Focused Passage

Isaiah 64:1-4

A Cry for the LORD to Rend the Heavens and Remember His People

From a plea for the LORD to tear open the heavens and come down, to remembrance of his awesome past deeds, to confession that the people have sinned and become unclean, to acknowledgment that no one calls on the LORD or lays hold of him, to appeal that the LORD is Father and Potter, to lament over ruined Zion, desolate Jerusalem, and the burned temple.

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

1If only You would rend the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence,

2as fire kindles the brushwood and causes the water to boil, to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that the nations will tremble at Your presence!

3When You did awesome works that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains trembled at Your presence.

4From 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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

If onlyלוּא־H3863PrepositionYou would rendקָרַ֤עְתָּH7167Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularthe heavensשָׁמַ֙יִם֙H8064Noun - masculine pluraland come downיָרַ֔דְתָּH3381Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularso that mountainsהָרִ֥יםH2022Noun - masculine pluralwould quakeנָזֹֽלּוּ׃H2151Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralat Your presenceמִפָּנֶ֖יךָH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 2

Original words

as fireאֵ֣שׁH784Noun - common singularkindlesכִּקְדֹ֧חַH6919Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructthe brushwoodהֲמָסִ֗יםH2003Noun - masculine plural[and]אֵ֔שׁH784Noun - common singularcauses the waterמַ֚יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluralto boilתִּבְעֶה־H1158Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularto make Your nameשִׁמְךָ֖H8034Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularknownלְהוֹדִ֥יעַH3045Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructto Your enemiesלְצָרֶ֑יךָH6862Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularso that the nationsגּוֹיִ֥םH1471Noun - masculine pluralwill trembleיִרְגָּֽזוּ׃H7264Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralat Your presenceמִפָּנֶ֖יךָH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

When You didבַּעֲשׂוֹתְךָ֥H6213Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularawesome worksנוֹרָא֖וֹתH3372Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine pluralthat we did notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleexpectנְקַוֶּ֑הH6960Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common pluralYou came downיָרַ֕דְתָּH3381Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularand the mountainsהָרִ֥יםH2022Noun - masculine pluraltrembledנָזֹֽלּוּ׃H2151Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralat Your presenceמִפָּנֶ֖יךָH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

From ancient timesוּמֵעוֹלָ֥םH5769Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularnoלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleone has heardשָׁמְע֖וּH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralnoלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleear has perceivedהֶאֱזִ֑ינוּH238Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common pluralnoלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleeyeעַ֣יִןH5869Noun - common singularhas seenרָאָ֗תָהH7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularany Godאֱלֹהִים֙H430Noun - masculine pluralbesides Youזוּלָ֣תְךָ֔H2108Preposition | second person masculine singularwho actsיַעֲשֶׂ֖הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularon behalf of those who waitלִמְחַכֵּה־H2442Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular constructfor Himלֽוֹ׃Preposition | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in 1 Corinthians 2:9

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.