Scripture quotations on this page are from the World English Bible (public domain), shown in quotation marks; all commentary is written by Scripture Trove. Source: Isaiah 35 · Commentary
Isaiah 35 is one of the most resounding poems of hope in the entire Old Testament. Structurally, it is closely linked to the previous chapter; chapter 34 declares the complete judgment of Edom (representing the nations), while chapter 35 declares the complete restoration of Israel (the redeemed). The two chapters are a mirror image, with the most brilliant rose blooming from the deepest black background. This chapter, with only 10 verses, is short yet brilliant, containing a condensed version of all the major themes of Isaiah: a highway in the wilderness, the lame leaping, the eyes of the blind opened, the Way of Holiness, and returning to Zion with singing. This chapter directly foreshadows the core message of the "Book of Comfort" (chapters 40-66) and is cited multiple times in the New Testament as confirmation of Jesus' Messianic identity (Luke 7:22) and encouragement for believers' perseverance (Hebrews 12:12).
Part One: The Book of Judgment and Hope (Isaiah 1-39) · Wilderness and Roses (Chapters 34-35)
Location of this chapter: The Restoration Face of the Mirror, forming the strongest contrast in the entire book with the previous chapter, "The Burning of Edom." After the conclusion of the "Six Woes" in chapters 28-33 and the judgment of the nations in chapter 34, the prophet uses this chapter as the peak of hope for "Part One: The Book of Judgment and Hope," foreshadowing the core themes that will unfold in the "Book of Comfort" (chapters 40-66). This chapter is like a "trailer for end-time hope," condensing all the major themes of redemption, the Messiah, a new Exodus, and the return to Zion into ten poetic verses.
This chapter can be divided into the following four sections:
The Wilderness Rejoices · Glory Revealed (35:1-2) The wilderness and the dry land will be glad; Yahweh's glory, the splendor of God, will be revealed to all people.
The Weak Receive Strength · God Comes to Avenge (35:3-4) Strengthen the weak hands, make firm the feeble knees; tell those with fearful hearts, "God will come to save you."
Signs of the Messiah · The Blind, Deaf, Lame, and Mute Healed (35:5-6) Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped; then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing; for waters will break out in the wilderness.
The Way of Holiness · Returning to Zion with Shouts of Joy (35:7-10) A holy highway will be there in the wilderness; the redeemed people will return to Zion, with everlasting joy on their heads.
The entire chapter is a tightly structured "New Exodus Poem." The prophet progresses in four steps: "Nature rejoices → The weak receive strength → Physical healing → The Way of Holiness and return." From outward to inward, first is the revival of nature (1-2), then the encouragement of weak believers (3-4), followed by the healing signs of the Messiah's coming (5-6), and finally, "the Way of Holiness opened, and the redeemed people return with shouts of joy" (7-10). The whole chapter is like a waterfall of joy pouring in, from the distant wilderness revival, all the way into the city of Zion, overwhelming all sorrow and sighing.
God is not only a judge; He is also a healer, a guide, and the pioneer of the way home. When judgment falls on Edom (chapter 34), salvation is for Israel (chapter 35); when all firm things collapse (34:4, the sky rolled up like a scroll), God opens a new way in the wilderness. This way is not prepared for the strong, but for "weak hands, feeble knees, the blind, the deaf, the lame, the mute, and those who walk." In the New Testament, Jesus directly quotes 35:5-6 in Luke 7:22 in His reply to John the Baptist, "Tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed..." thereby declaring that He is the Messiah who brings this new Exodus, as foretold in this chapter.
| Section | Verses | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Revival Opening | 35:1-2 | Wilderness rejoices; roses bloom; Yahweh's glory revealed |
| Encouragement for the Weak | 35:3-4 | Strengthen weak hands; tell the fearful, "God will save you" |
| Messianic Healing Signs | 35:5-6 | Blind see, deaf hear, lame leap, mute sing; water in the wilderness |
| The Way of Holiness Opened | 35:7-9 | Mirage becomes pool; holy road in wilderness; fools not lost; no beasts |
| Return to Zion · Everlasting Joy | 35:10 | Redeemed return to Zion with singing, everlasting joy, sorrow flees |
Brothers and sisters, reading chapters 34 and 35 together is the deepest lesson the prophet gives us. After the entire seventeen verses of burning in chapter 34, the first sentence of chapter 35 is, "The wilderness and the dry land will be glad."
At this moment, please take a deep breath.
Many brothers and sisters today live lives like that "wilderness and dry land." Perhaps you have just gone through a broken relationship, and your heart is like the Sahara; perhaps you have cared for a seriously ill family member for years, and your daily prayers are mechanical; perhaps you have been wronged at work, misunderstood in church, or no one understands you in your family, and you think you might have "dried up so much that you can no longer bloom." The prophet tells you: God does not see you that way. God reserves His revival for the driest places.
