New English Translation
Isaiah 9:13
13The people did not return to the one who struck them, they did not seek reconciliation with the Lord who commands armies.
Isaiah 9:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts.
- New International Version (NIV)But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the Lord Almighty.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The people did not turn to him who struck them, nor inquire of the Lord of hosts.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, Nor do they seek the Lord of hosts.
Context of Isaiah 9:13
11Then the Lord provoked their adversaries to attack them, he stirred up their enemies – 12Syria from the east, and the Philistines from the west, they gobbled up Israelite territory. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again. The people did not return to the one who struck them, they did not seek reconciliation with the Lord who commands armies. 14So the Lord cut off Israel’s head and tail, both the shoots and stalk in one day. 15The leaders and the highly respected people are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
Read all of Isaiah 9Isaiah 9:13 word by word
וְהָעָ֥ם לֹא־שָׁ֖ב עַד־הַמַּכֵּ֑הוּ וְאֶת־יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת לֹ֥א דָרָֽשׁוּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 9:13
- Isaiah 1:5Why do you insist on being battered? Why do you continue to rebel? Your head has a massive wound, your whole body is weak.
- Isaiah 26:11O Lord, you are ready to act, but they don’t even notice. They will see and be put to shame by your angry judgment against humankind, yes, fire will consume your enemies.
- Isaiah 57:17I was angry because of their sinful greed; I attacked them and angrily rejected them, yet they remained disobedient and stubborn.
- 2 Chronicles 28:22During his time of trouble King Ahaz was even more unfaithful to the Lord.
- Job 36:13The godless at heart nourish anger, they do not cry out even when he binds them.
- Jeremiah 5:3Lord, I know you look for faithfulness. But even when you punish these people, they feel no remorse. Even when you nearly destroy them, they refuse to be corrected. They have become as hardheaded as a rock. They refuse to change their ways.
- Jeremiah 31:18I have indeed heard the people of Israel say mournfully, ‘We were like a calf untrained to the yoke. You disciplined us and we learned from it. Let us come back to you and we will do so, for you are the Lord our God.
- Ezekiel 24:13You mix uncleanness with obscene conduct. I tried to cleanse you, but you are not clean. You will not be cleansed from your uncleanness until I have exhausted my anger on you.
- Hosea 5:15Then I will return again to my lair until they have suffered their punishment. Then they will seek me; in their distress they will earnestly seek me.
- Hosea 7:10The arrogance of Israel testifies against him, yet they refuse to return to the Lord their God! In spite of all this they refuse to seek him!
- Isaiah 31:1Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead, those who rely on war horses, and trust in Egypt’s many chariots and in their many, many horsemen. But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel and do not seek help from the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 4:29But if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find him, if, indeed, you seek him with all your heart and soul.
- Jeremiah 29:11For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.
- Jeremiah 50:4“When that time comes,” says the Lord, “the people of Israel and Judah will return to the land together. They will come back with tears of repentance as they seek the Lord their God.
- Hosea 3:4For the Israelites must live many days without a king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred fertility pillar, without ephod or idols.
Commentaries on Isaiah 9:13
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13For the people - This is a reason why his anger would not cease, and it is, at the same time, the suggestion of a new crime for which the divine judgment would rest upon them. It commences the second part of the oracle. Turneth not - It is implied here that it was the design of the chastisement to turn them to God. In this case, as in many others, such a design had not been accomplished. Unto him that smiteth them - To God, who had punished them…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-21Verses 8-21 Those are ripening apace for ruin, whose hearts are unhumbled under humbling providences. For that which God designs, in smiting us, is, to turn us to himself; and if this point be not gained by lesser judgments, greater may be expected. The leaders of the people misled them. We have reason to be afraid of those that speak well of us, when we do ill. Wickedness was universal, all were infected with it. They shall be in trouble, and see no way…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-17God used punishment to call his people to repentance. Repentance means turning away from sin and turning back to God. His goal was not to destroy Israel, but to correct them and bring them back to himself. However, Israel had become apostate. This means they had turned away from the Lord and rejected him. They refused to repent or to seek the Lord.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1713-17. Second strophe. turneth not--the design of God's chastisements; not fulfilled in their case; a new cause for punishment (Jr 2:20; 5:3).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 9:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 9
- 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
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