Isaiah 6 7

Isaiah 6:7 kjv

And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

Isaiah 6:7 nkjv

And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged."

Isaiah 6:7 niv

With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

Isaiah 6:7 esv

And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for."

Isaiah 6:7 nlt

He touched my lips with it and said, "See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven."

Isaiah 6 verses

Isaiah 6 7 Meaning

Isaiah 6:7 describes a crucial moment in the prophet Isaiah's commissioning. Following his confession of unworthiness in the holy presence of God, a seraph takes a live coal from the altar and touches Isaiah's mouth. This physical act is immediately accompanied by a divine pronouncement declaring that Isaiah's iniquity is removed, and his sin is atoned for. This cleansing is essential, transforming him from a defiled man to one made fit to stand before the Holy God and speak His word.

Isaiah 6 7 Context

Isaiah 6 details Isaiah's divine commissioning as a prophet. In the year of King Uzziah's death (c. 740 BC), Isaiah receives a profound vision of the Lord enthroned in the Temple, surrounded by seraphim. Overwhelmed by God's manifest holiness (v. 3), Isaiah immediately laments his uncleanness, particularly identifying himself as a "man of unclean lips" dwelling "among a people of unclean lips" (v. 5). This acute awareness of his and his nation's defilement in the presence of God's purity leads to the direct, remedial action described in verse 7. This cleansing prepares him to respond to God's subsequent call to ministry in verse 8, highlighting that purification is a prerequisite for sacred service. Historically, Uzziah's death marked a period of significant political and spiritual transition for Judah, with growing internal moral decay and rising external threats.

Isaiah 6 7 Word analysis

• And he touched (וַיַּגַּע - vayyaggaʿ): From the verb נָגַע (nāḡaʿ), meaning "to touch, strike, reach." Here, it signifies a deliberate, purposeful, and effective action by the seraph, a divine messenger. It implies more than a mere brush; it's a profound, spiritual contact intended to effect change.
• my mouth (בְּפִי - bephî): Peh refers to the literal mouth, but within the prophetic context, it profoundly symbolizes the capacity for speech, utterance, and proclamation. The mouth is the instrument through which the prophet speaks for God, and thus its purity is paramount for conveying divine truth without contamination.
• with it (בָּהּ - bāh): Refers to the "live coal" (רִצְפָּה - ritzpâh, a hot stone/coal) taken from the altar. The altar in the Tabernacle/Temple was the place of sacrifice and atonement. The live coal signifies divine fire, which is a powerful biblical symbol of judgment, testing, and, crucially, purification and refining (as seen in Mal 3:2, Heb 12:29). It suggests an immediate, potent, and divine purification originating from the very place where sin is atoned for.
• and said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyōmer): The pronouncement accompanying the act underscores that this is not merely a physical ritual but a spiritual transaction decreed by divine authority. The words give meaning and efficacy to the symbolic act.
• Lo, this hath touched thy lips (הִנֵּה נָגַע זֶה עַל-שְׂפָתֶיךָ - hinnēh nāgaʿ zeh ʿal-śefātekha): The repetition of "touched" and the specific mention of "lips" (śāpāh, closely related to peh) reiterates the focus on the mouth and speech. "Lips" often emphasize vocal expression, speech, or words. This phrase serves as a divine assurance of the immediate and tangible spiritual effect of the seraph's action.
• and thine iniquity is taken away (וְסָר עֲוֺנֶךָ - wesār ʿăwōnēkhā):
  • Iniquity (עָוֺן - ʿāwōn): This term typically denotes crookedness, perversity, guilt, or moral depravity, often emphasizing the deviation from righteousness and the guilt that results from sinful acts. It points to a deeper moral flaw or the state of guilt itself.
  • Taken away (סָר - sûr): A passive form of "to turn aside, depart, remove." It signifies a complete and effective removal by a higher power. This is an act of divine intervention, not human effort.
• and thy sin purged (וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻפָּר - weḥaṭṭātəḵā teḵuppār):
  • Sin (חַטָּאת - ḥaṭṭāʾt): A broader term for "missing the mark," an offense, or a failure to meet God's standard. It also refers to a "sin offering," suggesting a connection to sacrificial atonement.
  • Purged (כָּפַר - kāpar): The root verb means "to cover, pacify, make atonement, cleanse." The passive form "purged" (or "atoned for") directly links this purification to the Levitical concept of atonement (e.g., Lev 16). This twin declaration ("iniquity taken away" and "sin purged") comprehensively addresses Isaiah's total sinful state, encompassing both the guilt and the acts of transgression.

Isaiah 6 7 Bonus section

The complete purification of Isaiah was not contingent on his performing any specific rite or merit but was an act of grace initiated and executed by God through His angelic messenger. This verse profoundly illustrates the enabling power of divine grace. Isaiah's readiness to declare, "Here am I; send me," immediately after his cleansing, shows that spiritual purification from sin directly precedes and empowers divine service. The sequence highlights that effective ministry flows from a heart and lips cleansed by God. The imagery of fire from the altar also ties into the concept that the presence of God is itself a purifying fire (Heb 12:29), both refining and consuming unholiness.

Isaiah 6 7 Commentary

Isaiah 6:7 reveals a fundamental biblical principle: access to God's holy presence and readiness for His service necessitate divine purification. Isaiah, acutely aware of his defilement, could not, by human effort, bridge the chasm between his sinfulness and God's holiness. The seraph's act, utilizing the atoning symbol of the altar, directly addressed Isaiah's core need. The live coal, symbolizing refining fire and atonement, touched the very organ of prophetic utterance – the mouth – declaring complete removal of guilt (ʿāwōn, iniquity) and cleansing from transgression (ḥaṭṭāʾt, sin). This divine action was immediate, complete, and the sole basis for Isaiah's subsequent willingness and ability to respond to God's call (Isa 6:8). This divine cleansing foreshadows the ultimate and perfect atonement achieved through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose blood fully purifies us from all sin and enables believers to boldly approach God's throne (Heb 4:16, 10:19-22).