Isaiah 49 · Verse 16

Isaiah 49:16

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
Isaiah 49:16, King James Version

Isaiah 49:16 in other translations

BSBBehold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.
WEBBehold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are continually before me.
ASVBehold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
YLTLo, on the palms of the hand I have graven thee, Thy walls are before Me continually.
DARBYLo, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
BBESee, your name is marked on my hands; your walls are ever before me.
WebsterBehold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

What does Isaiah 49:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Alluding to the Jews' custom (perhaps drawn from Ex 13:9) of puncturing on their hands a representation of their city and temple, in token of zeal for them [Lowth], (So 8:6).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands "Behold, on the palms of my hands have I delineated thee" - This is certainly an allusion to some practice, common among the Jews at that time, of making marks on their hands or arms by punctures on the skin, with some sort of sign or representation of the city or temple, to show their affection and zeal for it. They had a method of making such punctures indelible by fire, or by staining. See note on Isa 44:6 (note). It is well known, that the pilgrims at the holy sepulcher get themselves marked in this manner with what are called the ensigns of Jerusalem. See Maundrell, p. 75, where he tells us how it is performed: and this art is practiced by travelling Jews all over the world at this day.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 49:13-17

Let there be universal joy, for God will have mercy upon the afflicted, because of his compassion; upon his afflicted, because of his covenant. We have no more reason to question his promise and grace, than we have to question his providence and justice. Be assured that God has a tender affection for his church and people; he would not have them to be discouraged. Some mothers do neglect their children; but God's…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 49:13-17 →

Isaiah 49:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הֵ֥ןhenhere!H2005
עַל\־'al-onH5921
כַּפַּ֖יִםka.Pa.yimpalms of handsH3709
חַקֹּתִ֑יךְcha.ko.TikhI have inscribed youH2710
חוֹמֹתַ֥יִךְcho.mo.Ta.yikhwalls yourH2346
נֶגְדִּ֖יneg.Di[are] before meH5048
תָּמִֽיד\׃ta.MidcontinuallyH8548

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 49:16

  • Haggai 2:23

    In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.

  • Isaiah 60:18

    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.

  • Isaiah 62:6

    I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence,

  • Song of Solomon 8:6

    Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

  • Isaiah 26:1

    In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

  • Exodus 13:9

    And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt.

  • Isaiah 54:12

    And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

  • Psalms 48:12-13

    Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.

  • Jeremiah 22:24

    As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;

  • Revelation 21:10-21

    And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I have.
Ex 13:9; So 8:6; Jer 22:24; Hag 2:23
thy walls.
26:1; 54:12; 60:18; Re 21:10-21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 49:15

    Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

  • Isaiah 49:16

    Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

  • Isaiah 49:17

    Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.

Read all of Isaiah 49

Isaiah 49:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		He aquí que en las palmas te tengo esculpida: delante de mí están siempre tus muros.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Voici, je t’ai gravée sur les paumes de mes mains; tes murs sont continuellement devant moi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Siehe, in meine beiden Handflächen habe ich dich eingezeichnet; deine Mauern sind beständig vor mir.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ecce in manibus meis descripsi te; muri tui coram oculis meis semper.