Isaiah 66:10 · Bible study
Isaiah 66:10 Commentary: Mourning Turns to Joy in Zion
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 66:10 calls those who mourn for Jerusalem to rejoice in her sudden restoration. The verse shows that grief and hope coexist in God's redemptive plan.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Those who mourn for Jerusalem are commanded to rejoice because God has suddenly brought her restoration, turning grief into a deep, commanded joy.
- Key words: *Śāmach* (rejoice, H8055) and *gîl* (exult, H1523) appear as imperatives; the phrase *śîśû māśôś* (rejoice for joy) uses a cognate accusative for emphasis.
- Main debate: Whether the prophecy refers primarily to literal Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile, to the church as the new Jerusalem, or to a future eschatological restoration.
- Theological theme: The relationship between grief and hope in redemptive history, God’s command to rejoice is grounded in his certain, sudden, and maternal comfort.
- Best use: Preaching and teaching on lament that turns to joy; Advent or restoration-themed services; small groups exploring biblical hope.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Be glad for Jerusalem and rejoice over her, all who love her. Rejoice greatly with her, all who mourn over her,
WEB World English Bible 2000
“Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her. Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her;
KJV King James Version 1769
Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, And be glad in her, all ye loving her, Rejoice ye with her for joy, All ye are mourning for her,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her:
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Alegraos con Jerusalem, y gozaos con ella, todos los que la amáis: llenaos con ella de gozo, todos los que os enlutáis por ella:
Alegrai-vos com Jerusalém, e enchei-vos de alegria por causa dela, todos vós que a amais; alegrai-vos muito com ela, todos vós que chorastes por ela;
Réjouissez-vous avec Jérusalem,
Freuet euch mit Jerusalem und seid fröhlich über sie, alle, die ihr sie liebhabt; freuet euch mit ihr, alle, die ihr hier über sie traurig gewesen seid!
Verblijdt u met Jeruzalem, en verheugt u over haar, al haar liefhebbers! Weest vrolijk over haar met vreugde, gij allen, die over haar zijt treurig geweest!
Rallegratevi con Gerusalemme e festeggiate a motivo di lei, o voi tutti che l’amate! Giubilate grandemente con lei, o voi che siete in lutto per essa!
Weselcie się z Jeruzalemem a radujcie się w nim wszyscy, którzy go miłujecie. Wesewlcie się z nim wielce, wszyscy którzykolwiek płakali nad nim.
Возвеселитесь с Иерусалимом и радуйтесь о нем, все любящие его! возрадуйтесь с ним радостью, все сетовавшие о нем,
你們愛慕 耶路撒冷 的都要 與她 一同歡喜 快樂；你們為她 悲哀的 都要 與她 一同樂 上加樂；
Have joy with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you her lovers: take part in her joy, all you who are sorrowing for her:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 66:10
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 commands joy for everyone who loves Zion and has mourned over her. Barnes calls it 'the duty of all who love Zion to sympathize in her joys' and warns that those who feel no joy when God's work thrives lack evidence of true piety. Gill notes that the church, after bringing forth many spiritual children, deserves the same congratulations a new mother receives. He adds that those who mourned 'because of the sins of her professors' and 'corruptions in doctrine' are now called to rejoice. Keil and Delitzsch emphasize the forward-looking quality of the command: those who 'inwardly participate in the present sufferings of Zion are to rejoice beforehand in the change of all their suffering into glory.' The Cambridge Bible sees this as the natural invitation to the sorrowing children of Zion. Across these sources, the shared conviction is that mourning for Jerusalem is a mark of love, and that the same people who weep with her are summoned to share her joy when God intervenes.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical restoration view: Sees the passage as addressing the return from Babylonian exile, supported by the surrounding context of national rebirth.
- Eschatological/new creation view: Points to the language of sudden, unprecedented birth and the cosmic scope of Isaiah 65–66 as indicators of a final restoration.
- Ecclesiological view: Reads Jerusalem as a type of the church, especially in light of New Testament usage (Galatians 4:26, Hebrews 12:22).
