Isaiah 62:12 · Bible study
Isaiah 62:12 Commentary: New Names for God's Restored People
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the four names given to God's people in Isaiah 62:12: holy, redeemed, sought out, and not forsaken.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God's people receive new identity names, holy, redeemed, sought out, not forsaken, reversing their former condition and signifying permanent restoration.
- Key words: darash (H1875), sought out, implying careful, intentional seeking; ga'al (H1350), redeemed, as in a kinsman-redeemer buying back.
- Main debate: Whether the order of names shows an intentional progression (Clarke's inverted order) or simply lists honors (Gill, Barnes).
- Theological theme: Restoration as God's initiative, seeking, redeeming, and sanctifying a people for His own possession.
- Best use: A powerful reminder that identity is given by God, not earned; suitable for teaching on salvation, assurance, and the church's calling.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And they will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of The LORD; and you will be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They will call them “The Holy People, Yahweh’s Redeemed”. You will be called “Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken”.
KJV King James Version 1769
And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And they shall call them The holy people, The redeemed of Jehovah: and thou shalt be called Sought out, A city not forsaken.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And they have cried to them, `People of the Holy One, Redeemed of Jehovah,' Yea, to thee is called, `Sought out one, a city not forsaken!'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of Jehovah; and thou shalt be called, The sought out, The city not forsaken.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they shall call them, The holy people, the redeemed of the Lord. But thou shalt be called: A city sought after, and not forsaken.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y llamarles han Pueblo Santo, Redimidos de Jehová; y á ti te llamarán Ciudad Buscada, no desamparada.
E os chamarão de povo santo, redimidos do SENHOR; e tu serás chamada “A Procurada, a Cidade Não Desemparada”.
On les appellera peuple saint, rachetés de l’ Éternel;
Man wird sie nennen das heilige Volk, die Erlösten des HERRN, und dich wird man heißen die besuchte und unverlassene Stadt.
En zij zullen hen noemen het heilige volk, de verlosten des HEEREN; en gij zult genoemd worden de gezochte, de stad, die niet verlaten is.
Quelli saran chiamati “Il popolo santo”, “I redenti dell’Eterno”, e tu sarai chiamata “Ricercata”, “La città non abbandonata”.
I nazwią synów twoich ludem świętym, odkupionymi Pańskimi, a ciebie nazwią miastem zacnem i nie opuszczonem.
И назовут их народом святым, искупленным от Господа, а тебя назовут взысканным городом, неоставленным.
人必稱 他們為「聖 民」，為「耶和華 的贖民」；你 也必稱為「被眷顧、不 撇棄 的城」。
And they will be named, The holy people, Those whose cause has been taken up by the Lord: and you will be named, Desired, A town not given up.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 62:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse gives God's people a new, fourfold identity that reverses their former condition. Adam Clarke notes the names are given in inverted order: first they are not forsaken, then sought out, then redeemed, and finally holy. This suggests a logical flow in the divine work, God's seeking flows from His not forsaking, redemption follows His seeking, and holiness is the result of redemption. Barnes adds that these names are the highest honour: to be known as Yahweh's redeemed is a title no one would trade for any other. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown tie 'sought out' to the parallel 'not forsaken,' interpreting it as 'sought after and highly prized by Jehovah', a husband who seeks his wife, no longer abandoned. All agree that the names signify a restored, permanent relationship between God and His people, a community defined by divine action, not by circumstances.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Inverted order (Clarke): The four names reverse the sequence of need — not forsaken at the bottom, holiness as the goal — supported by the structure of the verse and the parallel in v.4.
- Progressive revelation (Barnes, JFB): Each name adds a layer of honor, culminating in permanent security; 'sought out' answers 'not forsaken' as a pairing.
- Simple conferral of honor (Gill): The names are essentially synonymous descriptions of the redeemed community, not a strict sequence.
