For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
3. The tent must be larger than of old, for the new community shall spread abroad (cf. Gen 28:14; Gen 30:30; Gen 30:43) on the right hand and on the left, i.e. in all directions.
inherit the Gentiles ] take possession of nations (cf. Gen 22:17; Gen 24:60). The reference is not to be limited to the heathen who had occupied the soil of Palestine; although the desolate cities in the parallel clause are no doubt primarily those of the holy land.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For thou shalt break forth – (See the notes at Isa 49:19-20).
And make the desolate cities – (See the notes at Isa 44:26).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Thou shalt break forth; thou shalt bring forth a multitude of children; for this word is commonly used of any great and extraordinary propagation of living creatures, whether beasts or men, Gen 30:30; Exo 1:12.
On the right hand and on the left; on every side, in all the parts of the world.
Thy seed; either,
1. Thy spiritual seed, the church of the new testament, which is accounted Abrahams seed, or children, Gal 3:7-9,29. Or,
2. Thy natural seed, Christ and his apostles, and other ministers, who were Jews, by whom this work was first and most eminently done.
Shall inherit the Gentiles; shall subdue the Gentile world to the church, and to the obedience of the faith.
The desolate cities; those cities and countries which in a spiritual sense were desolate and forsaken by God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. break forthrather, “burstforth” with increase; thy offspring shall grow, answering to”thy seed” in the parallel clause.
thy seedIsrael and herchildren, as distinguished from “the Gentiles.”
desolate citiesofIsrael (Isa 44:26).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For thou shall break forth on the right hand and on the left,…. To the south, and to the north, as the Targum, like an inundation of water, that breaks through and overflows the banks of the river, and spreads itself in the adjacent countries; or like a warehouse overstocked with goods, bursts the walls in which they are pent up; or rather as infants break forth from the womb at the time of birth, as Pharez did, from whence he had his name, Ge 38:29 see Ho 13:13, or as, when a country is become exceeding numerous, the inhabitants break out, and go forth beyond their borders, and seek new settlements, the place of their abode being too small for them; so it shall be in the latter day, through the vast number of converts that will be made; see Isa 49:19:
and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles; where formerly only Heathens lived, there the Gospel of Christ shall be carried by his apostles and other ministers; and being succeeded to the conversion of many souls, through the power of divine grace accompanying it, a spiritual seed, the seed of the church, shall take place, and dwell there; this was true in the first ages of Christianity, more especially in Constantine’s time; and will be more fully accomplished in the latter day, when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be brought in:
and make the desolate cities to be inhabited: such cities as were destitute of the knowledge of Christ and his salvation, and of all divine and spiritual things, shall now be inhabited by spiritual men, such as believe in Christ, and profess his name; such cities as Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Colosse, Philippi, Thessalonica, and many others.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The reason why the tent is to be so large and strong is given in Isa 54:3: “For thou wilt break forth on the right and on the left; and thy seed will take possession of nations, and they will people desolate cities.” “On the right and on the left” is equivalent to “on the south and north” (Psa 89:13, the speaker being supposed to have his face turned towards the east: compare the Sanscrit apan , situated at the back, i.e., towards the west). We must supply both west and east, since the promises contained in such passages as Gen 15:18-21 remained unfulfilled even in the age of David and Solomon. Jerusalem will now spread out, and break through all her former bounds ( parats is used in the same sense in Gen 28:14); and her seed (i.e., the seed acquired by the Servant of Jehovah, the dead yet eternally living One, the , whose He Himself is) will take possession of nations ( yarash , yaresh , capessere , occupare ; more especially , syn. nachal ); and they (i.e., the children born to her) will people desolate cities ( hoshbh , the causative of yashabh , to be inhabited, Isa 14:20). Thus will the promise be fulfilled, that “the meek shall inherit the earth,” – a promise not confined to the Preacher on the mount, but found also in Psa 37:9-11, and uttered by our own prophet in Isa 60:21; Isa 65:9.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
3. Because thou shalt be multiplied. Now follows the reason why he commanded the cords to be lengthened for enlarging the tents. It is, that a moderate space would not contain a numerous people, whom the Lord will gather into one from every quarter. Now, because Judea was hideous on account of its ruins and desolation, he says that the forsaken cities shall be inhabited.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) On the right hand and on the left.Comp. Gen. 28:14. Strictly speaking, the words indicate specially the north and the south, in relation to one who stands looking towards the East. Here, of course, they mean on every side. The words that follow have, like others, a lower or material and a higher or spiritual meaning.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 54:3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Ver. 3. For thou shalt break forth, ] i.e., Bring forth abundantly, and beyond belief. Margaret Countess of Henneberg, brought forth at a birth in Holland three hundred and sixty-five children, one skull whereof I have seen, saith mine author, no bigger than a bead or bean. a The Church brought forth three thousand at one birth, Act 2:41 and some whole nations at another. Isa 66:8 Rom 10:18
And thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles.
a Fuller’s Hist. of Cambridge, p. 28.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gentiles = nations.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
thou shalt: Isa 2:2-4, Isa 11:9-12, Isa 35:1, Isa 35:2, Isa 42:1-12, Isa 43:5, Isa 43:6, Isa 49:12, Isa 60:3-11, Gen 49:10, Psa 72:8-11, Rom 9:25, Rom 9:26, Rom 10:18, Rom 11:12, Col 1:23
and thy: Isa 49:18, Isa 55:5, Isa 60:10-13, Isa 61:5-9
make: Isa 49:8, Isa 49:19, Isa 52:9, Eze 36:35, Eze 36:36
Reciprocal: 2Ki 6:1 – too strait for us Isa 44:26 – that saith Isa 49:21 – am desolate Isa 66:12 – the glory Isa 66:20 – bring all Jer 51:5 – Israel Dan 7:27 – the kingdom and Zec 10:10 – place Zec 12:6 – on the right Luk 13:29 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The number of God’s people would increase, as God promised Abraham (Gen 12:1-3; Gen 12:7; Gen 28:14). Future generations, from Isaiah’s perspective, would dispossess the nations (cf. the conquest of the land, Deu 9:1; Deu 11:23; Deu 12:2; Deu 31:3). Believers would take over what had belonged to unbelievers (cf. Mat 5:5).
"Many Gentiles will undoubtedly be surprised and even chagrined to find that Israel is to have the leading place in the earth." [Note: A. Martin, Isaiah . . ., p. 102.]