Isaiah 55:7 kjv
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55:7 nkjv
Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55:7 niv
Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Isaiah 55:7 esv
let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55:7 nlt
Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.
Isaiah 55 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 1:18 | "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow..." | Forgiveness of sins |
| Isaiah 6:7 | "And he touched my mouth and said, 'Behold, this has touched your lips. Your iniquity is taken away, and your sin atoned for.'" | Atonement offered |
| Isaiah 43:25 | "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins." | God's prerogative |
| Isaiah 61:1 | "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor..." | Messiah's proclamation |
| Jeremiah 3:1 | "If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him and becomes another man's, will he return to her?... you have played the harlot with many lovers..." | Call to return |
| Jeremiah 31:34 | "And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest..." | Intimate knowledge |
| Ezekiel 18:23 | "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, that he should turn from his ways and live?" | God's desire for life |
| Ezekiel 18:27 | "And when the wicked turns from his wickedness that he has committed and does what is lawful and right, he shall save his life." | Salvation through turning |
| Ezekiel 33:11 | "Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways, that you may live!" | Urgency of turning |
| Joel 2:13 | "Rend your hearts and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love..." | Repentance and grace |
| Jonah 3:10 | "When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented from the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it." | Nineveh's repentance |
| Matthew 3:2 | "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." | John the Baptist |
| Matthew 9:13 | "Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." | Jesus' ministry |
| Matthew 12:7 | "If you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless." | Quoting Hosea |
| Mark 2:17 | "And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.'" | Jesus' calling |
| Luke 15:7 | "Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." | Parable of lost sheep |
| Luke 18:13 | "And the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’" | Tax collector's prayer |
| Acts 2:38 | "And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" | Pentecostal call |
| Acts 3:19 | "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out," | Peter's sermon |
| Acts 4:12 | "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” | Unique salvation |
| Romans 10:13 | "For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." | Universal call |
| 1 John 1:9 | "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." | Confession and forgiveness |
| Revelation 22:17 | "The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let him who hears say, 'Come.' And let him who is thirsty come; let him who desires take the water of life without price." | Final invitation |
Isaiah 55 verses
Isaiah 55 7 Meaning
The verse proclaims a divine invitation to seek God, promising His merciful forgiveness and abundant provision for those who turn from their wicked ways. It emphasizes God's willingness to generously pardon the iniquitous and the unrighteous, contingent upon their repentance and return.
Isaiah 55 7 Context
This verse is found in Isaiah chapter 55, which is often referred to as the "Great Invitation" or the "Heartbeat of the Gospel" within Isaiah. This chapter speaks of God's gracious and abundant provision for His people and for all nations who would return to Him, particularly after the period of exile. The preceding verses describe the thirst for righteousness that God meets with abundant, free water, symbolizing His spiritual provisions and salvation. This verse specifically calls the unrighteous and wicked to repent and turn to the Lord, assuring them of comprehensive pardon and the abundance of God's mercy. Historically, this passage would have resonated deeply with the returned exiles, offering them hope and a renewed covenant with God, encouraging them to leave behind the ways that led to their dispersion. It transcends this immediate context to become a universal invitation of salvation through repentance offered by God.
Isaiah 55 7 Word Analysis
- יַעַזְב (ya'azov): "forsake" or "abandon." This Hebrew word denotes a deliberate leaving or relinquishing of something or someone. It is a strong verb emphasizing the complete abandonment of past ways.
- דַּרְכּ (darch): "way" or "path." Refers to a course of action, conduct, or a lifestyle. It signifies the habits, practices, and directions one's life takes.
- וְאִישׁ (v'ish): "and a man." The conjunction "vav" links this clause, showing the consequence or action following the forsaking of one's way. "Ish" emphasizes the individual responsibility of every person.
- מַחְשְּׁבֹתָ (machshevotai): "thoughts" or "plans." This noun refers to the inner deliberations, purposes, and intentions of the mind. It encompasses one's mental constructs and schemes.
- וְיָשֹׁב (v'yashov): "and turn" or "and return." Similar to forsake, this implies a reversal of direction, a turning back from a former path and toward God.
- אֶל (el): "to." A preposition indicating direction or destination.
- יְהוָה (Yahweh): The covenant name of God. Using God's personal name emphasizes His relationship with His people and His inherent faithfulness.
- וְרַחֲמָ (v'rachama): "and He will have mercy" or "and He will have compassion." This root (רחם) is deeply significant, often associated with the tender, maternal love of a mother. It speaks of deep-seated compassion and a longing to heal and comfort.
- עָלֵי ('alav): "upon him" or "on him."
- וְאֶל (v'el): "and to."
- אֱלֹהֵי (Elohei): "our God." This plural form of "El" with the possessive suffix signifies the multifaceted nature of God, highlighting His transcendence and yet His immanence as belonging to the people.
- כִּי (ki): "for" or "because." Introduces the reason or basis for God's mercy.
- יִרְבֶּה (yirbeh): "abundant" or "plentifully." From the verb "rabah," meaning "to be many" or "to be great." It indicates generosity and an ample supply.
- לִסְלֹחַ (lislo'ach): "to forgive." This infinitive denotes the action of pardoning, releasing from debt or guilt.
- לְהִסְלַח (hisalachti): "I will surely forgive" or "I will abundantly forgive." This verb is in the Niphal conjugation and doubled with the root implies an emphatic and assured forgiveness. This form suggests God's active, decisive, and certain act of pardoning.
Isaiah 55 7 Bonus Section
The Hebrew word for "thoughts" (מַחְשְׁבֹתָ - machshevotai) can also carry the meaning of "plans" or "devices." This implies that God's forgiveness extends not only to our internal musings but also to the deliberate strategies and schemes of our sinful lives. The intensive Hebrew form for forgiveness (להִסְלַח - hisalachti) underscores that God's pardon is not superficial but is deep, comprehensive, and completely remits the penalty of sin. The chapter overall speaks in the singular, "the wicked man," which has led some interpreters to see it as applying to all humanity, as all are considered wicked and unrighteous apart from God. The repetition of "way" and "thoughts" signifies a holistic turning from both outward behavior and inward disposition.
Isaiah 55 7 Commentary
Isaiah 55:7 presents a pivotal moment in the prophetic message of hope and redemption. It moves beyond God's sovereign declaration of His nature to a direct command and a profound promise concerning human action. The instruction to "let the wicked forsake his way" and "the unrighteous man his thoughts" is not merely an option but a call to a radical reorientation of life. This forsaking is not just a passive abstaining but an active abandonment of one's own sinful patterns and mindsets.
The immediate promise of God's response is "and have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." The parallel structure emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship: when individuals forsake their sinful ways and thoughts, God's inherent mercy is activated, leading to abundant, thorough, and sure forgiveness. The Hebrew construction of "I will abundantly forgive" conveys an assurance and generosity that is immense. This verse underlines that God's pardon is not metered or conditional on prior human merit but flows from His compassionate nature upon genuine repentance.
It mirrors the New Testament theme of salvation by grace through faith, where repentance is a foundational element. Jesus Himself calls sinners to repentance (Mark 1:15), and the apostles preach it as a means for the blotting out of sins (Acts 3:19). The sheer abundance of God's forgiveness is echoed in parables like the Prodigal Son, where the father runs to his returning son with open arms, or in the Lord's Prayer asking for forgiveness "as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). This promise serves as a cornerstone of God's relational covenant, inviting all into His grace.