God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 50:2
2Why was no one here when I came? Why was no one here to answer when I called? Am I too weak to reclaim you? Don’t I have the power to rescue you? I dry up the sea with my command, and I turn rivers into deserts. Their fish stink because there is no water, and people die of thirst.
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 are your mother’s divorce papers? Did I give her any to get rid of her? To which of my creditors did I sell you? You were sold because of your sins. I got rid of your mother because of your rebellion. Why was no one here when I came? Why was no one here to answer when I called? Am I too weak to reclaim you? Don’t I have the power to rescue you? I dry up the sea with my command, and I turn rivers into deserts. Their fish stink because there is no water, and people die of thirst. 3I clothe the heavens in darkness and cover them with sackcloth. 4The Almighty Lord will teach me what to say, so I will know how to encourage weary people. Morning after morning he will wake me to listen like a student.
Read all of Isaiah 50Isaiah 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 sees that there’s no one to help. He’s astounded that there’s no one to intercede. So with his own power he wins a victory. His righteousness supports him.
- Isaiah 65:12Now I will destine you for death. All of you will bow to be slaughtered. I called, but you didn’t answer. I spoke, but you didn’t listen. You did what I consider evil. You chose what I don’t like.
- Isaiah 66:4So I will choose harsh treatment for them and bring on them what they fear. I called, but no one answered. I spoke, but they didn’t listen. They did what I consider evil. They chose what I don’t like.
- Proverbs 1:24“I called, and you refused to listen. I stretched out my hands to you, and no one paid attention.
- Jeremiah 5:1Walk around the streets of Jerusalem. Look around, and think about these things. Search the city squares. See if you can find anyone who does what is right and seeks the truth. Then I will forgive Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 7:13You have done the same things the people did at Shiloh,’ ” declares the Lord. “ ‘Although I spoke to you again and again, you did not listen. When I called you, you did not answer.
- Jeremiah 8:6I have paid attention and listened, but they weren’t honest. They don’t turn away from their wickedness and ask, “What have we done?” They go their own ways like horses charging into battle.
- Jeremiah 35:15I have sent all my servants the prophets to you again and again. They said, “Turn from your evil ways, do what is right, and don’t follow other gods in order to serve them. Then you will live in the land that I gave you and your ancestors.” However, you refused to listen to me or obey me.
- Hosea 11:2The more I called them, the farther they went away. They sacrificed to other gods—the Baals, and they burned incense to idols.
- John 1:11He went to his own people, and his own people didn’t accept him.
- John 3:19This is why people are condemned: The light came into the world. Yet, people loved the dark rather than the light because their actions were evil.
- Isaiah 59:1The Lord is not too weak to save or his ear too deaf to hear.
- Genesis 18:14Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will come back to you next year at this time, and Sarah will have a son.”
- Numbers 11:23The Lord asked Moses, “Is there a limit to the Lord’s power? Now you will see whether or not my words come true.”
- Isaiah 36:20Did the gods of these countries rescue them from my control? Could the Lord then rescue Jerusalem from my control?”
- 2 Chronicles 32:15Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this. Don’t believe him. No god of any nation or kingdom could save his people from me or my ancestors. Certainly, your God will not rescue you from me!”
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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