Isaiah 57 17

Isaiah 57:17 kjv

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

Isaiah 57:17 nkjv

For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry and struck him; I hid and was angry, And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.

Isaiah 57:17 niv

I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways.

Isaiah 57:17 esv

Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.

Isaiah 57:17 nlt

I was angry,
so I punished these greedy people.
I withdrew from them,
but they kept going on their own stubborn way.

Isaiah 57 verses

Isaiah 57 17 Meaning

This verse describes the devastating consequences of continuing in sin and turning away from God. The "iniquity" is the cause of suffering. When people persist in their transgressions, God, in His righteous anger, hides His face. This divine withdrawal signifies His displeasure and a departure from His protective presence and guidance. The result is pain, deep sorrow, and spiritual barrenness. The people, though seemingly protected by walls of their own making or iniquity, are left exposed to greater spiritual harm and the consequence of God's turning away.

Isaiah 57 17 Context

Chapter 57 of Isaiah deals with themes of judgment on sinful Israel, mixed with the hope of God's salvation through a future righteous servant. This verse specifically highlights the consequences of persistent iniquity and spiritual blindness that led to the exile and God's temporary withdrawal. The people had turned to idolatry and false practices, despite God's previous dealings. The "iniquity" mentioned here refers to their stubborn adherence to sin and their rejection of God's ways. This section contrasts the fate of the wicked with the ultimate salvation God provides for the righteous.

Isaiah 57 17 Word Analysis

• "Because": Implies a causal relationship; the following state is a direct result of something.
• "of his iniquity": The root cause. Iniquity (Hebrew: עֲוֺן - avon) refers to perversity, crookedness, guilt, and the consequences of sin. It speaks to a deep-seated moral crookedness.
• "I": Refers to God, the speaker.
• "was": Past tense, indicating a completed action or state of being in reference to God's reaction.
• "angry": Signifies God's righteous displeasure and judgment against sin. It's not a human-like, uncontrolled emotion, but a deliberate response to wrong.
• "I": God.
• "hid": To cover, conceal. God's deliberate act of turning away.
• "My": Possessive pronoun belonging to God.
• "face": Represents God's presence, favor, blessing, and direct relationship. Hiding the face is withdrawing these.
• "and": Conjunction linking two phrases.
• "he": Refers back to the person or people characterized by iniquity.
• "went": Moved, walked, continued in a particular path or manner.
• "on": Continues the idea of persisting.
• "frowardly": Crookedly, stubbornly, obstinately resistant. Refers to turning away from God's path and willfully choosing sin. The Hebrew word (Hebrew: עִקֵּשׁ - iqqesh) means twisted, perverse, bent.
• "my": Possessive pronoun belonging to God.
• "heart": Represents the inner person, the will, the mind, and the affections.
• "was": Past tense, indicating a state of being.
• "stretched": Opened, expanded. This often implies a turning towards something or a drawing out of oneself. Here it suggests God's initial willingness to receive or draw them near.
• "out": Signifies the direction of this action.
• "of": Preposition indicating origin or departure.
• "my": Possessive pronoun belonging to God.
• "way": God's path, His commands, His will, His righteous dealings.

Words-Group by Words-Group Analysis:

• "Because of his iniquity, I was angry": This establishes a direct cause-and-effect. God's anger is not arbitrary but a holy response to rebellion and crookedness.
• "I hid my face": This is the consequence of His anger. God's presence and favor are withdrawn from those who persist in iniquity.
• "and he went on frowardly": This describes the continuous and obstinate nature of the sin. The people did not merely slip; they walked stubbornly in their crooked ways.
• "my heart was stretched out of my way": This is a profound statement about God's longing and readiness to receive them. Despite their iniquity, His heart is inclined to lead them, but their crookedness causes them to move away from His intended path for them. It highlights the tragedy of sin causing a separation from God's benevolent guidance and grace. Some interpretations suggest "my heart was distressed" or "troubled" by their frowardness, moving away from His intended path of blessing.

Isaiah 57 17 Bonus Section

The Hebrew word for "iniquity" (avon) carries the sense of guilt and its consequences, not just the act of sin itself. This suggests that persistent sin not only displeases God but also entrenches a state of guilt that brings its own self-inflicted suffering. The imagery of "hiding His face" is used repeatedly in Scripture to denote God's displeasure and withdrawal (Deut. 31:18; Psalm 30:7). The "froward way" is the opposite of God's way, which is always good and directed towards life. God's "heart stretched out" might also suggest God's original desire and willingness to draw them towards Himself, but their persistent frowardness moved them away from the divine invitation.

Isaiah 57 17 Commentary

This verse succinctly captures the tragic cycle of sin and separation. God's holiness reacts with anger to human iniquity. This anger leads to His withdrawal (hiding His face), signifying the loss of His presence and favor. The people's response is to continue stubbornly in their sinful path, thereby moving further away from God's intended way of life and blessing. The phrase "my heart was stretched out of my way" conveys God's sorrow over this distance and the self-imposed separation by the sinner, as their crookedness takes them away from the path God graciously laid out. It underscores that sin grieves God and separates us from His direct communion and leading.