What does Isaiah 49:18 mean?
“Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.” — Isaiah 49:18
Isaiah 49:18 (KJV) says, "Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth."
This verse comes from the book of Isaiah, which is a prophetic book in the Old Testament. In this verse, Isaiah is addressing the people of Israel, delivering a message from the Lord. The verse is filled with rich imagery and symbolism, and it speaks to the themes of restoration, renewal, and the fulfillment of God's promises.
The verse begins with a call to "lift up thine eyes round about, and behold." This is a call to pay attention and take notice of what is happening. It is an invitation to look around and see the fulfillment of God's promises. This is a common theme throughout the book of Isaiah, as the prophet repeatedly calls the people to pay attention to the work of the Lord in their midst.
The next part of the verse describes the gathering of the people to the Lord. This can be understood both in a literal sense, as the people of Israel returning to their homeland after exile, and in a spiritual sense, as the gathering of all peoples to God. The imagery of gathering and coming together conveys a sense of unity and restoration, as God gathers His people back to himself.
The verse continues with the promise, "As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth." Here, the Lord promises to clothe His people with the gathered nations as with an ornament and bind them on as a bride does. This imagery of clothing and adorning conveys a sense of beauty and honor. It speaks to the idea of the people of Israel being restored and renewed, and being adorned with the glory of the Lord.
This verse is filled with rich symbolism that points to the themes of restoration, renewal, and fulfillment. The imagery of gathering and coming together speaks to the idea of unity and reconciliation. The promise of being clothed with the gathered nations as with an ornament and bound on as a bride speaks to the idea of being adorned with the glory of the Lord. This verse is a powerful reminder of the faithfulness of God to His people and His promise to restore and renew them.
In its historical context, this verse would have been particularly meaningful to the people of Israel who were living in exile at the time. The imagery of gathering and being adorned with the gathered nations would have been a powerful message of hope and encouragement to them, as it spoke to the promise of their eventual restoration and renewal.
In a broader sense, this verse speaks to the universal theme of God's faithfulness and His promise to gather and restore His people. It points to the idea that God's love and redemption is not limited to one group of people, but extends to all nations. It is a reminder that God's plan for restoration and renewal is all-encompassing and inclusive.
Overall, Isaiah 49:18 is a powerful and uplifting verse that speaks to the themes of restoration, renewal, and the fulfillment of God's promises. Its rich imagery and symbolism convey a message of hope and encouragement, reminding us of the faithfulness of God and His promise to restore and renew His people. It is a timeless message that continues to speak to us today, reminding us of the all-encompassing love and redemption of God.
Get our apps
Artwork for Isaiah 49:18
Isaiah 49:18 - "¶ Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth."
Isaiah 49:18 Lift up your eyes, look around and see; All these gather together and come to you. As I live," says the Lord, "You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, And bind them on you as a bride does.
Isaiah 49:18 Lift up your eyes, look around and see; All these gather together and come to you. As I live," says the Lord, "You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, And bind them on you as a bride does.
"¶ Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth." - Isaiah 49:18
Isaiah 49 1-7
Isaiah 49:24 - "¶ Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?"
Genesis 49:18 - "I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD."
Isaiah 49:11 - "And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted."
Isaiah 49:14 - "But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me."
Isaiah 49:3 - "And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
Isaiah 49:12 - "Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim."
Isaiah 49:17 - "Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee."
Isaiah 49:16 - "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."
Psalms 18:49 - "Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name."
"I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD." - Genesis 49:18
Jeremiah 49:18 - "As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it."
Isaiah 49:9 - "That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places."
Psalms 49:18 - "Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself."
"¶ Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?" - Isaiah 49:24
Isaiah 49:15 - "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee."
!["Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me." - Isaiah 49:16](https://media.bible.art/b07c325d-8129-47ec-bf44-63ea459287ab-thumbnail.jpg)
"Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me." - Isaiah 49:16
Isaiah 49:13 - "¶ Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted."
Isaiah 49:19 - "For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away."
Isaiah 49:25 - "But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children."
"And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted." - Isaiah 49:11
Isaiah 49:4 - "Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God."
Isaiah 29:18
"But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me." - Isaiah 49:14
Isaiah 49:10 - "They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them."
Isaiah 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."