Please listen carefully to the people God seeks in this chapter: "weak hands," "feeble knees," "fearful hearts," "the blind," "the deaf," "the lame," "the mute," "the redeemed," "wicked fools who walk." What a list this is! God does not come looking for spiritual heroes; He comes looking for those most easily overlooked. If today you feel you are nothing, you are precisely the object of God's greatest attention in this chapter.
Please do not regard "the blind receive their sight, the deaf hear, the lame leap, the mute sing" in verses 5-6 as merely a prophecy of physical healing. Jesus, in His reply to John in Luke 7:22, quotes precisely these two verses, telling John: "I am the one from Isaiah 35." But Jesus' healing is not just physical; on a deeper level, it is "the opening of the whole person." Those eyes in your heart that cannot see God's goodness, Jesus can open them; those ears that cannot hear God's voice, Jesus can unstop them; those legs that cannot walk in sin, that tongue that cannot speak in prayer, Jesus can make them leap again, sing again. This is not motivation; this is grace.
I hope you reread "The Holy Way" in verse 8 three times today. "The unclean will not pass over it." Yes, the Way of Holiness has real boundaries; Scripture does not allow us to dilute grace into "everyone is naturally saved." But please continue reading, "but it will be for those who walk in the Way." This way is prepared for "the redeemed." The redeemed are not those who are worthy to walk, but those who have been bought back. Your qualification is not in your own purity, but in the work of the Redeemer who bought you back from darkness at a price. That is why the next sentence is so gentle, "Wicked fools will not go astray on it." Even if you are foolish, even if you have a poor sense of direction, even if you are weak and stumble, God has made this path clear enough so that you will not go astray. This is the grammar of grace, not the grammar of law.
Finally, please look at verse 10. "Sorrow and sighing will flee away." I personally return to this sentence repeatedly in my pastoral care. The prophet did not say "sorrow and sighing will disappear"; he said "flee away." This is personification; sorrow and sighing are like people being chased, who turn and run when they see joy coming. This means: when God's joy enters, your sorrow does not gently say goodbye; it is driven away. This is not cheap comfort; I know your tears today are real; I also know that God will not pretend those tears do not exist. But the prophet tells you: that day will come. You can get through today because that day will truly come.
Section Positioning: In the sermon structure, this section is "The Opening of Revival." The previous chapter (Chapter 34) just depicted Edom as a wilderness of "ostriches, night monsters, and arrow snakes"; this chapter opens with the wilderness rejoicing. This strong contrast itself is the prophet's theological declaration: God is both Judge and Restorer; desolation is not God's final word.
35:1 "The wilderness and the dry land will be glad. The desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose."
Isaiah 35:1（World English Bible）
"The wilderness and the dry land will be glad." This opening serves as a counterpoint to Chapter 34. The previous chapter depicted Edom as a wilderness of "pelicans, porcupines, owls, and night monsters"; this chapter opens with the "wilderness" (מִדְבָּר, midbar) and "dry land" (צִיָּה, tsiyyah) rejoicing. What a strong contrast this is.
Rejoice, Hebrew יְשֻׂשׂוּם (yesusum), a strong action of joy. Making the inanimate natural world "rejoice" is a common personification in Hebrew poetry. God's salvation is a cosmic celebration, in which even mountains and lands participate. This is the same theology as Psalm 96:11-12, "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is in it! Then all the trees of the wood will sing for joy before Yahweh."
"Like a rose blossoms," the Hebrew חֲבַצֶּלֶת (chavatselet) actually refers to a "crocus" or "narcissus" (the same word in Song of Solomon 2:1). The Chinese translation "rose" is influenced by early English translations (KJV "rose"). Regardless of the specific flower, the key is that it is a small flower that suddenly blooms after desert rain. The Israeli wilderness experiences a brief but brilliant sea of flowers after spring rains. The prophet uses this image to declare: When God comes, even the driest places will blossom.
35:2 "It will blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing. Lebanon’s glory will be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They will see Yahweh’s glory, the excellence of our God."
Isaiah 35:2（World English Bible）
"Rejoice even with joy and singing," three words for joy are used in succession (גִּילַת וְרַנֵּן, gilat veranen; and also שָׂמוֹחַ, samoah). Hebrew poetry uses the density of verbs to express the intensity of emotion.
"The glory of Lebanon, and the excellency of Carmel and Sharon," three of Israel's most verdant and fertile regions are named:
The prophet says: The "glory" (כָּבוֹד, kavod) and "excellency" (הָדָר, hadar) of these three places will be given to the wilderness. This is a poetic declaration that "the most desolate place receives the richest blessing." God's grace is a creation from nothing, not a reward where "those who have merit receive more, and those who have none receive less."
