Isaiah 55:13 · Bible study
Isaiah 55:13 Commentary: Thorns to Myrtle
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 55:13 promises a radical transformation: thorns replaced by cypress and myrtle.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God's word effects a permanent, glorious transformation, replacing thorns (the curse) with fruitful trees (new creation).
- Key words: ”Instead of” (תַּחַת, H8478) signals substitution; “cypress” (בְּרוֹשׁ) and “myrtle” (הֲדַס) are noble, fragrant trees; “sign” (אוֹת) is a miraculous token of God's covenant.
- Main debate: Is this literal environmental renewal or metaphorical moral transformation? Most commentators read it metaphorically of people, but some see a cosmic dimension (Rom 8:21).
- Theological theme: The efficacy of God's word, like rain, it always accomplishes its purpose, and the certainty that God's glory will be displayed through redeemed humanity.
- Best use: Preaching the certainty of gospel transformation; offering hope to those who feel stuck in sin; celebrating that God's purposes cannot be thwarted.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will grow, and instead of the brier, a myrtle will spring up; they will make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign, never to be destroyed.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Instead of the thorn the cypress tree will come up; and instead of the brier the myrtle tree will come up. It will make a name for Yahweh, for an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.”
KJV King James Version 1769
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree: and it shall be to Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Instead of the thorn come up doth fir, Instead of the brier come up doth myrtle, And it hath been to Jehovah for a name, For a sign age-during--it is not cut off!
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress, and instead of the nettle shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign [that] shall not be cut off.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Instead of the shrub, shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the nettle, shall come up the myrtle tree: and the Lord shall be named for an everlasting sign, that shall not be taken away.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
En lugar de la zarza crecerá haya, y en lugar de la ortiga crecerá arrayán: y será á Jehová por nombre, por señal eterna que nunca será raída.
Em lugar do espinheiro crescerá o cipreste, e em lugar da urtiga crescerá a murta; e isso será para o SENHOR como um nome, como um sinal eterno, que nunca se apagará.
Au lieu de l’ épine s’ élèvera le cyprès,
Es sollen Tannen für Hecken wachsen und Myrten für Dornen; und dem HERRN soll ein Name und ewiges Zeichen sein, das nicht ausgerottet werde.
Voor een doorn zal een denneboom opgaan, voor een distel zal een mirteboom opgaan; en het zal den HEERE wezen tot een naam, tot een eeuwig teken, dat niet uitgeroeid zal worden.
Nel luogo del pruno s’eleverà il cipresso, nel luogo del rovo crescerà il mirto; e sarà per l’Eterno un titolo di gloria, un monumento perpetuo che non sarà distrutto.
Miasto ciernia wyrośnie jedlina, a miasto pokrzywy wyrośnie mirt; a to będzie Panu ku sławie, na znak wieczny, który nigdy nie będzie wygładzony.
Вместо терновника вырастет кипарис; вместо крапивы возрастет мирт; и это будет во славу Господа, в знамение вечное, несокрушимое.
松樹 長出，代替 荊棘；番石榴 長出，代替 蒺藜。這要 為耶和華 留名，作為永遠 的證據，不能 剪除。
In place of the thorn will come up the fir-tree, and in place of the blackberry the myrtle: and it will be to the Lord for a name, for an eternal sign which will not be cut off.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 55:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse depicts a transformation so radical that only God's word could accomplish it. Barnes states plainly that "a change would be produced in the moral condition of man as great as if… the rough and useless thorn should be succeeded by the beautiful and useful cypress." Gill sharpens the image: "instead of wicked men, comparable to briers and thorns… there good men, comparable to fruitful and beautiful trees, shall be." The Cambridge Bible observes that "the marvellous vegetation… shall remain… as a monument to Jehovah," suggesting the imagery is more than a poetic flourish. Keil and Delitzsch, however, point to the apostle Paul in Romans 8:21, noting that "the whole creation will one day share in the liberty and glory of the children of God." That cosmic hope coexists with the immediate moral reading. What all these voices share is confidence that God's word, like rain from heaven (v.10, 11), does not return empty; it produces a lasting, visible change, people made new, and God's name honored forever.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Moral/spiritual transformation: Supported by Barnes, Gill, and the Targum; emphasis on the change of wicked to righteous, with cross-references to Isaiah 35:1-2 and the use of thorns as symbols of the wicked (2 Samuel 23:6).
