Isaiah 41:19
in Isaiah 41I will plant cedars in the wilderness, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees. I will set cypresses in the desert, elms and boxwood together,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree; I will set in the desert the fir-tree, the pine, and the box-tree together:
KJV
I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:
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This verse in Isaiah 41
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThese varieties of trees signify the diversity of spiritual grace. And because the nature of them is well known to all, we will now explain the Setta, which Theodotio translated as a thorn. It is a type of tree that grows in the desert and resembles a white thorn. From this tree, all the wood for the ark and the tabernacle was made, which is called Settim (Exodus 37). This wood is incorruptible and very light, surpassing all other types of wood in both strength and beauty.
This site's exposition
I will plant in the wilderness the cedar
on Isaiah 41:19-20
The watered wilderness of the previous verse is planted with a deliberate list of trees, the cedar, the shittah tree, the myrtle, the oil tree, the fir, the pine and the box tree together, seven kinds named where the desert had offered none. The purpose is stated plainly rather than left to inference, that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this. Delitzsch notes the pairing of the Lord's hand and the Holy One of Israel in one verse, the same divine title from verse 14 now attached to the evidence of creation rather than redemption.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The water was not life-giving. For they were not able to satisfy those who longed for truth from their teachings. Their tongues remained parched from thirst. But I will hear them, says the God of Israel, and I will not abandon them. For he had mercy on the mass of those who strayed and did not leave them without gifts from above, but rather he gave to them in fullness, and this in such a way as is finely described in the verses that follow.… The desert and the land short of water is the region of the Gentiles. The desert that will run dry and barren of any flowering growth, meaning spiritual growth, is the way of shriveling, where the wild trees are those useful only for burning in fire. The water allows the nations to bear fruit. To those who were once thirsty he says, "I will make rivers flow on the mountains," that is, holy people who are enriched by the divine word from above and pour out like flowing streams to the thirsty.
(Verse 17 and following) The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And as to the beauty of the trees: I will plant in the wilderness: his branches were multiplied (Ezek 31:5).
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
These trees shall be to them what the pillar of cloud was to Israel in the wilderness, a shelter from the heat." Christ and his grace are so to believers, as the shadow of a great rock, ch. xxxii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
The box tree - Trees which are both useful and pleasant to the eye, and giving a good shadow to the traveler. But what particular trees these Hebrew words signify, is not certainly known.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree,.... Where such trees had not used to grow, but in Lebanon, and such like places.
But doubtless this promise has more than such a private interpretation. Their return out of Babylon was typical of our redemption by Christ; and so the contents of these promises, 1.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
I will plant in the wilderness - The image in this verse is one that is frequent in Isaiah. It is designed to show that God would furnish for his people abundant consolations, and that he would furnish unanticipated sources of comfort, and would remove from them their anticipated trials and calamities. The image refers to the return of the exiles to their own land. That journey lay through Arabia Deserta - a vast desert - where they would naturally expect to meet with nothing but barren hills, naked rocks, parched plains, and burning sands.
I will plant in the wilderness the cedar - The two preceding verses express God’s mercy to them in their passage through the dry deserts, in supplying them with abundant water, when distressed with thirst, in allusion to the exodus. This verse expresses the relief afforded to them, fainting with heat in their journey through that hot country, destitute of shelter, by causing shady trees, and those of the tallest and most beautiful kinds, to spring up for their defense. The apocryphal Baruch, speaking of the return from Babylon, expresses God’s protection of his people by the same image: “Even the woods and every sweet-smelling tree shall overshadow Israel by the commandment of God.” 5:8. The oil tree - This, Kimchi says, is not to be understood of the olive tree, for the olive is distinguished, Neh 8:15; but it means the pine or fir, from which pitch is extracted.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֶתֵּ֤ן | ʾeten | I will put | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ | bamidbar | in the wilderness | H4057 → | 270 times |
| אֶ֣רֶז | ʾerez | cedar[s] | H730 → | 73 times |
| שִׁטָּ֔ה | shitah | acacia tree[s] | H7848 → | |
| וַהֲדַ֖ס | vahadas | and myrtle tree[s] | H1918 → | |
| וְעֵ֣ץ | veetz | and tree[s] of | H6086 → | 328 times |
| שָׁ֑מֶן | shamen | oil | H8081 → | 193 times |
| אָשִׂ֣ים | ʾasim | I will set | H7760 → | 584 times |
| בָּעֲרָבָ֗ה | baaravah | in the desert plain | H6160 → | 61 times |
| בְּר֛וֹשׁ | beroosh | cypress[es] | H1265 → | 20 times |
| תִּדְהָ֥ר | tidhar | elm[s] | H8410 → | |
| וּתְאַשּׁ֖וּר | uteashur | and box tree[s] | H8391 → | |
| יַחְדָּֽו׃ | yachdav | together | H3162 → | 141 times |
אֶתֵּ֤ןI will put
ʾetenH5414 →2011 times
בַּמִּדְבָּר֙in the wilderness
bamidbarH4057 →270 times
אֶ֣רֶזcedar[s]
ʾerezH730 →73 times
שִׁטָּ֔הacacia tree[s]
shitahH7848 →
וַהֲדַ֖סand myrtle tree[s]
vahadasH1918 →
וְעֵ֣ץand tree[s] of
veetzH6086 →328 times
שָׁ֑מֶןoil
shamenH8081 →193 times
אָשִׂ֣יםI will set
ʾasimH7760 →584 times
בָּעֲרָבָ֗הin the desert plain
baaravahH6160 →61 times
בְּר֛וֹשׁcypress[es]
berooshH1265 →20 times
תִּדְהָ֥רelm[s]
tidharH8410 →
וּתְאַשּׁ֖וּרand box tree[s]
uteashurH8391 →
יַחְדָּֽו׃together
yachdavH3162 →141 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 55:13Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will grow, and instead of the brier, a myrtle will spring up; they will make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign, never to be destroyed.”
it leads to
- Ephesians 3:20–21
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
- 1 Peter 2:9–10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- Ephesians 3:20–21
Through
Isaiah 35:1The wilderness and the land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.
it leads to
- Isaiah 51:3
For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness…
- Ezekiel 36:35
Then they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The cities that were once ruined, desolate, and destroyed are now fortified and inhabited.’
- Isaiah 55:12–13
You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
- Isaiah 52:9–10
Break forth in joy, sing together, O ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted His people; He has redeemed Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 27:6
In the days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill the whole world with fruit.
- Isaiah 51:3
Through
Isaiah 61:11For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden enables seed to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- 1 Peter 2:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Isaiah
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 3:5.41:16-20; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.