Isaiah 59:16

Isaiah 59:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
• New International Version (NIV)He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He saw that there was no man, And wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.

Context of Isaiah 59:16

14Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street, And uprightness cannot enter. 15Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the Lord saw, And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice. And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him. 17He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. 18According to their deeds, so He will repay, Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; To the coastlands He will make recompense.

Isaiah 59:16 word by word

וַיַּרְא֙ כִּֽי־אֵ֣ין אִ֔ישׁ וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵ֖ם כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין מַפְגִּ֑יעַ וַתּ֤וֹשַֽׁע לוֹ֙ זְרֹע֔וֹ וְצִדְקָת֖וֹ הִ֥יא סְמָכָֽתְהוּ׃Read the interlinear

• And He sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that thereאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• And was astonishedשָׁמֵםshâmêm · be desolate: appalledH8074
• to intercedeפָּגַעpâga‛ · to fall onH6293
• own armזְרוֹעַzerôa‛ zerôa‛ zerô‛âh zerô‛âh · armH2220
• broughtיָשַׁעyâsha‛ · to saveH3467
• And His righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
• upheldסָמַךְsâmak · to supportH5564

Cross-references for Isaiah 59:16

• Isaiah 50:2Why was there no man when I came? When I called, why was there none to answer? Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, I dry up the sea with My rebuke, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink for lack of water And die of thirst.
• Isaiah 64:7There is no one who calls on Your name, Who arouses himself to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us And have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.
• Genesis 18:23Abraham came near and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
• Psalms 106:23Therefore He said that He would destroy them, Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him, To turn away His wrath from destroying them.
• Jeremiah 5:1“Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, And look now and take note. And seek in her open squares, If you can find a man, If there is one who does justice, who seeks truth, Then I will pardon her.
• Ezekiel 22:30I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.
• Mark 6:6And He wondered at their unbelief. And He was going around the villages teaching.
• Isaiah 52:10The Lord has bared His holy arm In the sight of all the nations, That all the ends of the earth may see The salvation of our God.
• Isaiah 63:3“I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment.
• Psalms 98:1O sing to the Lord a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.

Commentaries on Isaiah 59:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16And wondered that there was no intercessor - This and the following verses some of the most eminent rabbins understand as spoken of the Messiah. Kimchi says that Rabbi Joshua ben Levi proposes this objection: "It is written, 'Behold, he will come in the clouds of heaven as the son of man,' Daniel 7:13; and elsewhere it is written, 'He cometh lowly, and riding upon an ass,' Zechariah 9:9. How can these texts be reconciled? Thus: If the Jews have merit, he…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16And he saw that there was no man - That is, no wise and prudent man qualified to govern the affairs of the people. Or, that there was no man qualified to interpose and put an end to these evils; no one qualified to effect a reformation, and to save the nation from the calamities which their sins deserved. The reason why God provided a Redeemer was, that such was the extent and nature of human depravity, that no one on earth could arrest it, and save the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-21Verses 16-21 This passage is connected with the following chapters. It is generally thought to describe the coming of the Messiah, as the Avenger and Deliverer of his church. There was none to intercede with God to turn away his wrath; none to interpose for the support of justice and truth. Yet He engaged his own strength and righteousness for his people. God will make his justice upon the enemies of his church and people plainly appear. When the enemy…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-17The Lord acts like a warrior, determined to win against evil (see Ephesians 6:14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. no man--namely, to atone by his righteousness for the unrighteousness of the people. "Man" is emphatic, as in 1Ki 2:2; no representative man able to retrieve the cause of fallen men (Is 41:28; 63:5, 6; Jr 5:1; Eze 22:30). no intercessor--no one to interpose, "to help ... uphold" (Is 63:5). his arm--(Is 40:10; 51:5). Not man's arm, but His alone (Psa 98:1; 44:3). his righteousness--the "arm" of Messiah. He won the victory for us, not by mere might as…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 59:16

• Anthropomorphisms
• Arm
• Jesus Continued
• Soldiers

In the dictionaries

• Cloke
• Grope
• Heavy
• Iniquity
• Mutter
• Revolt
• Isaiah
• Saviour
• Servant of Jehovah; Servant of the Lord; Servant of Yahweh

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