"They will see Yahweh’s glory," this is a crucial theological turning point. The preceding natural revival is the prelude; the true climax is the "manifestation of Yahweh's glory" (כְּבוֹד יְהוָה, kavod YHWH). This term holds a special place in the book of Isaiah: 6:3 "the whole earth is full of his glory," 40:5 "the glory of Yahweh will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together," 60:1-2 "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of Yahweh has risen on you." This verse is an early foreshadowing of this "glory revealed" theme.
The New Testament echo, John 1:14 "We saw his glory, such glory as of the only Son of the Father," directly fulfills this verse. Jesus' incarnation is the ultimate way in which "Yahweh's glory is revealed."
Section Positioning: In the sermon structure, this section is "Encouragement for the Weak." Verses 1-2 describe the rejoicing of the natural world; here, the focus shifts to a call to people, especially those with "weak hands, trembling knees, and fearful hearts." The prophet does not speak only to the strong; he specifically turns his gaze to the weak.
35:3 "Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees."
Isaiah 35:3（World English Bible）
"Weak hands... feeble knees," these are two signs of impending physical collapse. Drooping hands and trembling knees are manifestations of extreme fear and exhaustion. The prophet is not telling them to "pull themselves together," but rather calling on the brothers and sisters nearby to "strengthen and make firm" them. This is a call for believers to support one another.
The direct New Testament echo, Hebrews 12:12, almost verbatim uses this verse: "Therefore strengthen the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees." Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians facing persecution and spiritual weariness, who were contemplating returning to the old framework of Judaism. The author of Hebrews quotes Isaiah 35:3, reminding them: God's promise is still ahead; persevere, for the holy path of a new exodus awaits you.
35:4 "Tell those who have a fearful heart, “Be strong. Don’t be afraid. Behold, your God will come with vengeance, God’s retribution. He will come and save you."
Isaiah 35:4（World English Bible）
"Tell those who have a fearful heart," Hebrew לְנִמְהֲרֵי־לֵב (lenimharei-lev), literally "those whose heart is hurried," meaning anxious, panicked, restless. This is a realistic depiction of the situation; under the Assyrian siege, how many people could not sleep at night, their hearts racing at every sound of footsteps. The prophet specifically speaks to these people.
"Be strong. Don’t be afraid," this is the language at the beginning of the book of Joshua (Joshua 1:6, 9 "Be strong and courageous"). The prophet brings this encouragement to the Assyrian siege, showing that God's same promise extends from Joshua's time to this very moment.
"Your God will come with vengeance... he will come and save you," this sentence tightly links the previous chapter (Chapter 34) with this chapter. In the previous chapter, the "day of vengeance" (34:8) was against Edom; this chapter declares: That avenger is also your deliverer. Vengeance and salvation are two actions of the same hand, judging the oppressors while releasing the oppressed. This theology of "judgment as redemption" is central to prophetic literature, reaching its most complete expression on the cross.
Readers should note: The prophet does not allow God's judgment and God's grace to be understood separately. The same God who speaks of "vengeance" against Edom in Chapter 34 speaks of "salvation" for Zion in Chapter 35. If there were only Chapter 35 and not Chapter 34, hope would be cheap; if there were only Chapter 34 and not Chapter 35, judgment would be despairing. The two chapters must be read intertextually.
Section Positioning: In the sermon structure, this section is "the climax of the entire chapter." Verses 3-4 tell the fearful, "God will come to save," and here, the specific signs of God's coming are described. This is the most concrete and resounding "list of Messianic signs" in the entire Old Testament, cited by Jesus Himself in Luke 7:22 as a response to His identity.
35:5 "Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped."
Isaiah 35:5（World English Bible）
"Then" (אָז, az) marks the specific moment of God's intervention. The prophet uses "then" to set the stage for everything that follows as the fulfillment of "the day of God's coming."
"The eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped" are two iconic ministries of God's healing. In the ancient Near East, blindness and deafness were desperate conditions that no one could cure; they were also often used by prophets as symbols of "spiritual dullness" (cf. 6:9-10 "You will hear indeed, but never understand; and you will see indeed, but never perceive," 42:7 "to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon," 42:18 "Hear, you deaf; and look, you blind, that you may see").
What the prophet says here is not just physical healing, but "the opening of the whole person," so that eyes can see God's glory (35:2) and ears can hear God's word (the singing in 35:10).
New Testament Fulfillment: Jesus' ministry precisely actualized this prophecy: Mark 7:32-37 (healing the deaf man), Mark 8:22-26 (healing the blind man of Bethsaida), Mark 10:46-52 (healing Bartimaeus), John 9 (the man born blind). Each healing was Jesus' concrete action declaring that "the 'then' of Isaiah 35:5 has arrived."
35:6 "Then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing; for waters will break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert."
Isaiah 35:6（World English Bible）
"The lame man will leap like a deer." The simile "like a deer" (כָּאַיָּל, ka'ayyal) is extremely powerful. The deer is the most agile animal in the hills of Israel. The lame man will not just "be able to walk" but "leap like a deer." This is a picture of "complete healing and ultimate joy."
