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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him.

Context of Isaiah 59:16

14So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. 15Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. 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. 17He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. 18According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due.

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 50:2When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to deliver you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you? By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea, I turn rivers into a desert; their fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.
• Isaiah 64:7No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins.
• Genesis 18:23Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
• Psalms 106:23So he said he would destroy them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.
• Jeremiah 5:1“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.
• Ezekiel 22:30“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.
• Mark 6:6He was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.
• Isaiah 52:10The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.
• Isaiah 63:3“I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.
• Psalms 98:1Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation 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