Isaiah 3:11 kjv
Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
Isaiah 3:11 nkjv
Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, For the reward of his hands shall be given him.
Isaiah 3:11 niv
Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done.
Isaiah 3:11 esv
Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.
Isaiah 3:11 nlt
But the wicked are doomed,
for they will get exactly what they deserve.
Isaiah 3 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 1:4-6 | "The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away… the way of the wicked will perish." | The destiny of the wicked contrasts the righteous. |
| Ps 7:16 | "His mischief will return upon his own head, and his violence will come down on his own scalp." | Evil deeds boomerang upon the doer. |
| Ps 28:4 | "Give them according to their work... repay them what they have earned." | Prayer for God to deal with the wicked justly. |
| Ps 62:12 | "For You render to each man according to his work." | God's justice: recompense for deeds. |
| Prov 1:31 | "They will eat the fruit of their way and be gorged with their own schemes." | Consequences of neglecting wisdom. |
| Prov 5:22 | "The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin." | Sin's self-binding nature. |
| Prov 24:12 | "Will not He who weighs the heart perceive it? And will not He who keeps your soul know it? And will He not render to man according to his work?" | God knows and repays according to deeds. |
| Isa 59:18 | "According to their deeds, so will he repay; wrath to his foes, recompense to his enemies…" | God's assured vengeance and recompense. |
| Jer 2:19 | "Your own evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you." | Sin carries its inherent punishment. |
| Jer 17:10 | "I the LORD search the heart… to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds." | God's assessment and reward for actions. |
| Hos 10:13 | "You have ploughed wickedness; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies." | Principle of sowing and reaping (negatively). |
| Mal 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace… all the arrogant and evildoers will be stubble." | Future judgment on the wicked. |
| Matt 16:27 | "For the Son of Man is going to come... and then he will repay each person according to what he has done." | Christ's future judgment based on deeds. |
| Rom 2:6 | "He will render to each one according to his works." | God's impartial judgment based on actions. |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." | The ultimate consequence of sin. |
| Gal 6:7-8 | "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." | Universal spiritual law of sowing and reaping. |
| 2 Cor 5:10 | "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." | Believers also face assessment of their deeds. |
| 2 Tim 4:14 | "Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds." | Paul's expectation of divine retribution. |
| Rev 18:6 | "Pay her back even as she has paid, and render to her double according to her deeds; in the cup that she mixed, mix double for her." | Retributive justice on Babylon in Revelation. |
| Rev 20:13 | "And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." | Final judgment based on earthly actions. |
| Rev 22:12 | "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done." | Christ's promise of swift and just retribution. |
| Deut 32:4 | "The Rock, His work is perfect, For all His ways are justice; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He." | God's character as a just and righteous judge. |
Isaiah 3 verses
Isaiah 3 11 Meaning
This verse delivers a strong pronouncement of divine judgment, declaring a severe "woe" and inevitable suffering upon those who consistently reject God's righteousness. It affirms that the very evil actions performed by the wicked will assuredly and justly recoil upon them as their due recompense, manifesting God's perfect moral order and righteous retribution.
Isaiah 3 11 Context
Isaiah chapter 3 provides a stark prophecy concerning Judah and Jerusalem, portraying a society in severe moral and social decline, heading towards divine judgment. The chapter describes the removal of wise leaders, judges, and skilled persons (vv. 1-7), leading to chaos where the insolent youth oppress the elders. The verse immediately preceding Isaiah 3:11, verse 10, states, "Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds." Thus, verse 11 stands in sharp contrast, establishing a universal principle of divine justice: prosperity and well-being for the righteous, and dire consequences and suffering for the wicked. This specific verse condemns the moral bankruptcy, social injustice, and outright rebellion against God's law prevalent in Judah, declaring the inevitability of God's righteous recompense for their corrupt actions. The historical context is Judah in the 8th century BC, a time of internal decay and external threats, where religious formalism often masked profound ethical corruption.
