King James Version

What Does Isaiah 57:11 Mean?

Isaiah 57:11 in the King James Version says “And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? ...” — study this verse from Isaiah chapter 57 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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?”

Isaiah 57:11 · KJV

Fear & CouragePeace

Context

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.

13

When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;

Read Isaiah 57 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
God's rhetorical questions probe the psychology behind idolatry: "Of whom hast thou been afraid or feared?" The Hebrew daga (feared/anxious) suggests anxiety-driven decisions. Their lies and faithlessness stem from misplaced fear—fearing human powers more than God. "That thou hast lied and hast not remembered me" connects idolatry with both active deception (lying) and passive forgetfulness (not remembering God). "Nor laid it to thy heart" uses the Hebrew idiom for serious consideration—they never seriously reflected on their covenant obligations. God then asks, "Have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?" The long-suffering patience of God, rather than producing gratitude and repentance, emboldened them in sin. This illustrates the Reformed doctrine that God's common grace and patience, while intended to lead to repentance (Romans 2:4), can harden those who abuse it. Divine forbearance is misinterpreted as divine indifference or impotence.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Throughout Israel's history, God's patience was extraordinary. Despite repeated covenant violations from the exodus onwards, He delayed judgment for centuries, sending prophets to call for repentance (2 Kings 17:13, 2 Chronicles 36:15-16). This patience was particularly evident during the divided monarchy, when God preserved Judah despite their sins for the sake of His covenant with David (2 Kings 8:19). Rather than recognizing this forbearance as divine grace, the people presumed upon it, assuming judgment would never come (Jeremiah 7:4, Zephaniah 1:12).

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the fear of man prove to be a snare in our spiritual lives (Proverbs 29:25)?
  2. In what ways might we mistake God's patience for approval of our sins?
  3. How should God's forbearance lead us to repentance rather than presumption?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 20 words
וְאֶת1 of 20
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

מִ֞י2 of 20
H4310

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix

דָּאַ֤גְתְּ3 of 20

“And of whom hast thou been afraid”

H1672

be anxious

תִירָֽאִי׃4 of 20

“and thou fearest”

H3372

to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten

כִּ֣י5 of 20
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

תְכַזֵּ֔בִי6 of 20

“that thou hast lied”

H3576

to lie (i.e., deceive), literally or figuratively

וְאוֹתִי֙7 of 20
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

לֹ֣א8 of 20
H3808

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

זָכַ֔רְתְּ9 of 20

“and hast not remembered”

H2142

properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e., to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male

לֹא10 of 20
H3808

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

שַׂ֖מְתְּ11 of 20

“me nor laid”

H7760

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

עַל12 of 20
H5921

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

לִבֵּ֑ךְ13 of 20

“it to thy heart”

H3820

the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything

הֲלֹ֨א14 of 20
H3808

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

אֲנִ֤י15 of 20
H589

i

מַחְשֶׁה֙16 of 20

“have not I held my peace”

H2814

to hush or keep quiet

וּמֵ֣עֹלָ֔ם17 of 20

“even of old”

H5769

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

וְאוֹתִ֖י18 of 20
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

לֹ֥א19 of 20
H3808

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

תִירָֽאִי׃20 of 20

“and thou fearest”

H3372

to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten

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 57:11 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 57:11 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 51:12-13Psalms 50:21Proverbs 29:25Jeremiah 3:21Isaiah 26:10Isaiah 59:3-4

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