Isaiah 58:1 kjv
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Isaiah 58:1 nkjv
"Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins.
Isaiah 58:1 niv
"Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
Isaiah 58:1 esv
"Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.
Isaiah 58:1 nlt
"Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast.
Shout aloud! Don't be timid.
Tell my people Israel of their sins!
Isaiah 58 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 58:1 | Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. | (Direct command to prophet) |
| Jer 7:29 | Cut off thine hair, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the high places; for Jehovah hath despised and forsaken the generation of his wrath. | (Jeremiah's similar prophetic call) |
| Ezek 3:17 | Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word of my mouth, and give them warning from me. | (Prophet as a watchman) |
| Hos 8:1 | Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of Jehovah, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law. | (Trumpet as a warning signal) |
| Joel 2:1 | Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of Jehovah cometh, for it is nigh at hand; | (Day of the Lord and alarm) |
| Matt 3:2 | And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. | (Call to repentance) |
| Luke 3:8 | Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of Abraham to raise up children unto Abraham. | (Fruits of repentance) |
| John 3:20 | For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. | (Confrontation of deeds) |
| Acts 2:40 | And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. | (Exhortation to be saved) |
| Gal 4:16 | So am I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? | (Speaking truth even if unwelcome) |
| 1 Thess 4:7 | For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification. | (God's call to holiness) |
| Heb 4:12 | For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. | (The power of God's word) |
| Rev 1:10 | I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, | (Voice like a trumpet) |
| Isa 1:16 | Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; | (Exhortation to cease from evil) |
| Isa 43:24 | Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. | (Sin wearying God) |
| Micah 3:8 | But I truly am full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. | (Similar prophetic role) |
| John 7:7 | The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil. | (Jesus' experience of rejection for speaking truth) |
| Acts 20:26-27 | Wherefore I testify unto you this day that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. | (The preacher's accountability) |
| Ps 51:3-4 | For I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight; that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. | (Confession of sin) |
| Jer 4:14 | Wash thine heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thine ill thoughts lodge within thee? | (Washing the heart) |
Isaiah 58 verses
Isaiah 58 1 Meaning
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. This verse commands the prophet Isaiah to deliver a powerful and unambiguous message of denunciation to God's people, highlighting their specific transgressions and sins. It emphasizes the urgency and clarity needed in prophetic proclamation, comparing it to the blare of a trumpet, a signal of warning and a call to attention. The core meaning is a direct and bold confrontation of sin for the purpose of repentance and restoration.
Isaiah 58 1 Context
Isaiah chapter 58 follows a series of chapters where God, through Isaiah, has been lamenting the superficial religiosity of the people of Judah. They engaged in fasting and religious rituals, yet their hearts were far from God, and they continued to practice injustice and oppression. In the preceding verses, God expresses His displeasure with their fasting, calling it an empty performance. Isaiah 58:1 serves as a pivot point, initiating God's specific instructions on what true fasting and worship should look like. The prophet is commanded to deliver a clear and unvarnished indictment of the people's sins and transgressions, laying the groundwork for God's subsequent commands about genuine worship and righteous living. This verse sets the stage for the rich theological themes of chapter 58, which contrast outward religious observances with the inward reality of obedience and justice.
Isaiah 58 1 Word Analysis
- Cry (Strong's H2199, צָעַק - tsa'aq): To call out, to cry aloud, to shout, to make a clamor. This verb suggests a vocal, public, and urgent declaration. It implies not a soft whisper but a strong, attention-grabbing vocalization.
- aloud: Emphasizes the public and noticeable nature of the proclamation.
- spare (Strong's H2550, חָמַל - khamal): To have pity, to spare, to show mercy or tenderness. In this context, it means to hold back from punishing or rebuking, to be lenient. The prophet is instructed not to be sparing in his condemnation, meaning he should not soften the message or hold back the truth out of a desire to spare the people's feelings.
- not: Negation.
- lift up (Strong's H5375, נָשָׂא - nasa'): To raise, to lift, to carry. Here, it refers to raising one's voice.
- thy: Your (singular).
- voice (Strong's H6963, קוֹל - qol): Sound, voice.
- like: As.
- a trumpet (Strong's H7782, שׁוֹפָר - shophar): A ram's horn, a horn. A shofar was traditionally used for signals, alarms, and announcements, especially in a military or religious context. Its sound was piercing and distinctive, meant to be heard and obeyed immediately.
- and shew: And declare, make known, point out.
- my people: Refers to the Israelites, God's chosen covenant people.
- their transgression (Strong's H6588, פֶּשַׁע - pesha'): Rebellion, sin, revolt, trespass, offense. This word denotes a deliberate act of rebellion against authority, specifically God's law. It carries a stronger sense of intentional disobedience than merely erring.
- and the house of Jacob: A metonym for the entire nation of Israel, encompassing all descendants of Jacob.
- their sins (Strong's H2403, חֵטְא - khet'): Sin, error, offense, missing the mark. This is a general term for sin, an action that deviates from God's will or law.
Words Grouped:
- "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet": This phrase vividly portrays the required prophetic method: a loud, clear, and uncompromising announcement. The trumpet analogy underscores the alarm-raising and attention-grabbing nature of the message. It is a call for direct and bold confrontation of wrongdoing.
- "Shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins": This is the core content of the proclamation. The prophet must identify and expose the specific wrongdoing (transgression – rebellion) and general wrongdoing (sins – missing the mark) of the covenant people. This is not abstract condemnation but a direct indictment.
Isaiah 58 1 Bonus Section
The imagery of the trumpet is rich with biblical meaning. It's used to announce the presence of God (Exodus 19:16), to signal victory in battle (1 Samuel 15:1), and to proclaim important feasts (Leviticus 25:9). By likening the prophetic voice to a trumpet, God imbues Isaiah's message with divine authority and urgency, signaling a time of reckoning and the need for immediate attention. This mirrors the role of prophets throughout scripture, often acting as God's spokesmen who fearlessly confront sin, even within God's own covenant community. The Hebrew words "pesha'" (transgression) and "khet'" (sin) highlight different dimensions of sin: deliberate rebellion versus unintentional error, both of which are to be revealed. This sets up a contrast in the subsequent verses, where God will explain that true worship involves addressing societal injustice rather than merely observing rituals while ignoring iniquity.
Isaiah 58 1 Commentary
Isaiah 58:1 marks a crucial turning point in the chapter, transitioning from God's rejection of superficial worship to His demand for true repentance. The prophet is instructed to adopt an uncompromising stance, delivering a message that is both clear and forceful, much like the blare of a shofar. This implies that genuine communication of God's will and their state before Him requires speaking truth plainly, without dilution or the fear of alienating the audience. The purpose of this forthright pronouncement is to reveal their hidden sins and rebellious acts (transgression), making them conscious of their departure from God's covenant and His ways. This initial declaration of their sin is a necessary prelude to God's exposition of what true fasting and acceptable worship entail – acts rooted in righteousness and love for neighbor.