Isaiah 62:2 · Bible study
Isaiah 62:2 Commentary: Yahweh's New Name for Zion
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Discover what the new name in Isaiah 62:2 means for God's people and how it reveals their transformed identity and role among the nations.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Yahweh will give His people a new name that reflects their restored relationship with Him, visible to all nations.
- Key words: New (חָדָשׁ), name (שֵׁם), mouth of Yahweh (פִּי יְהוָה).
- Main debate: What exactly is the new name? Is it Hephzibah/Beulah, sons of God, Christian, or a yet-unrevealed name?
- Theological theme: Divine re-creation and covenant identity; God's sovereignty in defining His people.
- Best use: Preaching restoration, identity in Christ, and the missional witness of the church.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name, which Yahweh’s mouth will name.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And nations have seen thy righteousness, And all kings thine honour, And He is giving to thee a new name, That the mouth of Jehovah doth define.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory; and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah will name.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the Gentiles shall see thy just one, and all kings thy glorious one: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces verán las gentes tu justicia, y todos los reyes tu gloria; y te será puesto un nombre nuevo, que la boca de Jehová nombrará.
E as nações verão tua justiça, e todos os reis verão tua glória; e te chamarão por um novo nome, que a boca do SENHOR determinará.
Alors les nations verront ton salut,
daß die Heiden sehen deine Gerechtigkeit und alle Könige deine Herrlichkeit; und du sollst mit einem neuen Namen genannt werden, welchen des HERRN Mund nennen wird.
En de heidenen zullen uw gerechtigheid zien, en alle koningen uw heerlijkheid; en gij zult met een nieuwen naam genoemd worden, welken des HEEREN mond uitdrukkelijk noemen zal.
Allora le nazioni vedranno la tua giustizia, e tutti i re, la tua gloria; e sarai chiamata con un nome nuovo, che la bocca dell’Eterno fisserà;
I oglądają narody sprawiedliwość twoję, i wszyscy królowie sławę twoję i nazwą cię imieniem nowem, które usta Pańskie mianować będą.
И увидят народы правду твою и все цари - славу твою, и назовут тебя новым именем, которое нарекут уста Господа.
列國 必見 你的公義；列 王 必見你的榮耀。你 必得新 名 的稱呼，是耶和華 親口 所 起的。
And the nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory: and you will have a new name, given by the mouth of the Lord.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 62:2
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that the 'new name' in this verse symbolizes a transformed condition and a deeper relationship with God. Barnes notes that the name will be 'significant and expressive of a greatly improved and favored condition,' while the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges describes it as 'the symbol both of a new character and a new relation to God.' Jamieson-Fausset-Brown echoes this, calling it an 'expression of thy new and improved condition.' Gill elaborates with several possibilities, including 'sons of God' or 'Christians,' pointing to its bestowal by God's own mouth. Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that the name is 'determined' by Yahweh, underscoring His sovereign initiative. All agree that the new name is a gift of grace, not earned but given, and that its visibility to the nations and kings fulfills the promise that God's people will be a testimony to the world.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Specific OT names (Hephzibah, Beulah): Immediate context in vv. 4-5 provides these as names given by God.
- Sons of God or Christian: New Testament usage (Acts 11:26, Romans 8:14, Hosea 1:10) applies similar language to believers.
- Eschatological mystery: Revelation 2:17 speaks of a new name known only to the recipient; Cambridge Bible calls it 'a mystery yet to be disclosed.'
What is clear: God Himself confers a new identity that marks complete transformation and blessing, and this identity will be publicly visible to the world.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Significance of the new name | It represents a transformed condition and deeper relationship with God. | Some traditions emphasize this as a literal renaming event, while others see it as a metaphor for spiritual renewal. |
| Content of the new name | God Himself names it, so it is authoritative and meaningful. | Candidates include Hephzibah/Beulah (v.4), 'sons of God' (Hosea 1:10), 'Christian' (Acts 11:26), or a mysterious eschatological name (Revelation 2:17). |
| Timing of fulfillment | The promise is certain and will be realized through God's action. | Some see partial fulfillment in the early church era or Constantine, others point to a future millennium, and still others to the final new creation. |
| Universal scope | The nations and kings witness the transformation, indicating a global impact. | Disagreement exists over whether this reflects the gradual spread of the gospel or a climactic future event when all nations behold God's glory. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 62 stands within the latter section of the book (chapters 40, 66), where the prophet announces comfort and restoration to a people in exile. The passage opens with God's determination not to remain silent until Zion's righteousness shines like dawn and her salvation blazes like a torch (v.1). This declaration introduces the promise of verse 2: the nations and kings will witness this transformation and Zion will receive a new name from Yahweh's own mouth.
The custom of giving significant names runs deep in the Old Testament. Abram becomes Abraham (Genesis 17:5), Sarai becomes Sarah (Genesis 17:15), and Jacob is renamed Israel (Genesis 32:28). Each new name marks a watershed moment in the relationship between God and His people. Similarly, Isaiah 62:4 explicitly contrasts the old names 'Forsaken' and 'Desolate' with the new names 'Hephzibah' (My delight is in her) and 'Beulah' (Married). This verse therefore participates in a pattern where God redefines His people's identity in response to covenant faithfulness.
