Isaiah 59:5-15

5 They hatch adders' eggs and 1weave the spider's web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And from that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.
6 Their webs will not become clothing, Nor will they 2cover themselves with their works; Their 3works are works of iniquity, And an 4act of violence is in their hands.
7 5Their feet run to evil, And they hasten to shed innocent blood; 6Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, Devastation and destruction are in their highways.
8 They do not know the 7way of peace, And there is 8no justice in their tracks; They have made their paths crooked, 9Whoever treads on them does not know peace.

A Confession of Wickedness

9 Therefore * 10justice is far from us, And righteousness does not overtake us; We 11hope for light, but behold, darkness, For brightness, but we walk in gloom.
10 We 12grope along the wall like blind men, We grope like those who have no eyes; We 13stumble at midday as in the twilight, Among those who are vigorous we are 14like dead men.
11 All of us growl like bears, And 15moan sadly like doves; We hope for 16justice, but there is none, For salvation, but it is far from us.
12 For our 17transgressions are multiplied before You, And our 18sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, And we know our iniquities:
13 Transgressing and 19denying the LORD, And turning away from our God, Speaking 20oppression and revolt, Conceiving in and 21uttering from the heart lying words.
14 22Justice is turned back, And 23righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street, And uprightness cannot * enter.
15 Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil 24makes himself a prey. Now the LORD saw, And it was displeasing in His sight 25that there was no justice.

Isaiah 59:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 59

As the former chapter declares the hypocrisy and formality of professors of religion; this expresses the errors and heresies, immorality and profaneness, which shall prevail before the spiritual reign of Christ, or the latter day glory begins; which is so fully described in the next chapter. Reasons are given of God's withdrawing his presence from a professing people, which were not want of power and readiness in him, but their own sins and transgressions, Isa 59:1,2 which are enumerated, such as murder, rapine, lies Isa 59:3-8 for which the judgments of God were upon them, darkness, distress, and misery, of which they were sensible, Isa 59:9-11 and confess their sins and transgressions, Isa 59:12,13 and lament their wretched state and condition, which was displeasing to God, Isa 59:14,15 who is represented as appearing for their salvation; moved to it by their want of help, and the oppression of their enemies, in which he shows his power, justice, zeal, grace, and goodness, Isa 59:16-18 the consequence of which shall be the conversion and salvation of many, owing to the efficacy of the divine Spirit, and to the spiritual coming of the Redeemer, Isa 59:19,20, and the chapter is closed with a promise of the continuance of the Spirit of God, and the Gospel of Christ in his church, unto the end of the world, Isa 59:21.

Cross References 25

  • 1. Job 8:14
  • 2. Isaiah 28:20
  • 3. Isaiah 57:12; Jeremiah 6:7
  • 4. Isaiah 58:4; Ezekiel 7:11
  • 5. Proverbs 1:16; Proverbs 6:17; Romans 3:15-17
  • 6. Isaiah 65:2; Isaiah 66:18; Mark 7:21, 22
  • 7. Luke 1:79
  • 8. Isaiah 59:9, 11; Hosea 4:1
  • 9. Isaiah 57:20, 21
  • 10. Isaiah 59:14
  • 11. Isaiah 5:30; Isaiah 8:21, 22
  • 12. Deuteronomy 28:29; Job 5:14
  • 13. Isaiah 8:14, 15; Isaiah 28:13
  • 14. Lamentations 3:6
  • 15. Isaiah 38:14; Ezekiel 7:16
  • 16. Isaiah 59:9, 14
  • 17. Ezra 9:6; Isaiah 58:1
  • 18. Isaiah 3:9; Jeremiah 14:7; Hosea 5:5
  • 19. Joshua 24:27; Proverbs 30:9; Matthew 10:33; Titus 1:16
  • 20. Isaiah 5:7; Isaiah 30:12; Jeremiah 9:3, 4
  • 21. Isaiah 59:3, 4; Mark 7:21, 22
  • 22. Isaiah 1:21; Isaiah 5:7
  • 23. Isaiah 46:12; Habakkuk 1:4
  • 24. Isaiah 5:23; Isaiah 10:2; Isaiah 29:21; Isaiah 32:7
  • 25. Isaiah 1:21-23

Footnotes 5

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