New English Translation
Isaiah 1:4
4The sinful nation is as good as dead, the people weighed down by evil deeds. They are offspring who do wrong, children who do wicked things. They have abandoned the Lord, and rejected the Holy One of Israel. They are alienated from him.
Isaiah 1:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
- New International Version (NIV)Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.
Context of Isaiah 1:4
2Listen, O heavens, pay attention, O earth! For the Lord speaks: “I raised children, I brought them up, but they have rebelled against me! 3An ox recognizes its owner, a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; but Israel does not recognize me, my people do not understand.” The sinful nation is as good as dead, the people weighed down by evil deeds. They are offspring who do wrong, children who do wicked things. They have abandoned the Lord, and rejected the Holy One of Israel. They are alienated from him. 5Why do you insist on being battered? Why do you continue to rebel? Your head has a massive wound, your whole body is weak. 6From the soles of your feet to your head, there is no spot that is unharmed. There are only bruises, cuts, and open wounds. They have not been cleansed or bandaged, nor have they been treated with olive oil.
Read all of Isaiah 1Isaiah 1:4 word by word
ה֣וֹי׀ גּ֣וֹי חֹטֵ֗א עַ֚ם כֶּ֣בֶד עָוֹ֔ן זֶ֣רַע מְרֵעִ֔ים בָּנִ֖ים מַשְׁחִיתִ֑ים עָזְב֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה נִֽאֲצ֛וּ אֶת־קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נָזֹ֥רוּ אָחֽוֹר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ahהוֹיhôy · woe!H1945
- sinfulחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- nationגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- a peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- ladenכָּבֵדkâbêd · heavyH3515
- with iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
- a seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- of evildoersרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
- childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- that are corruptersשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
- they have forsakenאֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- they have forsakenעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- they have provokedנָאַץnâ'ats · to spurnH5006
- the Holy Oneקָדוֹשׁqâdôsh qâdôsh · holyH6918
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- they are gone awayזוּרzûr · be a strangerH2114
- backwardאָחוֹר'âchôr 'âchôr · backH268
Cross-references for Isaiah 1:4
- Isaiah 1:23Your officials are rebels, they associate with thieves. All of them love bribery, and look for payoffs. They do not take up the cause of the orphan, or defend the rights of the widow.
- Isaiah 10:6I sent him against a godless nation, I ordered him to attack the people with whom I was angry, to take plunder and to carry away loot, to trample them down like dirt in the streets.
- Isaiah 30:9For these are rebellious people – they are lying children, children unwilling to obey the Lord’s law.
- Genesis 13:13(Now the people of Sodom were extremely wicked rebels against the Lord.)
- Matthew 11:28Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
- Acts 7:51“You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did!
- Revelation 18:5because her sins have piled up all the way to heaven and God has remembered her crimes.
- Isaiah 57:3But approach, you sons of omen readers, you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes!
- Numbers 32:14Now look, you are standing in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinners, to increase still further the fierce wrath of the Lord against the Israelites.
- Psalms 78:8Then they will not be like their ancestors, who were a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that was not committed and faithful to God.
- Jeremiah 7:26But your ancestors did not listen to me nor pay attention to me. They became obstinate and were more wicked than even their own forefathers.’”
- Jeremiah 16:11Then tell them that the Lord says, ‘It is because your ancestors rejected me and paid allegiance to other gods. They have served them and worshiped them. But they have rejected me and not obeyed my law.
- Matthew 3:7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
- Matthew 23:33You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
- Jeremiah 2:33“My, how good you have become at chasing after your lovers! Why, you could even teach prostitutes a thing or two!
- Ezekiel 16:33All prostitutes receive payment, but instead you give gifts to every one of your lovers. You bribe them to come to you from all around for your sexual favors!
Commentaries on Isaiah 1:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Ah sinful nation "Degenerate" - Five MSS., one of them ancient, read משחתים moschathim, without the first י yod, in hophal corrupted, not corrupters. See the same word in the same form, and in the same sense, Proverbs 25:26. Are corrupters "Are estranged" - Thirty-two MSS., five ancient, and two editions, read נזורו nazoru ; which reading determines the word to be from the root זור zur, to alienate, not from נזר nazar, to separate; so Kimchi understands…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Ah! sinful nation - The word rendered ah!‘ - הוי hôy - is not a mere exclamation, expressing astonishment. It is rather an interjection denouncing threatening, or punishment. Wo to the sinful nation.‘ Vulgate, Vae genti peccatrici.‘ The corruption pertained to the nation, and not merely to a part. It had become general. Laden with iniquity - The word translated “laden” - כבד kebed - denotes properly anything “heavy,” or burdensome; from כבד kâbad “to be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The term Holy One of Israel often appears in Isaiah as a title for the Lord. God is: the righteous and just King of heaven and earth (Isaiah 6:3–5), the incomparable God, meaning no one is like him (Isaiah 40:25), and the Redeemer (the one who rescues and saves) of his people (Isaiah 43:14). Because of this, it was a serious and foolish sin for Judah to reject him.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. people--the peculiar designation of God's elect nation (Ho 1:10), that they should be "laden with iniquity" is therefore the more monstrous. Sin is a load (Psa 38:4; Mt 11:28). seed--another appellation of God's elect (Ge 12:7; Jr 2:21), designed to be a "holy seed" (Is 6:13), but, awful to say, "evildoers!" children--by adoption (Ho 11:1), yet "evildoers"; not only so, but "corrupters" of others (Ge 6:12); the climax. So "nation--people--seed…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 1:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- 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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries