Bible Strands
Isaiah 54:1
“Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth in song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The LORD addresses a barren, desolate woman at the moment of her restoration; the following verse (Isaiah 54:2) commands her to enlarge her dwelling, confirming the context is post-exile renewal.
The words — רָנִּ֥י (ra.Ni) is an imperative: "shout for joy," a command rather than an invitation. The addressee is עֲקָרָ֖ה ('a.ka.Rah), "barren woman," the one who has never given birth.
The thread — Paul quotes this verse in Galatians 4:27, applying it to the free woman versus Hagar. The barren-giving-birth motif also appears in 1 Samuel 2:5, and the "forsaken/desolate" naming reversal in Isaiah 62:4.
Why it lands — The verse inverts the reader's assumption about who is fruitful: the one considered empty is the one God is filling. It asks the reader to stop measuring by visible output and start listening for the command to rejoice.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.
Cross-references
- Galatians 4:27 For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”
- Isaiah 62:4 No longer will you be called Forsaken, nor your land named Desolate; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be His bride.
- 1 Samuel 2:5 The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away.
- Psalms 113:9 He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother to her children. Hallelujah!
- Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
- Hebrews 11:11 By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.
- Isaiah 49:13 Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; break forth in song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and He will have compassion on His afflicted ones.
- Zephaniah 3:14 Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!
- Psalms 98:3 He has remembered His love and faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
- Psalms 67:3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.