Isaiah 49:21

21 Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me? I was bereaved and barren; I was exiled and rejected. So who has reared them? Look, I was left all alone, so where did they come from?’”

Isaiah 49:21 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 49:21

Then shalt thou say in thine heart
In, a way of admiration, secretly within herself, astonished at the numerous crowds flocking in; who hath begotten me these?
not their natural parents, nor they themselves; for they are not born of blood, nor of the will of man, nor of the will
of the flesh;
nor ministers of the Gospel, though they are instruments, yet not the cause; but God only, Father, Son, and Spirit, to whom regeneration is only ascribed: regeneration is a wonderful work of God; it is unaccountable to the natural man; it is amazing to the saints themselves; and it is matter of astonishment to the church of God; especially when on a sudden, and without means, and in great numbers, men are born again; and particularly when these come from among the Gentiles, which seems to be the case here: seeing I have lost my children;
by captivity and the sword, by the tyranny and cruelty of the man of sin: and am desolate;
or alone, as if without a husband, or any to take care of her: this represents the church in the wilderness, during the reign of antichrist, ( Revelation 12:14 ) , while she seems to be forsaken of the Lord her husband, though she is not: and a captive;
to the Romish antichrist; see ( Revelation 13:10 ) : and removing to and fro;
being forced to flee from place to place, by reason of persecution: there is, no doubt, an allusion in all this to the case of the Jews in the Babylonish captivity: and who hath brought up these?
the same that begot them, even the Lord himself; who nourishes and brings up his children with the milk of the Gospel, and the breasts of Gospel ordinances; so that they are brought up from children to young men, from young men to fathers, till they become perfect men; even the church in the wilderness, with her children, are nourished by him, for a time, and times, and half a time, ( Revelation 12:14 ) which is wonderful: behold, I was left alone;
seemingly without husband or children, in a desolate and wilderness state: these, where had they been?
in the ruins of Adam's fall; in a state of darkness; in the graves of sin; in a pit wherein is no water; in the hands of Satan, and among wicked men; even in Babylon itself, but now called out; see ( Revelation 18:4 ) .

Isaiah 49:21 In-Context

19 For your ruined and desolate places and your ravaged land will now indeed be too small for your people, and those who devoured you will be far away.

20 Yet the children of your bereavement will say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; make room for us to live here.’

21 Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me? I was bereaved and barren; I was exiled and rejected. So who has reared them? Look, I was left all alone, so where did they come from?’”

22 This is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and raise My banner to the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.

23 Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in Me will never be put to shame.”