to a future of divine delight and marital union, where their land itself will reflect this renewed relationship.
The Lord is speaking to His people, who have experienced long periods of exile and devastation, feeling abandoned and desolate. This passage promises a radical transformation, not just a return from captivity, but a complete change in their identity and relationship with God. The focus shifts from their past shame to a future of divine delight and marital union, where their land itself will reflect this renewed relationship.
"You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be…" — The prophecy doesn't just change names from "Forsaken" to "My Delight Is in Her" and "Desolate" to "Married"—it reveals that the reason for this transformation is God's deep pleasure in His people.…
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Last reviewed October 2026
