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Isaiah 59:16

59:15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. maketh: or, is accounted mad it displeased: Heb. it was evil in his eyes
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.

KJV

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He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor. Therefore his own arm brought salvation to him; and his righteousness sustained him.

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.

And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation to him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

59:17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.

What does Isaiah 59:16 mean?

Isaiah 59:16 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include רָאָה (râʼâh), אִישׁ (ʼîysh), שָׁמֵם (shâmêm). It connects to 34 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
he
sawרָאָהrâʼâh/raw-aw'/H7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
that
there
was
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)
and
wonderedשָׁמֵםshâmêm/shaw-mame'/H8074to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a passive sense)
that
there
was
no
intercessor:פָּגַעpâgaʻ/paw-gah'/H6293to impinge, by accident or violence, or (figuratively) by importunity
therefore
his
armזְרוֹעַzᵉrôwaʻ/zer-o'-ah/H2220the arm (as stretched out), or (of animals) the foreleg; figuratively, force
brought
salvationיָשַׁעyâshaʻ/yaw-shah'/H3467properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor
unto
him;
and
his
righteousness,צְדָקָהtsᵉdâqâh/tsed-aw-kaw'/H6666rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity)
it
sustainedסָמַךְçâmak/saw-mak'/H5564to prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense)
him.

Commentary on Isaiah 59:16

HENRY_FULL · Isaiah 59:16
turbance of the public repose: For the transgression of a land, and a general defection from God and religion to idolatry, profaneness, or immorality, many are the princes thereof, many at the same time pretending to the sovereignty and contending for it, by which the people are crumbled into parties and factions, biting and devouring one another, or many successively, in a little time, one cutting off another, as 1 Kings xvi. 8 , &c., or soon cut off by the hand of God or of a foreign enemy, as 2 Kings xxiv. 5 , &c. As the people suffer for the sins of the prince, Delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi— Kings play the madmen, and their people suffer for it, 3 A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food. See here, 1. How hard-hearted poor people frequently are to one another, not only not doing such good offices as they might do one to another, but imposing upon and ove

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

1 Samuel 15:14

And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

1 Samuel 22:14

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

1 Samuel 22:15

Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more. less: Heb. little or great

1 Samuel 23:19

Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? on: Heb. on the right hand Jeshimon: or, the wilderness

1 Kings 18:18

And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

1 Kings 18:21

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. opinions: or, thoughts

1 Kings 20:41

And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.

1 Kings 20:42

And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.

1 Kings 21:19

And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

1 Kings 21:20

And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

1 Kings 22:19

And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

2 Kings 3:13

And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

2 Kings 3:14

And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

Nehemiah 5:7

Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. I consulted: Heb. my heart consulted in me

Nehemiah 13:8Nehemiah 13:17Nehemiah 13:23Nehemiah 13:28Psalms 10:3Psalms 49:18Jeremiah 5:30Matthew 3:7Matthew 3:15Matthew 14:4Acts 12:22Acts 15:2Acts 19:9Acts 24:2Romans 1:32Galatians 2:3Ephesians 5:111 Thessalonians 2:21 John 4:5Jude 1:3

Topics

Salvation

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 59:16.

Isaiah 63:5

And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.

Amos 5:19

As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

Isaiah 64:5

Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 59:16 say?

Isaiah 59:16 (King James Version) reads: "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."

Is Isaiah 59:16 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 59:16 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 59:16, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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