God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 59:4
4No one calls for justice, and no one pleads his case truthfully. People trust pointless arguments and speak lies. They conceive trouble and give birth to evil.
Isaiah 59:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
- New International Version (NIV)No one calls for justice; no one pleads a case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.
- English Standard Version (ESV)No one enters suit justly; no one goes to law honestly; they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies, they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.
- New King James Version (NKJV)No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.
Context of Isaiah 59:4
2But your wrongs have separated you from your God, and your sins have made him hide his face so that he doesn’t hear you. 3Your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers are stained with sin. You speak lies, and you mutter wicked things. No one calls for justice, and no one pleads his case truthfully. People trust pointless arguments and speak lies. They conceive trouble and give birth to evil. 5They hatch viper eggs and weave spiderwebs. Those who eat their eggs will die. When an egg is crushed, a poisonous snake is hatched. 6Their webs can’t be used for clothes, nor can they cover themselves with their works. Their works are evil. Their hands have committed acts of violence.
Read all of Isaiah 59Isaiah 59:4 word by word
אֵין־קֹרֵ֣א בְצֶ֔דֶק וְאֵ֥ין נִשְׁפָּ֖ט בֶּאֱמוּנָ֑ה בָּט֤וֹחַ עַל־תֹּ֙הוּ֙ וְדַבֶּר־שָׁ֔וְא הָר֥וֹ עָמָ֖ל וְהוֹלֵ֥יד אָֽוֶן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- None callethקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- for justiceצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
- pleadethשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- for truthאֱמוּנָה'ĕmûnâh 'ĕmûnâh · faithfulnessH530
- they trustבָּטַחbâţach · to trustH982
- in vanityתֹּ֫הוּtôhû · formlessnessH8414
- and speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- liesשָׁוְאshâv' shav · vanity: falseH7723
- they conceiveהָרָהhârâh · to conceiveH2029
- mischiefעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
- and bring forthיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
- iniquityאָ֫וֶן'âven · evil: wickednessH205
Cross-references for Isaiah 59:4
- 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.
- 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.
- Ezekiel 22:29The common people oppress and rob others. They do wrong to humble people and to poor people. They oppress foreigners for no reason.
- Micah 7:2Faithful people are gone from the earth, and no one is decent. All people lie in ambush to commit murder. They trap each other with nets.
- Isaiah 30:12This is what the Holy One of Israel says: You have rejected this warning, trusted oppression and deceit, and leaned on them.
- Job 15:31He shouldn’t trust in worthless things and deceive himself because he will get worthless things in return.
- Psalms 62:10Do not count on extortion ⌞to make you rich⌟. Do not hope to gain anything through robbery. When riches increase, do not depend on them.
- Jeremiah 7:4Do not trust the words of this saying, “This is the Lord’s temple, the Lord’s temple, the Lord’s temple!” It’s a lie.
- Isaiah 59:3Your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers are stained with sin. You speak lies, and you mutter wicked things.
- Psalms 62:4They plan to force him out of his high position. They are happy to lie. They bless with their mouths, but in their hearts they curse. Selah
- Isaiah 59:13We have rebelled and denied the Lord. We have turned away from our God. We have spoken about oppression and revolt. We have conceived and uttered lies in our hearts.
- Job 15:35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil. Their wombs produce deception.”
- Psalms 7:13He prepares his deadly weapons and turns them into flaming arrows.
- Proverbs 4:16Wicked people cannot sleep unless they do wrong, and they are robbed of their sleep unless they make someone stumble.
- Micah 2:1How horrible it will be for those who invent trouble and work out plans for disaster while in bed. When the morning dawns, they carry out their plans because they are able to.
- James 1:15Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin. When sin grows up, it gives birth to death.
Commentaries on Isaiah 59:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity - There is a curious propriety in this mode of expression; a thought or purpose is compared to conception; a word or act, which is the consequence of it, to the birth of a child. From the third to the fifteenth verse inclusive may be considered a true statement of the then moral state of the Jewish people; and that they were, in the most proper sense of the word, guilty of the iniquities with which they are…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4None calleth for justice - Or rather, there is no one who brings a suit with justice; no one who goes into court for the purpose of obtaining justice. There is a love of litigation; a desire to take all the advantage which the law can give; a desire to appeal to the law, not for the sake of having strict justice done, but for the sake of doing injury to others, and to take some undue advantage. Nor any pleadeth for truth - Or, no one pleadeth with truth…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4calls for justice: Israel did not practice these qualities that are part of God’s nature and that he expects from people (Isaiah 1:21; see 25:1).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Rather, "No one calleth an adversary into court with justice," that is, None bringeth a just suit: "No one pleadeth with truth." they trust ... iniquity--(So Job 15:35; Psa 7:14).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 59:4
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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