- Cosmic renewal: Argued by Keil and Delitzsch, who connect the transformation to Romans 8:21 and note that the mountains and trees in v.12 are personified, suggesting a creaturely dimension.
- Both together: Most commentators allow both a present spiritual reality (the gospel changes people) and a future cosmic consummation (new creation), without forcing a choice.
What is clear: God's word accomplishes a permanent, glorious transformation that makes his name known and endures forever.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of transformation | The verse describes a radical, positive change brought about by God's word. | Some (Barnes, Gill) interpret it as the moral conversion of sinners into saints. Others (Keil & Delitzsch) see it as pointing to cosmic renewal, where all creation shares in redemption. Both readings find support in the prophetic tradition. |
| Identity of the 'sign' | The transformation becomes a memorial to Yahweh, testifying to his power and faithfulness. | Is the 'sign' primarily the restored land (new creation) or the people themselves (the Church)? The text can sustain both, but the immediate context emphasizes the people's joyful exodus (v.12). |
| Timeframe of fulfillment | The promise is future relative to Isaiah's audience and grounded in the certainty of God's word. | Some see partial fulfillment in the return from exile and subsequent growth of the Church; others reserve full fulfillment for the new heavens and new earth. |
| Role of human response | The promise follows the call to seek the Lord (vv.6, 7) and is connected to repentance. | Is the transformation conditional on human seeking, or is it presented as an unconditional covenant promise? The context suggests both: seek, and you will find; but God's word is ultimately what accomplishes it. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 55 forms the climax of a prophetic summons: "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters" (v.1). The chapter issues an urgent call to seek the Lord while he is near (v.6) and promises abundant pardon. Verses 10, 11 anchor the promise in the nature of God's word, like rain and snow, it always accomplishes its purpose. Verse 12 announces a joyful exodus, with mountains singing and trees clapping. Then verse 13 completes the picture.
The historical context is Israel's exile and the hope of restoration. For a people who had experienced judgment as a "wasteland" overrun with briers and thorns (Isa 5:6), the promise of cypress and myrtle was stunning. The same trees reappear in Isaiah 41:19 and 60:13, where they beautify the wilderness and adorn the sanctuary. In the ancient Near East, cypress was prized for building and fragrance; myrtle was a low, evergreen shrub used in festivals (Neh 8:15). But more than botany is in view.
The Targum, the ancient Aramaic paraphrase, captures the moral sense: "instead of the wicked shall arise the just; and instead of sinners, such as fear to sin." The verse closes with two key terms: "a name" (שֵׁם, reputation or memorial) and "a sign" (אוֹת, a miraculous token, often of covenant). Together they promise that this transformation will permanently bear witness to Yahweh, never to be cut off (יִכָּרֵת), a term used for covenant curses (Gen 17:14). The everlasting sign reverses the curse itself.
Textual Notes
Clarke notes a textual variant in the first line: the conjunction 'and' (ו) appears before “instead of the brier” in forty-five manuscripts and all ancient versions. The Masoretic text places it in the margin, but Clarke argues it should be in the text. The Cambridge Bible notes that the word for “brier” (סִרְפַּד, sirpad) is of uncertain meaning; the Septuagint renders it as κόνυζα (fleabane). Beyond these minor details, the consulted sources raise no significant textual debates that affect the verse's meaning.
Reception History
The earliest Jewish interpretation, preserved in the Targum (cited by Clarke), understood the trees as symbols: "instead of the wicked shall arise the just." In the Christian tradition, the passage was often read in light of the gospel's power to transform sinners, a reading Keil and Delitzsch later expanded by connecting it to Paul's vision of creation's liberation (Romans 8:21). The verse thus has served both as a promise of personal conversion and as a hope for cosmic renewal.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Reversal of the curse. Thorns and briers were a sign of God's judgment (Isa 5:6). The gospel exchanges the consequences of sin for the beauty of new life.
- Fruitfulness from God's word. Like rain, God's word produces exactly what he intends. The transformation from thorn to cypress is not forced, it is the natural result of the word taking effect.
- An enduring witness. The result is a "name for Yahweh" and "an everlasting sign." God's glory is the ultimate goal, and the changed lives of his people become a permanent monument.
Five-point outline
- The old has passed away: thorns and briers describe the condition of a life without God.
