Isaiah 49:9 to say to the prisoners, 'Come out,' and to those in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' They will feed along the pathways, and find pasture on every barren hill.

◄ Isaiah 49:9 ►

New International Version
to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ “They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.

New Living Translation
I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’ They will be my sheep, grazing in green pastures and on hills that were previously bare.

English Standard Version
saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’ They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture;

Berean Standard Bible
to say to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ They will feed along the pathways, and find pasture on every barren hill.

King James Bible
That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.

New King James Version
That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’ To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ “They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights.

New American Standard Bible
Saying to those who are bound, ‘Go free,’ To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ They will feed along the roads, And their pasture will be on all bare heights.

NASB 1995
Saying to those who are bound, ‘Go forth,’ To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ Along the roads they will feed, And their pasture will be on all bare heights.

NASB 1977
Saying to those who are bound, ‘Go forth,’ To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ Along the roads they will feed, And their pasture will be on all bare heights.

Legacy Standard Bible
Saying to those who are bound, ‘Go forth,’ To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ Along the roads they will feed, And their pasture will be on all bare heights.

Amplified Bible
Saying to those who are bound and captured, ‘Go forth,’ And to those who are in [spiritual] darkness, ‘Show yourselves [come into the light of the Savior].’ They will feed along the roads [on which they travel], And their pastures will be on all the bare heights.

Christian Standard Bible
saying to the prisoners, “Come out,” and to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.” They will feed along the pathways, and their pastures will be on all the barren heights.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
saying to the prisoners: Come out, and to those who are in darkness: Show yourselves. They will feed along the pathways, and their pastures will be on all the barren heights.

American Standard Version
saying to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.

Contemporary English Version
You will set prisoners free from dark dungeons to see the light of day. On their way home, they will find plenty to eat, even on barren hills.

English Revised Version
saying to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You will say to the prisoners, "Come out," and to those who are in darkness, "Show yourselves." They will graze along every path, and they will find pastures on every bare hill.

Good News Translation
I will say to the prisoners, 'Go free!' and to those who are in darkness, 'Come out to the light!' They will be like sheep that graze on the hills;

International Standard Version
saying to captives, 'Come out!' and to those who are in darkness, 'Be free!' "They will feed on all the mountains, and their pasture will be on all the barren hills.

Majority Standard Bible
to say to the prisoners, ?Come out,? and to those in darkness, ?Show yourselves.? They will feed along the pathways, and find pasture on every barren hill.

NET Bible
You will say to the prisoners, 'Come out,' and to those who are in dark dungeons, 'Emerge.' They will graze beside the roads; on all the slopes they will find pasture.

New Heart English Bible
saying to those who are bound, 'Come out.'; to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' "They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.

Webster's Bible Translation
That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.

World English Bible
saying to those who are bound, ‘Come out!’; to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves!’ “They shall feed along the paths, and their pasture shall be on all treeless heights.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
To say to the bound, Go out, "" To those in darkness, Be uncovered. They feed on the ways, "" And their pasture is in all high places.

Young's Literal Translation
To say to the bound, Go out, To those in darkness, Be uncovered. On the ways they feed, And in all high places is their pasture.

Smith's Literal Translation
To say to the bound, Go forth; to those in darkness, Uncover yourselves. They shall feed upon the ways, and in all naked hills their pastures.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
That thou mightest say to them that are bound: Come forth: and to them that are in darkness: Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in every plain.

Catholic Public Domain Version
so that you would say to those who are bound, “Go forth!” and to those who are in darkness, “Be released!” They will pasture along the roads, and their pastures will be in every open place.

New American Bible
To say to the prisoners: Come out! To those in darkness: Show yourselves! Along the roadways they shall find pasture, on every barren height shall their pastures be.

New Revised Standard Version
saying to the prisoners, “Come out,” to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.” They shall feed along the ways, on all the bare heights shall be their pasture;

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
That you may say to the prisoners, Go forth; to those who are shut up, Show yourselves. Come out. They shall feed in the paths and their pastures shall be in all highways.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And you shall say to the prisoners: "Go out!”, and to those shut in, “Be revealed!" They shall feed on the roads and their flocks in all the streets

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Saying to the prisoners: 'Go forth'; To them that are in darkness: 'Show yourselves'; They shall feed in the ways, And in all high hills shall be their pasture;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
saying to them that are in bonds, Go forth; and bidding them that are in darkness shew themselves. They shall be fed in all the ways, and in all the paths shall be their pasture.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

You are My Servant
…8This is what the LORD says: “In the time of favor I will answer You, and in the day of salvation I will help You; I will keep You and appoint You to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to apportion its desolate inheritances, 9to say to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ They will feed along the pathways, and find pasture on every barren hill. 10They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Luke 4:18
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed,

Isaiah 42:7
to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house.

Matthew 11:5
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Acts 26:18
to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Psalm 107:14
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke away their chains.

Zechariah 9:11-12
As for you, because of the blood of My covenant, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit. / Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare that I will restore to you double.

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,

John 12:46
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.

Colossians 1:13
He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,

Isaiah 35:10
So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.

Revelation 21:4
‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Jeremiah 31:8-9
Behold, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, including the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor. They will return as a great assembly! / They will come with weeping, and by their supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk beside streams of waters, on a level path where they will not stumble. For I am Israel’s Father, and Ephraim is My firstborn.”

Isaiah 60:1
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

Treasury of Scripture

That you may say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.

to the

Isaiah 42:7
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Psalm 69:33
For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

to them

Isaiah 9:2
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Isaiah 42:16
And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Isaiah 60:1,2
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee…

they shall feed

Isaiah 5:17
Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.

