Isaiah 64:4 kjv
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
Isaiah 64:4 nkjv
For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
Isaiah 64:4 niv
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
Isaiah 64:4 esv
From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.
Isaiah 64:4 nlt
For since the world began,
no ear has heard
and no eye has seen a God like you,
who works for those who wait for him!
Isaiah 64 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 64:4 | "Since ancient times no one has heard, nor has any eye seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for Him." | Theme: God's unique and unparalleled nature. |
| Isaiah 40:28 | "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth." | Theme: God's eternal power and creation. |
| Psalm 33:20 | "We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield." | Theme: Trust and waiting on God's help. |
| Psalm 119:74 | "May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, because I have put my hope in your word." | Theme: Joy in hoping in God's word. |
| Proverbs 16:3 | "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." | Theme: Committing to God for guidance. |
| Jeremiah 29:11-13 | "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. You will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you." | Theme: God's good plans and hearing prayers. |
| Lamentations 3:25 | "The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him." | Theme: God's goodness to those who seek Him. |
| 1 Corinthians 2:9 | "But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him—'" | Theme: Unseen blessings prepared by God. |
| Hebrews 11:6 | "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." | Theme: Faith and reward for seeking God. |
| 1 Peter 1:10-12 | "Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to come to you searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that were to follow." | Theme: Prophets' diligent search into salvation. |
| Romans 8:25 | "But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." | Theme: Patient waiting for unseen hope. |
| Psalm 91:15 | "When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him." | Theme: God answering and honoring those who call. |
| Isaiah 30:18 | "Yet the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will be lifted up, and therefore he will stand waiting to show mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him." | Theme: God's eagerness to show grace and mercy. |
| John 1:18 | "No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known." | Theme: Jesus revealing God. |
| John 4:24 | "God is a Spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” | Theme: True worship of God. |
| 1 Timothy 1:17 | "To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." | Theme: Praising the eternal and invisible God. |
| 1 John 4:12 | "No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us." | Theme: God's presence in loving one another. |
| Psalm 130:5 | "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;" | Theme: Soul's waiting and hope in God's word. |
| Hosea 6:1-3 | "“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has struck down, that he may bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his appearing is as sure as the morning; he will come to us like the dawn, like the spring rains that water the earth.”" | Theme: Returning to God for healing and revival. |
| Romans 12:12 | "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." | Theme: Admonitions for hopeful living. |
Isaiah 64 verses
Isaiah 64 4 Meaning
Since ancient times, no one has ever heard, nor has any eye ever seen, a God besides You, who acts for those who wait for Him.
Isaiah 64 4 Context
This verse is found in the book of Isaiah, a prophetic book dealing with God's judgment and restoration. In chapter 64, the prophet is lamenting the fallen state of Judah and interceding on behalf of his people. The context is one of national distress and a yearning for God's intervention and return. The people have sinned greatly, leading to severe consequences, and Isaiah, speaking for them, is calling out to God with a plea for remembrance and action, acknowledging their past relationship with God. The verse specifically highlights God's unique, unseen, and unmatchable nature and His active involvement with those who patiently await His intervention.
Isaiah 64 4 Word analysis
For (Hebrew: כִּי - ki): A conjunctive particle, often translated as "for," "because," "that," or "surely." Here it introduces the reason for the prayer or confession that follows, or emphasizes the truth stated.
God (Hebrew: אֱלֹהִים - Elohim): The general Hebrew word for God, often used in plural form to indicate majesty or sovereignty, but referring to the one true God.
beside (Hebrew: זוּלָתִי - zulati): Meaning "except," "besides," or "other than." It signifies exclusivity, emphasizing that there is no other God besides Him.
Thee (Hebrew: אַתָּה - attah): Second person singular masculine pronoun, "You." This directly addresses God.
Who (Hebrew: עֹשֶׂה - oseh): Participle form of the verb "to do" or "to act." It describes God as an active being.
Acts (Hebrew: יִפְעַל - yif'al): From the root פָּעַל (pa'al), meaning "to do," "to work," "to act," "to make." It emphasizes purposeful action and deeds.
For (Hebrew: לְ - l'): Preposition indicating "to," "for," or "in favor of." Here it shows the recipient of His actions.
Those (Hebrew: הַמְחַכֶּה - hamchakkheh): Masculine plural participle, meaning "the ones who wait," "the ones who look for," "the ones who hope for." It refers to those who are patiently expectant.
Wait (Hebrew: חָכָה - chakak): A verb meaning "to wait," "to look for," "to hope," "to expect." It implies patience, perseverance, and active anticipation.
Since ancient times (Hebrew: מִנִּי יָמִים - minni yammim): Literally "from days," suggesting a vast, indeterminate period of time in the past. It stresses the unprecedented nature of God's actions.
No one has heard, nor has any eye seen (Hebrew: לֹא־שָׁמַע אֹזֶן וְלֹא־רָאֲתָה עַיִן - lo-shama' 'ozen v'lo-ra'ata 'ayin): A parallel construction emphasizing human inability to perceive God's unique operations prior to direct revelation or future divine acts. This is a common rhetorical device in Hebrew poetry.
A God besides You (Hebrew: אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ - Elohim zulatkha): Directly asserts God's absolute uniqueness, distinguishing Him from all idols or other conceived deities.
Who acts for those who wait for Him (Hebrew: עוֹשֶׂה לִמְחַכֵּה לוֹ - oseh limchakkheh lo): This phrase encapsulates God's character as a responsive and proactive deity for His faithful followers.
Isaiah 64 4 Bonus section
This verse directly echoes and is significantly fulfilled in the New Testament's presentation of Jesus Christ. While it speaks of God's unseen actions and unique character, the advent of Jesus provides the ultimate revelation. The proclamation that "no eye has seen, nor ear heard" what God has prepared is powerfully mirrored in 1 Corinthians 2:9, which speaks of God's invisible and unimaginable blessings prepared for those who love Him. This understanding suggests that the divine wonders Isaiah anticipated are made manifest through the person and work of Jesus, who is Himself God revealed in human form (John 1:18, John 14:9). The faithfulness of God to those who wait is central to the Christian narrative of salvation through Christ's atoning sacrifice and eventual glorious return. The theme of God's unparalleled action finds its ultimate expression in the resurrection and ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in believers' lives.
Isaiah 64 4 Commentary
Isaiah 64:4 serves as a powerful affirmation of God's unique, sovereign, and personal nature. The prophet declares that human experience and observation are insufficient to comprehend or surpass God's singular identity and His active, saving deeds. No mortal has ever witnessed or heard of any deity matching God's character and His specific interactions with His devoted people. This verse highlights that God's salvific actions are entirely His own, unprecedented, and are ultimately directed towards those who place their trust and patient hope in Him. It’s a testament to divine exclusivity and the rewarding relationship God maintains with those who diligently seek Him.