Isaiah

Isaiah 59:9–14

⁹Therefore justice is far from us,

and righteousness does not reach us.

We hope for light, but there is darkness;

for brightness, but we walk in gloom.

¹⁰Like the blind, we feel our way along the wall,

groping like those without eyes.

We stumble at midday as in the twilight;

among the vigorous we are like the dead.

¹¹We all growl like bears

and moan like doves.

We hope for justice, but find none,

for salvation, but it is far from us.

¹²For our transgressions are multiplied before You,

and our sins testify against us.

Our transgressions are indeed with us,

and we know our iniquities:

¹³rebelling and denying the LORD,

turning away from our God,

speaking oppression and revolt,

conceiving and uttering lies from the heart.

¹⁴So justice is turned away,

and righteousness stands at a distance.

For truth has stumbled in the public square,

and honesty cannot enter.

Read all of Isaiah 59

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Isaiah 59:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Therefore	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
justice	מִשְׁפָּט֙	miš·pāṭ	Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment
is far	רָחַ֤ק	rā·ḥaq	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7368 be, or become, far, distant
from us	מִמֶּ֔נּוּ	mim·men·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
and righteousness	צְדָקָ֑ה	ṣə·ḏā·qāh	Noun - feminine singular	H6666 righteousness
does not	וְלֹ֥א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
reach us	תַשִּׂיגֵ֖נוּ	ṯaś·śî·ḡê·nū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular; first person common plural	H5381 reach, overtake
We hope	נְקַוֶּ֤ה	nə·qaw·weh	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common plural	H6960 wait for
for light	לָאוֹר֙	lā·’ō·wr	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - common singular	H216 light
but there	וְהִנֵּה־	wə·hin·nêh-	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
is darkness	חֹ֔שֶׁךְ	ḥō·šeḵ	Noun - masculine singular	H2822 darkness, obscurity
for brightness	לִנְגֹה֖וֹת	lin·ḡō·hō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H5054 brightness
we walk	נְהַלֵּֽךְ׃	nə·hal·lêḵ	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common plural	H1980 go, come, walk
in gloom	בָּאֲפֵל֥וֹת	bā·’ă·p̄ê·lō·wṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine plural	H653 darkness, gloominess, calamity

Isaiah 59:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Like the blind	כַֽעִוְרִים֙	ḵa·‘iw·rîm	Preposition-k, Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H5787 blind
we feel our way along	נְגַֽשְׁשָׁ֤ה	nə·ḡaš·šāh	Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H1659 feel with the hand, feel, stroke
the wall	קִ֔יר	qîr	Noun - masculine singular	H7023 wall
groping	נְגַשֵּׁ֑שָׁה	nə·ḡaš·šê·šāh	Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H1659 feel with the hand, feel, stroke
like those without	וּכְאֵ֥ין	ū·ḵə·’ên	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
eyes	עֵינַ֖יִם	‘ê·na·yim	Noun - cd	H5869 eye
We stumble	כָּשַׁ֤לְנוּ	kā·šal·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H3782 stumble, stagger, totter
at midday	בַֽצָּהֳרַ֙יִם֙	ḇaṣ·ṣā·ho·ra·yim	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6672 midday, noon
as in the twilight	כַּנֶּ֔שֶׁף	kan·ne·šep̄	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5399 twilight
among the vigorous	בָּאַשְׁמַנִּ֖ים	bā·’aš·man·nîm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H820 fat
we are like the dead	כַּמֵּתִֽים׃	kam·mê·ṯîm	Preposition-k, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H4191 die

Isaiah 59:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
We all	כֻּלָּ֔נוּ	kul·lā·nū	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common plural	H3605 the whole, all
growl	נֶהֱמֶ֤ה	ne·hĕ·meh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural	H1993 murmur, growl, roar, be boisterous
like bears	כַדֻּבִּים֙	ḵad·dub·bîm	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1677 bear
and moan	הָגֹ֣ה	hā·ḡōh	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H1897 moan, growl, utter, speak, muse
like doves	וְכַיּוֹנִ֖ים	wə·ḵay·yō·w·nîm	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article; Noun - feminine plural	H3123 dove
We hope	נְקַוֶּ֤ה	nə·qaw·weh	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common plural	H6960 wait for
for justice	לַמִּשְׁפָּט֙	lam·miš·pāṭ	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment
but	וָאַ֔יִן	wā·’a·yin	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
for salvation	לִֽישׁוּעָ֖ה	lî·šū·‘āh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H3444 salvation
but it is far	רָחֲקָ֥ה	rā·ḥă·qāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H7368 be, or become, far, distant
from us	מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃	mim·men·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

