Focused Passage

Isaiah 59:16-21

Sin Separates, Justice Fails, and the LORD Himself Comes as Redeemer

From correcting the false assumption that the LORD is unable to save, to exposing sin as the barrier, to detailing violent and deceitful injustice, to confessing darkness and guilt, to the LORD seeing the absence of justice, to his divine warrior intervention, to the Redeemer coming to Zion and establishing his Spirit and words forever.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

16 He saw that there was no man; He was amazed that there was no one to intercede. So His own arm brought salvation, and His own righteousness sustained Him.

17 He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head; He put on garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in a cloak of zeal.

18 So He will repay according to their deeds: fury to His enemies, retribution to His foes, and recompense to the islands.

19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD where the sun sets, and His glory where it rises. For He will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD.

20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD.

21 “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not depart from you, and My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and grandchildren, from now on and forevermore,” says the LORD.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Original words

He saw וַיַּרְא֙ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular that כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction there was no אֵ֣ין H369 Adverb man אִ֔ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular He was amazed וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵ֖ם H8074 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular that כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction there was no one אֵ֣ין H369 Adverb to intercede מַפְגִּ֑יעַ H6293 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular So His own arm זְרֹע֔וֹ H2220 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular brought salvation וַתּ֤וֹשַֽׁע H3467 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular and His own righteousness וְצִדְקָת֖וֹ H6666 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular . . . הִ֥יא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular sustained Him סְמָכָֽתְהוּ׃ H5564 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

He put on וַיִּלְבַּ֤שׁ H3847 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular righteousness צְדָקָה֙ H6666 Noun - feminine singular like a breastplate כַּשִּׁרְיָ֔ן H8302 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular and the helmet וְכ֥וֹבַע H3553 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of salvation יְשׁוּעָ֖ה H3444 Noun - feminine singular on His head בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹ H7218 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular He put on וַיִּלְבַּ֞שׁ H3847 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular garments בִּגְדֵ֤י H899 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . תִּלְבֹּ֔שֶׁת H8516 Noun - feminine singular of vengeance נָקָם֙ H5359 Noun - masculine singular and wrapped Himself וַיַּ֥עַט H5844 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular in a cloak כַּמְעִ֖יל H4598 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular of zeal קִנְאָֽה׃ H7068 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 18

Original words

So He will repay יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם H7999 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular according to כְּעַ֤ל H5921 Preposition-k their deeds גְּמֻלוֹת֙ H1578 Noun - feminine plural - כְּעַ֣ל H5921 Preposition-k fury חֵמָ֣ה H2534 Noun - feminine singular to His enemies לְצָרָ֔יו H6862 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular retribution גְּמ֖וּל H1576 Noun - masculine singular to His foes לְאֹֽיְבָ֑יו H341 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and recompense גְּמ֥וּל H1576 Noun - masculine singular - יְשַׁלֵּֽם׃ H7999 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to the islands לָאִיִּ֖ים H339 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Or coastlands
Verse 19

Original words

So shall they fear וְיִֽירְא֤וּ H3372 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural the name שֵׁ֣ם H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular where the sun sets מִֽמַּעֲרָב֙ H4628 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular . . . שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ H8121 Noun - common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker and His glory כְּבוֹד֑וֹ H3519 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular where [it] rises וּמִמִּזְרַח־ H4217 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker For כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction He will come יָב֤וֹא H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular like a raging צָ֔ר H6862 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular flood כַנָּהָר֙ H5104 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular driven נֹ֥סְסָה H5127 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular by the breath ר֥וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or When the enemy comes like a raging flood, the Spirit of the LORD will drive him back
Verse 20

Original words

The Redeemer גּוֹאֵ֔ל H1350 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular will come וּבָ֤א H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular to Zion לְצִיּוֹן֙ H6726 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular to those in Jacob בְּיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב H3290 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular who turn וּלְשָׁבֵ֥י H7725 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct from transgression פֶ֖שַׁע H6588 Noun - masculine singular declares נְאֻ֖ם H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • LXX to remove godlessness from Jacob; cited in Romans 11:26
Verse 21

Original words

As for Me וַאֲנִ֗י H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular this זֹ֣את H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular is My covenant בְּרִיתִ֤י H1285 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular with them אוֹתָם֙ H854 Preposition | third person masculine plural says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular My Spirit רוּחִי֙ H7307 Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular [will not depart] אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative from you עָלֶ֔יךָ H5921 Preposition | second person masculine singular and My words וּדְבָרַ֖י H1697 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular that אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative I have put שַׂ֣מְתִּי H7760 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular in your mouth בְּפִ֑יךָ H6310 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular will not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle depart יָמ֡וּשׁוּ H4185 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural from your mouth מִפִּיךָ֩ H6310 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular or from the mouths וּמִפִּ֨י H6310 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of your children זַרְעֲךָ֜ H2233 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular [and] וּמִפִּ֨י H6310 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct vvv זֶ֤רַע H2233 Noun - masculine singular construct grandchildren זַרְעֲךָ֙ H2233 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular from now on מֵעַתָּ֖ה H6258 Preposition-m | Adverb and וְעַד־ H5704 Conjunctive waw | Preposition forevermore עוֹלָֽם׃ס H5769 Noun - masculine singular says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Romans 11:27
  • Literally My Spirit, who is upon you,

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.