What Does Isaiah 54:12 Mean in the King James?
And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The restored city’s edge is made of delight, so even its boundary announces that it is precious.
THE MEANING
The verse pictures your place of shelter remade down to its openings and edges: its windows shine, its gates gleam, and its border is made from delight. Nothing at the perimeter of the restored life is treated as plain or expendable.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Restoration reaches only the center; the edges of my life remain beyond beauty.
THE ROOT
חֵפֶץ
ḥēp̄eṣ
GROWS FROM
חפץ
ḥ-p-ṣ
To desire or take delight in; something desired or treasured.
“pleasant” in this verse is ḥēp̄eṣ. The phrase is literally stones of delight or desire. The city’s boundary is made from what is treasured, so its edge declares its worth rather than marking its loss.
ALSO GROWS
ḥāfēṣ: To desire, take pleasure in, or delight in.
חָפֵץ
The same root shifts from a treasured thing to the act of delighting, joining the city’s beauty to desire.
Ḥep̄ṣî-ḇāh: My delight is in her.
חֶפְצִי־בָהּ
Isaiah uses this name for the land in 62:4, revealing delight as the language of the restored place itself.
אֶקְדָּח
ʾeqdāḥ
GROWS FROM
קדח
To kindle or burn; the rare stone word is commonly connected with this fire-root.
“carbuncles” in this verse is ʾeqdāḥ. The gates are described with a word likely carrying the sense of kindled or fire-bright stone. The entrance to the restored city gleams with the language of ignition, not merely value.
ALSO GROWS
qāḏaḥ: To kindle or burn.
קָדַח
This verb supplies the likely fire-image behind the shining stones at the gates.
meqaddeḥê ʾēš: Those who kindle a fire (Isaiah 50:11).
מְקַדְּחֵי אֵשׁ
The same verb-family names fire-kindlers elsewhere in Isaiah, sharpening the image of gates that gleam like living fire.
THE PATTERN
Restoration turns a community’s borders and gates into visible signs of deliverance and praise.
Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.THE THREAD
Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.The root חפץ (ḥ-p-ṣ) that makes the stones “pleasant” also appears in Hephzibah: “my delight is in her.” The restored city’s edge bears the same language as the LORD’s delight in its land.
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