God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 64:1
1If only you would split open the heavens and come down! The mountains would quake at your presence.
Isaiah 64:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,
- New International Version (NIV)Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!
- English Standard Version (ESV)Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—
- New King James Version (NKJV)Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence—
Context of Isaiah 64:1
If only you would split open the heavens and come down! The mountains would quake at your presence. 2Be like the fire that kindles brushwood and makes water boil. Come down to make your name known to your enemies. The nations will tremble in your presence. 3When you did awe-inspiring things that we didn’t expect, you came down and the mountains quaked in your presence.
Read all of Isaiah 64Isaiah 64:1 word by word
לוּא־קָרַ֤עְתָּ שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ יָרַ֔דְתָּ מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ הָרִ֥ים נָזֹֽלּוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ohלוּlû' lû' lû · ifH3863
- that thou wouldest rendקָרַעqâra‛ · to tearH7167
- the heavensשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- that thou wouldest come downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- that the mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- might flow downזָלַלzâlal · to shakeH2151
- at thy presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
Cross-references for Isaiah 64:1
- Psalms 18:7Then the earth shook and quaked. Even the foundations of the mountains trembled. They shook violently because he was angry.
- Psalms 144:5O Lord, bend your heaven low, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
- Mark 1:10As Jesus came out of the water, he saw heaven split open and the Spirit coming down to him as a dove.
- Isaiah 63:15Look down and see from heaven, from your holy and beautiful dwelling. Where is your determination and might? Where is the longing of your heart and your compassion? Don’t hold back.
- Exodus 3:8I have come to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good land with plenty of room ⌞for everyone⌟. It is a land flowing with milk and honey where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites live.
- Exodus 19:11and be ready by the day after tomorrow. On that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch.
- Micah 1:3The Lord is going to come from his place. He is going to come down and step on the worship places of the earth.
- Habakkuk 3:1A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk; according to shigionoth.
- Judges 5:4O Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the country of Edom, the earth quaked, the sky poured, the clouds burst,
- Psalms 46:6Nations are in turmoil, and kingdoms topple. The earth melts at the sound of ⌞God’s⌟ voice.
- Psalms 68:8the earth quaked and the sky poured in the presence of the God of Sinai, in the presence of the God of Israel.
- Psalms 114:4The mountains jumped like rams. The hills jumped like lambs.
- Amos 9:5The Almighty Lord of Armies touches the earth. It quakes, and all who live on it mourn. All of it rises like the Nile and sinks like Egypt’s river.
- Nahum 1:5The mountains quake because of him. The hills melt. The earth draws back in his presence. The world and all who live in it draw back as well.
- 2 Peter 3:10The day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day heaven will pass away with a roaring sound. Everything that makes up the universe will burn and be destroyed. The earth and everything that people have done on it will be exposed.
- Revelation 20:11I saw a large, white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence, but no place was found for them.
Commentaries on Isaiah 64:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1O that thou wouldest rend the heavens - This seems to allude to the wonderful manifestation of God upon Mount Sinai.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens - That is, in view of the considerations urged in the previous chapter. In view of the fact that the temple is burned up Isaiah 64:11; that the city is desolate; that the land lies waste, and that thine own people are carried captive to a distant land. The phrase rend the heavens,‘ implies a sudden and sublime descent of Yahweh to execute vengeance on his foes, as if his heart was full of vengeance, and the firmament…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The church prays that God's power may be manifested. (Is. 64:1-5) A confession of sin, and afflictions bewailed. (Is. 64:6-12) Verses 1-5 They desire that God would manifest himself to them and for them, so that all may see it. This is applicable to the second coming of Christ, when the Lord himself shall descend from heaven. They plead what God had used to do, and had declared his gracious purpose to do, for his people. They need not fear being…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-12The prophet’s reflections on the past (Isaiah 63:7–14) inspire him to pray that God would now rescue his people as he has done before.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-121. rend ... heavens--bursting forth to execute vengeance, suddenly descending on Thy people's foe (Psa 18:9; 144:5; Ha 3:5, 6). flow down--(Jud 5:5; Mi 1:4).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 64:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 64
- 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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