Isaiah 64

Isaiah · Chapter 64

Isaiah 64:6

1Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,2As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!3When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.4For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.6But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.7And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.8But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.9Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.10Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.11Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.12Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
6But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.Each 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.For we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment: and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and we have becomeוַנְּהִ֤יva-ne-HIH1961
to be

הָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) …

like the unclean [person]כַטָּמֵא֙kha-ta-ME'H2931
unclean

טָמֵא (ta.me) 1) unclean, impure 1a) ethically and religiously 1b) ritually 1c) of places

all of usכֻּלָּ֔נוּku-LA-nuH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

and [are] like a garment ofוּכְבֶ֥גֶדu-khe-VE-gedH0899B
garment

בֶּ֫גֶד (be.ged) (CLBL) garment, clothing (used indiscriminately)

menstruationsעִדִּ֖ים'i-DIMH5708
filth

עִדָּה (id.dah) 1) menstruation 1a) filthy rag, stained garment (fig. of best deeds of guilty people)

allכָּל־kol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

righteousnesses ourצִדְקֹתֵ֑ינוּtzid-ko-TEI-nuH6666
righteousness

צִדְקָה (tsid.qah) right doing, doing right, righteousness Aramaic of tse.da.qah (צְדָקָה "righteousness" H6666)

and we have witheredוַנָּ֤בֶלva-NA-velH5034B
to wither

נָבֵל (na.vel) 1) to sink or drop down, languish, wither and fall, fade 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sink or drop down 1a2) to fall, wither and fall, fade 1a3) to droop

like the leafageכֶּֽעָלֶה֙ke-'a-LEHH5929
leaf

עָלֶה (a.leh) leaf, leafage

all of usכֻּלָּ֔נוּku-LA-nuH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

and iniquities ourוַעֲוֹנֵ֖נוּva-'a-vo-NE-nuH5771G
iniquity: crime

עָוֺן (a.van) : crime 1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity 1a) iniquity 1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition) 1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity

like the windכָּר֥וּחַka-RU-achH7307H
spirit

רוּחַ (ru.ach) : spirit 1) wind, breath, mind, spirit 1a) breath 1b) wind 1b1) of heaven 1b2) quarter (of wind), side 1b3) breath of air 1b4) air, gas 1b5) vain, empty thing 1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation) 1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour 1c2) courage 1c3) temper, anger 1c4) impatience, patience 1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented) 1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse 1c7) prophetic spirit 1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals) …

they carry off usיִשָּׂאֻֽנוּ׃yi-sa-'U-nuH5375H
to lift: raise

נָשָׂא (na.sa) : raise/take_up 1) to lift, bear up, carry, take 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lift, lift up 1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure 1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted 1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up 1b3) to be borne, be carried 1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist 1c2) to desire, long (fig.) 1c3) to carry, bear continuously 1c4) to take, take away 1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity) …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.