Isaiah 54:7
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you.
American King James Version (AKJV)
For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you.
American Standard Version (ASV)
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
For a short time I gave you up; but with great mercies I will take you back again.
Webster's Revision
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
World English Bible
"For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you.
English Revised Version (ERV)
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
Definitions for Isaiah 54:7
Clarke's Isaiah 54:7 Bible Commentary
For a small moment "In a little anger" - So the Chaldee and Syriac, either reading רגז regaz, for רגע rega; or understanding the latter word as meaning the same with the former, which they both make use of. See Psalm 30:5; Psalm 35:20, in the Septuagint, where they render רגע rega by οργη, anger.
Barnes's Isaiah 54:7 Bible Commentary
For a small moment - The Chaldee and Syriac render this, 'In a little anger.' Lowth has adopted this, but without sufficient authority. The Hebrew means, 'For a little moment;' a very short time. The reference here is probably to the captivity at Babylon, when they were apparently forsaken by Yahweh. Though to them this appeared long, yet compared with their subsequent prosperity, it was but an instant of time. Though this had probably a primary reference to the captivity then, yet there can be no impropriety in applying it to other similar cases. It contains an important principle; that is, that though God appears to forsake his people, yet it will be comparatively but for a moment. He will remember his covenant, and however long their trials may seem to be, yet compared with the subsequent mercies and the favors which shall result from them, they will seem to be but as the sorrows of the briefest point of duration (compare 2 Corinthians 4:17).
But with great mercies - The contrast here is not that of duration but of magnitude. The forsaking was 'little,' the mercies would be 'great.' It would be mercy that they would be recalled at all after all their faults and crimes; and the mercy which would be bestowed in the enlargement of their numbers would be inexpressibly great.
Will I gather thee - Will I collect thee from thy dispersions, and gather thee to myself as my own people.
Wesley's Isaiah 54:7 Bible Commentary
54:7 For a moment — In comparison of God's everlasting kindness.
Gather thee — From all the places where thou art dispersed, from all parts of the world.