The most direct New Testament fulfillment is Acts 3:1-10, where Peter heals the man lame from birth at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and the man "walking, leaping, and praising God." This is Luke's deliberate echo of Isaiah 35:6, declaring that the church continues this "then" ministry after Jesus' ascension.
"The tongue of the mute will sing." Sing (רָנַן, ranan) means to shout for joy and sing. The mute will not just "be able to speak" but "be able to sing." This parallels the structure of the previous sentence, "the lame man will not just be able to walk but leap," both signifying grace "far beyond restoration."
The key citation in Luke 7:22: John the Baptist, in prison, sent messengers to ask Jesus, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?" Jesus' answer was: "Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them." (Luke 7:22; cf. Matthew 11:5).
Please note: Jesus did not directly say, "I am the Messiah." The list He provided almost verbatim uses Isaiah 35:5-6 + Isaiah 61:1. This was Jesus' indirect but extremely clear answer to John: "I am doing what Isaiah 35 describes; you judge for yourself who I am." This is one of the most important responses in Jesus' self-declaration of identity.
"For waters will break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert" is the climax of the "New Exodus" theme. In Exodus 17, God caused water to flow from the rock for Israel to drink in the wilderness; this verse expands it to "rivers flowing." This thread runs through the latter half of Isaiah (41:18 "I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water," 43:19-20 "I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert... to give drink to my people, my chosen") and ultimately finds its eschatological fulfillment in the New Testament in John 7:37-39 "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink... He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water," and Revelation 22:1 "A river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb."
Section Positioning: In the sermon structure, this section is "the opening and arrival of the return journey." Verses 5-6 describe the healing signs of God's coming, and here, the "Holy Way" opened after God's arrival is depicted, along with the redeemed people singing their way back to Zion. This is a typical "concluding promise" in prophetic literature.
35:7 "The burning sand will become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water. Grass with reeds and rushes will be in the habitation of jackals, where they lay."
Isaiah 35:7（World English Bible）
"The glowing sand," the Hebrew word שָׁרָב (sharav), is actually a "mirage." Travelers in the wilderness see what appears to be a pool of water in the distance, but upon approaching, it is dry sand. This is one of the most despair-inducing phenomena in the wilderness. The prophet says: the mirage will become a real pool of water; what was once a deceptive false hope will become a true hope.
"In the habitation of jackals, where they lay, will be grass with reeds and rushes" is a direct contrast to chapter 34. In 34:13, "a habitation for jackals." In the same place, chapter 34 describes desolation after judgment, while chapter 35 describes recovery after redemption. The den of jackals becomes a wetland of reeds; God's redemption is the work of "reversing all curses."
35:8 "A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called The Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools will not go there."
Isaiah 35:8（World English Bible）
This is the most profound theological declaration in this chapter.
"A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called The Holy Way." The Hebrew words are מַסְלוּל (maslul) for "highway" and דֶּרֶךְ הַקֹּדֶשׁ (derek haqqodesh) for "Holy Way." Maslul means a "leveled highway," often referring to a royal road or main road. This road is called "The Holy Way," belonging to God and prepared for His redeemed people.
"The unclean will not pass over it." This Holy Way has clear entry standards; the unclean cannot enter. This directly echoes Revelation 21:27 in the New Testament: "Nothing unclean, or anyone who practices abomination and lying, will in any way enter into it." The Holy Way has real boundaries; it is not "for anyone to walk on."
But please also note, "it will be for those who walk in the Way." This road is prepared for "the redeemed people" (גְּאוּלִים, ge'ulim). The word redeemed people is important; it means that those walking on this road are not "qualified by themselves," but are "redeemed." Their qualification is not in their own purity, but in the work of the Redeemer.
"Wicked fools will not go astray on it." What a comforting promise this is. In the ancient Near East, travelers in the desert who did not know the way would die. The prophet says: on this Holy Way, even if you are foolish, even if you have a poor sense of direction, even if you are weak, you will not go astray. This is the gentlest comfort for believers who "fear they might go wrong."
New Testament Echoes: This "Holy Way" has multiple fulfillments in the New Testament:
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 35:9（World English Bible）
"No lion will be there, nor will any ravenous animal go up on it." This is another direct contrast to the previous chapter. In chapter 34, Edom was full of beasts, jackals, wild goats, night monsters, and arrow snakes; on this Holy Way in this chapter, not a single wild beast will appear. This road is an absolutely safe return journey.
"But the redeemed will walk there" again emphasizes that this road is prepared for "the redeemed" (ge'ulim). In the New Testament, Hebrews 12:22-24 "But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God... and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling" directly fulfills this verse, as the redeemed people complete the Holy Way and arrive at the heavenly Zion.
35:10 "The Yahweh’s ransomed ones will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”"
Isaiah 35:10（World English Bible）
This is the climax and conclusion of the entire chapter, and also the summary of the "New Exodus" theme in the book of Isaiah.
