English Standard Version
Isaiah 59:9
9Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
Isaiah 59:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
- New International Version (NIV)So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness!
- New Living Translation (NLT)So there is no justice among us, and we know nothing about right living. We look for light but find only darkness. We look for bright skies but walk in gloom.
Context of Isaiah 59:9
7Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. 8The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace. Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. 10We grope for the wall like the blind; we grope like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among those in full vigor we are like dead men. 11We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us.
Read all of Isaiah 59Isaiah 59:9 word by word
עַל־כֵּ֗ן רָחַ֤ק מִשְׁפָּט֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תַשִּׂיגֵ֖נוּ צְדָקָ֑ה נְקַוֶּ֤ה לָאוֹר֙ וְהִנֵּה־חֹ֔שֶׁךְ לִנְגֹה֖וֹת בָּאֲפֵל֥וֹת נְהַלֵּֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore is judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
- farרָחַקrâchaq · to removeH7368
- from us, neither doth justiceצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
- overtakeנָשַׂגnâώag · to overtakeH5381
- us: we waitקָוָהqâvâh · to awaitH6960
- for lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
- but behold obscurityחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
- for brightnessנְגֹהָהnegôhâh · brightnessH5054
- we walkהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
- in darknessאֲפֵלָה'ăphêlâh · darknessH653
Cross-references for Isaiah 59:9
- Lamentations 5:16The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!
- Habakkuk 1:13You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?
- Isaiah 5:30They will growl over it on that day, like the growling of the sea. And if one looks to the land, behold, darkness and distress; and the light is darkened by its clouds.
- Job 30:26But when I hoped for good, evil came, and when I waited for light, darkness came.
- Jeremiah 8:15We looked for peace, but no good came; for a time of healing, but behold, terror.
- Jeremiah 14:19Have you utterly rejected Judah? Does your soul loathe Zion? Why have you struck us down so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; for a time of healing, but behold, terror.
- Amos 5:18Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light,
- Micah 1:12For the inhabitants of Maroth wait anxiously for good, because disaster has come down from the Lord to the gate of Jerusalem.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Commentaries on Isaiah 59:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Therefore is judgment far from us - This is the confession of the people that they were suffering not unjustly on account of their crimes. The word judgment‘ here is evidently to be taken in the sense of vengeance or vindication. The idea is this, we are subjected to calamities and to oppressions by our enemies. In our distresses we cry unto God, but on account of our sins he does not hear us, nor does he come to vindicate our cause.‘ Neither doth justice…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-15Verses 9-15 If we shut our eyes against the light of Divine truth, it is just with God to hide from our eyes the things that belong to our peace. The sins of those who profess themselves God's people, are worse than the sins of others. And the sins of a nation bring public judgments, when not restrained by public justice. Men may murmur under calamities, but nothing will truly profit while they reject Christ and his gospel.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-15Israel had a long history of turning away from God. The people often rebelled against him. In this passage, the prophet speaks for the nation. He admits their sins and expresses deep sorrow. He says they could not grasp the light of God’s salvation (they could not understand or receive the rescue God offered).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. judgment far--retribution in kind because they had shown "no judgment in their goings" (Is 59:8). "The vindication of our just rights by God is withheld by Him from us." us--In Is 59:8 and previous verses, it was "they," the third person; here, "us ... we," the first person. The nation here speaks: God thus making them out of their own mouth condemn themselves; just as He by His prophet had condemned them before. Isaiah includes himself with his people…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 59:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 59
- 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
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Commentaries