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 driven back; godliness stands far off. Indeed, honesty stumbles in the city square and morality is not even able to enter. 15Honesty has disappeared; the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed. The Lord watches and is displeased, for there is no justice. He sees there is no advocate; he is shocked that no one intervenes. So he takes matters into his own hands; his desire for justice drives him on. 17He wears his desire for justice like body armor, and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. He puts on the garments of vengeance and wears zeal like a robe. 18He repays them for what they have done, dispensing angry judgment to his adversaries and punishing his enemies. He repays the coastlands.

Isaiah 59:16 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• no manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• and wonderedשָׁמֵםshâmêm · be desolate: appalledH8074
• no intercessorפָּגַעpâga‛ · to fall onH6293
• therefore his armזְרוֹעַzerôa‛ zerôa‛ zerô‛âh zerô‛âh · armH2220
• brought salvationיָשַׁעyâsha‛ · to saveH3467
• unto him; and his righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
• it sustainedסָמַךְsâmak · to supportH5564

Cross-references for Isaiah 59:16

• Isaiah 50:2Why does no one challenge me when I come? Why does no one respond when I call? Is my hand too weak to deliver you? Do I lack the power to rescue you? Look, with a mere shout I can dry up the sea; I can turn streams into a desert, so the fish rot away and die from lack of water.
• Isaiah 64:7No one invokes your name, or makes an effort to take hold of you. For you have rejected us and handed us over to our own sins.
• Genesis 18:23Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked?
• Psalms 106:23He threatened to destroy them, but Moses, his chosen one, interceded with him and turned back his destructive anger.
• Jeremiah 5:1The Lord said, “Go up and down through the streets of Jerusalem. Look around and see for yourselves. Search through its public squares. See if any of you can find a single person who deals honestly and tries to be truthful. If you can, then I will not punish this city.
• Ezekiel 22:30“I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.
• Mark 6:6And he was amazed because of their unbelief. Then he went around among the villages and taught.
• Isaiah 52:10The Lord reveals his royal power in the sight of all the nations; the entire earth sees our God deliver.
• Isaiah 63:3“I have stomped grapes in the winepress all by myself; no one from the nations joined me. I stomped on them in my anger; I trampled them down in my rage. Their juice splashed on my garments, and stained all my clothes.
• Psalms 98:1Sing to the Lord a new song, for he performs amazing deeds! His right hand and his mighty arm accomplish deliverance.

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