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Isaiah 54 Bible study: Sing, barren
Isaiah has the Hebrew word for barren only once, to open chapter 54, and the woman "who didn’t give birth" is told to enlarge her tent (54:1-2). The LORD calls his forsaking "a small moment" and his loving kindness "everlasting" (54:7-8), and swears it as he swore of Noah's waters (54:9). Jesus said, "They will all be taught by God" (John 6:45).
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“For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,” says the LORD who has mercy on you.”
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“In Isaiah 54:16, the LORD says he created the blacksmith who forges a weapon.”
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What's really going on
Sing, barren
The chapter opens with a call to a woman who has had no child: "Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth! Break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who didn’t travail with child!" (54:1) (tap barren). The reason follows at once: "For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife," says the LORD (54:1). Here is what almost everyone misses: barren, aqarah, is a word the Hebrew Bible has twelve times, and this is its only time in Isaiah. Genesis gave it to Sarai (Genesis 11:30), Rebekah (Genesis 25:21) and Rachel (Genesis 29:31), Judges to Manoah's wife (Judges 13:2), and Hannah's prayer has it: "Yes, the barren has borne seven" (1 Samuel 2:5). Then the call to sing becomes a call to make room: "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations; don’t spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes" (54:2) (tap cords), "For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left" (54:3).
Where it leads to Jesus
They will all be taught by God
Isaiah 54:13leads toJohn 6:45
The LORD says, "All your children will be taught by the LORD, and your children’s peace will be great" (Isaiah 54:13). In Capernaum, "in the synagogue" (John 6:59), those listening "murmured concerning him, because he said, “I am the bread which came down out of heaven.”" (John 6:41). Jesus answered them, "Don’t murmur among yourselves" (John 6:43), and went on, "It is written in the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who hears from the Father and has learned, comes to me" (John 6:45). Jesus says "in the prophets" and doesn't name the book; these notes set his words beside Isaiah 54:13, and the WEB words the two differently: where Isaiah has "taught by the LORD", John has "taught by God". Jesus gives the words of "everyone who hears from the Father and has learned", and says that they come to him (John 6:45).
Honest questions
Questions people ask about Isaiah 54
That was a taste
The rest of Isaiah 54 is waiting in Favor
- Your Maker is your husband
- For a small moment
- All your children will be taught by the LORD
- "Rejoice, you barren" in Galatians
- The waters of Noah
- 17 questions as you read
- 14 more Hebrew words
- A short check at the end
- Your notes, saved as you go
Favor reads the Bible in order, so you'll reach Isaiah 54 with everything before it in view. First week free, then $10 a month per person.
The Hebrew word behind it
עָקָרaqarsay a-KAR
Brown-Driver-Briggs: "barren". "Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth!" (54:1): here in its feminine form, aqarah. The Hebrew Bible has the word twelve times, and this is its only time in Isaiah. Genesis uses it of Sarai, Rebekah and Rachel (Genesis 11:30, 25:21, 29:31), and Judges of Manoah's wife (Judges 13:2). Hannah's prayer has it: "Yes, the barren has borne seven" (1 Samuel 2:5), and a psalm says, "He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother of children" (Psalm 113:9).
For your group
Isaiah 54 Bible study questions
- 1"For a small moment I have forsaken you" (54:7), "but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you" (54:8). What does it tell you about the LORD that he speaks of his wrath as a moment and his loving kindness as everlasting?
- 2"Enlarge the place of your tent" (54:2). What would it look like for your group to make room for someone new?
- 3"All your children will be taught by the LORD" (54:13), and Jesus said, "They will all be taught by God" (John 6:45). What have you learned from this chapter that you want to carry into the week?
Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Isaiah 54 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.
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Questions
What is Favor?
Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.
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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home