Isaiah 58 3

Isaiah 58:3 kjv

Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

Isaiah 58:3 nkjv

'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?' "In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers.

Isaiah 58:3 niv

'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.

Isaiah 58:3 esv

'Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.

Isaiah 58:3 nlt

'We have fasted before you!' they say.
'Why aren't you impressed?
We have been very hard on ourselves,
and you don't even notice it!'
"I will tell you why!" I respond.
"It's because you are fasting to please yourselves.
Even while you fast,
you keep oppressing your workers.

Isaiah 58 verses

Isaiah 58 3 Meaning

Isaiah 58:3 presents a poignant dialogue between the people of Israel and God. The verse opens with the people's bewildered complaint: they faithfully engage in fasting and self-humiliation, yet they perceive God's silence and inaction. They challenge God's attentiveness, questioning why He seemingly disregards their spiritual efforts. God immediately retorts by revealing the deep hypocrisy of their practices. He declares that on the very day of their supposed spiritual devotion, they indulge in their own desires and pursue their business interests, often harshly exploiting their laborers or pressing debtors. This exposes their outward religious acts as mere rituals, devoid of genuine internal piety or practical justice, and thus ineffective in gaining God's favor or attention.

Isaiah 58 3 Context

Isaiah chapter 58 initiates a direct confrontation from God against His people, addressing their superficial religious practices. The overarching theme of the chapter is the contrast between ritualistic, outward displays of piety (fasting, Sabbath observance) and genuine, heartfelt devotion expressed through acts of justice, mercy, and compassion. The people in verse 3 express confusion and frustration, believing their meticulous performance of religious duties should warrant divine favor or at least attention. This perception reflects a common misconception of the ancient world, where sacrificial or ritualistic acts were sometimes viewed as transactional tools to obligate or appease deities. Historically, this prophecy likely arises in a post-exilic context or from a period preceding exile where religious formalism had replaced true obedience and social righteousness. Israel, having perhaps suffered God's judgment, engaged in fasting and other observances, assuming that these actions alone would restore their relationship with God. However, the prophetic message here reveals that their religious acts were tainted by a lifestyle characterized by self-indulgence and injustice towards their own community members, demonstrating a profound disconnect between their worship and their ethical conduct.

Isaiah 58 3 Word analysis

• "Wherefore" / "Why" (לָמָּה - lammah): This Hebrew interrogative particle conveys a tone of puzzled protest, almost accusatory. It expresses the people's complaint, signifying their bewilderment that their pious efforts, in their view, were seemingly met with divine indifference.

• "have we fasted" (צַמְנוּ - tsamnu): From the root צוּם (tsum), meaning "to fast." This denotes the physical act of abstaining from food and drink for religious purposes, a significant sign of perceived devotion and humility. The people highlighted this as their meritorious action.

• "say they": A parenthetical insertion, distinguishing the people's self-justifying claims from God's objective reality. It makes clear that this is their perspective, not an acknowledged fact by God.

• "and thou seest not?" (וְלֹא רָאִיתָ - ve-lo' ra'ita): From רָאָה (ra'ah), "to see, perceive, regard." This questions God's omniscience and attentiveness, accusing Him of overlooking or disregarding their sincere (in their minds) acts of worship. It implies a lack of divine acknowledgment.

• "wherefore have we afflicted our soul" (וּמַדּוּעַ עִנִּינוּ נַפְשֵׁנוּ - u-maddua' ‘inninu naf'shenu):

  • "afflicted our soul" (‘inninu naf'shenu): This is a direct reference to the ancient practice of self-humiliation and deprivation, often associated with fasting, particularly on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). עָנָה (anah, "to humble, afflict") combined with נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, "soul, self, life force") indicates a deliberate and total personal self-denial. The people presented this as evidence of their profound humility before God.

• "and thou takest no knowledge?" (וְלֹא תֵדָע - ve-lo' tedah): From יָדַע (yada'), "to know, perceive, acknowledge." This parallels "seest not," reiterating their belief that God is either unaware or choosing not to acknowledge their spiritual efforts, thereby withholding His expected favor.

• "Behold" (הֵן - hen): An emphatic interjection. It functions like "indeed" or "look," introducing God's counter-argument and a stark revelation about the people's actual conduct. It signifies a pivotal shift to divine insight.

