Isaiah 58:5

58:4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. ye shall: or, ye fast not as this day

Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? a day: or, to afflict his soul for a day?

KJV

Save image

Is this the fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to humble his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under himself? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Yahweh?

Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?

Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? the heavy: Heb. the bundles of the yoke oppressed: Heb. broken

What does Isaiah 58:5 mean?

Isaiah 58:5 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include צוֹם (tsôwm), בָּחַר (bâchar), יוֹם (yôwm). It connects to 6 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

such

fastצוֹםtsôwm/tsome/H6685a fast

that

have

chosen?בָּחַרbâchar/baw-khar'/H977properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select

dayיוֹםyôwm/yome/H3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)

for

manאָדָםʼâdâm/aw-dawm'/H120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)

afflictעָנָהʻânâh/aw-naw'/H6031to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various applications, as follows)

his

soul?נֶפֶשׁnephesh/neh'-fesh/H5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)

bow

downכָּפַףkâphaph/kaw-faf'/H3721to curve

his

headרֹאשׁrôʼsh/roshe/H7218the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)

bulrush,אַגְמוֹןʼagmôwn/ag-mone'/H100a bulrush (as growing there); collectively a rope of bulrushes

and

spreadיַצַעyatsaʻ/yaw-tsah'/H3331to strew as a surface

sackclothשַׂקsaq/sak/H8242properly, a mesh (as allowing a liquid to run through), i.e. coarse loose cloth or sacking (used in mourning and for bagging); hence, a bag (for grain, etc.)

and

ashesאֵפֶרʼêpher/ay'-fer/H665ashes

under

him?

wilt

thou

callקָרָאqârâʼ/kaw-raw'/H7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)

thisזֶהzeh/zeh/H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

fast,צוֹםtsôwm/tsome/H6685a fast

and

acceptableרָצוֹןrâtsôwn/raw-tsone'/H7522delight (especially as shown)

the

LORD?יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

day:

or,

afflict

his

soul

for

day?

Commentary on Isaiah 58:5

HENRY_FULL · Isaiah 58:5

ing tongue hates those that are afflicted by it; it afflicts them by calumnies and reproaches because it hates them, and can thus smite them secretly where they are without defence; and it hates them because it has afflicted them and made them its enemies. The mischief of this is open and obvious; it afflicts, it hates, and owns it, and every body sees it. 2. A flattering lie, which secretly works the ruin of those it is spoken to. In the former the mischief is plain, and men guard against it as well as they can, but in this it is little suspected, and men betray themselves by being credulous of their own praises and the compliments that are passed upon them. A wise man therefore will be more afraid of a flatterer that kisses and kills than of a slanderer that proclaims war. Miscellaneous Maxims. 1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

1 Samuel 28:19

Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

Isaiah 56:12

Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Luke 12:19

And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

Luke 12:20

But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? thy: Gr. do they require thy soul

2 Corinthians 6:2

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

James 4:13

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

Topics

Fasting Hypocrisy Hypocrites

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 58:5.

Exodus 17:9

And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. Joshua: called Jesus

Exodus 18:25

And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

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 2:7

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. of the dust: Heb. dust of the ground

Genesis 3:8

And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. cool: Heb. wind

Genesis 5:1

This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

Genesis 5:2

Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

Genesis 6:2

That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 58:5 say?

Isaiah 58:5 (King James Version) reads: "Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? a day: or, to afflict his soul for a day?"

Is Isaiah 58:5 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 58:5 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 58:5, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on Isaiah 58:5 →

← 58:4 58:6 →