"The Yahweh’s ransomed ones." The Hebrew is פְּדוּיֵי יְהוָה (peduyei YHWH), "Yahweh's redeemed ones." פָּדָה (padah, to ransom) and גָּאַל (ga'al, to redeem) from the previous verse are two slightly different words for redemption. The former emphasizes paying a price to ransom (e.g., redeeming the firstborn), while the latter emphasizes redemption by a kinsman. Used together, they mean "people whom God has redeemed by paying a price in various ways."
"Come with singing to Zion." Not a quiet return home, but singing their way home. This is a continuation of Miriam's song after the Red Sea in Exodus 15; the Exodus always ends with singing.
"Everlasting joy will be on their heads." The Hebrew is שִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם עַל־רֹאשָׁם (simchat olam al-roshim), "eternal joy upon their heads." In Hebrew culture, "upon their heads" means "like a crown, covering." Joy is worn like a crown on the head, like anointing oil flowing down from the head to cover the whole body (cf. Psalm 23:5 "You anoint my head with oil").
"Sorrow and sighing will flee away." Note that it is "flee away" (נָסוּ, nasu) rather than "disappear." The prophet uses personification: sorrow and sighing are like people being chased, who turn and flee when joy arrives. What a picture this is! God's redemption is not passively "no tears," but actively driving tears away.
The ultimate New Testament fulfillment is Revelation 21:4 "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor pain, for the former things have passed away," which directly echoes this verse. The prophet's prediction that "sorrow and sighing will flee away" reaches its eternal realization in the new heavens and new earth.
Isaiah 51:11 almost word-for-word repeats this verse: "The ransomed of Yahweh will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away." The prophet deliberately repeats this verse in the center of the "Book of Comfort" (chapters 40-55) to let readers know that chapter 35 is not a one-time declaration, but a promise that runs throughout the entire book.
| Vocabulary | Original | Transliteration | Verse | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| wilderness | מִדְבָּר | midbar | 35:1 | Dry, barren land; the land of the Exodus |
| dry land | צִיָּה | tsiyyah | 35:1 | Extremely dry place |
| rose / crocus | חֲבַצֶּלֶת | chavatselet | 35:1 | Small flower that blooms after desert rain (same word as Song 2:1) |
| rejoice | יְשֻׂשׂוּם | yesusum | 35:1 | Intense joy |
| glory | כָּבוֹד | kavod | 35:2 | Heavy presence; manifestation of God |
| splendor | הָדָר | hadar | 35:2 | Majestic beauty; often used for the honor of a king |
| weak | רָפוֹת | rafot | 35:3 | Drooping, powerless |
| strengthen | אַמְּצוּ | ammetsu | 35:3 | Strong, empowered |
| faint-hearted | נִמְהֲרֵי־לֵב | nimharei-lev | 35:4 | Heart driven; anxious and restless |
| vengeance | נָקָם | naqam | 35:4 | Righteous recompense (same as 34:8) |
| salvation | יֵשַׁע | yesha' | 35:4 | Shares root with Yeshua (name of Jesus) |
| then | אָז | az | 35:5, 6 | Marks the moment of God's intervention |
| leap like a deer | יְדַלֵּג כָּאַיָּל | yedalleg ka'ayyal | 35:6 | Deer are the most agile animals in the hills |
| sing | רָנַן | ranan | 35:6 | Shout for joy, sing |
| mirage / shimmering sand | שָׁרָב | sharav | 35:7 | Illusion of false water in the wilderness |
| highway | מַסְלוּל | maslul | 35:8 | Leveled highway; royal road |
| holy way | דֶּרֶךְ הַקֹּדֶשׁ | derek haqqodesh | 35:8 | "Way of holiness"; Old Testament root of "the Way" in the New Testament |
| redeemed | גְּאוּלִים | ge'ulim | 35:9 | Those redeemed by a kinsman |
| redeemed of Yahweh | פְּדוּיֵי יְהוָה | peduyei YHWH | 35:10 | Yahweh's people redeemed by a price |
| everlasting joy | שִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם | simchat olam | 35:10 | Eternal joy |
| flee | נָסוּ | nasu | 35:10 | Personification: sorrow and sighing flee like people being driven away |
(See the structure diagram in Chapter Guide / Paragraph Structure)
Structural Observation: This chapter is a "hope model" of prophetic discourse, moving from nature → human heart → Messiah → way → return. The center is the Messianic signs of healing in verses 5-6; the two ends are symmetrical, with the restoration of nature (1-2) and the joyful return of the people (10). This three-tiered structure of "nature ← humanity → eschatology" expands the scope of salvation from the microscopic (individual healing) to the cosmic (the entire wilderness rejoicing).
