New International Version
Isaiah 59:9
9So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
Isaiah 59:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness!
- New Living Translation (NLT)So there is no justice among us, and we know nothing about right living. We look for light but find only darkness. We look for bright skies but walk in gloom.
Context of Isaiah 59:9
7Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. They pursue evil schemes; acts of violence mark their ways. 8The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks along them will know peace. So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. 10Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like people without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead. 11We all growl like bears; we moan mournfully like doves. We look for justice, but find none; for deliverance, but it is far away.
Read all of Isaiah 59Isaiah 59:9 word by word
עַל־כֵּ֗ן רָחַ֤ק מִשְׁפָּט֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תַשִּׂיגֵ֖נוּ צְדָקָ֑ה נְקַוֶּ֤ה לָאוֹר֙ וְהִנֵּה־חֹ֔שֶׁךְ לִנְגֹה֖וֹת בָּאֲפֵל֥וֹת נְהַלֵּֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore is judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
- farרָחַקrâchaq · to removeH7368
- from us, neither doth justiceצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
- overtakeנָשַׂגnâώag · to overtakeH5381
- us: we waitקָוָהqâvâh · to awaitH6960
- for lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
- but behold obscurityחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
- for brightnessנְגֹהָהnegôhâh · brightnessH5054
- we walkהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
- in darknessאֲפֵלָה'ăphêlâh · darknessH653
Cross-references for Isaiah 59:9
- Lamentations 5:16The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
- Habakkuk 1:13Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
- Isaiah 5:30In that day they will roar over it like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks at the land, there is only darkness and distress; even the sun will be darkened by clouds.
- Job 30:26Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness.
- Jeremiah 8:15We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror.
- Jeremiah 14:19Have you rejected Judah completely? Do you despise Zion? Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror.
- Amos 5:18Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord! Why do you long for the day of the Lord? That day will be darkness, not light.
- Micah 1:12Those who live in Maroth writhe in pain, waiting for relief, because disaster has come from the Lord, even to the gate of Jerusalem.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Commentaries on Isaiah 59:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Therefore is judgment far from us - This is the confession of the people that they were suffering not unjustly on account of their crimes. The word judgment‘ here is evidently to be taken in the sense of vengeance or vindication. The idea is this, we are subjected to calamities and to oppressions by our enemies. In our distresses we cry unto God, but on account of our sins he does not hear us, nor does he come to vindicate our cause.‘ Neither doth justice…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-15Verses 9-15 If we shut our eyes against the light of Divine truth, it is just with God to hide from our eyes the things that belong to our peace. The sins of those who profess themselves God's people, are worse than the sins of others. And the sins of a nation bring public judgments, when not restrained by public justice. Men may murmur under calamities, but nothing will truly profit while they reject Christ and his gospel.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-15Israel had a long history of turning away from God. The people often rebelled against him. In this passage, the prophet speaks for the nation. He admits their sins and expresses deep sorrow. He says they could not grasp the light of God’s salvation (they could not understand or receive the rescue God offered).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. judgment far--retribution in kind because they had shown "no judgment in their goings" (Is 59:8). "The vindication of our just rights by God is withheld by Him from us." us--In Is 59:8 and previous verses, it was "they," the third person; here, "us ... we," the first person. The nation here speaks: God thus making them out of their own mouth condemn themselves; just as He by His prophet had condemned them before. Isaiah includes himself with his people…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 59:9
In the dictionaries
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
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