Isaiah 59 · Verse 9

Isaiah 59:9

Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
Isaiah 59:9, King James Version

Isaiah 59:9 in other translations

BSBTherefore 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.
WEBTherefore justice is far from us, and righteousness doesn’t overtake us. We look for light, but see darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity.
ASVTherefore is justice far from us, neither doth righteousness overtake us: we look for light, but, behold, darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity.
YLTTherefore hath judgment been far from us, And righteousness reacheth us not, We wait for light, and lo, darkness, For brightness--in thick darkness we go,
DARBYTherefore is justice far from us, and righteousness overtaketh us not: we wait for light, and behold darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity.
BBEFor this cause our right is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us: we are looking for light, but there is only the dark; for the shining of the sun, but our way is in the night.
WebsterTherefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

What does Isaiah 59:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. judgment far--retribution in kind because they had shown "no judgment in their goings" (Is 59:8). "The vindication of our just rights by God is withheld by Him from us." us--In Is 59:8 and previous verses, it was "they," the third person; here, "us ... we," the first person. The nation here speaks: God thus making them out of their own mouth condemn themselves; just as He by His prophet had condemned them before. Isaiah includes himself with his people and speaks in their name. justice--God's justice bringing salvation (Is 46:13). light--the dawn of returning prosperity. obscurity--adversity (Jr 8:15).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 59:9-15
If we shut our eyes against the light of Divine truth, it is just with God to hide from our eyes the things that belong to our peace. The sins of those who profess themselves God's people, are worse than the sins of others. And the sins of a nation bring public judgments, when not restrained by public justice. Men may murmur under calamities, but nothing will truly profit while they reject Christ and his gospel.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Isaiah 59:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

עַל\־'al-there-H5921
כֵּ֗ןKen-foreH3651
רָחַ֤קra.Chakit is farH7368
מִשְׁפָּט֙mish.PatjusticeH4941
מִמֶּ֔נּוּmi.Me.nufrom usH4480
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo'and notH3808
תַשִּׂיגֵ֖נוּta.si.Ge.nuit reaches usH5381
צְדָקָ֑הtze.da.KahrighteousnessH6666
נְקַוֶּ֤הne.ka.Vehwe wait eagerlyH6960
לָאוֹר֙la.'Orfor the lightH216
וְהִנֵּה\־ve.hi.neh-and there!H2009
חֹ֔שֶׁךְCho.shekhdarknessH2822
לִנְגֹה֖וֹתlin.go.Hotfor gleams of lightH5054
בָּאֲפֵל֥וֹתba.'a.fe.Lotin <the> gloom<s>H653
נְהַלֵּֽךְ\׃ne.ha.Lekhwe walkH1980

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 59:9

  • Isaiah 5:30

    And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.

  • Job 30:26

    When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.

  • Micah 1:12

    For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem.

  • Jeremiah 14:19

    Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul lothed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? we looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble!

  • Lamentations 5:16-17

    The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned! For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.

  • Amos 5:18-20

    Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

  • Habakkuk 1:13

    Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

  • Jeremiah 8:15

    We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3

    For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
is judgment.
La 5:16,17; Hab 1:13
we wait.
5:30; Job 30:26; Jer 8:15; 14:19; Am 5:18-20; Mic 1:12; 1Th 5:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 59:8

    The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

  • Isaiah 59:9

    Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

  • Isaiah 59:10

    We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

Read all of Isaiah 59

Isaiah 59:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Por esto se alejó de nosotros el juicio, y no nos alcanzó justicia: esperamos luz, y he aquí tinieblas; resplandores, y andamos en oscuridad.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		C’est pourquoi le juste jugement est loin de nous, et la justice ne nous atteint pas; nous attendons la lumière, et voici les ténèbres! la clarté, et nous marchons dans l’obscurité.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Darum ist das Recht fern von uns, und die Gerechtigkeit erreicht uns nicht. Wir harren auf Licht, und siehe, Finsternis; auf Helle, aber in dichtem Dunkel wandeln wir.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Propter hoc elongatum est judicium a nobis, et non apprehendet nos justitia. Exspectavimus lucem, et ecce tenebræ; splendorem, et in tenebris ambulavimus.