Focused Passage

Isaiah 64:5-12

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

5You welcome those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. Surely You were angry, for we sinned. How can we be saved if we remain in our sins?

6Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

7No one calls on Your name or strives to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us and delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.

8But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.

9Do not be angry, O LORD, beyond measure; do not remember our iniquity forever. Oh, look upon us, we pray; we are all Your people!

10Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wasteland and Jerusalem a desolation.

11Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, has been burned with fire, and all that was dear to us lies in ruins.

12After all this, O LORD, will You restrain Yourself? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 5

Original words

You welcomeפָּגַ֤עְתָּH6293Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthose who gladlyשָׂשׂ֙H7797Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singulardoוְעֹ֣שֵׂהH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular constructrightצֶ֔דֶקH6664Noun - masculine singularwho rememberיִזְכְּר֑וּךָH2142Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person masculine singularYour waysבִּדְרָכֶ֖יךָH1870Preposition-b | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singularSurelyהֵן־H2005InterjectionYouאַתָּ֤הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularwere angryקָצַ֙פְתָּ֙H7107Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularfor we sinnedוַֽנֶּחֱטָ֔אH2398Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural-בָּהֶ֥םPreposition | third person masculine pluralHow can we be savedוְנִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃H3467Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common pluralif we remain in our sinsעוֹלָ֖םH5769Noun - masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

Each of usכֻּלָּ֔נוּH3605Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common pluralhas becomeוַנְּהִ֤יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plurallike something uncleanכַטָּמֵא֙H2931Preposition-k, Article | Adjective - masculine singularand allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructour righteous actsצִדְקֹתֵ֑ינוּH6666Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common pluralare like filthyעִדִּ֖יםH5708Noun - masculine pluralragsוּכְבֶ֥גֶדH899Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructwe allכֻּלָּ֔נוּH3605Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common pluralwitherוַנָּ֤בֶלH5034Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plurallike a leafכֶּֽעָלֶה֙H5929Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularand our iniquitiesוַעֲוֺנֵ֖נוּH5771Conjunctive waw | Noun - common plural construct | first person common pluralcarry us awayיִשָּׂאֻֽנוּ׃H5375Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | first person common plurallike the windכָּר֥וּחַH7307Preposition-k, Article | Noun - common singular

BSB notes

  • Or like a stained menstrual garment
Verse 7

Original words

Noוְאֵין־H369Conjunctive waw | Adverbone callsקוֹרֵ֣אH7121Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularon Your nameבְשִׁמְךָ֔H8034Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular[or] strivesמִתְעוֹרֵ֖רH5782Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singularto take holdלְהַחֲזִ֣יקH2388Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructof Youבָּ֑ךְPreposition | second person masculine singularForכִּֽי־H3588ConjunctionYou have hiddenהִסְתַּ֤רְתָּH5641Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singularYour faceפָנֶ֙יךָ֙H6440Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singularfrom usמִמֶּ֔נּוּH4480Preposition | first person common pluraland delivered usוַתְּמוּגֵ֖נוּH4127Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common pluralinto the handבְּיַד־H3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof our iniquityעֲוֺנֵֽנוּ׃H5771Noun - common singular construct | first person common plural

BSB notes

  • LXX, Syriac, and Targum Yonaton; MT have made us melt in the hand
Verse 8

Original words

But nowוְעַתָּ֥הH6258Conjunctive waw | AdverbO LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularYouאָ֑תָּהH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularare our Fatherאָבִ֣ינוּH1Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common pluralweאֲנַ֤חְנוּH587Pronoun - first person common pluralare the clayהַחֹ֙מֶר֙H2563Article | Noun - masculine singularand Youוְאַתָּ֣הH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singularare the potterיֹצְרֵ֔נוּH3335Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common pluralwe are allכֻּלָּֽנוּ׃H3605Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common pluralthe workוּמַעֲשֵׂ֥הH4639Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof Your handיָדְךָ֖H3027Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

Do notאַל־H408Adverbbe angryתִּקְצֹ֤ףH7107Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularO LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularbeyondעַד־H5704Prepositionmeasureמְאֹ֔דH3966Adverbdo notוְאַל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbrememberתִּזְכֹּ֣רH2142Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularour iniquityעָוֺ֑ןH5771Noun - common singularforeverלָעַ֖דH5703Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularOhהֵ֥ןH2005Interjectionlook upon usהַבֶּט־H5027Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singularwe prayנָ֖אH4994Interjectionwe are allכֻלָּֽנוּ׃H3605Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common pluralYour peopleעַמְּךָ֥H5971Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Your holyקָדְשְׁךָ֖H6944Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularcitiesעָרֵ֥יH5892Noun - feminine plural constructhave becomeהָי֣וּH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plurala wildernessמִדְבָּ֑רH4057Noun - masculine singularZionצִיּוֹן֙H6726Noun - proper - feminine singularhas becomeהָיָ֔תָהH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singulara wastelandמִדְבָּ֣רH4057Noun - masculine singular[and] Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֖םH3389Noun - proper - feminine singulara desolationשְׁמָמָֽה׃H8077Noun - feminine singular
Verse 11

Original words

Our holyקָדְשֵׁ֣נוּH6944Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common pluraland beautifulוְתִפְאַרְתֵּ֗נוּH8597Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common pluraltempleבֵּ֧יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructwhereאֲשֶׁ֤רH834Pronoun - relativeour fathersאֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּH1Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralpraised Youהִֽלְל֙וּךָ֙H1984Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural | second person masculine singularhas beenהָיָ֖הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularburnedלִשְׂרֵ֣פַתH8316Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular constructwith fireאֵ֑שׁH784Noun - common singularand allוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructthat was dear to usמַחֲמַדֵּ֖ינוּH4261Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralliesהָיָ֥הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularin ruinsלְחָרְבָּֽה׃H2723Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Afterהַעַל־H5921Prepositionall thisאֵ֥לֶּהH428Pronoun - common pluralO LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill You restrain Yourselfתִתְאַפַּ֖קH662Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine singularWill You keep silentתֶּחֱשֶׁ֥הH2814Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularand afflict usוּתְעַנֵּ֖נוּH6031Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common pluralbeyondעַד־H5704Prepositionmeasureמְאֹֽד׃סH3966Adverb

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.