King James Version

What Does Isaiah 58:12 Mean?

Isaiah 58:12 in the King James Version says “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations...” — study this verse from Isaiah chapter 58 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”

Isaiah 58:12 · KJV

Context

10

And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

11

And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. drought: Heb. droughts fail: Heb. lie, or, deceive

12

And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

13

If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

14

Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Read Isaiah 58 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
God promises restoration and legacy: "And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places." The Hebrew mimekha (from/of thee) indicates descendants or followers—future generations will benefit from present faithfulness. "Build the old waste places" promises reconstruction of what has been destroyed. "Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations" speaks of re-establishing what has been lost across time. Then come two honorific titles: "thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach." A breach (perets) is a gap in city walls creating vulnerability (Nehemiah 6:1). God's people will repair what sin has broken. "The restorer of paths to dwell in" pictures making safe passage where roads had become dangerous or impassable. From a Reformed perspective, this describes the church's calling in redemptive history. We are builders and repairers—not creating something new but restoring God's original design. Through proclamation of the gospel and works of mercy, we repair the breach between God and humanity that sin created, and restore paths to abundant life. Ultimately, Christ is the true Repairer who rebuilds the fallen temple of humanity (John 2:19-21) and restores all things (Acts 3:21, Revelation 21:5).

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Historical & Cultural Context

This prophecy addressed the post-exilic community called to rebuild Jerusalem's literal walls and foundations (Nehemiah 2:17, 4:6). However, it extends beyond physical reconstruction to spiritual and social restoration. Those who practiced justice and mercy would create lasting legacy—their descendants would continue the work of restoration across generations. The early church saw itself fulfilling this calling, building up what centuries of sin had destroyed (1 Peter 2:5, Ephesians 2:19-22).

Reflection Questions

  1. What 'breaches' in our culture and communities is God calling His people to repair?
  2. How does faithful living in one generation impact the possibilities available to future generations?
  3. In what sense is Christ the ultimate 'repairer of the breach' between God and humanity?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
וּבָנ֤וּ1 of 15

“And they that shall be of thee shall build”

H1129

to build (literally and figuratively)

מִמְּךָ֙2 of 15
H4480

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

חָרְב֣וֹת3 of 15

“waste places”

H2723

properly, drought, i.e., (by implication) a desolation

עוֹלָ֔ם4 of 15

“the old”

H5769

properly, concealed, i.e., the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e., (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

מוֹסְדֵ֥י5 of 15

“the foundations”

H4146

a foundation

וָד֖וֹר6 of 15

“generations”

H1755

properly, a revolution of time, i.e., an age or generation; also a dwelling

וָד֖וֹר7 of 15

“generations”

H1755

properly, a revolution of time, i.e., an age or generation; also a dwelling

תְּקוֹמֵ֑ם8 of 15

“thou shalt raise up”

H6965

to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

וְקֹרָ֤א9 of 15

“and thou shalt be called”

H7121

to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)

לְךָ֙10 of 15
H0
גֹּדֵ֣ר11 of 15

“The repairer”

H1443

to wall in or around

פֶּ֔רֶץ12 of 15

“of the breach”

H6556

a break (literally or figuratively)

מְשֹׁבֵ֥ב13 of 15

“The restorer”

H7725

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);

נְתִיב֖וֹת14 of 15

“of paths”

H5410

a (beaten) track

לָשָֽׁבֶת׃15 of 15

“to dwell in”

H3427

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Isaiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Isaiah 58:12 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Isaiah 58:12 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 61:4Ezekiel 36:33Amos 9:14Nehemiah 2:17Amos 9:11Ezekiel 36:8-11

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