Bible Strands
Isaiah 60:22
The least of you will become a thousand, and the smallest a mighty nation. I am the LORD; in its time I will accomplish it quickly.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Yahweh addresses the remnant of Israel in the context of Zion's ultimate restoration, following the declaration that all their people will be righteous and possess the land forever (60:21).
The words — קָטֹן (ka.Ton, "the small/least") and עָצוּם ('a.Tzum, "mighty") form the semantic axis of the verse: the least becomes a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation.
The thread — The tension between divine certainty and human impatience recurs in Habakkuk 2:3 (the vision awaits an appointed time), Hebrews 10:36 (persevere to receive what God has promised), and Luke 18:7 (God bringing about justice for His elect).
Why it lands — It asks the reader to hold two claims without resolving them: the promise is certain, and the timing is not yours to set.
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
A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.
Cross-references
- Habakkuk 2:3 For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.
- Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
- Luke 18:7 Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay in helping them?
- Matthew 13:31 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his field.
- 2 Peter 3:8 Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
- Isaiah 66:8 Who has heard of such as this? Who has seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be delivered in an instant? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.
- Isaiah 5:19 to those who say, “Let Him hurry and hasten His work so that we may see it! Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come so that we may know it!”
- Daniel 2:44 In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever.
- Revelation 7:9 After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
- Acts 5:14 Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of both men and women.