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 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 58:1 | Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins. | Israel's sins addressed |
| Isaiah 58:3 | “Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not? wherefore have we humbled ourselves, and thou seest not?” ... have found out your own pleasure, and have oppressed all your labourers. | Contrast of appearance vs. reality |
| Isaiah 58:5 | “Is this the fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to humble himself?” ... a day for the Lord's acceptance? | God's rejection of their fast |
| Isaiah 66:3 | He who kills an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrifices a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. ... are an abomination unto me: I hate them with hatred even unto death. | All offerings done wickedly are abominations |
| Jeremiah 7:21-23 | Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh. For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them, in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. | Obedience is better than sacrifice |
| Amos 5:21-24 | I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meal offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard your peace offerings of your fat. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. | God desires justice over ritual |
| Micah 6:8 | He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? | Requirements of God summarized |
| Matthew 6:16-18 | Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may show unto men how that they fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou mayest not appear unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee. | Jesus teaches about fasting privately |
| Mark 12:31 | Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than this. | The second great commandment |
| Luke 10:29-37 | But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? ... And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves... Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. | The Parable of the Good Samaritan |
| Romans 12:9-10 | Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. | Practical demonstration of faith |
| 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 | Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh not evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. | Description of true love |
| Galatians 5:13-14 | For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. | Love as the fulfillment of the law |
| James 1:27 | Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. | True religion's outward manifestation |
| James 2:14-17 | What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ... Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? | Faith demonstrated by works |
| 1 Peter 4:8 | And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. | Love covers sins |
| Psalm 50:14-15 | Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. | God desires worship from the heart |
| Psalm 35:13 | But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. | Example of genuine mourning |
Isaiah 58 verses
Isaiah 58 4 Meaning
This verse denounces fasting practices that are hypocritical, self-serving, and lack genuine concern for justice and the oppressed. It highlights that true fasting displeases God when done for show or personal gain, while simultaneously mistreating workers and engaging in strife. God desires righteousness and compassion, not mere outward religious observance divorced from inner disposition and outward action.
Isaiah 58 4 Context
Isaiah 58 is a prophetic oracle addressing the people of Judah during or after the Babylonian exile. The prophet has been commanded to "cry aloud, spare not" and to point out the nation's transgressions. This chapter stands in stark contrast to the external religious performances the people are observing. They are fasting, mourning, and appearing devout, yet their hearts are far from God, and their actions are filled with injustice and strife.
The context of the verse highlights a deep disconnect between ritualistic piety and true righteousness. The people are performing the outward forms of fasting, a practice they associate with humility and seeking God, but their internal state and outward behavior are contrary to God's will. This chapter serves as a critique of religious hypocrisy, emphasizing that God's desire is for genuine justice, mercy, and love, which should manifest in how one treats others, especially the vulnerable.
Isaiah 58 4 Word analysis
- Behold, (Hinnēh - הִנֵּה) - An interjection expressing "lo," "behold," "see." It draws attention to what follows, signaling a revelation or a crucial point. It functions to introduce God's direct response to their question in verse 3.
- on - Indicates the reason or cause.
- your day of fasting - Refers to their appointed day of observance, a day they intended for solemn religious practice.
- ye find - Signifies discovering or perceiving for yourselves, implying a consequence of their actions.
- pleasure - (Chēftz - חֵפֶץ) - Denotes desire, delight, will, or object of desire. Here it refers to their own selfish gratifications and willful actions.
- and - Connects two actions or states.
- exact - (Angagevo - עָשׂוּ - literally "do" or "make") - In this context, it implies rigorously pursuing, or getting demands met, as if from a position of authority, to the detriment of others. It signifies exploiting and pressing them for their own gain.
- all your labourers - Refers to those who work for them, likely laborers or servants whose wages and fair treatment are being withheld or exploited.
Word group analysis:
- "Behold, on your day of fasting ye find pleasure": This phrase juxtaposes their religious activity with their pursuit of personal enjoyment, highlighting the inherent contradiction and hypocrisy. Their fasting is not about genuine devotion but is an opportunity for their own gratifications.
- "and exact all your labourers": This group of words describes their exploitative actions towards those who work for them. The term "exact" suggests forceful and unjust demands, implying that they are making others work while they themselves are outwardly "fasting."
Isaiah 58 4 Bonus section
The verse presents a striking irony: the people engage in the practice of fasting, a symbol of humbling oneself before God, while simultaneously indulging their selfish desires and oppressing others. The Hebrew word for "pleasure" (chēftz) carries a strong sense of willfulness and delight in one's own pursuits. This indicates a conscious decision to prioritize personal gratification over divine command and human compassion. The condemnation of exacting from "all your labourers" points to a failure in basic societal justice, particularly in fulfilling their responsibilities towards those who depended on them. This specific accusation resonates with laws in the Pentateuch regarding fair labor practices and prompt payment of wages, such as in Leviticus 19:13 and Deuteronomy 24:14-15. The message is that fasting without accompanying acts of justice and mercy is not only unacceptable but an offense to God.
Isaiah 58 4 Commentary
Isaiah 58:4 directly confronts the people's misguided piety. Their fasting, meant to be an act of contrition and seeking God, becomes a vehicle for self-indulgence and mistreatment of others. God rebukes them because their outward show of devotion is hypocritical when it coexists with internal desires for personal gain and external actions of oppression. They are exploiting their workers, a severe violation of justice. This highlights a core principle: God's covenantal relationship is built on righteous actions and sincere motives, not just outward rituals. True worship involves demonstrating love and justice towards fellow human beings. Their "fast" was offensive because it was conducted while they denied basic justice to those under their charge, thereby mocking the very essence of repentance.
- Practical example: Imagine someone loudly proclaiming their faith and devotion, yet constantly mistreating colleagues at work or ignoring the needs of their family. Their actions contradict their words, rendering their outward piety hollow.