Isaiah 59:9

9 Therefore doom is made far from us, and rightfulness shall not (over)take us; we abided light, and lo! darknesses be; we abided shining, and we went in darknesses. (And so justice is made far from us, and right shall not overtake us; we wait for the light, but lo! there is only darkness; we wait for the sun to shine, but still we walk in darkness.)

Isaiah 59:9 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 59:9

Therefore is judgment far from us
These are the words of the few godly persons in those times, taking notice of prevailing sins, confessing and lamenting them, and observing that these were the source of their calamities under which they groaned; "therefore", because of the above mentioned sins, and in just retaliation, no justice or judgment being among men; therefore, in great righteousness "judgment is far from us"; or God does not appear to right our wrongs, and avenge us of our enemies, but suffers them to afflict and distress us: neither doth justice overtake us;
the righteousness of God inflicting vengeance on our enemies, and saving and protecting us; this does not come up with us, nor do we enjoy the benefit of it, but walk on without it unprotected, and exposed to the insults of men: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in
darkness;
or "for brightnesses" ^F25; for much clear light; but we walk in mists
^F26; in thick fogs, and have scarce any light at all. The meaning is, they waited for deliverance and salvation; but instead of that had the darkness of affliction and distress; or they were expecting latter day light and glory, the clear and bright shining of Gospel truths; but, instead of that, were surrounded with the darkness of ignorance and infidelity, superstition and will worship, and walked in the mists and fogs of error and heresy of all sorts: this seems to respect the same time as in ( Zechariah 14:6 Zechariah 14:7 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (twhgnl) "in splendores", Pagninus, Montanus; "magnum splendorem", Vitringa.
F26 (twlpab) "in ealiginibus", Montanus, Cocceius; "in summa caligine", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "in densa caligine", Vitringa.

Isaiah 59:9 In-Context

7 The feet of them run to evil, and haste to shed out innocent blood; the thoughts of them be unprofitable thoughts; destroying and defouling be in the ways of them. (Their feet run to evil, and they hasten to pour out innocent blood; their thoughts be unprofitable thoughts; destroying and defiling be their way of doing things.)

8 They knew not the way of peace, and doom is not in the goings of them; the paths of them be bowed to them; each that treadeth in those, knoweth not peace. (They knew not the way of peace, and justice is not their way; their paths be crooked; anyone who treadeth on them, knoweth not peace.)

9 Therefore doom is made far from us, and rightfulness shall not (over)take us; we abided light, and lo! darknesses be; we abided shining, and we went in darknesses. (And so justice is made far from us, and right shall not overtake us; we wait for the light, but lo! there is only darkness; we wait for the sun to shine, but still we walk in darkness.)

10 We groped as blind men the wall, and we as without eyes touched; we stumbled in midday, as in darknesses, in dark places, as dead men. (We grope the wall like the blind, and we touch it, like those without eyes; we stumble at midday, like in the darkness, yea, in dark places, like the dead.)

11 All we shall roar as bears, and we shall wail thinking as culvers; we abided doom, and none there is; we abided health, and it is made far from us. (We all shall roar like bears, and we shall wail thinking like doves; we wait for justice, but there is none; we wait for deliverance, or salvation, but it is made far from us.)