About Isaiah

Isaiah proclaims both judgment and salvation, containing the most detailed messianic prophecies in the Old Testament.

Author: IsaiahWritten: c. 740-680 BCReading time: ~3 minVerses: 21
HolinessJudgmentSalvationMessiahServantRestoration

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King James Version

Isaiah 59

21 verses with commentary

Sin and Redemption

Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

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The chapter opens with a bold declaration: 'Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.' The Hebrew 'qatsar' (shortened) indicates incapacity. God's power and attentiveness are not the problem - His arm reaches and His ear hears. The barrier to deliverance lies elsewhere.

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. have hid: or, have made him hide

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The real barrier: 'But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.' Sin creates separation - the Hebrew 'badal' (separated) describes division, partition. Sin causes God to hide His face (withdraw favor) and refuse to hear. The problem is not God's arm but Israel's sin.

For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

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The sin catalog begins: 'For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.' Hands (actions), lips and tongue (speech) - the whole person is implicated. The Hebrew 'ga'al' (defiled) means polluted, stained.

None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

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Injustice pervades the legal system: 'None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.' The Hebrew 'tohu' (vanity) recalls creation's pre-ordered chaos. The pregnancy metaphor - conceiving mischief, birthing iniquity - shows sin's developmental process.

They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. cockatrice': or, adder's crushed: or, sprinkled is as if there brake out a viper

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Vivid imagery describes evil's character: hatching cockatrice (venomous serpent) eggs and weaving spider webs. Eating the eggs brings death; crushing them produces vipers. Their webs cannot clothe - evil's products are deadly and useless. The Hebrew 'tsiph'oni' (cockatrice/adder) emphasizes venom.

Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.

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The spider-web theme continues: 'Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works.' These works of iniquity are 'works of violence.' The Hebrew 'chamas' (violence) is the same word describing pre-flood corruption (Genesis 6:11). Violent works cannot clothe or protect.

Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. destruction: Heb. breaking

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The rush to evil is described: 'Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood.' Paul quotes this in Romans 3:15-17 to prove universal sinfulness. The Hebrew 'mahar' (make haste) shows eagerness, not reluctant falling into sin. Desolation and destruction characterize their paths.

The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. judgment: or, right

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'The way of peace they know not' - peace (shalom) is unknown territory for those rushing to violence. 'There is no judgment in their goings' - justice is absent from their paths. Their 'crooked paths' mean 'whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.' Sin's path leads away from shalom.

Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

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The people now confess: 'Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.' The hoped-for deliverance remains distant because of the sins described. This corporate confession acknowledges cause and effect.

We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

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The imagery intensifies: 'We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.' Sin produces spiritual blindness (even with physical eyes), confusion (stumbling at noonday), and death-like existence.

We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

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Two animals portray their distress: 'We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves.' The bear's roar expresses frustrated anger; the dove's mourning expresses grief. 'We look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.' Both rage and sorrow characterize their condition.

For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;

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Full confession: 'For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them.' Three terms - transgressions (pesha - rebellion), sins (chata'ah - missing the mark), iniquities (avon - twisted guilt) - comprehensively confess. Sin testifies like a witness.

In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.

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The confession specifies: 'In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.' Rebellion against God and oppression of others combine. The heart is the source: 'from the heart' come lies.

And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

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'And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.' Personified virtues are in retreat: judgment turns back, justice stands distant, truth has fallen, equity is barred entry. The Hebrew 'nagas' (approach/enter) shows equity blocked from the public square.

Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. maketh: or, is accounted mad it displeased: Heb. it was evil in his eyes

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Truth is so absent that 'he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey.' The righteous become victims - the Hebrew 'shalal' means plunder, spoil. 'The LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.' God sees and is displeased - He doesn't ignore the absence of justice.

And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

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Remarkably, God finds no human solution: 'And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor.' The Hebrew 'shamen' (wondered/was appalled) expresses divine astonishment at the absence of anyone to intervene. 'Therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.' God Himself acts because no one else will.

For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.

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God arms Himself as a warrior: 'For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.' Paul applies this armor to believers in Ephesians 6:14-17, but here God wears it. Righteousness protects, salvation guards, vengeance and zeal motivate action.

According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. deeds: Heb. recompences

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'According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.' Divine retribution is proportional - 'according to deeds.' The scope is universal: even distant islands (coastlands representing remote nations) will receive appropriate judgment.

So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. lift: or, put him to flight

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The result of God's intervention: 'So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun.' Universal recognition of God replaces universal rebellion. 'When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.' The Spirit raises a battle standard against overwhelming evil.

And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

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'And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.' The Hebrew 'Go'el' (Redeemer/Kinsman-Redeemer) comes with conditions: He comes to those who 'turn from transgression.' Repentance is the prerequisite for experiencing redemption. Paul quotes this in Romans 11:26.

As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

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God establishes an eternal covenant: 'As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.' Spirit and Word together are promised perpetually to believing generations.

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