Isaiah 55:1,2
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price…

Isaiah 65:13
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:

high

Deuteronomy 32:13
He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;

Jump to Previous

Appear Bare Bound Captives Chains Darkness Feed Find Food Forth Free Grass-Lands Heights High Hills Light Mayest Pasture Pastures Places Prisoners Roads Shew Show Way Ways Wherever Yourselves

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Appear Bare Bound Captives Chains Darkness Feed Find Food Forth Free Grass-Lands Heights High Hills Light Mayest Pasture Pastures Places Prisoners Roads Shew Show Way Ways Wherever Yourselves

Isaiah 49

1. Christ being sent to the Jews, complains of them
5. He is sent to the Gentiles with gracious promises
13. God's love is perpetual to his church
18. The ample restoration of the church
24. The powerful deliverance out of captivity

Berean Study Bible

to say to the prisoners
This phrase highlights the mission of liberation and deliverance. In the Hebrew context, the word for "prisoners" (אָסִירִים, asirim) often refers to those who are bound or captive, not just physically but spiritually and emotionally. Historically, the Israelites experienced captivity in Egypt and Babylon, symbolizing the broader human condition of being enslaved by sin. The prophetic voice here is one of hope, promising freedom through divine intervention. This aligns with the New Testament message of Jesus Christ, who came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18).

Come out
The command "Come out" is a call to action, an invitation to leave behind the old life of bondage. In Hebrew, the verb יָצָא (yatsa) means to go out or come forth. This is not just a physical release but a spiritual awakening, urging the prisoners to step into the light of God's salvation. It echoes the Exodus narrative, where God called His people out of Egypt, and it foreshadows the call to believers to leave behind the darkness of sin and enter into the light of Christ.

and to those in darkness
This phrase addresses those who are not only physically imprisoned but also spiritually blind or lost. Darkness in the Bible often symbolizes ignorance, sin, and separation from God. The Hebrew word חֹשֶׁךְ (choshech) conveys a deep, pervasive darkness. The prophetic message is one of enlightenment and revelation, promising that those who dwell in darkness will see a great light, as prophesied in Isaiah 9:2 and fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World (John 8:12).

Show yourselves
The command "Show yourselves" is an invitation to reveal one's true identity as a child of God. In Hebrew, the verb גָּלָה (galah) means to uncover or reveal. This is a call to step into the light and be seen, to embrace the new identity given by God. It is a transformative moment, akin to the prodigal son returning to his father, shedding the old life of shame and embracing the new life of grace and acceptance.

They will feed along the pathways
This imagery of feeding along the pathways suggests provision and sustenance in unexpected places. The Hebrew word for "feed" (רָעָה, ra'ah) implies not just eating but being shepherded and cared for. The pathways, or roads, symbolize the journey of life, often fraught with challenges. Yet, God promises to provide for His people even in the midst of their journey, much like He provided manna in the wilderness for the Israelites.

and find pasture on every barren hill
The promise of finding pasture on barren hills speaks to God's miraculous provision. In the natural world, barren hills are devoid of life and sustenance. However, the Hebrew word for "pasture" (מִרְעֶה, mir'eh) indicates a place of rest and nourishment. This is a powerful metaphor for God's ability to bring life and abundance out of desolation. It reassures believers that even in the most desolate circumstances, God can provide and sustain, turning barrenness into blessing.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) That thou mayest say to the prisoners . . .--Comp. Isaiah 42:6-7. Here, perhaps, the thought of the deliverance of Israel is more exclusively prominent; but the words have obviously a yet wider and higher application.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth, "The prisoners" here are not the captives in Babylon, but the servants of sin throughout the world. Christ would say to them, "Go forth." He would summon them by his messengers to repent and be converted, and quit the service of sin, and "go forths" from the kingdom of darkness, and "show themselves" as lights of the world (Matthew 5:14; Philippians 2:15), walking "as children of the light" (Ephesians 5:8). It is a narrow exegesis which confines the prophet's forecast to the mere return of the exiles to Palestine, and their re-settlement on their ancestral estates. They shall feed in the ways, etc. The returning "prisoners" are now represented as a flock of sheep (comp. Isaiah 40:11), whom the good Shepherd will "lead" and "guide" by ways in which they will find sufficient pasture, which shall not fail them even when they pass over bare "hill-tops" (see John 10:11-16; John 21:15-17).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

to say
לֵאמֹ֤ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to the prisoners,
לַֽאֲסוּרִים֙ (la·’ă·sū·rîm)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural
Strong's 631: To yoke, hitch, to fasten, to join battle

‘Come out,’
צֵ֔אוּ (ṣê·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

and to those
לַאֲשֶׁ֥ר (la·’ă·šer)
Preposition-l | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

in darkness,
בַּחֹ֖שֶׁךְ (ba·ḥō·šeḵ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2822: The dark, darkness, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness

‘Show yourselves.’
הִגָּל֑וּ (hig·gā·lū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1540: To denude, to exile, to reveal

They will feed
יִרְע֔וּ (yir·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7462: To tend a, flock, pasture it, in, to graze, to rule, to associate with

along
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the pathways,
דְּרָכִ֣ים (də·rā·ḵîm)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

and find pasture
מַרְעִיתָֽם׃ (mar·‘î·ṯām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4830: A pasturing, shepherding, pasturage

on every
וּבְכָל־ (ū·ḇə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

barren hill.
שְׁפָיִ֖ים (šə·p̄ā·yîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8205: Bareness, a smooth or bare height

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OT Prophets: Isaiah 49:9 Saying to those who are bound Go (Isa Isi Is)