What is clear: God sovereignly replaces the old names of abandonment with new names that declare His redeeming work, and the relationship is permanent.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Order of the names | The four names describe God's work of restoring His people, they move from forsakenness to holiness. | Clarke argues for an intentional inverted order (not forsaken → sought out → redeemed → holy); others like Gill treat the names as parallel honors describing a single state. |
| Meaning of 'sought out' | It signals that God is actively pursuing or desiring His people. | Barnes sees it as the city being sought after by converts and foreigners; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown and Gill see it as God seeking and prizing His people. Both agree on divine interest but differ on the subject who seeks. |
| Primary referent: Israel or the Church? | The immediate context is the return from Babylonian exile and the restoration of Jerusalem. | Matthew Henry and many Christian commentators see Christ's redemption as the ultimate fulfillment; Jewish readings apply the verse to the nation Israel's future restoration. Both affirm that God's promises to a redeemed community are fulfilled across time. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 62 sits in a section of the prophet's book (chapters 56, 66) that looks forward to Jerusalem's restoration after the Babylonian exile. Earlier in the chapter, the city is told it shall no longer be called 'Forsaken' nor its land 'Desolate' (Isaiah 62:4). Now in verse 12, these negative names are replaced by positive ones: 'The Holy People, Yahweh's Redeemed,' and the city itself is called 'Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.'
The command in verse 10 to 'Go through the gates' and 'prepare the way' echoes earlier calls to leave Babylon (Isaiah 48:20; 52:11). Keil and Delitzsch hear in that command the actual march of exiles from Babylon. The gates are those of the captivity cities; the highway is the path home. But the new names look beyond the geographical return. They announce a new standing before God.
Naming in the ancient Near East was never casual. A name expressed character, destiny, or relationship. To be called 'sought out' (H1875, darash, to seek carefully) reverses the experience of being abandoned. The city that enemies raided and left desolate is now the object of God's active, loving attention. The phrase 'city not forsaken' uses the same verb as in Isaiah 42:16, 'I will not forsake them', grounding the promise in God's character.
Gill notes that these names reflect the whole story: God's people are set apart, redeemed by the Lord, sought out from among the nations, and never again to be given up. This is not simply a future hope; it is a present reality for those who trust in Yahweh's redeeming work.
Textual Notes
Reception History
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God reverses every curse. The old names, Forsaken, Desolate, are replaced. What we once were no longer defines us.
- God does the seeking. 'Sought out' means God actively pursues His people. He does not wait for them to find Him; He calls them.
- Holiness is the goal. Redemption leads to a holy people. The work is not done until we reflect the character of the One who redeemed us.
Five-point outline
- The people are called holy, set apart for God (Deuteronomy 7:6; 26:19; 28:9).
- They are called redeemed, bought back by Yahweh from bondage (Psalms 107:2; Isaiah 35:9).
- The city is sought out, God searches for His own, like a husband seeking a wife (Isaiah 62:4).
- The city is not forsaken, God's presence remains permanently (Isaiah 42:16).
- The progression matters: God's not forsaking leads to His seeking, which leads to redemption, which leads to holiness (Clarke's observation on the inverted order).
Illustration hooks
- A father who never stops waiting: A parent whose child has run away leaves the door unlocked, makes dinner every night, and tells everyone 'my child will come home.' That relentless hope mirrors God's seeking.
- A city after a natural disaster: When a community receives help, clears rubble, and rebuilds, outsiders might say 'that town was written off, but now it's alive again.' The new name 'not forsaken' fits.
- An old tombstone inscription: Barnes says no one would desire a better epitaph than 'redeemed by Yahweh.' What if we lived now with that as our defining identity?
Questions your congregation is asking
- 'How can I know God has not forsaken me when life feels empty?'
- 'What does it mean that God 'seeks' me, is that about salvation, or daily guidance?'
- 'If I struggle with sin, can I really call myself holy?'
