The first part of the poem in this chapter envisages the astonishing transformation of Zion as a result of the divine plan of its 'vindication' (
sedeq) and 'salvation' (yesu'a), that bring blessings for Zion in form of a new name and royal status. The new name for the restored city (Jeremiah 33:16; Ezekiel 48:35) does not necessarily abandon the old one (cf. Jacob was still known as Jacob although was given a new name "Israel"; Genesis 32:28; 35:10), but rather to signify the imagery changes (verse 6) of the city as the marriage-partner of YHWH from the 'desolate' condition in Isaiah 1:7, while witnessed by foreign nations.
Verse 4 :
Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; ::
neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: :
but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, ::
and thy land Beulah: :
for the Lord delighteth in thee, ::
and thy land shall be married. • "Forsaken": translated from the Hebrew word "
Azubah" (), also the name of
Jehoshaphat's mother (
1 Kings 22:42). • "Desolate": translated from the Hebrew word "" (; • "
Hephzibah": literally, "My Delight Is in Her", also the name of
King Hezekiah's wife which gave birth to king
Manasseh (
2 Kings 21:1). Hephzibah in this verse is a symbolic name for
Zion once it has been restored to the favor of
Yahweh. • "
Beulah": in Hebrew means "married". ==Zion's coming salvation (62:10–12)==