Isaiah 50:2

Isaiah 50:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.
• New International Version (NIV)When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to deliver you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you? By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea, I turn rivers into a desert; their fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Why, when I came, was there no man; why, when I called, was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish stink for lack of water and die of thirst.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink because there is no water, And die of thirst.

Context of Isaiah 50:2

1This is what the Lord says: Where is your mother’s divorce certificate that I used to send her away? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and your mother was sent away because of your transgressions. Why was no one there when I came? Why was there no one to answer when I called? Is my arm too weak to redeem? Or do I have no power to rescue? Look, I dry up the sea by my rebuke; I turn the rivers into a wilderness; their fish rot because of lack of water and die of thirst. 3I dress the heavens in black and make sackcloth their covering. 4The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are instructed to know how to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens me each morning; he awakens my ear to listen like those being instructed.

Isaiah 50:2 word by word

מַדּ֨וּעַ בָּ֜אתִי וְאֵ֣ין אִ֗ישׁ קָרָֽאתִי֮ וְאֵ֣ין עוֹנֶה֒ הֲקָצ֨וֹר קָצְרָ֤ה יָדִי֙ מִפְּד֔וּת וְאִם־אֵֽין־בִּ֥י כֹ֖חַ לְהַצִּ֑יל הֵ֣ן בְּגַעֲרָתִ֞י אַחֲרִ֣יב יָ֗ם אָשִׂ֤ים נְהָרוֹת֙ מִדְבָּ֔ר תִּבְאַ֤שׁ דְּגָתָם֙ מֵאֵ֣ין מַ֔יִם וְתָמֹ֖ת בַּצָּמָֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Wherefore, when I cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• no manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• when I calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• none to answerעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• Is my handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• shortenedקָצֵרqâtsar · be shortH7114
• that it cannot redeemפְּדוּתpedûth pedûth · redemptionH6304
• or have I no powerכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
• to deliverנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337
• behold, at my rebukeגְּעָרָהge‛ârâh · rebukeH1606
• I dry upחָרֵבchârab chârêb · to dryH2717
• the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
• I makeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
• the riversנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
• a wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• their fishדָּגָהdâgâh · fishH1710
• stinkethבָּאַשׁbâ'ash · to stinkH887
• no waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• and diethמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• for thirstצָמָאtsâmâ' · thirstH6772

Cross-references for Isaiah 50:2

• Isaiah 59:16He saw that there was no man — he was amazed that there was no one interceding; so his own arm brought salvation, and his own righteousness supported him.
• Isaiah 65:12I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will kneel down to be slaughtered, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not hear; you did what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in.”
• Isaiah 66:4So I will choose their punishment, and I will bring on them what they dread because I called and no one answered; I spoke and they did not listen; they did what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in.
• Proverbs 1:24Since I called out and you refused, extended my hand and no one paid attention,
• Jeremiah 5:1Roam through the streets of Jerusalem. Investigate; search in her squares. If you find one person, any who acts justly, who pursues faithfulness, then I will forgive her.
• Jeremiah 7:13Now, because you have done all these things — this is the Lord’s declaration — and because I have spoken to you time and time again but you wouldn’t listen, and I have called to you, but you wouldn’t answer,
• Jeremiah 8:6I have paid careful attention. They do not speak what is right. No one regrets his evil, asking, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone has stayed his course like a horse rushing into battle.
• Jeremiah 35:15Time and time again I have sent you all my servants the prophets, proclaiming, “Turn, each one from his evil way, and correct your actions. Stop following other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I gave you and your ancestors.” But you did not pay attention or obey me.
• Hosea 11:2Israel called to the Egyptians even as Israel was leaving them. They kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.
• John 1:11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
• John 3:19This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.
• Isaiah 59:1Indeed, the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save, and his ear is not too deaf to hear.
• Genesis 18:14Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.”
• Numbers 11:23The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm weak? Now you will see whether or not what I have promised will happen to you.”
• Isaiah 36:20Who among all the gods of these lands ever rescued his land from my power? So will the Lord rescue Jerusalem from my power?”
• 2 Chronicles 32:15So now, don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, and don’t let him mislead you like this. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people from my power or the power of my predecessors. How much less will your God rescue you from my power! ’”

Commentaries on Isaiah 50:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Their fish stinketh "Their fish is dried up" - For תבאש tibaosh, stinketh, read תיבש tibash, is dried up; so it stands in the Bodl. MS., and it is confirmed by the Septuagint, , they shall be dried up.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? - That is, when I came to call you to repentance, why was there no man of the nation to yield obedience? The sense is, that they had not been punished without warning. He had called them to repentance, but no one heard his voice. The Chaldee renders this, Wherefore did I send my prophets, and they did not turn? They prophesied, but they did not attend.‘ When I called, was there none to answer? - None obeyed, or…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Why did no one answer: The people did not respond to God's repeated call to trust him and repent of their sins. They were deaf and stubborn (see Isaiah 6:9–10; 29:18; 35:5; 42:18–19). The Lord came and called the people through the prophets (see also Isaiah 65:1–3). do I lack the strength to deliver you?: God could rescue Israel and Judah from the Assyrians and Babylonians, but he first had to address his people's sinfulness (see Isaiah 59:1). My rebuke…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. I--Messiah. no man--willing to believe in and obey Me (Is 52:1, 3). The same Divine Person had "come" by His prophets in the Old Testament (appealing to them, but in vain, Jr 7:25, 26), who was about to come under the New Testament. hand shortened--the Oriental emblem of weakness, as the long stretched-out hand is of power (Is 59:1). Notwithstanding your sins, I can still "redeem" you from your bondage and dispersion. dry up ... sea--(Ex 14:21). The…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 50:2

• Doubting
• God
• Jesus Continued

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Desert
• Isaiah
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Omnipotence
• Saviour
• Shorten

Commentaries on Isaiah 50

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings