Isaiah 9:17 kjv
Therefore the LORD shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Isaiah 9:17 nkjv
Therefore the Lord will have no joy in their young men, Nor have mercy on their fatherless and widows; For everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer, And every mouth speaks folly. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.
Isaiah 9:17 niv
Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men, nor will he pity the fatherless and widows, for everyone is ungodly and wicked, every mouth speaks folly. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.
Isaiah 9:17 esv
Therefore the Lord does not rejoice over their young men, and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows; for everyone is godless and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
Isaiah 9:17 nlt
That is why the Lord takes no pleasure in the young men
and shows no mercy even to the widows and orphans.
For they are all wicked hypocrites,
and they all speak foolishness.
But even then the LORD's anger will not be satisfied.
His fist is still poised to strike.
Isaiah 9 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 9:17 | "Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in his young men, neither shall have mercy on his fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evil doer, and every mouth speaketh foolishness." | Spiritual impurity leads to divine displeasure. |
| Jeremiah 6:13 | "Because from the least of them even unto the greatest of them is given up to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest they deal falsely." | Pervasive sin among all ranks. |
| Jeremiah 7:30 | "For the children of Judah hath done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it." | Idolatry defiling God's house. |
| Jeremiah 8:10 | "For their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives also: for mine hand shall be upon them that possess them, saith the LORD." | Confiscation of possessions due to sin. |
| Jeremiah 12:13 | "They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall receive confusion: and ye shall be ashamed of your increase because of the fierce anger of the LORD." | Consequences of sowing to the flesh. |
| Micah 7:2-3 | "The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they weave it." | Corruption and moral decay among leaders. |
| Matthew 7:15 | "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." | Warning against hypocrites. |
| Matthew 15:14 | "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." | Consequences of being led by blind leaders. |
| Luke 6:39 | "And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?" | Reinforcement of the blind leader analogy. |
| Romans 1:28-30 | "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they that commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." | Consequences of rejecting God, leading to depraved minds and wicked deeds. |
| 1 Timothy 4:1-2 | "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;" | False teachers and hypocrisy. |
| 2 Timothy 3:13 | "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." | Escalating wickedness and deception. |
| Titus 1:16 | "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." | Hypocrisy denying God in works. |
| 1 John 1:6 | "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not practice the truth:" | Denying God by walking in darkness. |
| 1 John 4:8 | "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." | Absence of love indicates lack of knowledge of God. |
| Revelation 18:5 | "For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." | National sins reaching a point of divine remembrance and judgment. |
| Psalm 14:1-4 | "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD." | Universal depravity and lack of understanding. |
| Proverbs 3:5-6 | "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." | Contrasting seeking human wisdom with trusting God. |
| Jeremiah 5:1, 4-5 | "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. For these said, It is a vain thing to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? And they also give answer to one another; Yea, and what profit is there? Behold, ye despise the word of the LORD; therefore shall no good thing happen unto you." | Search for a righteous man, highlighting absence of truth and judgment. |
| Isaiah 3:12 | "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." | Oppressive and misleading leadership. |
| Zechariah 11:5 | "Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not." | Careless and exploitative shepherds. |
Isaiah 9 verses
Isaiah 9 17 Meaning
This verse speaks of the perversion and corruption that has taken root in Israel, particularly among its leaders. It describes a nation that is fundamentally flawed and will face severe judgment. The spiritual and moral decay leads to the downfall of its leadership and a state of moral blindness, making them unable to discern truth or righteousness.
Isaiah 9 17 Context
This verse is found within Isaiah chapter 9, which focuses on the impending judgment upon the northern kingdom of Israel, specifically the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun, who were first impacted by the Assyrian invasions. Despite past transgressions and continued sin, there's a sense of lingering expectation and divine hope for a coming ruler (foreshadowing the Messiah). However, this particular verse starkly depicts the depth of corruption within the nation, particularly its leadership, leading to a harsh assessment by the Lord. It highlights the consequences of unrighteousness, where divine favor and mercy are withheld due to the pervasive sin. Historically, this was a period of significant spiritual and moral decline in Israel, marked by the apostasy and injustices that would eventually contribute to their destruction and exile.
