Isaiah 63:16 kjv
Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.
Isaiah 63:16 nkjv
Doubtless You are our Father, Though Abraham was ignorant of us, And Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O LORD, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.
Isaiah 63:16 niv
But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.
Isaiah 63:16 esv
For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.
Isaiah 63:16 nlt
Surely you are still our Father!
Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us,
LORD, you would still be our Father.
You are our Redeemer from ages past.
Isaiah 63 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 63:16 | But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not recognize us; you, O LORD, are our Father; our Redeemer from of old is your name. | God as Father; Israel's estranged status; God's eternal name and action |
| Deut 32:6 | Do you thus repay the LORD, O foolish and senseless people? Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you? | God's fatherly creation and establishment of Israel |
| Psa 89:26 | He will cry to me, ‘You are my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation!’ | Israel's prophetic cry to God as Father |
| Jer 3:4 | Have you not just now called to me, ‘My Father, my youthful friend’? | A past invocation of God as Father |
| Mal 1:6 | A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor, and if I am a master, where is the respect due me, says the LORD of hosts... | God's expectation of honor from His "sons" |
| John 8:41 | Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did,” but you do not want to do what leads to me... | Contrast of true spiritual sonship with lineage |
| John 1:12 | But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, | Becoming children of God through faith and reception |
| Rom 8:14 | For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. | True sonship through the Spirit's leading |
| Gal 4:6 | And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” | The Spirit's testimony of sonship, invoking "Abba" |
| Eph 3:15 | from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, | God as the source of all fatherhood |
| Heb 12:9 | Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? | A comparison with earthly fathers; God as Father of spirits |
| 1 Pet 1:18 | knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, | Redemption from ancestral ways, not by earthly means |
| Psa 71:18 | so even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to all the living generation— | Plea for God's faithfulness to the aged and future generations |
| Isa 54:5 | For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; the God of all the earth he is called. | God as Maker, Husband, Redeemer, and Holy One |
| Jer 31:20 | Is not Ephraim my dear son? Is he not my child, my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I still remember him; surely my affection is toward him; I will have mercy upon him, says the LORD. | God's continued affection and mercy on Ephraim |
| Hos 11:1 | When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. | God's love and calling of Israel as a son from Egypt |
| Luke 2:49 | And he said to them, “Why were you seeking me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” | Jesus' declaration of His relationship with His Father |
| John 14:6 | Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” | Jesus as the exclusive access to the Father |
| 1 Cor 1:30 | And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, from whom God armed us with his own wisdom as well as righteousness and sanctification and redemption. | Christ Jesus as the source of our redemption |
| Tit 2:14 | who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, who are eager to do good works. | Christ's self-giving for redemption and purification |
Isaiah 63 verses
Isaiah 63 16 Meaning
This verse expresses the deep conviction that God, despite His holiness and might, still regards Israel as His own, redeemed through His intervention. It speaks of a paternal relationship and divine ownership of His people.
Isaiah 63 16 Context
Chapter 63 of Isaiah vividly portrays God's victorious, though blood-stained, judgment against His enemies, symbolizing divine power and wrath poured out. The prophet shifts to address Israel, acknowledging their historical failings and estranged relationship with God. This verse, following the descriptions of divine judgment, functions as a lament and an appeal from the perspective of a remnant community. They recognize that despite the nation's spiritual disconnect and the abandonment of Abrahamic covenant remembrance, God remains their unchanging Father. The plea is underscored by the recognition of His eternal, redemptive name, indicating that God's identity is inextricably bound to His action as redeemer.
Isaiah 63 16 Word analysis
you: ( אַתָּה, ʾattâ) - Refers to the LORD. Direct address.
are: ( — הָיָה, hāyâ) - State of being.
our: ( אֲנַחְנוּ, ʾănaḥnû) - Possessive pronoun for "we." Emphasizes collective identity and relationship.
Father: ( אָב, ʾāb) - Parent, progenitor, source of life and authority. Highlights intimacy, protection, and responsibility.
though: ( כִּי, kî) - Introduces a concession or condition, linking the two clauses.
Abraham: ( אַבְרָהָם, ʾaḇrāhām) - The patriarch, founder of Israel. His knowledge or recognition of them is absent here.
does not know: ( יָדַע, yāḏaʿ) - To know, understand, or recognize. Indicates a lack of acknowledgement or connection.
us: ( אָנוּ, ʾānû) - Refers to Israel.
and: ( וְ, wə) - Conjunction.
Israel: ( יִשְׂרָאֵל, yiśrāʾēl) - The nation, often symbolizing the covenant people.
does not recognize: ( נָכַר, nāḵar) - To distinguish, acknowledge, or claim. Implies estrangement.
you: ( אַתָּה, ʾattâ) - Refers to the LORD again.
O LORD: ( יְהוָה, YHWH) - The personal covenant name of God. Indicates direct address and reverence.
are: ( — הָיָה, hāyâ) - State of being.
our: ( אֲנַחְנוּ, ʾănaḥnû) - Possessive pronoun.
Father: ( אָב, ʾāb) - As above.
our: ( אָנוּ, ʾānû) - Possessive pronoun.
Redeemer: ( גֹּאֵל, gōʾēl) - The kinsman-redeemer, one who pays a price to buy back, restore, or avenge. Emphasizes God's active role in saving and restoring.
from of old: ( מִקֶּדֶם, miqqeḏem) - From ancient times, from the beginning. Highlights God's eternal nature and pre-existing action.
is your name: ( שִׁמְךָ, šimḵā) - Your name is. Your name inherently signifies Your character and actions.
words-group analysis: "though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not recognize us" – This phrase encapsulates Israel's lapsed relationship with their foundational ancestor and with God Himself. Despite this communal forgetfulness, their plea pivots to God's inherent nature and unchanging identity as their Father and Redeemer.
words-group analysis: "our Redeemer from of old is your name" – This powerful assertion links God’s eternal identity ("your name") directly to His covenant action of redemption ("our Redeemer from of old"). It implies that redemption is not merely an occasional act but inherent to who God is, existing from eternity past.
Isaiah 63 16 Bonus section
The concept of God as a Father in the Old Testament is foundational and develops through His relationship with Abraham and His covenant with Israel. The term Gō'ēl (Redeemer) carries significant legal and familial weight, referencing the responsibility of a kinsman to redeem property or a relative from debt or captivity. God steps into this role for His people, reflecting a deep personal investment and care. This verse also echoes the theme of divine election and perpetual relationship, showing that God's foundational choice and covenant love endure even when human understanding and memory falter. The NT further expands on this, presenting Christ as the ultimate Gō'ēl, redeeming humanity from sin through His sacrifice, enabling believers to call God "Abba! Father!" (Galatians 4:6).
Isaiah 63 16 Commentary
This verse marks a crucial turn in Isaiah 63. The prophet moves from observing God's triumphant wrath to vocalizing the plea of His people. Despite their own historical amnesia concerning their covenantal responsibilities and the patriarchs, they appeal to God based on His intrinsic identity as Father and eternal Redeemer. This acknowledges a profound dependency and trust that transcends human failure. It highlights that even when the nation fails to recognize God, He remains their Father, their God, and their ultimate rescuer, whose very name signifies His redemptive purpose and action from time immemorial. It is a plea grounded in God's character and His unbreakable covenantal bond, even amidst His people's unfaithfulness.