Isaiah 55:13 (LSB)

Passage

Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up, And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up, And it will be to Yahweh for His renown, For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.”

Nearby Context

Isaiah 55:11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what pleases Me, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:12 For you will go out with gladness And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Isaiah 55:13 Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up, And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up, And it will be to Yahweh for His renown, For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.”

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "instead", "thorn", "bush", "cypress", "come", "nettle", and "myrtle". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "instead" and "thorn", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "For you will go out with gladness...", giving immediate footing for "instead" and "thorn". In Isaiah context, the local focus is the Holy One of Israel, judgment and restoration, the servant of the LORD, and Zion's hope.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "instead" and "thorn" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.