Isaiah 59:15

15 And truth was made into forgetting, and he that went away from evil, was open to prey, either robbing. And the Lord saw, and it appeared evil in his eyes, for there is no doom. (And the truth was forgotten, and he who went away from evil, was laid open to theft, or to robbery. And the Lord saw, and it appeared evil to him, that there was no justice.)

Isaiah 59:15 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 59:15

Yea, truth faileth
Or, "is deprived" F6; of its life and being; it not only falls in the street, and there lies, without any to show regard unto it; but it fails; it seems as if it had given up the ghost and expired; so very prevalent will error be, before light and truth spring up again and be victorious, as they will: and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey;
he that does not give in to the prevailing vices of the age in which he lives, now become fashionable, but abstains from them, and departs from doctrinal as well as practical evils; from all false doctrines, and from all superstitious modes of worship; becomes a prey to others; a reproach and a laughing stock to them; they scoff at him, and deride him for his preciseness in religion; for his enthusiastic and irrational notions in doctrine; and for his stiffness in matters of worship: or, "he makes himself reckoned a madman" F7; as some render it; and this is a common notion with profane men, and loose professors, to reckon such as madmen that are upright in doctrine, worship, and conversation; see ( Acts 26:24 ) : and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no
judgment;
he took notice of all this, and resented it, though in a professing people, that there was no judgment or discretion in matters of doctrine and worship; no order or discipline observed; no justice done in civil courts, or in the church of God; no reformation in church or state.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 (trden) "privata"; so (rdeh) "privatio", often with the Rubbins.
F7 (llwtvm) "facit ut insanus habeatur", Junius & Tremellius; "habitus est pro insano", Vitringa; so Abendana, "he that fears God, and departs from evil", (hjwvl whwbvxy) , "they reckon him a fool or a madman."

Isaiah 59:15 In-Context

13 to do sin, and to lie against the Lord. And we be turned away, that we went not after the back of our God, that we speak false challenge, and trespassing. We conceived, and spake of (the) heart, words of leasing; (to do sin, and to lie against the Lord. And we turned away, so that we went not after the back of our God, and we speak of oppression, and of trespassing. We conceived lies, and spoke them out from our hearts;)
14 and doom was turned aback, and rightfulness stood [a]far; for why truth fell down in the street, and equity, either evenness, might not enter. (and justice was turned back, and right stood afar off; and truth fell down in the street, and integrity, or honesty, could not even come in.)
15 And truth was made into forgetting, and he that went away from evil, was open to prey, either robbing. And the Lord saw, and it appeared evil in his eyes, for there is no doom. (And the truth was forgotten, and he who went away from evil, was laid open to theft, or to robbery. And the Lord saw, and it appeared evil to him, that there was no justice.)
16 And God saw, that a man is not, and he was anguished, for none there is that runneth to. And his arm shall save to himself, and his rightfulness itself shall confirm him. (And God saw, that no one gave any help, and he was anguished that no one runneth to give aid. And so his arm shall save him, and his uprightness shall uphold him.)
17 He is clothed with rightfulness as with an habergeon, and the helmet of health is in his head; he is clothed with [the] clothes of vengeance, and he is covered as with a mantle of fervent working. (He is clothed with a breastplate of righteousness, and the helmet of salvation is on his head; he is clothed with the clothes of vengeance, and he is covered with a cloak of jealous anger.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.