King James Version

What Does Isaiah 57:10 Mean?

Isaiah 57:10 in the King James Version says “Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine h...” — study this verse from Isaiah chapter 57 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved. life: or, living”

Isaiah 57:10 · KJV

Hope

Context

8

Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it. made: or, hewed it for thyself larger than theirs where: or, thou providedst room

9

And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. thou: or, thou respectedst

10

Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved. life: or, living

11

And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?

12

I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.

Read Isaiah 57 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
This verse penetrates to the psychology of persistent rebellion. "Wearied in the greatness of thy way" acknowledges that pursuing false gods and foreign alliances is exhausting and futile. Yet the sinner refuses to admit defeat: "yet saidst thou not, There is no hope." The Hebrew noash means to despair or give up. Despite exhaustion and failure, pride prevents repentance. "Thou hast found the life of thine hand" is ambiguous—possibly meaning they found just enough success to continue trusting their own efforts, or that they renewed their strength (chayyat yadech) through temporary relief. "Therefore thou wast not grieved" shows the absence of godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10). Reformed theology recognizes this as the bondage of the will: sinners in their natural state cannot truly repent apart from regenerating grace. The heart is so hardened that even exhaustion and failure don't lead to repentance, only to renewed self-effort. This describes the futility of self-righteousness—an endless, wearying cycle without genuine rest (Matthew 11:28-30).

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Historical & Cultural Context

This perfectly describes Judah's pattern throughout the divided monarchy era: repeatedly trusting in political alliances and military strength despite repeated failures and prophetic warnings. Each disaster brought temporary reform followed by renewed apostasy (2 Kings 17:13-15). The people experienced the emptiness of idolatry and foreign alliances yet persistently returned to these broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2:13). This pattern continued until the Babylonian exile finally broke Judah of its idolatrous tendencies, though it developed new forms of self-righteousness (legalism) in the post-exilic period.

Reflection Questions

  1. What patterns of sin do we persist in despite their proven futility and weariness?
  2. How does pride prevent us from admitting spiritual bankruptcy and seeking God's grace?
  3. Where do we seek temporary relief that prevents us from finding true rest in Christ?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 13 words
בְּרֹ֤ב1 of 13

“in the greatness”

H7230

abundance (in any respect)

דַּרְכֵּךְ֙2 of 13

“of thy way”

H1870

a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

יָגַ֔עַתְּ3 of 13

“Thou art wearied”

H3021

properly, to gasp; hence, to be exhausted, to tire, to toil

לֹ֥א4 of 13
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

אָמַ֖רְתְּ5 of 13

“yet saidst”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

נוֹאָ֑שׁ6 of 13

“thou not There is no hope”

H2976

to desist, i.e., (figuratively) to despond

חַיַּ֤ת7 of 13

“the life”

H2416

alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or livin

יָדֵךְ֙8 of 13

“of thine hand”

H3027

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

מָצָ֔את9 of 13

“thou hast found”

H4672

properly, to come forth to, i.e., appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e., find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present

עַל10 of 13
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

כֵּ֖ן11 of 13
H3651

properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner

לֹ֥א12 of 13
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

חָלִֽית׃13 of 13

“therefore thou wast not grieved”

H2470

properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to stroke (in flattering), entreat

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 57:10 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 57:10 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 2:25Jeremiah 18:12Jeremiah 5:3Romans 7:92 Chronicles 28:22-23Jeremiah 44:17-18

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