Isaiah 49:21

49:20 The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.

Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?

KJV

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Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering back and forth? Who has brought these up? Behold, I was left alone. Where were these?’”

Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?

Then shall you say in your heart, Who has begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?

49:22 Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. arms: Heb. bosom

What does Isaiah 49:21 mean?

Isaiah 49:21 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include אָמַר (ʼâmar), לֵבָב (lêbâb), יָלַד (yâlad).

Hebrew interlinear

Then

shalt

thou

sayאָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)

thine

heart,לֵבָבlêbâb/lay-bawb'/H3824the heart (as the most interior organ);

Who

hath

begottenיָלַדyâlad/yaw-lad'/H3205to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage

these,

seeing

have

lost

children,שָׁכֹלshâkôl/shaw-kole'/H7921properly, to miscarry, i.e. suffer abortion; by analogy, to bereave (literally or figuratively)

and

desolate,גַּלְמוּדgalmûwd/gal-mood'/H1565sterile (as wrapped up too hard); figuratively, desolate

captive,גָּלָהgâlâh/gaw-law'/H1540to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal

and

removing

and

fro?סוּרçûwr/soor/H5493to turn off (literal or figurative)

and

who

hath

brought

upגָּדַלgâdal/gaw-dal'/H1431to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride)

these?

Behold,

was

leftשָׁאַרshâʼar/shaw-ar'/H7604properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make) redundant

alone;

these,

whereאֵיפֹהʼêyphôh/ay-fo'/H375what place?; also (of time) when?; or (of means) how?

had

they

been?

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 49:21.

Deuteronomy 4:9

Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;

Genesis 3:16

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. to thy: or, subject to thy husband

Genesis 38:14

And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. an open: Heb. the door of eyes, or, of Enajim

Genesis 4:1

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. Cain: that is, Gotten, or, Acquired

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 49:21 say?

Isaiah 49:21 (King James Version) reads: "Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?"

Is Isaiah 49:21 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 49:21 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 49:21, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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