What is clear: That God’s redemption transforms the mourning of His people into commanded joy is the certain core of this verse.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of Jerusalem | Jerusalem represents the people of God and the center of his presence. | Some interpreters see the literal city and its restoration from exile as the primary referent; others view it as a type of the church or the new Jerusalem in Revelation. |
| Nature of the mourning | Mourning for Jerusalem is a mark of love and loyalty to God's cause. | Some emphasize sorrow over sin and spiritual declension (Gill), while others focus on grief over physical desolation and exile (Keil). |
| Timing of the fulfillment | God will act decisively to bring joy after a period of mourning. | Christians who hold a preterist view see fulfillment in the return from Babylon or the early church; others expect a future, eschatological restoration of Israel or the new creation. |
| Nature of the command to rejoice | Joy is not optional; God commands it as part of faithful response. | Some traditions emphasize the imperative as a duty to be performed; others see it as an invitation to receive the gift of joy that God's work produces. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 66 is the final chapter of the prophecy, and verse 10 appears within a passage that contrasts God's judgment on hypocrites with comfort for those who tremble at his word (v.5). The immediate context (vv.7, 9) uses startling imagery: Zion gives birth to a nation without labor pains, in a single day. This language draws on the exodus tradition but pushes beyond it to a new creation. The mourning addressed in verse 10 reflects the real historical grief of exiles who had seen Jerusalem destroyed and its temple in ruins (Psalm 137:1, 6). These mourners loved the city and wept over her desolation.
The call to rejoice comes before the restoration is fully visible. It is a prophetic imperative, a command grounded in the certainty of God's promise rather than present circumstances. The verbs shift between two Hebrew roots for joy: śāmach (general rejoicing) and gîl (exultation, sometimes with a trembling excitement). The phrase 'rejoice for joy' (śîśû māśôś) pairs the verb with a cognate noun for emphasis, a construction that strengthens the intensity of the command.
In the ancient Near East, a city's fate was bound up with its deity's reputation. Jerusalem's restoration meant that Yahweh had vindicated himself and his people. The maternal imagery that follows in verses 11, 14, breasts, comfort, nursing, depicts God's comfort as nourishing and intimate, like a mother's care. This setting gives the command to rejoice its force: it is not mere emotion but an act of faith that aligns the community with God's unfolding redemption.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant manuscript variants for Isaiah 66:10. The grammatical construction of 'rejoice for joy' (a verb with a cognate noun) is a standard Hebrew emphatic device, commented on by Lange and others, but does not reflect any textual uncertainty.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, Isaiah 66:10 has been read as a promise of literal joy when Jerusalem is rebuilt and the exiles return. The verse's maternal imagery echoes in later prayers for the consolation of Zion. Early Christian interpreters, such as the church fathers, applied the verse to the church as the mother of believers, seeing the sudden birth of verse 7 as a figure of the resurrection or the spread of the gospel. The call to rejoice over Jerusalem was often quoted during Advent, as a longing for God's restoration to be fulfilled in Christ's coming. In medieval devotion, the image of nursing at the breasts of consolation (v.11) was used to describe the soul's nourishment from the church's teaching and sacraments. The verse has also been a source of comfort for persecuted communities, reminding them that their mourning will give way to joy.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Love leads to mourning. The people called to rejoice are those who love Jerusalem and mourn over her (v.10). Genuine love for God's people and God's city cannot ignore her pain. Mourning is not the opposite of love; it is love's expression in a broken world.
- Mourning gives way to commanded joy. The four imperatives, rejoice, be glad, exult, rejoice for joy, come as a divine command. Joy is not optional for those who love Zion. When God acts, his people must respond. The intensity of the language shows that this joy is meant to be full and public.
- Joy is grounded in God's sudden work. The surrounding verses describe a birth that comes without labor (v.7). God's restoration can arrive before we expect it. Mourners are invited to rejoice in advance because God's promise is as certain as if it had already happened.
Five-point outline
- The identity of the mourners, 'all you who love her.' Mourning for Jerusalem is a sign of belonging.
- The double call to joy, two Hebrew roots for joy appear (śāmach and gîl), each with its own shade: settled gladness and trembling exultation.
- The emphatic construction, 'rejoice for joy' (verb + cognate noun) intensifies the command. This is not a mild suggestion.
- The reason for joy, implied by the context: God has brought sudden, miraculous birth to Zion (vv.7, 9).
- The outcome, those who now rejoice will later nurse at the breasts of consolation (v.11) and be comforted by God himself (v.13). Joy leads to deeper satisfaction.
Illustration hooks
- A family after a long illness. A parent who has cared for a chronically ill child for years is told the child is healed. The tears of exhaustion turn to tears of joy, but the years of mourning made the joy deeper, not shallower.
