Bible/Isaiah/63

Isaiah 63:17

63:16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting. our redeemer: or, our redeemer from everlasting is thy name
O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

KJV

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O Yahweh, why do you make us wander from your ways, and harden our heart from your fear? Return for your servants’ sake, the tribes of your inheritance.

O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

O LORD, why have you made us to err from your ways, and hardened our heart from your fear? Return for your servants’ sake, the tribes of your inheritance.

63:18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary.

What does Isaiah 63:17 mean?

Isaiah 63:17 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh), תָּעָה (tâʻâh), דֶּרֶךְ (derek).

Hebrew interlinear

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O
LORD,יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
why
hast
thou
made
us
to
errתָּעָהtâʻâh/taw-aw'/H8582to vacillate, i.e. reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causative of both
from
thy
ways,דֶּרֶךְderek/deh'-rek/H1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
and
hardenedקָשַׁחqâshach/kaw-shakh'/H7188to be (causatively, make) unfeeling
our
heartלֵבlêb/labe/H3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
from
thy
fear?יִרְאָהyirʼâh/yir-aw'/H3374fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence
Returnשׁוּבshûwb/shoob/H7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
for
thy
servants'עֶבֶדʻebed/eh'-bed/H5650a servant
sake,
the
tribesשֵׁבֶטshêbeṭ/shay'-bet/H7626a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan
of
thine
inheritance.נַחֲלָהnachălâh/nakh-al-aw'/H5159properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 63:17.

Genesis 18:5

And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. comfort: Heb. stay are: Heb. you have passed

Genesis 19:2

And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

Genesis 20:14

And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

Genesis 24:5

And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

Genesis 33:16

So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

Genesis 6:5

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. every: or, the whole imagination: the Hebrew word signifieth not only the imagination, but also the purposes and desires continually: Heb. every day

Genesis 6:6

And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Genesis 8:21

And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. a sweet: Heb. a savour of rest or, satisfaction for the imagination: or, through the imagination

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 63:17 say?

Isaiah 63:17 (King James Version) reads: "O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance."

Is Isaiah 63:17 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 63:17 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 63:17, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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