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 |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 46:8 | "Remember this and consider, O you adversaries. | (Recalls those acting against God) |
| Isa 48:1 | "Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came forth from the water of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right. | (Critique of insincere worship) |
| Isa 51:1 | "Hearken to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go forth from me, and my justice will become a light to the peoples. | (Call to heed divine word) |
| Jer 5:23 | But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned and gone away. | (Similar accusation of rebellion) |
| Jer 7:24 | Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but walked according to the counsels and the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward. | (Historical pattern of disobedience) |
| Ezek 3:7 | But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me, because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. | (Exlains refusal to listen to prophets) |
| Matt 13:15 | For this people’s heart has become dull, and with their ears they can hardly hear, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.” | (Jesus quotes Isaiah on hardened hearts) |
| Mark 4:12 | that "hearing they may hear and not understand, and seeing they may see and not perceive; | (Jesus uses the same imagery of hardened hearing and sight) |
| Acts 7:51 | “You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you also. | (Stephen condemns stubbornness) |
| Rom 2:5 | But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. | (Connects hard hearts to judgment) |
| 1 Cor 6:9-10 | Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. | (Lists those who will not inherit God's kingdom, implicitly those far from righteousness) |
| Gal 5:19-21 | Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these, of which I warn you, as I warned you, that those who do them will not inherit the kingdom of God. | (Illustrates actions of those far from righteousness) |
| Eph 4:17-19 | Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves over to sensuality, to greedy impurity in all of it. | (Explains the state of those alienated from God) |
| Phil 3:18-19 | For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with weeping, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, to whom the god of this world has blinded their minds. | (Describes enemies of the cross) |
| Heb 3:8 | do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion on the day of testing in the wilderness, | (Warns against hardening hearts) |
| Heb 3:15 | as it is said, "“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked me.” | (Repeats warning from Psalms) |
| 1 John 3:10 | By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. | (Defines lack of righteousness) |
Isaiah 46 verses
Isaiah 46 12 Meaning
Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness.
Isaiah 46 12 Context
This verse is part of a prophetic oracle addressed to Jerusalem and the people of Judah. It follows a discourse in chapter 45 and parts of chapter 46 where God contrasts Himself with the powerless idols of Babylon and declares His sovereignty and redemptive power. The preceding verses in chapter 46 emphasize that God, unlike idols, is the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer, able to carry His people and deliver them. Chapter 46:10-11 asserts God's ultimate plan and power, which cannot be thwarted.
The immediate context for verse 12 is a rebuke of the people of Judah who have shown a pattern of disobedience and a preference for their own ways over God's commands. Despite God's consistent faithfulness and power displayed throughout their history, they have become self-reliant, turning away from the divine guidance provided by His prophets and laws. They are described as "stubborn-hearted" and "far from righteousness." This refers to their spiritual and moral condition, which has distanced them from living according to God's just and holy standards. The message is a strong call to repentance and to recognize God's unchangeable character and His plan for them.
Isaiah 46 12 Word Analysis
- Listen (shəmaʿ – שְׁמַע): This Hebrew verb means to hear, to listen, to pay attention, and to obey. It carries a strong imperative for active engagement with God's word, not just auditory perception. It's a foundational command throughout the Old Testament, implying obedience. (Deut 6:4).
- Me (ʾəniy – אָנִי): Refers to God, the speaker.
- you (ʾaṯhɛm – אַתֶּם): Plural pronoun addressing the people of Judah.
- stubborn-hearted (qəšɛ yi-lēḇaḇ – קְשֵׁי־לֵבָב): Literally "hard of heart." The heart in Hebrew thought is the center of will, intellect, and emotion. A hard heart signifies a refusal to understand, to be moved, or to obey God's will. It reflects spiritual insensitivity and resistance to divine truth. (Ex 7:3, Ps 95:8).
- who are (ʾaḏer – אֲשֶׁר – imperfect verb implying a continuous state or quality): Connects the people to their current disposition.
- far from (raḥôq – רָחוֹק): Indicates a state of alienation or distance.
- righteousness (meṣāḥēq – מְשָׂפָט): While 'tzedek' (צֶדֶק) is the most common word for righteousness (justice, rightness, conformity to God's will), 'mishtaphat' (מְשָׂפָט) often refers to justice, judgment, or divine decree. In this context, it signifies a departure from God's righteous standards, judgments, and just dealings. It implies a moral and spiritual distance from living rightly before God and in relation to others. It is a consequence of their hardheartedness.
Group Analysis
The phrase "stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness" paints a vivid picture of a people recalcitrant in their spiritual and moral condition. Their refusal to truly hear and obey God has led to a state where they are morally and spiritually distant from living in alignment with God's just and true nature. This isn't merely intellectual disagreement, but a deep-seated disposition of will that rejects divine authority and ethical living. It signifies a rebellion against the very nature of God's kingdom.
Isaiah 46 12 Bonus Section
The concept of a "hard heart" (קְשֵׁי־לֵבָב) is a recurring theme in the Bible, often linked to the Exodus generation's resistance to God. It is precisely this hardened resistance that prevents people from receiving God's salvation and experiencing His kingdom. The prophetic oracle in Isaiah 46:12 serves as a timeless reminder that spiritual efficacy is contingent on an obedient, sensitive heart. Jesus Himself quoted Isaiah in Matthew 13:15 regarding the spiritual dullness of those who hear His word but do not truly understand or repent, thereby missing the opportunity for divine healing. This underscores that the human capacity to "hear" and "understand" is directly affected by the state of the heart.
Isaiah 46 12 Commentary
This verse is a sharp rebuke from God to His people, identifying the root cause of their problems: a hardened heart that results in spiritual and moral detachment. Their inability to receive God's truth and act righteously stems from an inner disposition that resists His ways. It highlights that true worship and relationship with God require an open heart, willing to learn, and a life lived in accordance with divine standards. God's call to "Listen to Me" underscores His authority and His desire for them to turn back to Him before judgment falls. This hardness of heart leads to actions that are not in line with divine justice and truth.