Isaiah 59

King James Version

Full text for Isaiah Chapter 59

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

2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.

3For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

4None calleth for justice, nor [any] pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

5They 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.

6Their 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.

7Their 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.

8The 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.

9¶ 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.

10We 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].

11We 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.

12For 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;

13In 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.

14And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

15Yea, 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.

16¶ 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.

17For 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.

18According to [their] deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.

19So 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.

20And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

21As 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Isaiah 59 declares that God's power to save is not diminished, but the people's pervasive sins have created a separation, preventing Him from hearing them. Their widespread iniquities, characterized by violence, lies, and injustice, have plunged society into darkness and removed peace. Observing the absence of any righteous intercessor, the Lord Himself resolves to bring salvation and judgment, promising a Redeemer and an everlasting covenant with those who turn from transgression.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins by asserting that God's ability to save and hear is undiminished, yet it is the people's manifold iniquities that have severed their connection with Him. Their hands are defiled with blood and injustice, their lips speak lies, and their actions are marked by violence and the conception of mischief, leading to a society devoid of truth and equity. Consequently, judgment and justice are far from them, and they grope in spiritual darkness, lamenting their desperate state. The people acknowledge their multiplied transgressions, recognizing their rebellion and falsehood against the Lord. Witnessing the profound lack of a righteous man or intercessor, God Himself prepares to intervene. He dons righteousness, salvation, vengeance, and zeal, resolving to repay according to their deeds. The chapter concludes with a promise that the Redeemer will come to Zion for those who turn from sin, establishing an eternal covenant where His Spirit and words will remain with His people and their descendants.

Long Summary

Isaiah 59 opens by clarifying that the Lord's power to save is not limited, nor is His ear deaf; rather, the people's own iniquities have created a profound separation between them and God, causing Him to hide His face and not hear their pleas. The prophet details their extensive sinfulness: hands defiled with blood and iniquity, lips speaking lies and perverseness, a society where no one calls for justice or truth, and where mischief and iniquity are conceived and brought forth. Their evil works are likened to hatching cockatrice' eggs and weaving a spider's web, yielding only death and futility. Their feet are swift to shed innocent blood, and their paths are filled with destruction, leading them away from peace and judgment. As a result of this widespread corruption, the people lament that judgment and justice are far from them, and they walk in spiritual darkness, groping like the blind and stumbling even at noonday. They mourn their desolate condition, acknowledging that their transgressions are multiplied before God and testify against them, confessing their lying, rebellion, and falsehood. Truth has fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter, making anyone who departs from evil a prey. The Lord observes this dire state, displeased by the absence of judgment and the lack of any righteous intercessor among humanity. In response, God's own arm brings salvation, and His righteousness sustains Him. He is depicted as a divine warrior, putting on righteousness as a breastplate, salvation as a helmet, garments of vengeance, and zeal as a cloak. He resolves to repay His adversaries and enemies according to their deeds. This divine intervention will lead to the fear of the Lord globally, and when the enemy comes like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise a standard against him. The chapter culminates with the promise of a Redeemer who will come to Zion and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, establishing an everlasting covenant where God's Spirit and words will remain with His people and their descendants forever.

Core Concepts

  • Separation by SinThe chapter explicitly states that the people's iniquities have separated them from God, causing Him to hide His face and not hear their prayers. This highlights the direct consequence of sin on the divine-human relationship.
  • Pervasive IniquityIsaiah details a wide array of sins, including bloodshed, lies, injustice, violence, and the active conception of evil, indicating a society thoroughly corrupted from hands to lips to thoughts. This illustrates the depth of moral decay.
  • Absence of JusticeA key theme is the complete breakdown of justice and truth in society, where judgment is turned away, equity cannot enter, and those who seek righteousness become prey. This describes the societal consequences of widespread sin.
  • Divine InterventionSeeing that there is no man and no intercessor, the Lord Himself resolves to act, bringing salvation and judgment through His own power and righteousness. This emphasizes God's unique role as the ultimate deliverer when human efforts fail.
  • The RedeemerThe chapter promises the coming of a Redeemer to Zion and and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob. This points to a future figure who will bring deliverance and restore the relationship with God.
  • God's Righteous JudgmentThe Lord is depicted as a warrior clad in righteousness, vengeance, and zeal, prepared to repay His adversaries according to their deeds. This underscores God's commitment to justice and His active role in rectifying wrongs.
  • Everlasting CovenantThe chapter concludes with God's promise of an enduring covenant, ensuring that His Spirit and words will remain with His people and their descendants forever. This offers hope for a lasting relationship and spiritual guidance despite past transgressions.