Isaiah 66:11

so that you may nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you may drink deeply and delight yourselves in her glorious abundance.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses those who love and mourn over Jerusalem, following a command to rejoice in her restoration. The oracle marks a transition from communal mourning to promised material comfort for Zion.

The words — The text employs תִּינְקוּ (ti.ne.Ku) and תָּמֹצּוּ (ta.Mo.tzu), both translated as "you may suck" or "drink deeply," paired with שְׁדֵי (Shod, "breasts") and תַּנְחֻמֶיהָ (tan.chu.Mei.ha, "its consolations"). These terms describe nursing from Jerusalem's comforting breasts to achieve physical satisfaction and delight in her abundance.

The thread — The text places this nourishment imagery alongside Isaiah 60:16, where exiles drink the milk of nations and nurse at royal breasts, and Joel 3:18 and Psalms 36:8, which depict abundance flowing like milk and streams of delight. The motif consistently links divine provision with maternal sustenance and restored prosperity.

Why it lands — The passage states that Zion's future restoration functions as a direct source of sustenance for her people. It requires readers to accept that divine blessing is portrayed through concrete, nourishing imagery rather than abstract promises.

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

לְמַ֤עַןle.Ma.'anso that תִּֽינְקוּ֙ti.ne.Kuyou may suck וּשְׂבַעְתֶּ֔םu./se.va'.Temand/ you will be satisfied מִשֹּׁ֖דmi./Shodfrom/ [the] breast of תַּנְחֻמֶ֑יהָtan.chu.Mei./haconsolations/ its לְמַ֧עַןle.Ma.'anso that תָּמֹ֛צּוּta.Mo.tzuyou may suck וְהִתְעַנַּגְתֶּ֖םve./hit.'a.nag.Temand/ you will take delight מִזִּ֥יזmi./Zizfrom/ [the] nipple of כְּבוֹדָֽהּ׃ סke.vo.Da/habundance/ its

King James Version

That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

Cross-references

Isaiah 60:16 You will drink the milk of nations and nurse at the breasts of royalty; you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
Joel 3:18 And in that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the streams of Judah will run with water, and a spring will flow from the house of the LORD to water the Valley of Acacias.
Psalms 36:8 They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.
Isaiah 60:5 Then you will look and be radiant, and your heart will tremble and swell with joy, because the riches of the sea will be brought to you, and the wealth of the nations will come to you.
1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,