Isaiah 58 4

Isaiah 58:4 kjv

Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

Isaiah 58:4 nkjv

Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high.

Isaiah 58:4 niv

Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.

Isaiah 58:4 esv

Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.

Isaiah 58:4 nlt

What good is fasting
when you keep on fighting and quarreling?
This kind of fasting
will never get you anywhere with me.

Isaiah 58 verses

Isaiah 58 4 Meaning

Isaiah 58:4 exposes the hypocrisy of Israel's fasting practices. The people engage in outward religious devotion—fasting—but their inner attitudes and actions are contrary to God's will. Instead of leading to humility and a closer relationship with God, their fasting fuels disputes, strife, and physical violence, symbolized by the "wicked fist." As a direct consequence of this disconnect between ritual and righteousness, God declares that their prayers and pleas will not ascend to heaven and will remain unheard. This verse highlights that outward religious acts are meaningless if not accompanied by a heart transformed by justice and love.

Isaiah 58 4 Context

Isaiah 58 is a powerful prophetic address by God through Isaiah, directly confronting the people of Israel concerning their distorted understanding and practice of fasting. The preceding verses (58:1-3) depict God urging Isaiah to "cry aloud, do not hold back" and to declare Israel's transgressions to them, specifically highlighting their delusion that God delights in their outward show of religiosity. The people outwardly "seek God daily" and "delight to know His ways," meticulously observing religious forms including fasting, yet complain when God doesn't acknowledge their piety. Verse 4 serves as God's direct and blunt response, explaining why their fasting is unacceptable and their prayers are unheard: because their spiritual devotion is entirely divorced from ethical living, manifesting in strife and injustice. The broader context of Isaiah's ministry frequently critiques empty ritualism (e.g., Isa 1:10-17) and calls for true righteousness, foreshadowing God's ultimate desire for a people who reflect His character.

Isaiah 58 4 Word analysis

• Behold (הֵן – hen): An interjection used to call attention, often conveying a sense of surprise, revelation, or emphasis on what is about to be said. It signals the severity and truthfulness of God's accusation.

• you fast (תָּצוּמוּ – tatzumu): From the root צום (tsum), meaning "to fast" or "abstain from food." The plural form addresses the collective community. The irony lies in the purpose of fasting—humiliation before God—being perverted into a means of strife.

• only to quarrel (לָרִיב – lariv): The preposition lamed indicates purpose or result. רִיב (riv) means to strive, contend, quarrel, or dispute. This reveals the true intent or outcome of their fasting: it leads to conflict, not communion with God or peace with others.

• and to fight (וּלְמַצָּה – u'l'matz'tzah): From the root נָצָה (natzah), to tear down, pull down, or contend. It intensifies the idea of "quarrel," suggesting severe contention, perhaps even brawling or litigation fueled by malice.

• and to hit (וּלְהַכּוֹת – u'l'hakkoth): From the root נָכָה (nakah), meaning "to strike," "smite," or "beat." This indicates a escalation to physical violence, beyond mere verbal disputes.

• with a wicked fist (אֶגְרֹף רֶשַׁע – egrôf resha):

  • fist (אֶגְרֹף – egrôf): A clenched hand, explicitly used for striking.
  • wicked (רֶשַׁע – resha): Not merely evil, but rooted in injustice, moral guilt, or wrongdoing, often with social and legal implications. It highlights the oppressive and exploitative nature of their actions. This is not accidental violence, but injustice-driven aggression.

• Fasting like yours this day (צוֹם כָּזֶה הַיּוֹם – tzôm kazeh hayyôm): "A fast such as this today." This phrase clarifies that God is not condemning fasting itself, but this particular kind of fasting—one characterized by hypocrisy and social injustice. "This day" emphasizes their present, ongoing practice.

• will not make your voice heard on high (לֹא יִשָּׁמַע בַּמָּרוֹם קוֹלְכֶם – lō' yishama' bammârôm qôlĕchem):

  • not be heard (לֹא יִשָּׁמַע – lō' yishama'): Signifies that God will not heed, answer, or acknowledge their prayers. Communication with God is severed.
  • on high (בַּמָּרוֹם – bammârôm): Literally "in the high place," referring to heaven, God's dwelling, the source of His divine attention and response. Their prayers cannot ascend to Him.
  • your voice (קוֹלְכֶם – qôlĕchem): Refers to their pleas, supplications, and cries made during their fast.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight": This phrase immediately reveals the perversion of fasting's purpose. Instead of self-abasement leading to reconciliation with God and neighbor, their ritual performance fuels internal and external conflict. The word "only" (raq) in some translations emphasizes the exclusive and twisted outcome.
  • "and to hit with a wicked fist": This escalates the indictment from verbal disputes to physical violence and systemic oppression. The "wicked fist" is a potent symbol of their deliberate injustice and abusive power against the vulnerable, done even while performing religious rites.
  • "Fasting like yours this day": This distinction is crucial. It underscores that God's condemnation is not against the act of fasting itself, which is a legitimate spiritual discipline, but against the manner and motivation behind their specific practice. Their fasting has become a hollow, ungodly display.
  • "will not make your voice heard on high": This is the devastating consequence. Their inability to align outward devotion with inward righteousness directly impacts their access to God. Their prayers become ineffective and are not acknowledged in the heavenly courts, signifying a profound spiritual brokenness and a failed attempt at connecting with God.

Isaiah 58 4 Bonus section

The concept of a "wicked fist" is not merely symbolic of anger but often points to the active harm, oppression, and injustice perpetrated by those in positions of power or influence against the vulnerable. This could involve manipulating legal systems, exploiting workers, or refusing to help those in desperate need, all while maintaining a facade of religiosity. The imagery sharply contrasts with the intended purpose of fasting, which should humble the individual and lead to empathy and acts of mercy, as depicted in the following verses (Isa 58:6-7). This verse underscores that a significant boundary for God's favorable hearing of prayer is the condition of the heart, as reflected in one's treatment of others. When religious performance is disconnected from ethical living and actively contributes to unrighteousness, it becomes a barrier to true spiritual communication rather than a bridge.

Isaiah 58 4 Commentary

Isaiah 58:4 presents a stark confrontation with religious hypocrisy. It powerfully asserts that external acts of piety, even something as solemn as fasting, become utterly worthless and even offensive to God if they are not rooted in genuine repentance, justice, and compassion. The people meticulously perform the ritual, but their hearts remain consumed by conflict, selfishness, and oppression. The phrase "wicked fist" paints a vivid picture of active injustice—whether it be physical violence, economic exploitation, or the abuse of power against the vulnerable members of society. God directly links this ethical failure to the futility of their prayers, declaring that their "voice will not be heard on high." This teaches that God demands integrity where religious practice and moral conduct are inseparably linked. True worship involves not only devotion to God but also an active commitment to living out His justice and love towards one's neighbors, particularly the marginalized. Without this, rituals are empty performances, devoid of divine recognition.

• Example for practical usage: A church congregation observing a corporate fast while simultaneously allowing internal bickering, unaddressed conflict, or exploitative practices in their businesses would embody the spirit of this verse. Another example is an individual who meticulously keeps religious dietary laws but then uses harsh, abusive language towards their family.