Jesaja 49:15

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.

Jesaja 49:15 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 49:15

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have
compassion on the son of her womb?
&c.] This is the Lord's answer to the church's complaint, instancing in the care and affection of a mother to her child, thereby illustrating his love to his people; he instances in a "woman", the tender sex; in a "child" of her's, an infant, not one grown up, from which her affections might be alienated by disobedience; her suckling child, she had in her arms, and on her knees, and whom her breasts would put her in mind of; and since one that is not an own child may be suckled, it is called "the son of her womb"; and is it possible for such an one to be forgotten? yea, they may forget;
through inadvertency, want of affection, a cruel disposition, hurry of business, sickness, public calamities ( Lamentations 4:3 Lamentations 4:4 Lamentations 4:10 ) ( Deuteronomy 28:57 ) , such monsters in nature there may be, though rare: yet will I not forget thee;
he cannot forget, because of is nature, on which forgetfulness cannot properly fall; he will not, because of his promise, which never fails; he may seem to his people to have forgotten them, and he may be thought to have done so by others; he forgets their sins, but not their persons; he cannot forget his love, nor his covenant with them, nor his promises made to them; nor does he forget their love to him, nor their works, words, and thoughts; the righteous are had by him in everlasting remembrance. All this suggests that the Lord stands in the relation of a parent to his people, and they stand in the relation of children to him; they are born of him, and are as it were pieces of himself, and little images of him, and dear to him as the apple of his eye; they are like sucking children, that suck in the milk of his word, and suck at the breasts of his ordinances; and they are used by him in the most tender manner, as infants are; they are kissed by him, and dandled on the knee; they are led by him, and taught to go; he delights in them when they begin to speak in prayer or praise, though in a lisping and stammering manner; all their little actions are engaging, their works done by them, though imperfect, and a great deal of childishness in them; when anything ails them, he sympathizes with them, he takes care of them, and provides for them; and it is a concern to him whenever he is obliged to chastise them, and can he therefore forget them?

Jesaja 49:15 In-Context

13 Jauchzet, ihr Himmel, freue dich, Erde, lobet, ihr Berge, mit Jauchzen; denn der HERR hat sein Volk getröstet und erbarmt sich seiner Elenden.

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.