Sin and Redemption

59 Indeed, the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save,(A)
and his ear is not too deaf to hear.
But your iniquities(B) are separating you
from your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you(C)
so that he does not listen.(D)
For your hands are defiled with blood
and your fingers, with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies,
and your tongues mutter injustice.
No one makes claims justly;
no one pleads honestly.
They trust in empty and worthless words;
they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.(E)
They hatch viper’s eggs
and weave spider’s webs.
Whoever eats their eggs will die;
crack one open, and a viper is hatched.
Their webs cannot become clothing,
and they cannot cover themselves with their works.
Their works are sinful works,
and violent acts are in their hands.
Their feet run after evil,(F)
and they rush to shed innocent blood.(G)
Their thoughts are sinful thoughts;(H)
ruin and wretchedness are in their paths.

They have not known the path of peace,(I)
and there is no justice in their ways.
They have made their roads crooked;
no one who walks on them will know peace.(J)
Therefore justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not reach us.
We hope for light, but there is darkness;
for brightness, but we live in the night.
10 We grope along a wall like the blind;
we grope like those without eyes.(K)
We stumble at noon as though it were twilight;
we are like the dead among those who are healthy.
11 We all growl like bears
and moan like doves.(L)
We hope for justice, but there is none;
for salvation, but it is far from us.
12 For our transgressions have multiplied before you,(M)
and our sins testify against us.(N)
For our transgressions are with us,
and we know our iniquities:(O)
13 transgression and deception against the Lord,
turning away from following our God,
speaking oppression and revolt,
conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart.
14 Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands far off.
For truth has stumbled in the public square,
and honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth is missing,
and whoever turns from evil is plundered.
The Lord saw that there was no justice,
and he was offended.
16 He saw that there was no man—
he was amazed that there was no one interceding;(P)
so his own arm brought salvation,
and his own righteousness supported him.

17 He put on righteousness as body armor,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;(Q)
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.(R)
18 So he will repay according to their deeds:(S)
fury to his enemies,
retribution to his foes,
and he will repay the coasts and islands.
19 They will fear the name of the Lord in the west
and his glory in the east;[a](T)
for he will come like a rushing stream(U)
driven by the wind of the Lord.
20 “The Redeemer(V) will come to Zion,
and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.”(W)
This is the Lord’s declaration.

21 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,”(X) says the Lord: “My Spirit who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth,(Y) will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of your children’s children, from now on and forever,” says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 59:19 Lit sunrise

Separation from Yahweh

59 Behold, (A)the hand of Yahweh is not so short
That it cannot save;
(B)Nor is His ear so [a]dull
That it cannot hear.
But your (C)iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,
And your sins have hidden His [b]face from you so that He does (D)not hear.
For your (E)hands are defiled with blood
And your fingers with iniquity;
Your lips have spoken a (F)lie;
Your tongue mutters unrighteousness.
(G)No one calls in righteousness, and (H)no one seeks justice in truth.
They (I)trust in [c]confusion and speak worthlessness;
They (J)conceive trouble and give birth to wickedness.
They break open vipers’ eggs and (K)weave the spider’s web;
He who eats of their eggs dies,
And from that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.
Their webs will not become a garment,
Nor will they (L)cover themselves with their works;
Their (M)works are works of wickedness,
And a (N)deed of violence is in their [d]hands.
(O)Their feet run to evil,
And they are quick to shed innocent blood;
(P)Their thoughts are thoughts of wickedness;
Devastation and destruction are in their highways.
They do not know the (Q)way of peace,
And there is (R)no justice in their tracks;
They have made their paths crooked,
(S)Whoever treads on [e]them does not know peace.

Trangressing and Denying Yahweh

Therefore (T)justice is far from us,
And righteousness does not overtake us;
We (U)hope for light, but behold, darkness,
For brightness, but we walk in thick darkness.
10 We (V)grope along the wall like blind men;
We grope like those who have no eyes;
We (W)stumble at midday as in the twilight,
Among those who are vigorous we are (X)like dead men.
11 All of us growl like bears,
And (Y)moan sadly like doves;
We hope for (Z)justice, but there is none,
For salvation, but it is far from us.
12 For our (AA)transgressions are multiplied before You,
And our (AB)sins answer against us;
For our transgressions are with us,
And [f]we know our iniquities:
13 Transgressing and (AC)denying Yahweh,
And turning back from our God,
Speaking (AD)oppression and revolt,
Conceiving in and (AE)uttering from the heart lying words.
14 (AF)Justice is turned back,
And (AG)righteousness stands far away;
For truth has stumbled in the street,
And rightness cannot enter.
15 So it is that truth is missing;
And he who turns aside from evil (AH)makes himself plunder.
Then Yahweh saw,
And it was evil in His eyes (AI)that there was no justice.
16 And He saw that there was (AJ)no man,
And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;
Then His (AK)own arm brought salvation to Him,
And His righteousness upheld Him.
17 He put on (AL)righteousness like a breastplate,
And a (AM)helmet of salvation on His head;
And He put on (AN)garments of vengeance for clothing
And wrapped Himself with (AO)zeal as a mantle.
18 (AP)According to [g]what they deserve, [h]so He will pay in full,
Wrath to His adversaries, [i]what is deserved to His enemies;
To the coastlands He will [j]pay what they deserve.
19 So they will fear the name of Yahweh from the (AQ)west
And His glory from the (AR)rising of the sun,
For He will (AS)come like a [k]rushing stream
Which the wind of Yahweh makes flee.
20 “A (AT)Redeemer will come to Zion,
And to those who (AU)turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares Yahweh.

