ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Isaiah 49.15-16

Book: Isaiah · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

There are ads on our codex that pay for hosting and keep the codex free. If you can, please consider whitelisting ris3n.com or allowing scripts to support the work.

Sponsored

ASV (ASV)

"13. Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for Jehovah hath comforted his people, and will have compassion upon his afflicted. 14. But Zion said, Jehovah hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me."

"15. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, these may forget, yet will not I forget thee. 16. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."

"17. Thy children make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth from thee. 18. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith Jehovah, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament, and gird thyself with them, like a bride." (Isaiah 49:13-18, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"13. Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break out into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14. But Zion said, “Yahweh has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.”"

"15. “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you! 16. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. your walls are continually before me."

"17. Your children hurry. Your destroyers and those who devastated you will leave you. 18. Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live,” says Yahweh, “you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and dress yourself with them, like a bride." (Isaiah 49:13-18, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"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. 14. But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me."

"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. that: Heb. from having compassion 16. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."

"17. Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee. 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 49:13-18, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"13. Sing, O heavens, and joy, O earth, And break forth, O mountains, with singing, For comforted hath Jehovah His people, And His afflicted ones He doth pity. 14. And Zion saith, 'Jehovah hath forsaken me, And my Lord hath forgotten me.'"

"15. Forget doth a woman her suckling, The loved one, the son of her womb? Yea, these forget, but I, I forget not thee. 16. Lo, on the palms of the hand I have graven thee, Thy walls [are] before Me continually."

"17. Hastened have those building thee, Those destroying thee, and laying thee waste, go out from thee. 18. Lift up round about thine eyes and see, All of them have been gathered, They have come to thee. I live, an affirmation of Jehovah! Surely all of them as an ornament thou puttest on, And thou bindest them on like a bride." (Isaiah 49:13-18, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Isaiah son of Amoz (traditional unity) + LORD direct discourse
  • Audience: Judah under Uzziah/Jotham/Ahaz/Hezekiah + exilic remnant
  • Location: Jerusalem and Judah
  • Time period: ministry c. 740-680 BC

Theological reading

Key words

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.