Leading a Discussion
Isaiah 62:12 is the climax of a chapter filled with promises of restoration. The city that was called Forsaken and Desolate (v. 4) is now Sought Out and Not Forsaken. The people who were captives are now The Holy People, Yahweh's Redeemed. This small-group session explores how new identity flows from God's work, not our performance.
Discussion questions
- Read Isaiah 62:12 aloud. What four names are given? Which one stands out to you most, and why?
- Look back at Isaiah 62:4. What names were the city given earlier? How does the change from 'Forsaken' to 'Not Forsaken' matter for the people hearing this promise?
- The word 'sought out' comes from the Hebrew darash, which can mean to seek carefully, to consult, or to desire. How does this change how you think of God's relationship with His people?
- Clarke observes that the names are in inverted order: not forsaken, then sought out, then redeemed, then holy. What does that order tell us about how God works?
- How do the cross-references (Deuteronomy 7:6; Psalms 107:2; Isaiah 35:9) reinforce the meaning of these names?
- What difference does it make in your daily life to know you are called 'the redeemed of Yahweh'? How would you live differently if this were your most important identity?
- In what ways can your church community embody being 'a city not forsaken' for people who feel abandoned?
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)
| Deuteronomy 7:6 | For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God. Yahweh your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth. |
| Deuteronomy 26:19 | He will make you high above all nations that he has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to Yahweh your God, as he has spoken. |
| Deuteronomy 28:9 | Yahweh will establish you for a holy people to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and walk in his ways. |
| Psalms 107:2 | Let the redeemed by Yahweh say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary, |
| Isaiah 35:9 | No lion will be there, nor will any ravenous animal go up on it. They will not be found there; but the redeemed will walk there. |
| Isaiah 42:16 | I will bring the blind by a way that they don’t know. I will lead them in paths that they don’t know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them. |
| 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. |
| Isaiah 62:4 | You will not be called Forsaken any more, nor will your land be called Desolate any more; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for Yahweh delights in you, and your land will be married. |
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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the verse's promises appear in an inverted order of logic. God's call proves he has not abandoned his people. His seeking shows he waits to be gracious. The atonement makes everything ready, and those who receive it must constantly pursue holiness, without which no one sees the Lord.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that the highest honor a person can have is being known as one whom Yahweh has redeemed. He argues that anyone who truly understands this name desires no other epitaph or record in life, and sees in the names "Sought out" and "Not forsaken" God's enduring care for His people.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible School commentary argues that this announcement of the exiles' return does not necessarily imply the exodus from Babylon hasn't happened yet. The passage's secondary, citation-heavy character suggests the language could describe the return already accomplished under Cyrus, matching similar passages in Isaiah.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize that God’s people, once abandoned, receive new names that reflect their restored status. They are called holy and redeemed, and the city itself is described as sought out rather than forsaken, highlighting God’s active pursuit and enduring care.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads the names given to God's people as a deliberate sequence of salvation doctrines: election in "holy people," redemption in "redeemed of the Lord," effectual calling in "sought out," and final perseverance in "a city not forsaken." For him these are not isolated titles but a connected order of blessings from God's eternal choice to final preservation.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB draws attention to the term "Sought out" as meaning that God now prizes and pursues His people, reversing their former abandoned state. The image is marital: just as a wife no longer forsaken is cherished, Israel is restored to love.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch insists the call to "go forth through the gates" means leaving Babylon, not entering Jerusalem. They argue it is the exiles themselves, not watchmen or foreigners, who are commanded to clear the road and raise a banner so dispersed Israelites can join the return. The proclamation of salvation reaches the whole earth, and Zion will be called a city never again forsaken.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the speaker throughout this passage is the Messiah, not the prophet. He sees Christ declaring He will not rest until Jerusalem's salvation shines completely, with the promise unfolding gradually. The watchmen Christ appoints on the walls reflect that the work is not yet finished, and intercessors must persist until God makes Jerusalem a praise.