Isaiah 3 11 Word analysis
Woe (Hebrew: אָיוֹי, 'oy): This is a powerful interjection conveying a lament, a cry of sorrow, or, more emphatically in prophetic contexts, a pronouncement of judgment or curse. It signals a dire, often irreversible, misfortune or catastrophe. Its use here indicates not just an unfortunate outcome but a divinely ordained doom for a specific class of people. It is not a lament from the prophet but a declarative statement of impending divine wrath.
to the wicked (Hebrew: לָרָשָׁע, la-rasha'): The word רָשָׁע (rasha') refers to those who are unrighteous, guilty, or legally condemned. It characterizes individuals who defy God's commands, act oppressively, and demonstrate moral depravity. Unlike simply being 'evil,' a rasha' is often described as deliberately disregarding God's covenant, exploiting the vulnerable, or pursuing paths contrary to divine law.
It shall be ill with him: This phrase speaks to the certainty of the negative outcome. The consequences of their wickedness are not merely possible but certain and adverse, leading to suffering, calamity, or distress. It signifies a reversal of fortune, where prosperity turns into misery.
for (Hebrew: כִּי, ki): This causal conjunction introduces the reason or justification for the preceding declaration of "woe" and the state of being "ill." It points to the direct cause-and-effect relationship between actions and consequences.
what his hands have done: "Hands" are a common biblical metaphor representing action, deeds, agency, and productive effort. This phrase refers to the sum total of one's practical conduct, decisions, and actual performance. It underscores the personal responsibility for their choices and behavior, encompassing every harmful or unjust act committed.
shall be done to him: This passive construction highlights that the retribution is either directly meted out by God or comes as a natural, unavoidable consequence, reflecting the exact nature of their prior actions. It embodies the principle of lex talionis (retributive justice), not necessarily in precise physical equivalence but in equitable correspondence—the punishment will fittingly align with the gravity and nature of their deeds. It reinforces the idea of self-inflicted judgment, where their own actions become the instruments of their downfall.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him": This phrase serves as a divine oracle of doom, a pronouncement of judgment directly from God. It highlights the divine rejection of wickedness and the assured onset of suffering for those who choose a path of rebellion and injustice. It carries the weight of prophecy and theological certainty regarding consequences for defiance.
- "for what his hands have done shall be done to him": This clause lays out the fundamental theological principle of retributive justice or the law of sowing and reaping. It explains why the wicked suffer: their own actions bring about their downfall. It implies a perfect divine equilibrium where deeds committed—especially those that harm or transgress God's law—will inevitably return to the perpetrator in a commensurate manner, ensuring ultimate justice.
Isaiah 3 11 Bonus section
The absolute certainty conveyed by this verse ("It shall be ill," "shall be done") underscores God's unchangeable character as a just judge (Deut 32:4). It forms part of Isaiah's consistent emphasis on the principle that people reap what they sow, both for blessing (as in Isa 3:10) and for judgment. This divine law of recompense serves as a powerful deterrent against sin and an enduring promise of hope for the victims of injustice, ensuring that evil will not prevail eternally unchecked. This concept is a core element in the theology of wisdom literature and prophets, demonstrating that the moral universe operates according to God’s fixed decrees.
Isaiah 3 11 Commentary
Isaiah 3:11 is a core declaration of divine justice, encapsulating a foundational principle woven throughout Scripture: personal responsibility for one's actions and the certainty of just recompense. The "woe" is a solemn pronouncement from God Himself, not a mere expression of human pity, but an indictment with judicial weight. This verse contrasts sharply with the preceding verse's promise of well-being for the righteous, underscoring God's consistent moral governance. "What his hands have done shall be done to him" speaks to a precise, equitable retribution. This is not arbitrary punishment but a direct outcome—whether by divine decree or the inherent self-destructive nature of sin—where the wicked's own deeds become the very instrument or cause of their suffering. It assures both the oppressed of ultimate vindication and serves as a profound warning to the oppressor, affirming that God’s perfect character demands an accounting for every act.