| Theme | Ancient Near Eastern Context | Presentation in This Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Water in the Wilderness | The greatest threat to travelers in the ancient Near Eastern desert was lack of water; caravans relied on oases for survival; mirages were a common source of despair for travelers. | 35:6-7 Water in the wilderness, mirages turning into pools of water; God's salvation reverses the deepest despair of the wilderness. |
| Royal Road | The Assyrian and Persian empires both built "royal roads" as the backbone of imperial rule; the Persian Royal Road from Susa to Sardis was 2700 km long. | 35:8 Uses maslul (a highway), borrowing the language of imperial royal roads, to declare this holy way as Yahweh's royal road. |
| Messianic Physical Healing | Ancient Near Eastern kings were often praised as "healers" and "refuges for orphans and widows" upon their ascension (e.g., Hammurabi's prologue). | 35:5-6 The sign of the Messiah is the healing of the blind, deaf, lame, and mute, a more thorough healing than that of ancient Near Eastern kings. |
| Desert Flower Bloom After Rain | Wilderness areas in southern Israel, the Negev, etc., would see small flowers like crocuses and narcissus bloom instantly after short spring rains. | 35:1-2 Uses this realistic image to express the theological hope of "sudden splendor after a brief drought." |
| Ancient Near Eastern "Forbidden Paths" | Sanctuaries in ancient Near Eastern religions often had regulations like "only the clean may enter." | 35:8 "No unclean person shall pass over it" echoes this sanctuary boundary, but also emphasizes that "the redeemed" can walk on it. |
| Exodus Tradition | The crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus 14-15 is central to Israel's national founding myth. | 35:10 "Return with singing" echoes Miriam's song in Exodus 15; a prophecy of a new Exodus. |
| Zion Pilgrimage Tradition | Deuteronomy 16:16 stipulates three annual pilgrimages to Zion; Psalms 84, 120-134, "Songs of Ascents," reflect the pilgrimage tradition. | 35:10 "Come to Zion with singing" echoes this pilgrimage tradition, but magnifies it into "the return in the latter days." |
Chapters 34 and 35 are one of the strongest mirror chapters in the book of Isaiah. Multiple direct contrasts can be listed:
| Chapter 34 (Judgment on Edom) | Chapter 35 (Israel's Restoration) |
|---|---|
| 34:4 The sky will be rolled up like a scroll | 35:2 See the glory of Yahweh |
| 34:8 Day of vengeance | 35:4 "God will come with vengeance... He will come and save you." |
| 34:9-10 Burning forever | 35:10 Everlasting joy |
| 34:11 Ostriches, night creatures | 35:9 No lion or ravenous beast |
| 34:13 Dwelling place for jackals | 35:7 Grass grows where jackals lie down |
| 34:14 Night creatures find a resting place | 35:8 A holy way, no unclean person enters |
| 34:16 Search Yahweh's book | 35:10 Come to Zion with singing |
This item-by-item contrasting mirror structure is the highest achievement of prophetic poetry.
"The wilderness will be glad," "the desert will rejoice," "sorrow and sighing will flee away"—this personification makes inanimate nature and abstract emotions into "acting characters." This is a characteristic of Hebrew poetry, where God's salvation concerns not only humanity but also the entire universe.
Verses 35:5, 6 twice use "then" (az), marking the crucial moment of "the day when God comes." This word frequently functions in Isaiah to denote "the latter days" (cf. 12:1, 25:9, 26:1, 27:1, 35:5-6).
| Item | Chapter 34 (Den of Beasts) | Chapter 35 (Holy Way) |
|---|---|---|
| Birds | Pelican, porcupine, owl, raven, hawk | None |
| Land Animals | Jackals, ostriches, hyenas, wild goats | Leaping deer (35:6 metaphor for the weak) |
| Reptiles | Arrow snake, night creature | None |
| Wild Beasts | Not explicitly stated but wilderness | "No lion will be there, nor will any ravenous beast go up on it." |
Chapter 35 deliberately removes the "beasts" listed in Chapter 34; this is a poetic "counter-judgment."
35:9 uses גְּאוּלִים (ge'ulim, redeemed by a kinsman), and 35:10 uses פְּדוּיֵי יְהוָה (peduyei YHWH, redeemed by payment). The use of two slightly different words for redemption emphasizes the richness of "God redeeming by various means and payment."
Chapter 35 has 10 verses, with a symmetrical structure:
The central verses 5-6 are precisely the Messianic signs, and this symmetry places the coming of the Messiah at the structural center.
The three s/ts/sh consonants used together in 35:1's "יְשֻׂשׂוּם מִדְבָּר וְצִיָּה" (yeshusvm midbar ve-tsiyah) (The wilderness and the dry land will be glad) form a typical light rhythm in Hebrew, which itself evokes a feeling of "joy" when read.
This chapter, as a peak of hope in Isaiah's "Book of Judgment and Hope," brings several main themes to a climax:
This chapter is an early peak of the "New Exodus" theme:
This theme reappears repeatedly in 40:3 "Prepare the way of Yahweh," 43:16-21 "I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert," 48:20-21 "Go out from Babylon," 49:8-13 "Say to those who are bound, 'Come out!'" and 52:11-12. In the New Testament, 1 Peter 2:9 "that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" and 1 Peter 1:18-19 "knowing that you were redeemed... with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ" are the ultimate fulfillment of this theme.