The universal scope is equally striking. Earlier chapters envision nations streaming to Zion's light (Isaiah 60:3) and kings bringing tribute (Psalm 72:10, 11). Here, righteousness and glory are not hidden but become public, visible evidence of God's work. The phrase 'which Yahweh's mouth will name' stresses the divine origin and permanence of this new identity. It is not a human achievement but a sovereign act, guaranteed by the word of God Himself.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, with no major discrepancies in the key terms 'new name' or 'mouth of the Lord.'
Reception History
Early Christian interpreters read this verse as a prophecy of Gentile inclusion in the people of God, with the new name often applied to believers in Christ. Reformation-era commentators like Matthew Henry and Gill saw it as the church's spiritual transformation, with Gill explicitly connecting it to the name 'Christian' in Acts 11:26. The promise of a new name is also echoed in Revelation 2:17, where the overcomer receives a white stone inscribed with a new name known only to the recipient, reinforcing the eschatological mystery and intimacy of this gift. Across traditions, the verse has been sung in hymns of restoration and used to encourage those undergoing hardship that God will give them a fresh identity.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- God's Unrelenting Commitment: The opening verse shows that God will not rest until His purposes for Zion are accomplished. He works with patient determination to bring about salvation.
- A Public Witness: The nations and kings see righteousness and glory. God's work in His people is never private; it testifies to the world of His character.
- A New Name from God's Mouth: The new name signifies a complete transformation of identity. It is given by God Himself, making it secure and full of meaning.
Five-Point Outline
- The Promise of Restoration: God ensures that righteousness shines out and salvation blazes like a lamp.
- Visibility to the Nations: The world becomes a witness to God's redemptive work in His people.
- Kings See the Glory: Even the powerful recognize God's glory displayed through His people.
- From Shame to Honor: The old names of dereliction are replaced with names of delight and union.
- The Certainty of God's Word: The new name is spoken by the mouth of the Lord, guaranteeing its fulfillment.
Illustration Hooks
- A child adopted into a new family receives a new surname, symbolizing belonging and a fresh start.
- A city that rebuilds after destruction often chooses a new motto or seal to reflect its renewed hope.
- In marriage, taking a spouse's name often marks a new identity and shared future.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- What does it mean for us to receive a 'new name' from God today?
- How can we live so that others see God's righteousness and glory in our community?
- Is this promise about the church now or only in the future?
Leading a Discussion
This verse speaks of a radical transformation that God brings about for His people. It assures us that God does not rest until His purposes are completed, and that our identity is ultimately defined by Him. Use these questions to explore the passage together.
Discussion Questions
- What do you notice about the actions of God in verses 1-2? How does God describe His own commitment?
- Who will see Zion's righteousness and glory? What does this suggest about God's intention for His people's witness?
- What does a 'new name' signify in this context? How does it relate to the names in verse 4 (Hephzibah, Beulah)?
- Why is it significant that the new name is named by Yahweh's mouth? What does that tell us about the source of our identity?
- How does the promise of a new name connect to other biblical stories of renaming (e.g., Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel)?
- In what ways might this promise apply to the church today? What would it look like for us to live out a name given by God?
- How can we be more deliberate about making God's righteousness and glory visible in our daily lives?
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)
| Genesis 17:5 | Your name will no more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. |
| Genesis 17:15 | God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah. |
| Genesis 32:28 | He said, “Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed.” |
| Psalms 72:10 | The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. |
| Psalms 72:11 | Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him. |
| Psalms 138:4 | All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh, for they have heard the words of your mouth. |
| Psalms 138:5 | Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh, for Yahweh’s glory is great! |
| Isaiah 49:6 | Indeed, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel. I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.” |
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 explains that the new name given to God's people signals a complete reversal of fortune, replacing a condition of humiliation and oppression with one of prosperity and favor. Because Yahweh himself confers this name, it is perfectly suited to their new, exalted state and carries unique value.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator stresses that the new name is a mystery still to be revealed and should not be confused with the names "Hephzibah" or "Beulah" later in the chapter. They read "name" to mean "determine" and see it as symbolizing both a new character and a new relationship to God.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that this new name is not chosen by human custom or praise, but is decreed directly by God's own mouth. This emphasizes the divine authority and certainty of the transformation: the name signifies a completely new identity that only God can bestow, not something earned or invented by people.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the new name given here expresses a transformed and improved condition, and its special value lies in being conferred directly by Jehovah Himself, which makes it more lasting than any human title.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch argue that Jehovah Himself, not the prophet, is the speaker here. God declares He will not remain silent or at rest until Zion's righteousness shines like dawn and her salvation blazes like a torch, a work He alone will bring to completion.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the speaker throughout the chapter is the Messiah Himself, not the prophet. The Messiah declares He will not rest until Zion's salvation shines fully, showing that salvation unfolds gradually. He also appoints watchmen on the walls to serve as guardians and unceasing intercessors until Jerusalem is made a praise in the earth.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry emphasizes the prophet's personal, tireless commitment: he will not stop preaching or praying until the church's righteousness shines clearly. This relentless dedication, he notes, prefigures Christ himself, who made the prophetic work his very sustenance until it was complete.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley emphasizes that the church receives a new name reflecting both her transformed condition and her intimate relationship with God. She is called Hephzi-bah for her condition and Beulah for her relation, and this new name the Lord Himself bestows upon her accordingly.