Isaiah 59:1

Sin, Confession and Redemption

1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.

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Isaiah 59:1 in Other Translations

KJV

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

ESV

1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;

NLT

1 Listen! The LORD ’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.

MSG

1 Look! Listen! God's arm is not amputated - he can still save. God's ears are not stopped up - he can still hear.

CSB

1 Indeed, the Lord's hand is not too short to save, and His ear is not too deaf to hear.

Isaiah 59:1 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 59:1

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot
save
It is not for want of power in the Lord, that he has not as yet destroyed the enemies of his people, antichrist, and the antichristian states, and saved them out of their hands, and made them to triumph over them; or brought on the glorious state of the church, and fulfilled the promises of good things, suggested in the latter part of the preceding chapter. His hand is as long as ever, and as able to reach his and their enemies in the greatest height of power, or at the greatest distance, and to do every good thing for them; his power is as great as ever, and not in the least abridged or curtailed. Neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
the prayers of his people, their cries unto him on their fast days, of which he seemed to take no notice, complained of ( Isaiah 58:3 ) , this is not owing to any want of attention in him, or of readiness to hear prayer made unto him; for he is a God hearing and answering prayer, and is ready to help his people in every time of need, who apply to him in a proper and suitable manner; his eyes are upon them, and his ears are open to their cries. And this is introduced with a "behold", as requiring attention, and deserving the notice and consideration of his people. The Targum is,

``behold, not through defect of hand (or power) from the Lord ye are not saved; nor because it is heavy to him to hear, that your prayer is not received.''

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Isaiah 59:1 In-Context

1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.

2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things.

4 No one calls for justice; no one pleads a case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.

5 They hatch the eggs of vipers and spin a spider’s web. Whoever eats their eggs will die, and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.

Cross References 3

1. S Isaiah 41:20
2. Numbers 11:23; S Isaiah 50:2
3. Isaiah 30:19; Isaiah 58:9; Isaiah 65:24