Isaiah 35:5-6 is the most specific "Messianic healing list" in the entire Old Testament. This theme holds a special place in Isaiah's Messianic chain:
In the New Testament, Luke 7:22 / Matthew 11:5, Jesus directly quotes this chapter and Isaiah 61:1 in His reply to John, which is one of the most important responses in Jesus' self-declaration of identity.
Isaiah 35:8 "Way of Holiness" (derek haqqodesh) is the opening declaration of this theme. This theme continues to unfold in 40:3 "Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness" (quoted by all four New Testament Gospels as a foreshadowing of John the Baptist preparing the way for the Messiah), 49:11 "I will make all my mountains a way," and 62:10 "Build up, build up the highway."
Most profoundly, in the New Testament, the early church was called "the Way" (ἡ ὁδός, he hodos). Acts 9:2 / 19:9 / 19:23 / 22:4 / 24:14 / 24:22 all use this term to name Christianity. Luke's deliberate choice of language echoes Isaiah 35:8 and 40:3's "Way of Holiness," and Christians are the "redeemed people" walking on this Way of Holiness.
Chapter 34 is "The Judgment of the Nations," and Chapter 35 is "The Restoration of the Redeemed People." These two chapters together present the two ends of Isaiah's "Destiny of the Nations" theme: it is neither "all nations are saved" nor "all nations are judged," but "those who are willing to repent and turn to Yahweh will enter the new community" (see chapters 56-60 "Inclusion of Gentiles").
Isaiah 34:16 "My mouth has commanded, and his Spirit has gathered them" is the guarantee of judgment's fulfillment; Chapter 35 is the unfolding of this "fulfillment of word and Spirit." Just as God promised that "Edom will burn" and it will be fulfilled, He also promised that "the Way of Holiness will be opened" and it will be fulfilled. This theme continues in 40:8 "The grass withers... but the word of our God will stand forever" and 55:10-11 "so my word that goes out from my mouth will be."
Isaiah 35:10 "The redeemed of Yahweh will return" is the declaration of the fulfillment of the "remnant" theme. Starting from 1:9 "Unless Yahweh of Armies had left to us a very small remnant," and passing through 7:3 Shear-jashub (personification of "a remnant will return"), 10:20-22, 11:11, 37:31-32, this chapter gives the ultimate destination of the remnant: they will return to Zion with singing.
| Old Testament | New Testament Echo | Related Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 35:3 "Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees." | Hebrews 12:12 "Therefore strengthen the hands that hang down and the feeble knees." | Hebrews almost verbatim uses this verse to encourage Jewish Christians facing persecution and weariness to persevere. This is one of the most direct New Testament citations of this chapter. |
| Isaiah 35:5-6 "Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing." | Luke 7:22 "Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the Good News is preached to the poor." Matthew 11:5 parallel. | Jesus' reply to John in prison almost verbatim quotes this verse + Isaiah 61:1. This is one of the most important moments of Jesus' self-declaration, "I am the one of Isaiah 35." |
| Isaiah 35:5 "the eyes of the blind will be opened" | Mark 8:22-26 Blind man of Bethsaida; Mark 10:46-52 Bartimaeus; John 9 Man born blind. | The Gospels record Jesus healing the blind three times, deliberately echoing this verse as a Messianic sign. |
| Isaiah 35:5 "the ears of the deaf will be unstopped" | Mark 7:32-37 "Ephphatha! That is, 'Be opened!'" | Mark's Gospel records Jesus healing a deaf man, using the Aramaic word ephphatha (be opened). This is Mark's direct testimony to this verse. |
| Isaiah 35:6 "the lame man will leap like a deer" | Acts 3:8 The lame man at the Beautiful Gate "walking, leaping, and praising God." | Luke in Acts deliberately uses "leaping" (ἁλλόμενος, hallomenos) to echo this verse, proclaiming that the church continues Jesus' Messianic ministry. |
| Isaiah 35:6 "For waters will break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert." | John 7:37-39 "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink... out of his belly will flow rivers of living water." Revelation 22:1 "A river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." | The "living water" theme, from this verse through John 4 (Samaritan woman) and John 7, finds its eschatological fulfillment in Revelation 22. |
| Isaiah 35:8 "A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called The Way of Holiness." | Acts 9:2 "that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem." Acts 19:9 / 19:23 / 22:4 / 24:14 / 24:22 a total of 6 times calling Christianity "the Way" (ἡ ὁδός, hē hodos). | Luke deliberately uses "the Way" to name the early church, which is a direct fulfillment of Isaiah 35:8 "Way of Holiness" and 40:3 "prepare the way of Yahweh." |
| Isaiah 35:8 "The wayfaring men, yes, fools, will not err." | John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.'" | Jesus' self-declaration as "the Way" directly echoes this verse; He is the Way that even the foolish will not err on. |
| Isaiah 35:10 "The redeemed of Yahweh will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads." | Hebrews 12:22-24 "But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem... and to the spirits of just men made perfect." | Hebrews shifts the promise of the redeemed returning to Zion to New Testament believers having already arrived at the heavenly Zion in Christ. |
| Isaiah 35:10 "Sorrow and sighing will flee away." | Revelation 21:4 "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away." | The description of the new heavens and new earth in Revelation is the eschatological fulfillment of this verse; "sorrow and sighing flee away" reaches eternal realization in the New Jerusalem. |
Authoritative Commentaries
Further Reading
Chinese Resources
Background Positioning This chapter, alongside chapter 34, was written during the time of Hezekiah (around 700 BC). Under the shadow of Assyrian siege and death, the prophet uses this ten-verse short poem to declare to the crushed people: Yahweh is the healer, the guide, the pioneer of the return path; God's ultimate outcome is not burning but joyful singing.
