Bible/Isaiah/50

Isaiah 50:2

50:1 Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.

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Why, when I came, was there no one? when I called, why was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it can’t redeem? or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea. I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stink, because there is no water, and die for thirst.

Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.

Why, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinks, because there is no water, and dies for thirst.

50:3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

What does Isaiah 50:2 mean?

Isaiah 50:2 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include בּוֹא (bôwʼ), אִישׁ (ʼîysh), קָרָא (qârâʼ). It connects to 11 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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Wherefore,
when
I
came,בּוֹאbôwʼ/bo/H935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
was
there
no
man?אִישׁʼîysh/eesh/H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
when
I
called,קָרָאqârâʼ/kaw-raw'/H7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
was
there
none
to
answer?עָנָהʻânâh/aw-naw'/H6030properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce
Is
my
handיָדyâd/yawd/H3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
shortenedקָצַרqâtsar/kaw-tsar'/H7114to dock off, i.e. curtail (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative); especially to harvest (grass or grain)
at
all,קָצַרqâtsar/kaw-tsar'/H7114to dock off, i.e. curtail (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative); especially to harvest (grass or grain)
that
it
cannot
redeem?פְּדוּתpᵉdûwth/ped-ooth'/H6304distinction; also deliverance
or
have
I
no
powerכֹּחַkôach/ko'-akh/H3581vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its hardiness) a large lizard
to
deliver?נָצַלnâtsal/naw-tsal'/H5337to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense
behold,
at
my
rebukeגְּעָרָהgᵉʻârâh/gheh-aw-raw'/H1606a chiding
I
dry
upחָרַבchârab/khaw-rab'/H2717to parch (through drought) i.e. (by analogy,) to desolate, destroy, kill
the
sea,יָםyâm/yawm/H3220a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south
I
makeשׂוּםsûwm/soom/H7760to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
the
riversנָהָרnâhâr/naw-hawr'/H5104a stream (including the sea; expectation the Nile, Euphrates, etc.); figuratively, prosperity
a
wilderness:מִדְבָּרmidbâr/mid-bawr'/H4057a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)
their
fishדָּגָהdâgâh/daw-gaw'/H1710{a fish (often used collectively)}
stinketh,בָּאַשׁbâʼash/baw-ash'/H887to smell bad; figuratively, to be offensive morally
because
there
is
no
water,מַיִםmayim/mah'-yim/H4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
and
diethמוּתmûwth/mooth/H4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
for
thirst.צָמָאtsâmâʼ/tsaw-maw'/H6772thirst (literally or figuratively)

Commentary on Isaiah 50:2

HENRY_FULL · Isaiah 50:2
ll never want excuses to shake it off. Multitudes are ruined, both for soul and body, by their slothfulness, and yet still they have something or other to say for themselves, so ingenious are men in putting a cheat upon their own souls. And who, I pray, will be the gainer at last, when the pretences will be all rejected as vain and frivolous? 2. Many frighten themselves from real duties by imaginary difficulties: The slothful man has work to do without in the fields, but he fancies there is a lion there; nay, he pretends he dares not go along the streets for fear somebody or other should meet him and kill him. He does not himself think so; he only says so to those that call him up. He talks of a lion without, but considers not his real danger from the devil, that roaring lion, which is in bed with him, and from his own slothfulness, which kills him. 14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. This is designed to warn all young men

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Job 14:4

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. can: Heb. will give

Psalms 51:5

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. conceive: Heb. warm me

Isaiah 19:18

In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. the language: Heb. the lip of destruction: or, of Heres, or, of the sun

Isaiah 23:13

Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

Isaiah 23:14

Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.

Isaiah 29:15

Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

Isaiah 29:17

Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

John 3:6

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Ephesians 2:3

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. desires: Gr. wills

Hebrews 12:10

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. after: or, as seemed good, or, meet to them

Hebrews 12:11

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Topics

Jesus, The ChristProvidence of God, theRedemptionRiversSea, the

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 50:2.

Genesis 2:19

And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. Adam: or, the man

Genesis 2:23

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Woman: Heb. Isha Man: Heb. Ish

Genesis 24:22

And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold; earring: or, jewel for the forehead

Genesis 24:30

And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.

Genesis 5:29

And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed. Noah: Gr. Noe: that is Rest, or, Comfort

Genesis 8:9

But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. pulled: Heb. caused her to come

Genesis 9:5

And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 50:2 say?

Isaiah 50:2 (King James Version) reads: "Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst."

Is Isaiah 50:2 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 50:2 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 50:2, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on Isaiah 50:2
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