That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.

ISAIAH 49:9KJV
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Isaiah 49:9 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 49:9 mean?

Isaiah 49:9 describes God’s promise to set prisoners free and call out to people trapped in darkness, telling them to show themselves and come into the light. The verse pictures these freed people being cared for and provided for, with safe places to find food and rest along their journey.

In this part of Isaiah, God is speaking through the prophet to the people of Israel, who have felt trapped and forgotten during exile. The verse uses the image of prisoners (those held captive) and people in darkness (those without hope or direction) to show God’s intent to rescue, guide, and provide for them. The promise is not just about release, but also about ongoing care and safety as they move forward.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 49:9

  • prisoners (אָסוּר, 'asur'): This word refers to those who are bound or confined, often by force. Here, it highlights the people’s sense of captivity, both physically (in exile) and spiritually.
  • darkness (חֹשֶׁךְ, choshekh): This word means more than just the absence of light; it often suggests confusion, despair, or being lost. The verse’s call to those “in darkness” is an invitation out of hopelessness.
  • feed (רָעָה, ra‘ah): This word is often used for shepherds tending their flocks. The promise that they will “feed in the ways” suggests not just survival, but gentle care and guidance, like a shepherd with sheep.
  • pastures (מִרְעֶה, mir‘eh): This refers to places of nourishment and rest. The assurance that their pastures will be “in all high places” suggests abundance and safety, as high places were less likely to be attacked or disturbed.

Why Isaiah 49:9 matters

  • Isaiah 49:9 clears up the idea that God’s rescue is only about physical freedom; the language also points to spiritual release and ongoing care, not just a one-time event.
  • The verse emphasizes God’s active role in seeking out those who feel lost or hidden, not waiting for them to find their own way out of darkness.
  • This promise connects to the wider chapter, where God speaks of a servant who will restore Israel and be a light to the nations, showing that the rescue is part of a much bigger plan for hope and restoration.

Where else these words appear

“pastures” Hebrew H4830 · used in 10 verses

  • Psalms 74:1 Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?
  • Psalms 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
  • Jeremiah 25:36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture.

“places” Hebrew H8205 · used in 10 verses

  • Numbers 23:3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.
  • Jeremiah 3:2 Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.
  • Jeremiah 7:29 Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.

“prisoners” Hebrew H631 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 39:20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
  • Judges 15:13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
  • 2 Chronicles 13:3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.

“darkness” Hebrew H2822 · used in 77 verses

  • Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
  • Job 19:8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
  • Ecclesiastes 2:14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.