Isaiah 54:11

11 O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, I am about to set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires.

Isaiah 54:11 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 54:11

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempests, and not comforted,
&c.] Or, "O thou poor" F19 church; for the first Christian churches chiefly consisted of poor persons, not many mighty and noble being called; and which were greatly "afflicted" with false teachers, who broached errors and heresies, and made schisms among them; and "tossed with tempests" like a ship at sea; or "stormed" F20 with the rage and fury of violent persecutors, such as the Roman emperors were; and not "comforted", having none to administer any external comfort or relief to them; none of the kings or princes of the earth, or any civil magistrate to protect and defend them; what comfort they had was internal and spiritual; what they had from Christ and his Spirit, and by the word and ordinances; or rather this may describe the state of the church under Papal tyranny and persecution, which brings it nearer to the times of peace and prosperity after promised: behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours;
or, "with paint" F21; such as women used to paint their faces or eyes with, ( 2 Kings 9:30 ) ( Jeremiah 4:30 ) . The Targum is,

``behold, I will lay with paint the stones of thy pavement;''
and the words seem plainly to design the stones of a pavement, and perhaps by an hypallage or transposition may be rendered, I will lay thy pavement with glistering stones;
so the word is translated ( 1 Chronicles 29:2 ) or, "with stones of paint" F23; which are of the colour of the "stibium", or paint before mentioned, and which was of a black colour; and Aben Ezra says the word here signifies a precious stone of a black colour; perhaps black marble is meant, a stone fit for pavements; but, be these stones what they will, they design in the spiritual sense the materials of a Gospel church, those "lively stones" which are built up a spiritual house,
and which are beautified with the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God; and may also denote that the lowest and meanest of the Lord's people, pointed out by stones of the pavement, should be thus adorned: and lay thy foundations with sapphires;
a precious stone of a white colour, according to R. Saadiah Gaon; but, according to Aben Ezra, of a red colour; though the sapphire is usually said to be of a sky colour, shining with specks of gold. The Targum renders it, "with precious stones"; and so the foundation of the wall of the New Jerusalem is said to be garnished with all manner of precious stones, ( Revelation 21:19 Revelation 21:20 ) , this may respect Christ, the sure foundation God has laid in Zion, the foundation of the apostles and prophets; the one and only foundation of the church of Christ, and all true believers, who is more precious than sapphires, or all the most precious stones; he always has been the foundation of his church in all ages; but the meaning is, that he shall now appear most clearly and manifestly to be the foundation, and to be a firm, rich, and glorious one; see ( Exodus 24:10 ) .
FOOTNOTES:

F19 (hyne) V. L. Munster, Pagninus; "O paupercula", Tigurine version; "inops", Cocceius.
F20 (hrewo) "tempestate obruta"; Munster, Vatablus, Forerius.
F21 (Kwpb) "in fuco", Tigurine version; "in stibio", Sanctius.
F23 "Stibinis lapidibus", Forerius.

Isaiah 54:11 In-Context

9 This is like the days of Noah to me: Just as I swore that the waters of Noah would never again go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you and will not rebuke you.
10 For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
11 O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, I am about to set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of jewels, and all your wall of precious stones.
13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the prosperity of your children.

Footnotes 1

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.