At the end of the eighth century BC, Judah faced its greatest historical crisis. Sennacherib besieged Jerusalem (701 BC), and 46 Judean cities across the nation were trampled by the Assyrian iron hoof. Only Jerusalem was miraculously preserved by God at the last moment (cf. Isaiah 36-37 / 2 Kings 18-19). In such a situation where "your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a garden of cucumbers, like a besieged city" (Isaiah 1:7-8), the prophet's gaze did not fall on political solutions, but on a more distant vision of restoration. On that day, the wilderness and the dry land would rejoice, the eyes of the blind would be opened, and the redeemed people would return to Zion with singing.
This chapter holds an extremely crucial position in the book of Isaiah. It is the peak of hope in the first "book of judgment and hope," and also a preview of the second "book of comfort" (chapters 40-55). Readers should note three key intertextual connections:
On a deeper level, this chapter foreshadows the New Exodus. The original Exodus (Exodus 14-15) was "redemption from the house of bondage in Egypt to the promised land in the wilderness," while the "New Exodus" foreshadowed in this chapter is "redemption from all bondage to true rest in Zion." This theme repeatedly appears in chapter 40 "comfort," 43:16-21 "I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert," 48:20-21 "Go out from Babylon," 49:8-13 "to those who are bound, 'Come out!'" and 52:11-12, ultimately finding its fulfillment in the New Testament where "the Lord leads His people out of darkness into light" (1 Peter 2:9, 1 Peter 1:18-19).
| Dimension | Content |
|---|---|
| Era | Around 700 BC, Hezekiah's time, under the shadow of Assyrian siege |
| Reigning King | Hezekiah |
| Main Threat | Assyrian Empire (Sennacherib); 46 cities across the nation on the verge of falling |
| Audience | People of Zion, especially those who were timid and weak during the siege |
| Contemporary Prophet | Micah (Southern Kingdom, contemporary) |
| Parallel in 2 Kings/2 Chronicles | 2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chronicles 32 |
| Relationship with Previous Chapter | Chapter 34 "Burning of Edom" and Chapter 35 "Restoration of Israel" are mirror images |
| Relationship with Chapter 40 | 35:8 "Holy Way" is a preview of 40:3 "Prepare the way of the Lord"; 35:1-2 "Wilderness rejoices" is a preview of 40:3-5 "A highway in the wilderness" |
| Theme | Content |
|---|---|
| Mirror Structure: Judgment and Hope | Chapter 34 "Burning of Edom" + Chapter 35 "Restoration of Israel" must be read intertextually; two actions of the same hand |
| God is the Healer | Not only a judge, but also the Messiah who heals the blind, deaf, lame, and mute. This chapter is a preview of 53:5 "by his stripes we are healed." |
| List of Messianic Signs | 35:5-6 is the most specific list of Messianic signs in the entire Old Testament; Jesus directly quotes it in Luke 7:22 to declare His identity |
| Gospel for the Weak | 35:3-4 directly addresses "the weak hands, the feeble knees, the fearful heart"; quoted in Hebrews 12:12 as encouragement for believers' perseverance |
| Way of Holiness | First appears in 35:8, foreshadows 40:3, lays the foundation for John the Baptist's ministry, and defines the communal identity of "this Way" in the New Testament (Acts 9:2, etc.) |
| Peak of the New Exodus Theme | A way in the wilderness, water flowing out, joyful return to Zion; all Exodus themes are condensed here |
| Qualification of the Redeemed People | This holy way is not for "qualified people" to walk, but for "the redeemed" to walk. Salvation is not in oneself, but in the Redeemer. |
| Reversal of Eternal Joy and Sorrow | 35:10 "sorrow and sighing will flee away" foreshadows Revelation 21:4 "he will wipe away every tear from their eyes" |