And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:

ISAIAH 37:31KJV
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Isaiah 37:31 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 37:31 mean?

Isaiah 37:31 promises that those left from the house of Judah, after escaping disaster, will once again become stable and productive—putting down deep roots and bearing fruit. This verse uses the image of a plant to show that the survivors will not only survive but also thrive and grow strong again.

The prophet Isaiah is speaking to the people of Judah during a time when Jerusalem was threatened by the Assyrian army. God, through Isaiah, reassures them that even though many have been lost, the "remnant" that escapes will be restored and will flourish in their land. The verse uses agricultural language to picture hope and renewal after a period of crisis.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 37:31

  • "remnant" (שְׁאָר, she'ar): This word refers to those who remain after a disaster. In this context, it highlights that God will preserve a group from Judah, even after great loss.
  • "take root downward" (שָׁרַשׁ מָטָּה, sharash mattah): The phrase means to become firmly established, like a plant sending roots deep into the soil. It emphasizes stability and a secure future.
  • "bear fruit upward" (עָשָׂה פְּרִי מָעְלָה, asah peri ma'alah): This means to become fruitful and productive, showing that the survivors will not just endure but will also prosper.

Why Isaiah 37:31 matters

  • Isaiah 37:31 clarifies that God's plan for Judah is not just survival but restoration and growth, countering any fear that the nation would be wiped out completely.
  • The verse connects to the larger theme in Isaiah of a faithful "remnant" being preserved, which is a recurring message of hope throughout the book.
  • The agricultural imagery helps readers picture the kind of renewal God promises: not instant, but deep and lasting, rooted in the land and community.

Where else these words appear

“downward” Hebrew H4295 · used in 18 verses

  • Exodus 26:24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.
  • Exodus 39:20 And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.
  • Ezra 9:13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;

“escaped” Hebrew H6413 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 32:8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
  • 2 Chronicles 20:24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.
  • Isaiah 15:9 For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.

“root” Hebrew H8328 · used in 32 verses

  • Deuteronomy 29:18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
  • Job 30:4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
  • Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

“fruit” Hebrew H6529 · used in 107 verses

  • Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
  • Nehemiah 10:35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:
  • Isaiah 37:30 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.