God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 59:9
9That is why justice is far from us, and righteousness doesn’t reach us. We hope for light, but we walk in darkness. We hope 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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!
Context of Isaiah 59:9
7Their feet run to do evil. They hurry to shed innocent blood. Their plans are evil. Ruin and destruction are on their highways. 8They don’t know the way of peace. There’s no justice on their highways. They’ve made their paths crooked. Whoever walks on them will never know peace. That is why justice is far from us, and righteousness doesn’t reach us. We hope for light, but we walk in darkness. We hope for brightness, but we walk in gloom. 10We grope like blind men along a wall. We grope like people without eyes. We stumble at noon as if it were twilight. We are like dead people among healthy people. 11We all growl like bears. We coo like doves. We hope for justice, but there is none. We hope for salvation, but it’s 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. Because we have sinned, it has been disastrous for us.
- Habakkuk 1:13Your eyes are too pure to look at evil. You can’t watch wickedness. Why do you keep watching treacherous people? Why are you silent when wicked people swallow those who are more righteous than they are?
- Isaiah 5:30On that day they will roar over their prey as the sea roars. If they look at the land, they will see only darkness and distress. Even the light will be darkened by thick clouds.
- Job 30:26When I waited for good, evil came. When I looked for light, darkness came.
- Jeremiah 8:15We hoped for peace, but nothing good has happened. We hoped for a time of healing, but there’s only terror.
- Jeremiah 14:19Have you completely rejected Judah? Do you despise Zion? Why have you struck us so hard that we cannot heal? We hope for peace, but no good comes from it. We hope for a time of healing, but there’s only terror.
- Amos 5:18How horrible it will be for those who long for the day of the Lord! Why do you long for that day? The day of the Lord is one of darkness and not light.
- Micah 1:12Wait anxiously for good, inhabitants of Maroth. From the Lord disaster will come on the gates of Jerusalem.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3When people say, “Everything is safe and sound!” destruction will suddenly strike them. It will be as sudden as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They won’t be able to 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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