The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
Parallel translations
- WEB The wilderness and the dry land will be glad. The desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.
- BSB The wilderness and the land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.
- NKJV The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
- NASB The wilderness and the desert will rejoice, And the desert will shout for joy and blossom; Like the crocus
- NLT Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
In sharp contrast to judgment, the desert will rejoice and blossom under God's restoring grace.
Overview
After the desolation of chapter 34, Isaiah turns to the flourishing of the redeemed world, where even the wilderness bursts into bloom. The imagery signals God's reversal of curse into blessing for his people. It anticipates the renewal Christ brings, transforming barrenness into life and pointing to the final restoration of creation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Isa 51:3For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
- Ezek 36:35And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
- Isa 55:12–13For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
- Isa 27:6He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.
- Isa 52:9–10Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
- Isa 4:2In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.
- Isa 29:17Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
- Hos 14:5–6I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
- Isa 61:10–11I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
- Ps 97:8Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD.
- Isa 41:18–19I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
- Ps 48:11Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
- Isa 66:10–14Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
- Isa 32:15–16Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.
- Rev 19:1–7And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
- Isa 40:3The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
- Isa 27:10Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof.
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 35:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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