Isaiah 59:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
our transgressions	פְשָׁעֵ֙ינוּ֙	p̄ə·šā·‘ê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H6588 transgression
are multiplied	רַבּ֤וּ	rab·bū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7231 be or become, many, much
before You	נֶגְדֶּ֔ךָ	neḡ·de·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front
and our sins	וְחַטֹּאותֵ֖ינוּ	wə·ḥaṭ·ṭō·w·ṯê·nū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct; first person common plural	H2403 offence, penalty, occasion
testify	עָ֣נְתָה	‘ā·nə·ṯāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H6030 answer, respond
against us	בָּ֑נוּ	bā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
Our transgressions	פְשָׁעֵ֣ינוּ	p̄ə·šā·‘ê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H6588 transgression
are indeed	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
with us	אִתָּ֔נוּ	’it·tā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H854 with
and we know	יְדַֽעֲנֽוּם׃	yə·ḏa·‘ă·nūm	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural; third person masculine plural	H3045 know
our iniquities	וַעֲוֺנֹתֵ֖ינוּ	wa·‘ă·wō·nō·ṯê·nū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common plural construct; first person common plural	H5771 iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity

Isaiah 59:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
rebelling	פָּשֹׁ֤עַ	pā·šō·a‘	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H6586 rebel, transgress
and denying	וְכַחֵשׁ֙	wə·ḵa·ḥêš	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute	H3584 be disappointing, deceive, fail, grow lean
the LORD	בַּֽיהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
turning away	וְנָס֖וֹג	wə·nā·sō·wḡ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Infinitive absolute	H5253 retreat
from	מֵאַחַ֣ר	mê·’a·ḥar	Preposition-m	H310 behind
our God	אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ	’ĕ·lō·hê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H430 God
speaking	דַּבֶּר־	dab·ber-	Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute	H1696 speak
oppression	עֹ֣שֶׁק	‘ō·šeq	Noun - masculine singular	H6233 oppression, extortion
and revolt	וְסָרָ֔ה	wə·sā·rāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H5627 a turning aside, defection, apostasy, withdrawal
conceiving	הֹר֧וֹ	hō·rōw	Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute	H2029 conceive, become pregnant
and uttering	וְהֹג֛וֹ	wə·hō·ḡōw	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute	H1897 moan, growl, utter, speak, muse
lies	שָֽׁקֶר׃	šā·qer	Noun - masculine singular	H8267 deception, disappointment, falsehood
from the heart	מִלֵּ֖ב	mil·lêḇ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart

Isaiah 59:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So justice	מִשְׁפָּ֔ט	miš·pāṭ	Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment
is turned away	וְהֻסַּ֤ג	wə·hus·saḡ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hofal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H5253 retreat
and righteousness	וּצְדָקָ֖ה	ū·ṣə·ḏā·qāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H6666 righteousness
stands	תַּעֲמֹ֑ד	ta·‘ă·mōḏ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H5975 take one's stand, stand
at a distance	מֵרָח֣וֹק	mê·rā·ḥō·wq	Preposition-m; Adjective - masculine singular	H7350 distant, far
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
truth	אֱמֶ֔ת	’ĕ·meṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H571 firmness, faithfulness, truth
has stumbled	כָשְׁלָ֤ה	ḵā·šə·lāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H3782 stumble, stagger, totter
in the public square	בָֽרְחוֹב֙	ḇā·rə·ḥō·wḇ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H7339 broad open place, plaza
and honesty	וּנְכֹחָ֖ה	ū·nə·ḵō·ḥāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H5229 straightforwardness, integrity, truth
cannot	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
enter	לָבֽוֹא׃	lā·ḇō·w	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H935 come in, come, go in, go