Isaiah 59:2 kjv
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Isaiah 59:2 nkjv
But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
Isaiah 59:2 niv
But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
Isaiah 59:2 esv
but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
Isaiah 59:2 nlt
It's your sins that have cut you off from God.
Because of your sins, he has turned away
and will not listen anymore.
Isaiah 59 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 59:1 | "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save..." | Isa 50:2, Job 40:9 |
| Ps 44:23 | "Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Awake! Do not cast us off forever!" | Ps 7:6, Ps 35:23 |
| Ps 77:7-8 | "Will the Lord spurn forever, and never yet favor so again? Has his steadfast love ceased forever?" | Ps 74:1-12 |
| Ps 88:13-14 | "But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes to meet you. O Lord, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me?" | Ps 6:3, Ps 13:1 |
| Ps 106:10 | "...he saved them from the hand of the one who hated them, and redeemed them from the power of the enemy." | Ps 77:15 |
| Ps 145:18 | "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." | Ps 34:18, Ps 86:5 |
| Jer 32:17 | "Ah, Lord God! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." | Jer 32:27, Gen 18:14 |
| Matt 9:2, 6 | "...he saw their faith. And behold, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed... And to show you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"— | Mark 2:3-5, Luke 5:18-20 |
| Mark 10:27 | "Jesus looked at them and said, 'With men it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.'" | Luke 18:27 |
| Luke 1:37 | "For with God nothing will be impossible." | Gen 18:14, Jer 32:17 |
| John 11:33-34 | "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and agitated... Jesus wept." | John 11:35 |
| Eph 3:20 | "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work within us," | Eph 1:19, Col 1:29 |
| 1 Pet 3:12 | "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." | Ps 34:15-16 |
| Heb 4:15-16 | "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." | Heb 5:2, Heb 2:17-18 |
| Ps 18:6 | "In my distress I called to the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears." | Ps 130:1-2 |
| Jer 29:12 | "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you." | Ps 91:15 |
| Zech 7:12-13 | "...because when I called, they did not answer, so I also will not answer, says the Lord of hosts, but I scattered them with a whirlwind..." | Isa 65:12, Jer 11:11 |
| Isa 65:24 | "Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear." | Matt 6:8 |
| Matt 15:28 | "Then Jesus answered her, 'O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you wish.' And her daughter was healed instantly." | Mark 7:24-30 |
| Phil 4:6-7 | "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus." | 1 Thess 5:17-18 |
Isaiah 59 verses
Isaiah 59 2 Meaning
Your hands are not too short to save, nor your ear too deaf to hear. This verse directly refutes any notion that God's power or ability to help is limited or absent. It asserts His omnipotence and attentiveness to the pleas of His people.
Isaiah 59 2 Context
This verse appears within Isaiah chapter 59, a powerful lament over Israel's sin and its consequences. The preceding verses describe how the nation's iniquities have created a barrier between them and God, leading to judgment and suffering. Isaiah 59:1-2 serve as an immediate counterpoint to the stated problem of separation. Despite the acknowledged sin and resulting distress, the prophet assures the people that God's capacity to deliver is not diminished by their unfaithfulness or their current suffering. The broader context of Isaiah's prophecy moves towards a message of future redemption and the coming Servant of the Lord, who will ultimately restore fellowship and rectify the breaches caused by sin.
Isaiah 59 2 Word Analysis
- ki (כִּי): Often translated as "for," "that," "but," or "indeed." Here it acts as a conjunction, introducing the reason or clarification for a previous statement or the assumption of one. It connects to the idea of God's ability to save despite sin.
- yad (יָד): Literally "hand." Metaphorically, it represents power, authority, ability, or action. "Shortened" implies diminished capacity or reach. The statement directly negates any such limitation on God's power.
- qatsartsah (קָצְרָה): Feminine singular perfect verb from qatsar (קָצַר), meaning "to be short," "to be meager," or "to be cut off." It directly describes the "hand" of God.
- ma'a-sir (מַעְצִיר): Literally "to hold back," "to restrain," or "to oppress." In this context, it's a causative verb indicating "to be unable to save" or "hindered from saving." It emphasizes a constraint that does not exist with God.
- v'-ozen (וְאָזַן): The conjunction "and" (v') combined with ozen (אָזַן), meaning "ear." The ear signifies the ability to hear, to listen, and to pay attention.
- kaveddah (כָּבְּדָה): Feminine singular perfect verb from kaved (כָּבֵד), meaning "to be heavy," "to be weighty," or "to be dull." Applied to the ear, it means "to be dull of hearing," implying an inability or unwillingness to listen.
- lishmo-a (לִשְׁמֹעַ): Infinitive of shama (שָׁמַע), meaning "to hear," "to listen," or "to obey." Here, it signifies the action of hearing in a way that is prevented by dullness or heaviness.
Word Group Analysis:
- "Your hand is not shortened": This idiomatic expression contrasts with human limitations. Even when humans become "short-handed" or unable to act, God's capacity remains full and complete. It counters any thought of God's inability due to sin.
- "Nor your ear too deaf to hear": This phrase mirrors the first, addressing God's attentiveness. A deaf ear signifies no response or no recognition. God's ear is perpetually open and receptive to His people.
Isaiah 59 2 Bonus Section
This verse preemptively addresses doubt that arises from hardship or spiritual distance. It anticipates the human tendency to attribute sin or absence to God’s incapacity, rather than to our own sin creating a separation. The promise of God’s always-available salvation and hearing anticipates future fulfillment in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who embodies God’s ability to save and His perfect listening ear for humanity's cry for redemption. It's a pivotal verse that bridges lament with the certainty of divine intervention.
Isaiah 59 2 Commentary
Isaiah 59:2 delivers a profound assurance of God's unfailing capability. When Israel felt abandoned or ignored, likely due to their sins creating a perceived separation (as highlighted in the verses before and after), the prophet cuts through despair with this divine truth. It’s not that God chooses not to hear or act, but that His essential nature is one of complete ability and attentiveness. His "hand" of salvation is never too short to reach; His "ear" is never too dull to perceive. This stands in stark contrast to the sin that deafens human ears to God and binds human hands from righteous action. The verse serves as a foundational truth for seeking God even in times of sin and national distress, emphasizing that the barrier is human sin, not divine deficiency. It echoes throughout Scripture, pointing to God's unwavering love and power to rescue.