Isaiah 55:6 kjv
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isaiah 55:6 nkjv
Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
Isaiah 55:6 niv
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
Isaiah 55:6 esv
"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;
Isaiah 55:6 nlt
Seek the LORD while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near.
Isaiah 55 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:6 | Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. | The foundational invitation |
| Prov 1:28 | Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but will not find me. | Warning against delaying repentance |
| Jer 29:13 | You will seek me, and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. | Condition for finding God |
| Acts 17:27 | that they might seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, | God's universal accessibility |
| Rom 10:13 | For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” | Assurance of salvation |
| Psa 32:6 | Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. | Prayer in times of distress |
| Psa 69:13 | But let my prayer to you, O Lord, be for your favor. In your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. | God's response to prayer |
| Matt 7:7 | “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. | Principles of prayer |
| Luke 11:9 | And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. | Jesus' teaching on prayer |
| John 14:14 | If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. | Jesus' promise of answering prayer |
| 1 Chron 16:11 | Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! | Continuous seeking |
| 1 Chron 28:9 | “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the desires of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. | Conditions for God's presence |
| Psa 27:8 | You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, O Lord, do I seek.” | Seeking God's presence |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. | Access through grace |
| Deut 4:29 | but if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him, if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. | Seeking with sincerity |
| 2 Chron 15:4 | but in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them. | God found by those in distress |
| Amos 5:4 | For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live; | The consequence of seeking God |
| Amos 5:14 | Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. | Seeking what is good |
| Josh 1:9 | Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” | God's presence for the obedient |
| John 3:16 | “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. | The ultimate means of finding God |
Isaiah 55 verses
Isaiah 55 6 Meaning
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. This verse is an urgent invitation to turn to God. It emphasizes the opportune moment for seeking Him and highlights the accessibility of God to those who earnestly call upon Him. It implies a future time when His presence might be less readily available, urging immediate action.
Isaiah 55 6 Context
This verse is part of the "Servant Songs" section of Isaiah, specifically chapters 52-53, which speak of the suffering and eventual exaltation of God's Servant (often understood as referring to Israel, the Messiah, or both). Chapter 55 concludes this section and moves into a strong invitation to repentance and restoration, a message of hope and a future covenant. The surrounding verses (Isaiah 55:1-5) speak of God's abundant provision, His unfailing covenant love, and His future exaltation of His Servant before the nations. The message is a powerful call to embrace God's offered salvation and abundant life, particularly directed towards the exiles returning from Babylon, offering them a new beginning in relationship with God. The implication of "while he may be found" is linked to God's established channels of grace and His responsiveness to genuine seeking during the current era of His active invitation.
Isaiah 55 6 Word Analysis
Seek (דרשו - darashu): From the root (דרך - dāráš), meaning to tread, to go to and fro, hence to seek, to resort to, to ask, to seek after, to require, to search for, to desire. It implies diligent, purposeful searching, not a casual glance. It carries the sense of actively inquiring, investigating, and applying oneself to find something or someone. In this context, it is a fervent call to search for the Lord with earnestness and persistence.
the Lord (יהוה - YHWH): The personal covenant name of God, often translated as "LORD" in capital letters. This name signifies God's eternal existence, His faithfulness to His promises, and His active engagement with His people. It emphasizes a relationship between the seeker and the personal, living God.
while (בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ - behimmāṣĕ'ô): This is a construct infinitive of the Piel stem of the verb (מצא - māṣā'), meaning to find. The "b" prefix signifies "in" or "while," and the suffix "ô" refers to "He" (the Lord). So, literally, "in his being found" or "while He is found." This phrasing suggests a specific period or condition during which God is particularly accessible and responsive.
he may be found (יִמָּצֵא - yimmāṣē'): This is the Hif'il (causative) perfect third-person masculine singular of the verb (מצא - māṣā'), meaning "to find." The Hif'il conjugation implies that God is allowing Himself to be found, or He is actively making Himself available. The use of the perfect tense often describes a completed action with present results or a certainty of the action. Here, it conveys the idea that God is findable, accessible in this present time.
call (קִרְאוּ - qir'ū): The imperative second-person masculine plural of the verb (קָרָא - qārā'), meaning to call, to call out, to invoke. It signifies to utter a name, to cry out, to make a plea or a request. It denotes active engagement and addressing God directly.
on him (בּוֹ - bô): The preposition "b" (בְּ - be) meaning "in" or "on," attached to the third-person masculine singular pronoun "ô" (וֹ - ō) meaning "him." So, "upon him" or "in relation to him." This indicates direct address and reliance.
while (בִּהְיוֹתוֹ - bihyōtô): Similar to "behimmāṣĕ'ô," this is a construct infinitive of the Hiphil stem of (היה - hāyâ), meaning "to be." The "b" prefix again signifies "in" or "while," and "ô" is the third-person masculine singular suffix. It means "while he is" or "in his being."
he is near (קָרוֹב - qārôḇ): A masculine singular adjective meaning near, close at hand. This describes God's proximity to those who call upon Him. It signifies accessibility, availability, and intimacy in His relationship with humanity.
Groups of words analysis:
- "Seek the Lord while he may be found": This phrase encapsulates a core principle of seeking a relationship with God during the period of His active invitation and accessibility. It’s a call to seize the moment of divine availability.
- "call on him while he is near": This reinforces the previous thought, emphasizing that God is not distant but accessible to those who call to Him in prayer. His nearness is a certainty when we call.
Isaiah 55 6 Bonus Section
The concept of seeking God "while he may be found" can also be understood in light of eschatological considerations. While God is always present, specific historical periods might be described as times when His salvific purposes are more openly revealed or accessible in certain ways. For instance, the era of the Old Covenant, or the "accepted time" mentioned in 2 Corinthians 6:2, which connects directly to the theme of God's accessibility in the present moment of grace before final judgment. The urgency in Isaiah 55:6 echoes throughout Scripture, highlighting the preciousness of the present moment to respond to God's call to relationship.
Isaiah 55 6 Commentary
This is a profound call to immediate spiritual engagement. It doesn't mean God ever becomes unfindable, but rather that there are times of particular divine availability and responsiveness. The "while He may be found" suggests an open door to fellowship with God through prayer and obedience. To "call on Him while He is near" is an invitation to experience His presence and receive His blessings, emphasizing that He draws near to those who draw near to Him. It is an exhortation to seek a personal, living relationship with the God of Israel, especially relevant to the remnant returning from exile, and by extension, to all humanity throughout history, urging them not to delay in turning to God before a time of greater separation or finality.
- Practical Usage:
- Don't postpone making things right with God; do it now.
- When facing difficulties or seeking guidance, actively and sincerely pray to God, knowing He is accessible.
- Cultivate a continuous practice of seeking God's presence and calling on His name.