21 “As for Me, this is My (AV)covenant with them,” says Yahweh: “My (AW)Spirit which is upon you, and My (AX)words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your seed, nor from the mouth of your seed’s seed,” says Yahweh, “from now and forever.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 59:1 Lit heavy, hardened; cf. Ex 8:15; 1 Sam 6:6
  2. Isaiah 59:2 As in versions; M.T. faces
  3. Isaiah 59:4 Lit formless
  4. Isaiah 59:6 Lit palms
  5. Isaiah 59:8 Lit it
  6. Isaiah 59:12 Lit our iniquities we know them
  7. Isaiah 59:18 Lit recompense
  8. Isaiah 59:18 Lit accordingly
  9. Isaiah 59:18 Lit recompense
  10. Isaiah 59:18 Lit recompense
  11. Isaiah 59:19 Lit narrow

Sin, Confession and Redemption

59 Surely the arm(A) of the Lord is not too short(B) to save,
    nor his ear too dull to hear.(C)
But your iniquities have separated(D)
    you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
    so that he will not hear.(E)
For your hands are stained with blood,(F)
    your fingers with guilt.(G)
Your lips have spoken falsely,(H)
    and your tongue mutters wicked things.
No one calls for justice;(I)
    no one pleads a case with integrity.
They rely(J) on empty arguments, they utter lies;(K)
    they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.(L)
They hatch the eggs of vipers(M)
    and spin a spider’s web.(N)
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
    and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.
Their cobwebs are useless for clothing;
    they cannot cover themselves with what they make.(O)
Their deeds are evil deeds,
    and acts of violence(P) are in their hands.
Their feet rush into sin;
    they are swift to shed innocent blood.(Q)
They pursue evil schemes;(R)
    acts of violence mark their ways.(S)
The way of peace they do not know;(T)
    there is no justice in their paths.
They have turned them into crooked roads;(U)
    no one who walks along them will know peace.(V)

So justice is far from us,
    and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;(W)
    for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
10 Like the blind(X) we grope along the wall,
    feeling our way like people without eyes.
At midday we stumble(Y) as if it were twilight;
    among the strong, we are like the dead.(Z)
11 We all growl like bears;
    we moan mournfully like doves.(AA)
We look for justice, but find none;
    for deliverance, but it is far away.

12 For our offenses(AB) are many in your sight,
    and our sins testify(AC) against us.
Our offenses are ever with us,
    and we acknowledge our iniquities:(AD)
13 rebellion(AE) and treachery against the Lord,
    turning our backs(AF) on our God,
inciting revolt and oppression,(AG)
    uttering lies(AH) our hearts have conceived.
14 So justice(AI) is driven back,
    and righteousness(AJ) stands at a distance;
truth(AK) has stumbled in the streets,
    honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth(AL) is nowhere to be found,
    and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.

The Lord looked and was displeased
    that there was no justice.(AM)
16 He saw that there was no one,(AN)
    he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;(AO)
so his own arm achieved salvation(AP) for him,
    and his own righteousness(AQ) sustained him.
17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate,(AR)
    and the helmet(AS) of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments(AT) of vengeance(AU)
    and wrapped himself in zeal(AV) as in a cloak.
18 According to what they have done,
    so will he repay(AW)
wrath to his enemies
    and retribution to his foes;
    he will repay the islands(AX) their due.
19 From the west,(AY) people will fear the name of the Lord,
    and from the rising of the sun,(AZ) they will revere his glory.(BA)
For he will come like a pent-up flood
    that the breath(BB) of the Lord drives along.[a]

20 “The Redeemer(BC) will come to Zion,(BD)
    to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,”(BE)
declares the Lord.

21 “As for me, this is my covenant(BF) with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit,(BG) who is on you, will not depart from you,(BH) and my words that I have put in your mouth(BI) will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 59:19 Or When enemies come in like a flood, / the Spirit of the Lord will put them to flight