Isaiah 57:16

Isaiah 57:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made.
• New Living Translation (NLT)For I will not fight against you forever; I will not always be angry. If I were, all people would pass away— all the souls I have made.

Context of Isaiah 57:16

14And it will be said: “Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.” 15For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry, for then they would faint away because of me— the very people I have created. 17I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways. 18I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,

Isaiah 57:16 word by word

כִּ֣י לֹ֤א לְעוֹלָם֙ אָרִ֔יב וְלֹ֥א לָנֶ֖צַח אֶקְּצ֑וֹף כִּי־ר֙וּחַ֙ מִלְּפָנַ֣י יַֽעֲט֔וֹף וּנְשָׁמ֖וֹת אֲנִ֥י עָשִֽׂיתִי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For I will not contendרִיבrîyb rûb · to contendH7378
• for everעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
• neither will I be alwaysנֵ֫צַחnetsach nêtsach · perpetuityH5331
• wrothקָצַףqâtsaph · be angryH7107
• for the spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
• should failעָטַף‛âţaph · be feebleH5848
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• me, and the soulsנְשָׁמָהneshâmâh · breathH5397
• I have madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213

Cross-references for Isaiah 57:16

• Psalms 78:38Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.
• Psalms 85:5Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
• Psalms 103:9He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
• Jeremiah 10:24Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure— not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing.
• Micah 7:18Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
• Isaiah 42:5This is what God the Lord says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:
• Numbers 16:22But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?”
• Job 34:14If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath,
• Ecclesiastes 12:7and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
• Jeremiah 38:16But King Zedekiah swore this oath secretly to Jeremiah: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has given us breath, I will neither kill you nor hand you over to those who want to kill you.”
• Zechariah 12:1A prophecy: The word of the Lord concerning Israel. The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares:
• Hebrews 12:9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!

Commentaries on Isaiah 57:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16For I will not contend for ever - The learned have taken a great deal of pains to little purpose on the latter part of this verses which they suppose to be very obscure. After all their labors upon it, I think the best and easiest explication of it is given in the two following elegant passages of the Psalms, which I presume are exactly parallel to it, and very clearly express the same sentiment. "But he in his tender mercy will forgive their sin And will…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16For I will not contend for ever - I will not be angry with my people forever, nor always refuse to pardon and comfort them (see Psalm 103:9). This is to be regarded as having been primarily addressed to the Jews in their long and painful exile in Babylon. It is, however, couched in general language; and the idea is, that although God would punish his people for their sins, yet his wrath would not be perpetual. If they were his children, he would visit…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-21Verses 13-21 The idols and their worshippers shall come to nothing; but those who trust in God's grace, shall be brought to the joys of heaven. With the Lord there is neither beginning of days, nor end of life, nor change of time. His name is holy, and all must know him as a holy God. He will have tender regard to those who bring their mind to their condition, and dread his wrath. He will make his abode with those whose hearts he has thus humbled, in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-21The Lord promises to be with the humble, heal them, and give them peace. This promise is for all citizens of Zion, both Jews and non-Jews. The holy one offers salvation to the humble and deals fairly with the wicked.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. For--referring to the promise in Is 57:14, 15, of restoring Israel when "contrite" (Ge 6:3; 8:21; Psa 78:38, 39; 85:5; 103:9, 13, 14; Mi 7:18). God "will not contend for ever" with His people, for their human spirit would thereby be utterly crushed, whereas God's object is to chasten, not to destroy them (La 3:33, 34; Mi 7:8, 9). With the ungodly He is "angry every day" (Psa 7:11; Re 14:11). spirit ... before me--that is, the human spirit which went…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 57:16

• Anger
• Chastisement
• God Continued...

In the dictionaries

• Bed
• Dirt
• Eternity
• Inhabit
• Lofty
• Contend; Contention
• Isaiah
• Saviour

Commentaries on Isaiah 57

• 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