Matthew Henry on Isaiah 49:18-23

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · Matthew Henry · CC0 1.0 Universal

Zion is addressed as an afflicted widow, bereaved of her children. Numbers flock to her, and she is assured that they come to be a comfort to her. There are times when the church is desolate and few in number; yet its desolations shall not last for ever, and God will repair them.

God can raise up friends for returning Israelites, even among Gentiles. They shall bring their children, and make them thy children. Let all deal tenderly and carefully with young converts and beginners in religion.

Princes shall protect the church. It shall appear that God is the sovereign Lord of all. And those who in the exercise of faith, hope, and patience, wait on God for the fulfilment of his promises, shall never be confounded.

More for Isaiah 49:18-23

Continue with other commentaries and DiscipleDeck content connected to this verse, chapter, or topic.

Other commentaries

commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 49:1-26SECTION III. THE MISSION OF THE SERVANT OF THE LORD (CH. 49-53). EXPOSITION The connection of the present section is especially with Isaiah 42:1-7, where the mission of the Servant of Jehovah was first announced. That m…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 49:13-26ZION COMFORTED IN HER DESPONDENCY. While the future is thus glorious, both for the "Servant of the Lord" and for his people Israel, the present is gloom and misery. Zion—not here the city, but the people of God—desponds…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 49:14-26Despondency comforted. I. THE TEMPTATION. "Jehovah hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me." The temptation is to ascribe the cause of feeling in our own mind to a Being outside us; forgetting that "'tis in our…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryEncouragement to Zion. (b. c. 706.)ENCOURAGEMENT TO ZION. (B. C. 706.) Two things are here promised, which were to be in part accomplished in the reviving of the Jewish church after its return out of captivity, but more fully in the planting of the Chris…Matthew Henry commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 49:18Lift up thine eyes round about and behold (comp. Isaiah 50:4, where the same phrase occurs in connection with the conversion of the Gentiles). All these gather themselves together (comp. Isaiah 49:12). Thou shalt surely…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 49:19The land of thy destruction; or, of thy overthrow—i.e, where thou wert overthrown by Nebuchadnezzar—shall even now be too narrow, etc. This must not be understood literally. Palestine, after the return from the Captivit…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 49:20The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other; literally, the children of thy bereavement; i.e. the Gentiles who shall replace those many faithless Israelites who refused to return when Cyrus issued…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 49:21Who hath begotten me these? The Jewish Church is astounded at the influx of the Gentiles, and asks, "Where did they come from? Who has made them my children? Who has trained them?" That they are not her natural children…Joseph S. Exell and contributors