Isaiah 6
Expanded Bible
Isaiah Becomes a Prophet
6 In the year that King Uzziah died [C 740 bc], I saw the Lord sitting on a ·very high [L high and exalted] throne. ·His long [L The train/trailing part of his] robe filled the Temple. 2 ·Heavenly creatures of fire [L Seraphim; C the word means “burning ones” and points to purity, power, or judgment] ·stood above [or attended] him [Rev. 4:6–9]. Each creature had six wings: It used two wings to cover its face [C as a shield from God’s awesome glory], two wings to cover its ·feet [or body; C indicating humility; “feet” can be a euphemism for genitals], and two wings for flying. 3 Each creature was calling to the others:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
His glory fills the whole earth.”
4 ·Their calling [The sound/noise from each one’s voice] caused the ·frame around the door [doorposts; threshold foundations] to shake, as the Temple filled with smoke.
5 I said, “·Oh, no [L Woe to me]! I ·will be destroyed [am ruined/doomed]. I am ·not pure [L a man with unclean lips; C that is, spiritually unworthy], and I live among people ·who are not pure [L with unclean lips], but I have seen the King, the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].”
6 One of the ·heavenly creatures [L Seraphim; v. 2] flew to me with a hot coal [L in his hand] he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 ·The creature [L He/It] touched my mouth with the hot coal and said, “·Look [T Behold], your ·guilt [iniquity] is taken away, because this hot coal has touched your lips. Your sin is ·taken away [forgiven; covered; atoned for].”
8 Then I heard the Lord’s voice, saying, “Whom ·can [will] I send [C to speak for God to Israel]? Who will go for us [C referring to God and his heavenly court, or possibly to the Trinity]?”
So I said, “Here I am. Send me!”
9 Then the Lord said, “Go and tell this to the people:
‘You will ·listen and listen [keep on hearing; or listen intently], but you will not ·understand [comprehend].
You will ·look and look [keep on seeing; or look intently], but you will not ·learn [perceive; comprehend].’
10 Make the ·minds [heart; C the center of mind, will, and emotions in Hebrew thought] of these people ·dumb [dull; calloused; hardened].
·Shut [Plug; L Make heavy] their ears. ·Cover [Blind] their eyes.
Otherwise, they might ·really understand
what they see with their eyes [L see with their eyes]
and hear with their ears.
They might really understand in their ·minds [hearts]
and ·come back to me [turn; repent] and be healed [Matt. 13:14–15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; Acts 28:26–27; C God seals Israel’s rejection of him and uses it to accomplish his purpose].”
11 Then I asked, “Lord, ·how long should I do this [or how long will this rejection last; L how long]?”
He answered,
“Until the cities ·are destroyed [lie in ruins; are laid waste]
and ·the people are gone [uninhabited],
until there are no people left in the houses,
until the land is ·destroyed [ruined; laid waste] and ·left empty [desolate].
12 ·The Lord will send [or …until the Lord has sent] the people far away [C into exile],
and the [L midst of the] land will be ·left empty [utterly/completely abandoned].
13 Even if only one-tenth of the people are left in the land,
it will be ·destroyed [or burned] again.
These people will be like ·an oak tree [L a terebinth or an oak]
whose stump is left when the tree is chopped down.
·The people who remain will be like a stump that will sprout again [L The holy seed is its stump].”
Isaiah 6
New American Standard Bible
Isaiah’s Vision
6 In the year of (A)King Uzziah’s death (B)I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim were standing above Him, (C)each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew. 3 And one called out to another and said,
4 And the [b]foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the [c](F)temple was filling with smoke. 5 Then I said,
“(G)Woe to me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of (H)unclean lips,
And I live among a (I)people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the (J)King, the Lord of armies.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the (K)altar with tongs. 7 He (L)touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and (M)your guilt is taken away and atonement is made for your sin.”
Isaiah’s Commission
8 Then I heard the (N)voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then (O)I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on (P)listening, but do not understand;
And keep on looking, but do not gain knowledge.’
10 (Q)Make the hearts of this people [d](R)insensitive,
Their ears [e]dull,
And their eyes [f]blind,
(S)So that they will not see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.”
11 Then I said, “Lord, (T)how long?” And He answered,
“Until (U)cities are devastated and without inhabitant,
Houses are without people
And the land is utterly desolate,
12 The Lord has (V)completely removed people,
And there [g]are many (W)forsaken places in the midst of the land.
13 Yet there will still be a tenth portion in it,
And it will again be subject to burning,
Like a terebinth or an (X)oak
Whose stump remains when it is cut down.
The (Y)holy seed is its stump.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 6:3 Lit fullness of the whole earth is His glory
- Isaiah 6:4 Lit door sockets
- Isaiah 6:4 Lit house
- Isaiah 6:10 Lit fat
- Isaiah 6:10 Lit heavy
- Isaiah 6:10 Lit sealed over
- Isaiah 6:12 Or forsakenness will be great
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
