Isaiah 6 · Verse 5

Isaiah 6:5

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
Isaiah 6:5, King James Version

Isaiah 6:5 in other translations

BSBThen I said: “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.”
WEBThen I said, “Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips, for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Armies!”
ASVThen said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts.
YLTAnd I say, ‘Woe to me, for I have been silent, For a man--unclean of lips am I, And in midst of a people unclean of lips I am dwelling, Because the King, Jehovah of Hosts, have my eyes seen.'
DARBYAnd I said, Woe unto me! for I am undone; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts.
BBEThen I said, The curse is on me, and my fate is destruction; for I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of armies.
WebsterThen said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

What does Isaiah 6:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. undone--(Ex 33:20). The same effect was produced on others by the presence of God (Jud 6:22; 13:22; Job 42:5, 6; Lu 5:8; Re 1:17). lips--appropriate to the context which describes the praises of the lips, sung in alternate responses (Ex 15:20, 21; Is 6:3) by the seraphim: also appropriate to the office of speaking as the prophet of God, about to be committed to Isaiah (Is 6:9). seen--not strictly Jehovah Himself (Joh 1:18; 1Ti 6:16), but the symbol of His presence. Lord--Hebrew, "Jehovah."

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Wo is me! for I am undone - נדמיתי nidmeythi, I am become dumb. There is something exceedingly affecting in this complaint. I am a man of unclean lips; I cannot say, Holy, holy, holy! which the seraphs exclaim. They are holy; I am not so: they see God, and live; I have seen him, and must die, because I am unholy. Only the pure in heart shall see God; and they only can live in his presence for ever, Reader, lay this to heart; and instead of boasting of thy excellence, and trusting in thy might, or comforting thyself in thy comparative innocence, thou wilt also be dumb before him, because thou hast been a man of unclean lips, and because thou hast still an unclean heart. I am undone "I am struck dumb" - נדמיתי nidmeythi, twenty-eight MSS. (five ancient) and three editions. - I understand it as from דום dum or דמם damam, silere, "to be silent;" and so it is rendered by the Syriac, Vulgate, Symmachus, and by some of the Jewish interpreters, apud Sal. b. Melec. The rendering of the Syriac is תויר אני tavir ani, stupens, attonitus sum, "I am amazed." He immediately gives the reason why he was struck dumb: because he was a man of polluted lips, and dwelt among a people of polluted lips, and was unworthy, either to join the seraphim in singing praises to God, or to be the messenger of God to his people. Compare Exo 4:10; Exo 6:12; Jer 1:6.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 6:1-8

The vision which Isaiah beheld in the temple. (Is. 6:1-8) The Lord declares the blindness to come upon the Jewish nation, and the destruction which would follow. (Is. 6:9-13) Verses 1-8 In this figurative vision, the temple is thrown open to view, even to the most holy place. The prophet, standing outside the temple, sees the Divine Presence seated on the mercy-seat, raised over the ark of the covenant, between the…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 6:1-8 →

Isaiah 6:5 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.

וָאֹמַ֞רva.'o.Marand I saidH559
אֽוֹי\־'o-woe!H188
לִ֣יlito me
כִֽי\־khi-forH3588
נִדְמֵ֗יתִיnid.Mei.tiI am destroyedH1820
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
אִ֤ישׁ'ish[am] a manH376
טְמֵֽא\־te.me'-unclean ofH2931
שְׂפָתַ֙יִם֙se.fa.Ta.yimlipsH8193
אָנֹ֔כִי'a.No.khiIH595
וּבְתוֹךְ֙u.ve.toKhand in amongH8432
עַם\־'am-a peopleH5971
טְמֵ֣אte.Me'unclean ofH2931
שְׂפָתַ֔יִםse.fa.Ta.yimlipsH8193
אָנֹכִ֖י'a.no.KhiIH595
יוֹשֵׁ֑בyo.Shev[am] dwellingH3427
כִּ֗יKiforH3588
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַמֶּ֛לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahwehH3068
צְבָא֖וֹתtze.va.'otof hostsH6635
רָא֥וּra.'Uthey have seenH7200
עֵינָֽי\׃'ei.Naieyes myH5869

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

Cross references for Isaiah 6:5

  • Luke 5:8-9

    When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

  • James 3:6-10

    And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. …

  • Jeremiah 9:3-8

    And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord. …

  • Jeremiah 1:6

    Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

  • Matthew 12:34-37

    O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

  • Exodus 6:30

    And Moses said before the Lord, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?

  • Isaiah 29:13

    Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

  • Exodus 4:10

    And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

  • Ezekiel 2:6-8

    And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.

  • Revelation 1:16-17

    And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

  • Exodus 6:12

    And Moses spake before the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?

  • Ezekiel 33:31

    And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
said I.
Ex 33:20; Jud 6:22; 13:22; Job 42:5,6; Da 10:6-8; Hab 3:16
Lu 5:8,9; Re 1:16,17
undone. Heb. cut off. a man.
Ex 4:10; 6:12,30; Jer 1:6; Zec 3:1-7; Mt 12:34-37; Jas 3:1,2
I dwell.
29:13; Jer 9:3-8; Eze 2:6-8; 33:31; Jas 3:6-10
mine eyes.
33:17; Re 1:5-7

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

Context

  • Isaiah 6:4

    And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

  • Isaiah 6:5

    Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

  • Isaiah 6:6

    Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

Read all of Isaiah 6

Isaiah 6:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces dije: ¡Ay de mí! que soy muerto; que siendo hombre inmundo de labios, y habitando en medio de pueblo que tiene labios inmundos, han visto mis ojos al Rey, Jehová de los ejércitos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et je dis: Malheur à moi! car je suis perdu; car moi, je suis un homme aux lèvres impures, et je demeure au milieu d’un peuple aux lèvres impures; car mes yeux ont vu le roi, l’ Éternel des armées.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und ich sprach: Wehe mir! denn ich bin verloren; denn ich bin ein Mann von unreinen Lippen, und inmitten eines Volkes von unreinen Lippen wohne ich; denn meine Augen haben den König, Jehova der Heerscharen, gesehen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et dixi: Væ mihi, quia tacui, quia vir pollutus labiis ego sum, et in medio populi polluta labia habentis ego habito, et regem Dominum exercituum vidi oculis meis.