Isaiah 60:15
Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
Original Language Analysis
תַּ֧חַת
Whereas
H8478
תַּ֧חַת
Whereas
Strong's:
H8478
Word #:
1 of 12
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc
הֱיוֹתֵ֛ךְ
H1961
הֱיוֹתֵ֛ךְ
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
2 of 12
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
עֲזוּבָ֥ה
thou hast been forsaken
H5800
עֲזוּבָ֥ה
thou hast been forsaken
Strong's:
H5800
Word #:
3 of 12
to loosen, i.e., relinquish, permit, etc
וְאֵ֣ין
H369
עוֹבֵ֑ר
so that no man went through
H5674
עוֹבֵ֑ר
so that no man went through
Strong's:
H5674
Word #:
6 of 12
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in
וְשַׂמְתִּיךְ֙
thee I will make
H7760
וְשַׂמְתִּיךְ֙
thee I will make
Strong's:
H7760
Word #:
7 of 12
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
עוֹלָ֔ם
thee an eternal
H5769
עוֹלָ֔ם
thee an eternal
Strong's:
H5769
Word #:
9 of 12
properly, concealed, i.e., the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e., (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial
מְשׂ֖וֹשׂ
a joy
H4885
מְשׂ֖וֹשׂ
a joy
Strong's:
H4885
Word #:
10 of 12
delight, concretely (the cause or object) or abstractly (the feeling)
Cross References
Isaiah 61:7For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.Jeremiah 30:17For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.Jeremiah 33:11The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.Isaiah 35:10And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.Revelation 11:2But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.Isaiah 6:12And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.Isaiah 65:18But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.Isaiah 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.
Historical Context
The Babylonian exile left Jerusalem desolate for 70 years—truly forsaken and hated, avoided by travelers who saw only ruins. Even after the return, the city remained relatively insignificant until Christ's time. The prophecy looked beyond physical Jerusalem to the spiritual reality: the church, once composed of alienated sinners, now eternal in excellence through Christ. This continues as the church spans generations, bringing joy through gospel proclamation and sanctification.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the transformation from 'forsaken and hated' to 'eternal excellency' describe conversion?
- What does it mean that the church is 'a joy of many generations'?
- How does Christ's work secure our 'eternal excellency' rather than temporary improvement?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
God contrasts past and future: "Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee." This describes exile's desolation—abandoned, despised, avoided. Jerusalem was a wasteland, bypassed by travelers. The Hebrew azubah (forsaken) and senuah (hated) emphasize complete rejection. Then comes the glorious reversal: "I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations." Gaon olam (eternal excellency) means everlasting pride/glory—permanent honor replacing temporary shame. "A joy of many generations" (mesos dor vador) emphasizes perpetual gladness across time. From a Reformed perspective, this illustrates the believer's transformation. Once forsaken in sin, hated by God's justice, avoided by holiness—now, through Christ, made eternally excellent, a source of joy to God (Zephaniah 3:17) and across generations. The church, once not a people, becomes God's people (1 Peter 2:9-10). Individual believers, once dead in sin, become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). This transformation is eternal, not temporary—secured by Christ's finished work.