Isaiah 49:12
in Isaiah 49Behold, they will come from far away, from the north and from the west, and from the land of Aswan.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Lo, these shall come from far; and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
KJV
Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
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This verse in Isaiah 49
Commentary
13 notes on this verseIf some come "from the north" and some "from the sea," that is, from the western parts, and others come "from the land of the Persians" (meaning the highlands), then those in the first clause who are from the land far away are called "of the midday," since the uncircumscribable southern country lies among the midday people. These people are the ones who "shall come from a distance." But the word prophesies that they will come from all over, from the four latitudes to God and will receive the promises spoken to them.
This site's exposition
They will not hunger or thirst
on Isaiah 49:10-13
The regathering is a flock led by the LORD, who “will guide them and lead them beside springs of water”, an image John’s Gospel echoes. The exiles come “from the north and from the west”, and from Sinim, which the Berean reads as “the land of Aswan”.
This site's exposition
from the land of Aswan
The land of Aswan renders the Hebrew Sinim, which Clarke records Michaelis took for Syene at the south of Egypt. Gesenius took it for China, far away in the east. With the north and the west, it makes the four quarters from which Eusebius sees them come.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Versed 8 and following) Thus says the Lord: In a time of favor I have answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you; I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages; saying to the prisoners, 'Come out,' to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.'
According to one interpretation, this refers to the lowly and Jewish people. According to another, this is the entire gathering of souls that make up the godly spiritual commonwealth. According to a still further interpretation, this is the angelic order about which the apostle says, "She is the free Jerusalem of above that is our mother," and "you have come to Zion, the mountain and city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." The present word is addressed to the godly communion that formerly comprised the Jews. But they were brought down and suffered a fall, forfeiting their place to the church of the Gentiles.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And he sets out the return of the captives: behold these shall come from afar, from the east, and from the sea, the west: I will bring them from the north (Jer 31:8).
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Sinim - Either of the Sinites as they are called, Gen. x, 17, who dwelt about the wilderness. Or of Sin, a famous city of Egypt, which may be put for all Egypt, and that for all southern parts.
But this is directed to the isles (that is, the Gentiles, for they are called the isles of the Gentiles, Gen. x. 5 ) and to the people from far, that were strangers to the commonwealth of Israel, and afar off.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Behold, these shall come from far,....
The scope of these verses is to show that the return of the people of God out of their captivity, and the eternal redemption to be wrought out by Christ (of which that was a type), would be great occasions of joy to the church and great proofs of the tender care God has of the church.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Behold, these shall come from far - “Babylon was far and east, ממזרח mimmizrach, (non sic Vett.), Sinim, Pelusians, to the south.” - Secker. The land of Sinim - Prof. Doederlein thought of Syene, the southern limit of Egypt, but does not abide by it. Michaelis thinks it is right, and promises to give his reasons for so thinking in the second part of his Spicilegium Geographiae Hebraeorum Exterae. See Biblioth. Oriental.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Sinim--The Arabians and other Asiatics called China Sin, or Tchin; the Chinese had no special name for themselves, but either adopted that of the reigning dynasty or some high-sounding titles. This view of "Sinim" suits the context which requires a people to be meant "from far," and distinct from those "from the north and from the west" [GESENIUS].
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Behold, these shall come from far - That is, one part shall come from a distant land, and another from the north and west. This is a statement of the fulfillment of the promise made to him Isa 49:6-7, that he should be for a light to the Gentiles, and that kings and princes should rise up and honor him. The words ‘from far,’ denote a distant land, without specifying the particular direction from which they would come. The most distant nations should embrace his religion, and submit to him. Lowth and Seeker understand it of Babylon; Grotius of the East, that is, Persia, and the other countries east of Judea. But it more properly denotes any distant country; and the sense is, that converts should be made from the most distant lands. And lo, these - Another portion. From the north - The regions north of Palestine. And from the west - Hebrew, ‘From the sea;’ that is, the Mediterranean. This word is commonly used to denote the west. The western countries known to the Hebrews were some of the islands of that sea, and a few of the maritime regions. The idea here in general is, that those regions would furnish many who would embrace the true religion. If it be understood as referring to the Messiah, and the accession to his kingdom among the Gentiles, it is needless to say that the prediction has been already strikingly fulfilled. Christianity soon spread to the west of Palestine, and the countries in Europe have been thus far the principal seat of its influence and power. […]
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
from the land of Sinim [Jonathan renders:] from the southland.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And I will make all My mountains into a road In contrast to what he said concerning the days of its ruin (supra:8) “The wayfarer has stopped,” now the wayfarers shall return and go therein.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הִנֵּה־ | hineh- | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| אֵ֕לֶּה | ʾeleh | these | H428 → | 746 times |
| מֵרָח֖וֹק | merachok | from a distance | H7350 → | 84 times |
| יָבֹ֑אוּ | yavou | they will come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| וְהִֽנֵּה־ | vehineh- | and here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| אֵ֙לֶּה֙ | ʾeleh | these | H428 → | 746 times |
| מִצָּפ֣וֹן | mitzafon | from [the] north | H6828 → | 153 times |
| וּמִיָּ֔ם | umiyam | and from [the] west | H3220 → | 396 times |
| וְאֵ֖לֶּה | veeleh | and these | H428 → | 746 times |
| מֵאֶ֥רֶץ | meeretz | from [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| סִינִֽים׃ | sinim | Sinim | H5515 → |
הִנֵּה־here!
hineh-H2009 →843 times
אֵ֕לֶּהthese
ʾelehH428 →746 times
מֵרָח֖וֹקfrom a distance
merachokH7350 →84 times
יָבֹ֑אוּthey will come
yavouH935 →2568 times
וְהִֽנֵּה־and here!
vehineh-H2009 →843 times
אֵ֙לֶּה֙these
ʾelehH428 →746 times
מִצָּפ֣וֹןfrom [the] north
mitzafonH6828 →153 times
וּמִיָּ֔םand from [the] west
umiyamH3220 →396 times
וְאֵ֖לֶּהand these
veelehH428 →746 times
מֵאֶ֥רֶץfrom [the] land of
meeretzH776 →2504 times
סִינִֽים׃Sinim
sinimH5515 →
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
Revelation 11:15Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign…
it leads to
- Daniel 7:14
And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is…
- Revelation 12:10
And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our…
- Daniel 7:27
Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all…
- Revelation 10:7
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, just as He proclaimed to His servants the…
- Revelation 19:1
After this I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude in heaven, shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God!
- Daniel 7:14
Through
Zechariah 2:11“On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD, and they will become My people. I will dwell among you, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me…
it leads to
- Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign…
- 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.
- Revelation 11:15
Through
Luke 13:29People will come from east and west and north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.
it leads to
- Isaiah 66:18–20
“And I, knowing their deeds and thoughts, am coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see My glory.
- Isaiah 66:18–20
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Eusebius of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:35; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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.