Isaiah 46:12 kjv
Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:
Isaiah 46:12 nkjv
"Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, Who are far from righteousness:
Isaiah 46:12 niv
Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness.
Isaiah 46:12 esv
"Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness:
Isaiah 46:12 nlt
"Listen to me, you stubborn people
who are so far from doing right.
Isaiah 46 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 81:8 | "Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you; O Israel, if you will listen to Me!" | God calls His people to listen |
| Deu 6:4 | "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!" | Fundamental command to heed God's oneness |
| Isa 55:3 | "Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live;" | Invitation to hear for spiritual life |
| Matt 11:15 | "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" | Jesus' frequent call to deep listening |
| Rev 2:7 | "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." | Call to heed the Spirit's message |
| Ex 7:13 | Still Pharaoh's heart grew hard; neither would he heed them, as the LORD had said. | Example of a stouthearted individual |
| Ex 9:12 | But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had spoken... | Divine hardening due to sustained rejection |
| Deut 10:16 | "Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stiff-necked." | Command to soften and purify the heart |
| Zech 7:12 | "Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law..." | Israel's historical stubbornness described |
| Acts 7:51 | "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit;" | Stephen's rebuke against stubbornness |
| Rom 2:5 | "But in accordance with your hardness and impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath..." | Hardness of heart leading to judgment |
| Heb 3:7-8 | Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts..." | Warning against spiritual stubbornness |
| Psa 78:8 | "And may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright," | Historical lesson on unrepentant hearts |
| Isa 53:6 | "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way;" | Universal human deviation from righteousness |
| Rom 3:10 | As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;" | Theological statement of universal unrighteousness |
| Rom 3:23 | "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," | Declaration of humanity's sinful state |
| Eph 2:12 | "...that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." | Spiritual distance from God and His truth |
| Isa 59:2 | "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you..." | Sin as the cause of spiritual separation |
| James 4:8 | "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." | Invitation to overcome spiritual distance |
| Phil 3:9 | "...and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;" | The true source of righteousness |
| Rom 10:3 | For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted... | Rejecting God's righteousness for self-effort |
| Psa 34:18 | The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. | God's disposition toward humble hearts |
| Jer 4:4 | "Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your hearts..." | Call for internal spiritual cleansing |
Isaiah 46 verses
Isaiah 46 12 Meaning
This verse is a direct and forceful summons from God to a specific group: those who are internally stubborn, self-reliant, and spiritually unyielding against His word, and consequently live estranged from His divine moral standards and saving purposes. It is a divine invitation to pay attention, yet it also carries a sharp rebuke, highlighting their profound spiritual condition of hardness of heart and distance from all that is right in God's eyes.
Isaiah 46 12 Context
Isaiah chapter 46 is situated within the "Book of Comfort" (chapters 40-55), delivered to God's people in Babylonian exile. These chapters serve to reassure Israel of God's sovereign power, His unique identity as the one true God, and His unswerving plan of salvation and restoration. Chapters 46 and 47 specifically launch a potent polemic against Babylonian idolatry and pride. God explicitly contrasts Himself—who "carries" His people from birth to old age (46:3-4) and has predetermined events—with the lifeless, burdensome idols of Babylon that must be carried by weary animals (46:1-2) and are utterly powerless to save. Verse 12 is a direct and poignant address within this overarching message, targeting individuals who might be internalizing the worldview of their pagan captors, or who are generally obstinate and resist God's clear declarations of His power and uniqueness, standing "far from righteousness" despite God's self-revelation. It prepares the way for God's immediate declaration in verse 13 that He is bringing salvation and righteousness near.
Isaiah 46 12 Word analysis
"Hearken" (שִׁמְעוּ - shimʿū): This is a strong imperative verb, "Listen!", "Hear!" from the root shamaʿ. It means much more than merely perceiving sounds; it implies listening with intent to understand, consider, and respond in obedience. It is a direct and authoritative divine summons.
"unto me": This prepositional phrase emphasizes the speaker – God Himself. It underscores the divine authority and singular importance of the message, distinguishing it from any human or idolatrous claim.
"ye stouthearted" (אַבִּירֵי לֵב - ʾabbîrê lêḇ): Literally "mighty of heart" or "strong of heart." In this context, it is not a compliment of courage but a condemnation of spiritual obstinacy, stubbornness, pride, and an unwillingness to bend one's will to God. Their "strength" lies in their rigid refusal to acknowledge God's truth or repent of their sin. This is the opposite of a "broken and contrite heart" (Psa 51:17).
"that are far" (רְחוֹקִים - rĕḥôqîm): Meaning "distant," "removed," or "separated." This indicates not merely physical distance but a deep spiritual and moral separation. It signifies their alienated condition from God's character and requirements.
"from righteousness" (מִצְּדָקָה - mitsṣĕḏāqāh): From tsĕdāqāh, which encompasses God's just character, His covenant faithfulness, His standards for moral uprightness, and His acts of salvation. To be "far from righteousness" means to be distant from God's way of being, His saving activity, and any uprightness aligned with His will. This phrase diagnoses the spiritual state resulting from their "stoutheartedness."
Words-group analysis:
- "Hearken unto me": A commanding but also inviting call from the sovereign God, demanding profound attention and an internal reception of His revealed word, setting the stage for a critical declaration.
- "ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness": This collective phrase powerfully describes the challenging audience. Their "stoutheartedness" describes their unyielding, often prideful, and unrepentant internal disposition. This stubbornness manifests externally as being "far from righteousness," signifying a lifestyle and spiritual state of alienation from God's just and saving ways. It pinpoints the core problem that God intends to address and ultimately rectify through His divine action.
Isaiah 46 12 Bonus section
- This verse provides a crucial link between the descriptions of God's unique identity (who carries and saves) and His direct promise of bringing righteousness and salvation near (v. 13). The stark contrast highlights God's initiative: despite human obstinacy and distance, God is actively closing the gap through His salvific plan.
- The concept of the "heart" in Hebrew thought (
lev) encompasses the whole inner being—intellect, emotion, and will. Thus, being "stouthearted" denotes a profound and comprehensive resistance to God at every level of one's being, not just an emotional state. - This specific address against the "stouthearted" within the context of the Babylonian exile functions as a strong polemic. It challenges the self-assurance of a pagan empire, but also corrects any within Israel who might be tempted by Babylon's apparent strength and its false deities, or who are otherwise resistant to God's prophetic message through pride or cynicism. God is telling them they cannot out-stubborn or out-wait His divine plan.
Isaiah 46 12 Commentary
Isaiah 46:12 serves as a pivotal address within God's larger discourse against idolatry and His promise of deliverance. The Lord, the unrivaled carrier and savior of His people (v. 3-4), specifically calls out those whose hearts are hardened and unyielding—whether they be individuals among His chosen people struggling with unfaithfulness or even the pagan oppressors. Their "stoutheartedness" represents an obstinate self-sufficiency, a refusal to submit to divine truth, often coupled with an arrogant reliance on their own strength or the impotence of idols, rather than God's sovereign power. This internal hardness inevitably leads them "far from righteousness," implying a separation from God's moral law, His saving grace, and His true covenant relationship. God does not shy away from exposing this spiritual illness, yet His call to "Hearken" also subtly contains an implicit offer: for these same distant and rebellious hearts to turn and listen, hinting at the profound offer of salvation that follows in the very next verse. It is a divine confrontational grace, challenging their defiance even as He prepares to demonstrate His redemptive power.