Isaiah 43:27 kjv
Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.
Isaiah 43:27 nkjv
Your first father sinned, And your mediators have transgressed against Me.
Isaiah 43:27 niv
Your first father sinned; those I sent to teach you rebelled against me.
Isaiah 43:27 esv
Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me.
Isaiah 43:27 nlt
From the very beginning, your first ancestor sinned against me;
all your leaders broke my laws.
Isaiah 43 27 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 43:27 | Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me. | Abraham's early missteps and Israel's covenant failures |
| Jer 2:27 | ...for they have said to a stock, “You are my father,” and to a stone, “You gave birth to me.” ... | Idolatry of Israel |
| Hos 5:7 | They have dealt treacherously against the LORD, for they have borne false children. Now a month shall consume them with their fields. | Spiritual unfaithfulness of Israel |
| Ezek 22:26 | Her priests have violated my law and profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have hidden their eyes from my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. | Priestly corruption in Jerusalem |
| Mal 2:8 | But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your teaching, and you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts. | Corruption in the Levitical priesthood |
| John 8:44 | You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of lies. | Jesus' indictment of the religious leaders |
| Rom 3:23 | ...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God... | Universal sinfulness of humanity |
| 1 Cor 10:13 | No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. | God's faithfulness amidst temptation |
| Gal 3:19 | Then why the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made. | The purpose of the law |
| 1 John 1:8 | If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. | Self-deception regarding sin |
| Rev 21:8 | But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. | Consequences for sin |
| Psalm 51:5 | Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. | Inherited sin |
| Deut 9:5 | “It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God drives them out before you... | God's judgment based on the nations' sin |
| Lev 10:1-2 | Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered wrong fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded him. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. | Presumptuous worship |
| Num 20:12 | But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe me, to uphold me as holy before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given to them.” | Moses' disobedience |
| 2 Kings 17:22 | They did not take heed to the ways of the LORD but rejected his statutes and his covenant ... | Israel's repeated disobedience |
| Jer 3:6-10 | ... Moreover, the LORD said to me in the days of King Josiah, “Have you seen what treacherous Israel has done? She has gone back from me to whoredom. She has put away her husband. ... | Spiritual adultery of Israel |
| Hosea's entire book | Analyzed the theme of God's broken covenant due to Israel's idolatry and unfaithfulness. | Prophet Hosea's message to Israel |
| Romans 7:18-24 | ...For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. For I do not do the good that I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. ... | Paul's struggle with sin |
| Genesis 3:1-7 | The fall of Adam and Eve, the original sin. | The first sin |
Isaiah 43 verses
Isaiah 43 27 Meaning
This verse declares God's righteous judgment upon His people, Israel, who have rebelled and sinned. Their leaders and priests have transgressed against God, defiling His sanctuary and profaning what is holy.
Isaiah 43 27 Context
Chapter 43 of Isaiah focuses on God's redemption and restoration of Israel. It speaks of God's covenant love and His power to deliver them from exile. The verse in question, however, shifts to address the spiritual decay and sin that have led to their judgment and dispersion. It contrasts God's faithfulness with Israel's deep-seated unfaithfulness, which originated in their forefathers and has been perpetuated by their leaders. This verse sets the stage for God's continued indictment of His people, highlighting the pervasive nature of their sin.
Isaiah 43 27 Word analysis
- Yeledta (יְלֶדְתָ): From the root Y-L-D (ילד), meaning "to bear," "to beget," "to give birth to." It is in the perfect tense, 2nd person feminine singular, referring to "you." However, in this context, it is interpreted as referring to a collective "you" or "your lineage."
- Rishon (רִאשׁוֹן): Meaning "first," "former," or "chief." Here, it refers to their "first ancestor" or "forefather," generally understood as Adam, or potentially Abraham, symbolizing the beginning of their people's sinfulness.
- Khadaph (חָדַף): From the root Ch-D-P (חדף), meaning "to reproach," "to defile," "to stain," or "to act shamefully." It is used here in the Niphal conjugation, passive or reflexive, meaning "was defiled" or "was stained."
- Avoteka (אֲבוֹתֶיךָ): Meaning "your fathers." This plural noun refers to their ancestors.
- Zadu (זָדוּ): From the root Z-D-H (זדה), meaning "to be insolent," "to be presumptuous," "to sin arrogantly." It implies a willful and deliberate sinning.
- Anukhu (אָנוּכִי): Meaning "I."
- Malitzayich (מְלִיצַיִךְ): From the root M-L-TZ (מליץ), meaning "interpreter," "spokesman," "mediator," or "intercessor." Here it refers to their leaders, priests, or perhaps prophets who should have mediated God's will.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Your first father sinned": This points to the original sin inherited from the first ancestor, likely Adam, which brought sin into humanity. It also signifies a generational pattern of sin that affected the patriarchs.
- "and your mediators transgressed against me": This highlights the failure of those appointed to intercede and guide the people. Their sinfulness corrupted the covenant relationship.
Isaiah 43 27 Bonus section
The concept of "mediators" (malitzayich) here can be seen as foreshadowing the need for a perfect mediator, which Christians believe is Jesus Christ. The verse emphasizes that human mediators have failed, underscoring the unique and essential role of Christ in bridging the gap between a holy God and sinful humanity, fulfilling what Israel's leaders could not. The inherent sinfulness described in this verse connects to the doctrine of original sin, where the consequences of Adam's fall are transmitted to all humanity, making redemption a universal necessity.
Isaiah 43 27 Commentary
This verse presents a foundational theological concept of inherited sin and the corrupting influence of leadership. It shows that the people's plight is not solely due to their immediate actions but is rooted in a lineage of sin starting from their earliest ancestors and exacerbated by the failures of their spiritual and political leaders. Their leaders, who should have been mediators representing them before God and guiding them in righteousness, instead acted with insolence and transgression, bringing them under God's judgment. This is a stark reminder of the pervasive nature of sin and the critical role of righteous leadership in maintaining a covenant relationship with God.