Isaiah 59 7

Isaiah 59:7 kjv

Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.

Isaiah 59:7 nkjv

Their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; Wasting and destruction are in their paths.

Isaiah 59:7 niv

Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. They pursue evil schemes; acts of violence mark their ways.

Isaiah 59:7 esv

Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways.

Isaiah 59:7 nlt

Their feet run to do evil,
and they rush to commit murder.
They think only about sinning.
Misery and destruction always follow them.

Isaiah 59 verses

Isaiah 59 7 Meaning

Isaiah 59:7 describes a deep state of human depravity where the drive towards wickedness is immediate and enthusiastic. The individuals described are swift to commit evil acts, particularly the shedding of innocent blood, which underscores extreme injustice and violence. Their internal thought life is consumed with evil and perversion. Consequently, their public conduct and the very paths they tread lead to widespread devastation, ruin, and chaos, impacting the fabric of society. This verse portrays a society utterly permeated by sin, from its innermost intentions to its visible societal consequences.

Isaiah 59 7 Context

Isaiah chapter 59 portrays the severe moral corruption of Israel (or Judah) and how their sins have created an insurmountable barrier between them and God, preventing His help and blessings. While God's arm is not too short to save and His ear is not too dull to hear, it is their iniquities that have caused the separation. The preceding verses (59:3-6) detail a litany of their offenses: hands stained with blood, fingers defiled by iniquity, lips speaking lies, injustice in legal proceedings, oppression, weaving webs of iniquity, and giving birth to viper's eggs (a metaphor for producing evil acts). Verse 7, therefore, describes the active and eager manifestation of this pervasive moral rot. The passage critiques a people who claim religious observance but whose lives are filled with practical unrighteousness, demonstrating that their external piety is void without genuine righteousness and justice in action.

Isaiah 59 7 Word analysis

• Their feet: רַגְלֵיהֶם (rag'leih-hem). Plural noun, raglayim (feet) with possessive suffix. Denotes action, movement, and the active instrument of an individual or group.
• run: יָרוּצוּ (yā-ru-tzū). From the verb ruts (to run, to hurry). Emphasizes eagerness, swiftness, and intentionality. It's not an accidental stumble, but a directed, deliberate rush.
• to evil: לָרַע (la-ra'). The prefix lā- means "to" or "for"; ra' (evil, wickedness, harm, disaster). This specifies the destination and purpose of their hurried actions: they are directed towards causing harm or engaging in moral wrong.
• and they make haste: וִימַהֲרוּ (vi-ma-ha-rū). The וּ (u) is "and"; from the verb mahar (to be quick, to hurry, to hasten). A strong reiteration and intensification of the "running." It highlights an enthusiastic, urgent drive towards the action.
• to shed: לִשְׁפּוֹךְ (liš-pōḵ). The prefix li- means "to"; from the verb šāp̄aḵ (to pour out, to shed). In this context, it refers to violent death.
• innocent blood: דָּם נָקִי (dām nā-qī). dām (blood) often refers to life itself; nāqī (innocent, guiltless, clean). The phrase emphasizes murder of those undeserving of death, highlighting profound injustice and cruelty.
• their thoughts: מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיהֶם (maḥ-šə-ḇō-ṯei-hem). Plural noun, maḥšāḇā (thought, scheme, device, plan) with possessive suffix. Refers to their inner mental activity, their intentions, plans, and moral reflections.
• are thoughts: מַחְשְׁבוֹת (maḥ-šə-ḇōṯ). Repetition of the noun for emphasis, intensifying the nature of their inner life.
• of iniquity: אָוֶן ('ā-wen). Aven (iniquity, wickedness, evil, mischief, trouble, idolatry). It encompasses a range of moral corruption and perversity. This phrase reveals that their inner world, the source of their actions, is utterly corrupt and focused on malevolence.
• desolation: שֹׁד (šōḏ). Noun meaning devastation, ruin, oppression. Implies destruction that comes through violence or oppression, leaving an area barren and empty.
• and destruction: וָשֶׁבֶר (vā-šeḇer). וּ (u) is "and"; šeḇer (breaking, collapse, smashing, disaster, injury). It denotes violent rupture and fragmentation, portraying the collapse of order and well-being.
• are in their highways: בִּמְסִלּוֹתָם (bim-sil-lō-ṯām). The prefix bi- means "in" or "on"; plural noun, məsilā (raised way, highway, public road) with possessive suffix. Highways represent public life, common pathways, and societal structure. The meaning is that the consequences of their evil are openly displayed and experienced in society, not hidden away, creating danger and chaos for all.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Their feet run to evil, and they make haste": This doubling of "running" and "making haste" conveys an aggressive, almost eager, pursuit of wickedness. It speaks to a fervent inclination and intentionality in seeking out and committing evil deeds. This is not reluctant sin, but enthusiastic depravity.
• "to shed innocent blood": This phrase details the heinous extreme of their actions. It highlights violence that is unjust, unprovoked, and targeted at the vulnerable or undeserving, showcasing a profound disregard for human life and justice.
• "their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity": This penetrates to the root cause of their actions: a corrupt inner life. Their mental faculties are devoted to devising mischief and planning evil, indicating a thorough moral perversion that originates internally before manifesting externally.
• "desolation and destruction are in their highways": This depicts the devastating societal impact of their pervasive wickedness. Their way of life literally brings ruin and breakage into the public sphere, making communal spaces perilous and daily life precarious. It portrays a society crumbling due to its own inherent corruption.

Isaiah 59 7 Bonus section

The active "running" and "making haste" towards evil starkly contrasts with God's patient long-suffering and His swiftness to deliver justice or offer mercy when His people genuinely turn. This human alacrity for sin also underscores the doctrine of original sin, suggesting an inherited bent towards evil rather than a neutral stance. When Paul quotes this verse in Romans 3:15, he uses it as part of a catena of Old Testament texts to demonstrate that "all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin" (Rom 3:9), signifying that this description of eager, destructive sinfulness is not limited to Isaiah's original audience but is characteristic of fallen humanity at large. This verse powerfully explains why God cannot simply overlook sin and why divine intervention (through Messiah) is essential for restoring justice and establishing righteousness.

Isaiah 59 7 Commentary

Isaiah 59:7 paints a vivid, stark picture of comprehensive human sinfulness, both individually and corporately. It systematically exposes the internal drive towards evil, the eager execution of wicked acts, and the widespread, ruinous consequences that ripple through society. The emphasis is on activity and intentionality: individuals are not merely falling into sin but are actively pursuing and hastening towards it, especially violent injustice (shedding innocent blood). This aggressive posture towards wickedness stems from a corrupted mind, where evil thoughts ('āwen) dominate and fuel their behavior. The result is a broken society, symbolized by "desolation and destruction in their highways," indicating that the effects of their sin are not private but openly disrupt the peace and order of public life. This verse serves as a powerful diagnostic of a people's spiritual illness, explaining why they are separated from God and underscoring humanity's dire need for redemption from a state where sin permeates thought, desire, and action.