- The new has come: cypress and myrtle symbolize what God's grace produces, strength, fragrance, and beauty.
- This transformation is the work of the Word (vv.10, 11), not human effort.
- It results in joy and peace (v.12), not merely duty.
- It is permanent: "an everlasting sign that will not be cut off."
Illustration hooks
- A neglected garden overrun with weeds, then transformed by careful planting. The work takes time, but the change is unmistakable.
- A person known for anger and bitterness who, after encountering grace, becomes gentle and generous. Former friends struggle to recognize them.
- The renovation of a ruined building into a community center. The original structure is still there, but it now serves a new purpose.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is this promise about the environment or about people?
- How can I know if God's word is really working in me? What do "cypress" and "myrtle" look like in daily life?
- What does it mean that God's people become "a name" and "a sign"? Don't we just point to Jesus?
Leading a Discussion
Isaiah 55 ends with a picture of stunning renewal. The invitation to seek the Lord leads to a promise that the most barren landscape, whether in the world or in a human heart, will burst into life. Open your group by reading verses 10, 13 aloud, and then work through these questions together.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What two pairs of plants are contrasted in verse 13? What do thorns and briers generally symbolize in the Bible? (See Isa 5:6 as a starting point.)
- Observation: What will result from this transformation? List the outcomes mentioned in the verse (a name, a sign, permanence).
- Interpretation: Some commentators see this as a moral change in people; others see a literal renewal of creation. How does the context of God's word in verses 10, 11 help you decide which emphasis the prophet intends?
- Interpretation: The verb "will come up" (יַעֲלֶה) is the same word used for plants growing. Why might the prophet choose a botanical image for spiritual change?
- Application: Where in your own life do you see "thorns" that need replacing? What would a "myrtle tree" look like in that situation?
- Application: Verse 13 says this transformation brings a "name" to the Lord. How does God's glory intersect with our personal growth? Is it selfish to want to change for our own benefit?
- Application: The sign is "everlasting" and "will not be cut off." How does this permanence give you confidence in God's work, even when you don't see immediate results?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Isaiah 5:6 | I will lay it a wasteland. It won’t be pruned or hoed, but it will grow briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it.” |
| Isaiah 11:6 | The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them. |
| Isaiah 11:9 | They will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh, as the waters cover the sea. |
| Isaiah 41:19 | I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness. I will set cypress trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert; |
| Isaiah 43:21 | the people which I formed for myself, that they might declare my praise. |
| Isaiah 54:10 | For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,” says Yahweh who has mercy on you. |
| Isaiah 60:13 | “The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress tree, the pine, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. |
| Isaiah 60:21 | Then your people will all be righteous. They will inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes reads the thorn and brier as symbols of humanity's ruined moral condition, so their replacement with fir and myrtle pictures a transformation as radical as turning a wasteland into a garden. The lasting sign is not a physical monument but the gospel's power to change hearts and spread God's fame forever.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses that the miraculous vegetation springing up in the desert as the redeemed pass through is not a mere poetic figure. It is meant to remain as a lasting memorial to Jehovah, a permanent monument to His praise throughout future ages.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight the dramatic exchange of worthless thorns and nettles for durable fir trees and fragrant myrrh. This transformation is not just temporary but becomes a lasting, visible sign that belongs to the Lord Himself, standing as an eternal witness that can never be removed.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes the complete transformation grace produces, whether that means wicked people are replaced by righteous ones or that sinners themselves are so thoroughly remade that they become like beautiful trees. This dramatic change, brought by the Gospel, stands as a permanent monument to God's power and faithfulness.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB reads the plants as emblems: the thorn represents the wicked, the fir tree the godly, and the brier uncultivation. The myrtle
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue that the promised transformation of desert plants into cypress and myrtle is not a literal botanical miracle. The mountains shouting and trees clapping show this is a poetic picture of creation itself joining the redeemed's joyful return. This reflects the apostolic hope that all creation will one day share in the liberty of God's children.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry treats these verses as a universal covenant open to every person, not limited to Jews, Old Testament believers, or Babylonian exiles. He stresses that both the call to seek God and the promise of abundant pardon are offered to all who long for true happiness.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees the promised removal of thorns and planting of fir and myrtle as a picture of the church set free from what is harmful and filled with God's graces. This dramatic transformation becomes a lasting monument, displaying God's power and faithful love for future generations.