Isaiah 59 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

Evil and Oppression

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; (Nu 11:23; Isa 50:2) 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. (Jer 5:25) 3 For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness. (Isa 1:15) 4 No one enters suit justly; no one goes to law honestly; they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies, they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity. (Job 15:35; Ps 7:14; Isa 59:14) 5 They hatch adders’ eggs; they weave the spider’s web; he who eats their eggs dies, and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched. 6 Their webs will not serve as clothing; men will not cover themselves with what they make. Their works are works of iniquity, and deeds of violence are in their hands. (Job 8:14) 7 Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. (Pr 1:16; Ro 3:15) 8 The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace. (Isa 48:22; Isa 57:21) 9 Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. (Isa 59:11; Isa 60:2) 10 We grope for the wall like the blind; we grope like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among those in full vigor we are like dead men. (De 28:29; Job 5:14; Job 12:25; Isa 42:18; 1Co 4:9)

De 28:29Job 5:14Job 12:25Isa 42:181Co 4:9

11 We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. (Isa 38:14; Isa 46:13; Isa 56:1; Isa 59:9)

Isa 38:14Isa 46:13Isa 56:1Isa 59:9

12 For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities: 13 transgressing, and denying the Lord, and turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words. (Isa 59:3)

Judgment and Redemption

14 Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter. (Isa 51:4) 15 Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The Lord saw it, and it displeased him^[1] that there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him. (Isa 51:18; Isa 63:5) 17 He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak. (Isa 9:7; Eph 6:13; 1Th 5:8) 18 According to their deeds, so will he repay, wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies; to the coastlands he will render repayment. (Isa 41:1; Isa 41:5; Isa 63:4; Isa 63:6)

Isa 41:1Isa 41:5Isa 63:4Isa 63:6

19 So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come like a rushing stream,^[2] which the wind of the Lord drives. (Ps 113:3; Isa 30:27) 20 “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord. (Isa 40:9; Isa 43:14; Joe 2:32; Ro 11:26)

Isa 40:9Isa 43:14Joe 2:32Ro 11:26

21 “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.” (De 4:10; Isa 51:16; Jer 31:31; Heb 8:10; Heb 10:16)

De 4:10Isa 51:16Jer 31:31Heb 8:10Heb 10:16

King James Version

1 Behold, the LORD' hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 5 They hatch cockatrice'eggs, and weave the spider' web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. 6 Their 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. 7 Their 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. 8 The 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. 10 We 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 . 11 We 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. 12 For 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; 13 In 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. 14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15 Yea, 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. 17 For 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. 18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. 19 So 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. 20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21 As 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' seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.