Evil and Oppression

Isaiah 59

1 Behold, b the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
 2 c but your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear.
 3 d For your hands are defiled with blood
and your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies;
your tongue mutters wickedness.
 4 e No one enters suit justly;
no one goes to law honestly;
they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,
f they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.
 5 They hatch adders' eggs;
they weave the spider's web;
he who eats their eggs dies,
and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched.
 6 g Their webs will not serve as clothing;
men will not cover themselves with what they make.
Their works are works of iniquity,
and deeds of violence are in their hands.
 7 h Their feet run to evil,
and they are swift to shed innocent blood;
their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
desolation and destruction are in their highways.
 8 The way of peace they do not know,
and there is no justice in their paths;
they have made their roads crooked;
i no one who treads on them knows peace.

9 Therefore justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not overtake us;
j we hope for light, and behold, darkness,
and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
 10 k We grope for the wall like the blind;
we grope like those who have no eyes;
we stumble at noon as in the twilight,
l among those in full vigor we are like dead men.
 11 We all growl like bears;
m we moan and moan like doves;
n we hope for justice, but there is none;
for salvation, but it is far from us.
 12 For our transgressions are multiplied before you,
and our sins testify against us;
for our transgressions are with us,
and we know our iniquities:
 13 transgressing, and denying the Lord,
and turning back from following our God,
o speaking oppression and revolt,
conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.
 14 p Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands far away;
for truth has stumbled in the public squares,
and uprightness cannot enter.

  1. Cross References
    Isaiah 50:2
    Why, when I came, was there no man; why, when I called, was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish stink for lack of water and die of thirst.
    Numbers 11:23
    And the Lord said to Moses, "Is the Lord 's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.
  2. Cross References
    Jeremiah 5:25
    Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have kept good from you.
  3. Cross References
    Isaiah 1:15
    When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
  4. Cross References
    Isaiah 59:14
    Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter.
  5. Cross References
    Job 15:35
    They conceive trouble and give birth to evil, and their womb prepares deceit.
    Psalms 7:14
    Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies.
  6. Cross References
    Job 8:14
    His confidence is severed, and his trust is a spider's web.
  7. Cross References
    Proverbs 1:16
    For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
    Romans 3:15 - 17
    Their feet are swift to shed blood.
  8. Cross References
    Isaiah 48:22
    "There is no peace," says the Lord, "for the wicked."
    Isaiah 57:21
    There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked.
  9. Cross References
    Isaiah 59:11
    We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us.
    Isaiah 60:2
    For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
  10. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 28:29
    And you shall grope at noonday, as the blind grope in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways. And you shall be only oppressed and robbed continually, and there shall be no one to help you.
    Job 5:14
    They meet with darkness in the daytime and grope at noonday as in the night.
    Job 12:25
    They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.
    Isaiah 42:18 - 20
    Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see!
  11. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 4:9 - 10
    For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.
  12. Cross References
    Isaiah 38:14
    Like a swallow or a crane I chirp; I moan like a dove. My eyes are weary with looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety!
  13. Cross References
    Isaiah 59:9
    Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
    Isaiah 46:13
    I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory.
    Isaiah 56:1
    Thus says the Lord : "Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed.
  14. Cross References
    Isaiah 59:3 - 4
    For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness.
  15. Cross References
    Isaiah 51:4 - 5
    Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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