Isaiah 9 17 Word analysis
- "Therefore" (לָכֵ֔ן - laken): A conjunction indicating a consequence or result, linking this verse to the preceding descriptions of sin and corruption.
- "the Lord" (יְהוָ֥ה - Yahweh): The personal, covenantal name of God, emphasizing His role as the one who judges.
- "shall have no joy" (לֹא־יִשְׂמַ֥ח - lo yismach): Indicates God's displeasure and lack of delight. It’s not that God ceases to exist or loses emotion, but that sin actively displeases Him.
- "in his young men" (בִּבְחֻרָיו֙ - bibchurav): Refers to Israel's youth, their hope for the future. God’s lack of joy here signifies a loss of future promise due to sin.
- "neither shall have mercy" (גַּם־בִּיתֹמָ֥יו - gam bitomav): "Also over their fatherless" (or orphans). This further emphasizes the scope of God’s displeasure; even the most vulnerable whom God typically shows compassion are not exempt from the general withdrawal of divine favor when the nation is so thoroughly corrupt.
- "on his fatherless" (וְעַל־אַלְמְנֹתָ֥יו - ve’al almanotav): "and over their widows". This pairs with "fatherless," covering both vulnerable groups. The lack of mercy toward these groups signifies the severity of the sin that even overrides God’s specific covenantal concern for the weak.
- "for" (כִּי־ - ki): Introduces the reason for God’s displeasure.
- "every one" (כֹּל־ - kol): Denotes totality, all individuals.
- "is an hypocrite" (חָנֵ֥ף - chaneph): Describes someone who is impious, profane, or outwardly religious but inwardly corrupt. It signifies hypocrisy and defilement.
- "and an evil doer" (וְעֹשֵׂה־אָ֖וֶן - ve’oseh avon): "and a doer of iniquity/wickedness". This underscores active engagement in wrongdoing.
- "and every mouth" (וְפִי־ - vephi): Refers to speech, communication.
- "speaketh foolishness" (יְדַבֵּ֥ר נִבְלֹ֖ות - yedaber nivlot): "speaks absurdities/wickedness/blasphemies." This refers to foolish, senseless, or evil speech, indicating a lack of wisdom and reverence in their communication.
Isaiah 9 17 Bonus section
The Hebrew word chaneph (חָנֵּף) is a strong term for moral or religious impurity, often used for someone who is ungodly, wicked, and profanely deviates from what is right, frequently appearing devout on the outside. This reflects a deep-seated moral corruption rather than simple human failing. The repetition of "every one" and "every mouth" emphasizes the all-encompassing nature of the sin. It's not isolated incidents but a systemic spiritual sickness. This spiritual blindness and moral perversion in leadership are precisely the conditions that make a people vulnerable to external oppression and internal collapse, a recurring theme in the Old Testament. The mention of "fatherless and widows" is significant as God particularly charges Himself with caring for these in His covenant law (Deuteronomy 10:18; Psalm 68:5), so their neglect signifies a severe break in the relational and justice aspects of their covenant with God.
Isaiah 9 17 Commentary
The verse paints a grim picture of national spiritual and moral collapse. God’s joy is turned to displeasure because the nation's foundational strength – its youth – and its most vulnerable members (fatherless and widows) are not spared from the pervasive sin. The people, especially leaders, are characterized by hypocrisy, actively practicing iniquity, and engaging in foolish, empty, or wicked speech. This spiritual rot disqualifies them from receiving God’s favor or mercy, signaling impending judgment. The failure of speech and the active doing of evil show a complete disregard for divine standards, impacting personal conduct and communal morality. It illustrates how pervasive corruption at all levels can forfeit God's pleasure and protection.