• "in the day of your fast" (בְּיוֹם צֹמְכֶם - be-yom tsomkem): God directly references the very day they claimed spiritual devotion. This highlights the immediate, temporal contradiction in their behavior, intensifying the hypocrisy.

• "ye find pleasure" (תִּמְצְאוּ חֵפֶץ - timtseu chefetz):

  • חֵפֶץ (chefetz): This multifaceted term means "desire," "delight," "will," or "business." Here, it points to self-gratification, the pursuit of personal desires, or even carrying out one's normal business and worldly affairs. God accuses them of using the fast day not for Him, but for their own interests and desires.

• "and exact all your labours" (וְכָל עַצְּבֵיכֶם תִּנְגֹּשׂוּ - ve-khol ‘atseveikhem tinggoshu):

  • "exact" (תִּנְגֹּשׂוּ - tinggoshu): From נָגַשׂ (nagas), meaning "to press, oppress, drive, exact payment/labor." This powerful verb signifies harsh and oppressive demands, typical of a taskmaster or severe creditor.
  • "all your labours" (‘atseveikhem): Refers to burdensome toil or work, specifically that imposed upon others. This phrase points to the people's exploitation of their workers, demanding their full complement of difficult labor, or ruthlessly collecting debts, even on a day consecrated for humility and reflection.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Wherefore have we fasted... and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul... and thou takest no knowledge?": This section articulates the people's profound misunderstanding of God's character and requirements. They frame their question as if their external religious acts inherently create an obligation for God to respond favorably, assuming a transactional relationship rather than one based on an inward change of heart and outward righteousness. Their protest reveals a sense of entitlement based on superficial performance.
  • "Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.": This is God's pointed refutation, revealing the stark contrast between their public religious display and their private (or even public, but unnoticed by themselves) conduct. "Find pleasure" (seeking one's own chefetz) and "exact all your labours" (acting as nagash, oppressors) are behaviors directly contrary to the spirit of genuine fasting, which demands humility, self-denial, and compassion for others. Their spiritual self-interest was mirrored by social exploitation.

Isaiah 58 3 Bonus section

The Hebrew word chefetz (חֵפֶץ), translated as "pleasure" in this context, offers profound insight into the verse's meaning. While chefetz can signify a genuine "delight" or "will," such as "the Lord's good pleasure" (Isa 53:10), here, its juxtaposition with "the day of your fast" and the harsh "exaction of labours" twists its meaning. It emphasizes their own pleasure, their own will, and their own business—the very things one is meant to turn away from during a fast dedicated to God. This highlights an inverted priority: they were prioritizing self-gratification and worldly enterprise over seeking God's will and expressing solidarity with the oppressed. Furthermore, the term nagas (נָגַשׂ), "to exact," carries significant historical weight, often associated with the harsh taskmasters of Egypt who oppressed the Israelites (Exo 5:6-19). By using this term, God implicitly draws a parallel: those claiming piety were behaving like the very oppressors from whom Israel had been delivered. This elevates the seriousness of their social injustice beyond simple greed, equating it with historical bondage and ungodliness.

Isaiah 58 3 Commentary

Isaiah 58:3 is a direct prophetic indictment that cuts through the facade of outward religiosity, revealing the chasm between formal observance and true devotion. The people's perplexed query—why God doesn't acknowledge their fasting—is born of a legalistic, transactional mindset. They mistakenly believe that by performing rituals, they somehow obligate God to bless them, failing to grasp that the efficacy of such acts hinges on the condition of the heart and their conduct towards their neighbors. God's reply lays bare their hypocrisy: their fasts are tainted by self-indulgence (chefetz – their own pleasure, will, and business) and social injustice (harshly nagas – exacting labors from others, exploiting the vulnerable). Rather than humbling themselves before God and demonstrating compassion, they pursued personal gain and engaged in oppressive practices. This verse serves as a timeless reminder that God does not seek empty ritual but a genuine, internal transformation that manifests in righteous living, especially in how one treats the disadvantaged and within the realm of their daily life and business ethics. Without these, their spiritual efforts are not merely unnoticed but are an offense.