Jesaja 49:16

16 Siehe, in die Hände habe ich dich gezeichnet; deine Mauern sind immerdar vor mir.

Jesaja 49:16 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 49:16

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands
Not upon his thick clouds, the clouds of heaven under him, always in view, as R. Saadiah Gaon, mentioned by Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi: much better the Targum,

``lo, as upon the hands thou art engraven before me;''

signifying that his people were always in his sight, his eyes were ever upon them, and never withdrawn from them; as anything held in the hand, or tied to or wore upon it, as a signet or ring that has the name of a person on it, to which the allusion may be; which shows how near and dear they are to him, what affection he has for them, and care of them; see ( Song of Solomon 8:6 ) . Some think respect is had to the wounds in the hands of Christ, which, being on their account, are looked upon and remembered by him; or, however, to their being in his hands, out of which none can pluck them, ( John 10:28 John 10:29 ) : thy walls are continually before me;
not the walls of Jerusalem to rebuild, though there may be an allusion to them; but either the walls of their houses where they dwell; his delights being in the habitable parts of his earth, where his saints are; or rather the walls of the church of God, for the erecting and establishing of which he is concerned. The metaphor seems to be taken from an architect that has the plan of a building, a house, or a city and its walls, in his hand, or lying before him. The phrase denotes the constant care and concern of Jehovah for the protection and safety of his church and people; who places angels about them, salvation for walls and bulwarks to them, yea, he himself is a wall of fire about them, ( Isaiah 26:1 ) ( Zechariah 2:5 ) ( Revelation 21:14 ) .

Jesaja 49:16 In-Context

14 Zion aber spricht: Der HERR hat mich verlassen, der HERR hat mein vergessen.

15 Kann auch ein Weib ihres Kindleins vergessen, daß sie sich nicht erbarme über den Sohn ihres Leibes? Und ob sie desselben vergäße, so will ich doch dein nicht vergessen.

16 Siehe, in die Hände habe ich dich gezeichnet; deine Mauern sind immerdar vor mir.

17 Deine Baumeister werden eilen; aber deine Zerbrecher und Verstörer werden sich davonmachen.

18 Hebe deine Augen auf umher und siehe: alle diese kommen versammelt zu dir. So wahr ich lebe, spricht der HERR, du sollst mit diesen allen wie mit einem Schmuck angetan werden und wirst sie um dich legen wie eine Braut.