- A town after a flood. Residents who spent weeks sandbagging and cleaning up are called to a celebration when the water recedes and the governor declares a day of rejoicing. Their grief over lost homes does not cancel the joy; it gives it weight.
- A church after a season of decline. A congregation that has prayed for years over empty pews and closed doors sees a sudden influx of new families. The old members who wept over the church's condition are the first to rejoice at the new life.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I be commanded to rejoice when I still feel grief over the state of the church or the world?
- What does it look like to 'love Jerusalem' today? Does that mean loving a physical place, or a community, or both?
- Is it possible to mourn for someone or something and still be joyful in God? Or must I choose one or the other?
Leading a Discussion
This passage draws us into the tension between present grief and future hope. Israel had reason to mourn, exile, destruction, and decades of waiting. Yet the prophet commands joy. How do we hold both? As you read Isaiah 66:10, notice that the people who are told to rejoice are the same ones who have been mourning. The call is not to pretend the grief never happened. It is to let God's promise shape their response.
Discussion questions
- Read Isaiah 66:10, 11. What do the verbs for joy, 'rejoice,' 'be glad,' 'exult,' 'rejoice for joy', tell you about the kind of response God expects from his people?
- Who is included in the invitation? Look at the phrases 'all you who love her' and 'all you who mourn over her.' What connection do the commentators draw between loving and mourning?
- The surrounding passage (vv.7, 9) describes a sudden, painless birth. How does this image help explain why joy can be commanded before the fulfillment is seen?
- Psalm 122:6 says, 'Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you will prosper.' How does this verse connect to Isaiah 66:10? What does it mean to love a city or a community in a biblical sense?
- Barnes argues that those who have 'no true joy' when God's work advances 'have no true evidence that they love God.' Do you agree? Can someone love God and still feel detached from the visible success of the church?
- If you have ever mourned over the state of your church, your city, or the world, how does this passage speak to you? What difference does it make to know that mourning can be the raw material for joy?
- How can your small group or church put this verse into practice? What would it look like to 'rejoice with Jerusalem' together this week?
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 32:43 | Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants. He will take vengeance on his adversaries, and will make atonement for his land and for his people. |
| Psalms 26:8 | Yahweh, I love the habitation of your house, the place where your glory dwells. |
| Psalms 84:1 | For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. How lovely are your dwellings, Yahweh of Armies! |
| Psalms 84:4 | Blessed are those who dwell in your house. They are always praising you. Selah. |
| Psalms 122:6 | Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you will prosper. |
| Psalms 137:6 | Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy. |
| Isaiah 44:23 | Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel. |
| Isaiah 61:2 | to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, |
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 argues that rejoicing in Jerusalem's joy is not optional but a mark of genuine piety. Those who feel no delight when God pours out His Spirit in revival or when the gospel advances among the nations show no true love for God or His cause. Such scenes stir angels and the Saviour Himself, and believers should join their thanksgivings with those being saved.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator frames the verse as an invitation aimed directly at those who have been mourning over Zion. The point is that sorrowing children are now called to rejoice because their mother has received consolation.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Reioyce ye with Ierusalem, and be gladde with her, all ye that loue her: reioyce for ioy with her, all ye that mourne for her,
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill calls all who love the church to share her joy over new believers brought to Christ. He especially addresses those who mourned over her sins and decline, telling them their sorrow is now turned to rejoicing. The bond between the church's friends is so close that they weep with her and now celebrate with her.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB connects the command to love and mourn for her to several Psalms that describe a deep, prayerful compassion for Zion. The point is that genuine devotion to God's city involves both affection and lament, a posture that finds its expression in the very words of the psalmists who pleaded for Jerusalem's restoration.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch focus on the call for those who now mourn over Jerusalem's suffering to rejoice already in spirit, anticipating the coming transformation. They explain the rare Hebrew word "ziz" as a shaking, oscillating abundance, like a great mass of water, which describes the rich consolation flowing from Jerusalem as a mother's milk to her children.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights the maternal imagery that dominates this passage. Jerusalem is portrayed as a mother whose breasts give consolation, and the Lord himself promises to comfort his people with a mother's tender love. Those who mourned with Jerusalem will now share her joy and be nourished at her breast.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws a sharp contrast between the two very different responses to God's word. Those who tremble at it are promised joy and comfort, while their enemies who cast them out in mockery will be put to shame. The same God who brings forth a nation suddenly will not fail to complete His comfort for His people.