Isaiah 6
Chapter 6 Resources
Overview
Isaiah 6 marks a pivotal moment in the prophet's life, where he is called to his prophetic mission through a powerful vision of God’s holiness. In this vision, Isaiah sees the Lord seated on a throne, surrounded by seraphim, who proclaim God's glory and purity. Overcome by the recognition of his own sinfulness and the sin of his people, Isaiah is cleansed by a burning coal touched to his lips, symbolizing his purification and readiness for the task ahead. God then asks, "Whom shall I send?" and Isaiah responds, "Here am I; send me," accepting the call to deliver a difficult message of judgment to the people.
The remainder of the chapter reveals the nature of Isaiah's mission. He is sent to a people who will hear but not understand, see but not perceive, as their hearts are hardened. Despite the grim message, Isaiah is told that a remnant will remain, and from this small group, God's work will ultimately be accomplished. The chapter ends with a haunting image of a "holy seed" that will be the basis for the future restoration, signifying hope amidst the coming destruction. Isaiah 6 highlights the prophet's personal purification and the challenge of his mission, emphasizing the themes of divine holiness, human unworthiness, and the persistence of God's purpose even in the face of widespread rejection.
Historical Context
Isaiah 6 marks a turning point in the book, presenting the prophet’s formal commission through a powerful vision in the temple. The chapter is set “in the year that King Uzziah died” (Isaiah 6:1), placing it around 740 BCE, a moment of national transition and growing uncertainty. Uzziah’s long and mostly stable reign had brought prosperity and expansion to Judah, but it ended in disgrace when he was struck with leprosy for unlawfully entering the temple (2 Chronicles 26:16-21). His death marked not only a political shift but a spiritual crisis for the nation. The rise of Assyria under Tiglath-Pileser III was reshaping the power dynamics of the region, and Judah stood on the edge of both opportunity and danger.
Against this backdrop, Isaiah receives a vision of the Lord seated on a throne, high and lifted, with seraphim declaring His holiness. This encounter does not just inspire awe; it reveals Isaiah’s own unworthiness and the impurity of the people. The coals from the altar signify cleansing and preparation, as Isaiah is commissioned to deliver a message of both warning and hardening. The people would hear but not understand, see but not perceive. This difficult calling reflects the condition of God’s people in Isaiah’s time — religiously active yet spiritually blind, and resistant to true repentance. The final image of a stump left in the land offers a hint of hope: though judgment will come, a holy seed remains. Isaiah 6 anchors the prophet’s mission in the holiness of God and the tragic stubbornness of a people on the brink of judgment.
Breakdown
Overview
(v1–4) Isaiah’s Vision of the Lord on His Throne
(v5–7) Isaiah’s Confession and Cleansing
(v8) The Lord’s Call and Isaiah’s Willing Response
(v9–10) The Commission to a Spiritually Blind People
(v11–13) The Judgment, Desolation, and Promise of a Holy Seed
Breakdown
(Isaiah 6:1–4) Isaiah’s Vision of the Lord on His Throne
(v1) In the year King Uzziah died, Isaiah sees the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne — the true King over Israel and all creation.
(v2) Seraphim stand above Him, each with six wings, symbols of reverence and service.
(v3) They cry out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.”
(v4) The foundations shake at the voice of the call, and the house is filled with smoke — a theophany evoking awe and fear.
(Isaiah 6:5–7) Isaiah’s Confession and Cleansing
(v5) Isaiah is undone by the vision, recognizing his own uncleanness and unworthiness: “Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips…”
(v6) A seraph flies to him with a burning coal from the altar — a symbol of purification.
(v7) The coal touches his lips, declaring that his guilt is removed and his sin atoned for — divine grace precedes divine commission.
(Isaiah 6:8) The Lord’s Call and Isaiah’s Willing Response
(v8) The Lord asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah responds without hesitation: “Here am I; send me!” — a moment of voluntary discipleship and prophetic readiness.
(Isaiah 6:9–10) The Commission to a Spiritually Blind People
(v9) Isaiah is sent to deliver a message that will harden rather than heal: “Hear indeed, but do not understand...”
(v10) God’s purpose in the commission is judgment: the people’s hearts will be made fat, their ears dull, and their eyes blind — prophetic speech will expose and finalize their rebellion.
(Isaiah 6:11–13) The Judgment, Desolation, and Promise of a Holy Seed
(v11) Isaiah asks, “How long, O Lord?” and the answer is grim: until cities lie waste and the land is desolate.
(v12) The Lord will exile His people, and devastation will be widespread.
(v13) Yet a remnant will remain — like a stump from a felled tree. In it is the holy seed — a symbol of hope and the future restoration of God’s covenant people.
Themes
Here is a list of themes from Isaiah Chapter 1:
1. Rebellion and Corruption
-Covenant breaking: The chapter begins by addressing Israel's rebellion against God (Isaiah 1:2-4).
-Apostasy: Despite God’s provisions, the people have turned away, likened to ungrateful children.
-Moral Decay: The imagery of a sinful nation highlights societal and personal corruption.
2. Judgment and Deliverance
-Divine Complaint: God outlines His case against Israel, as a prosecutor in a covenant lawsuit (Isaiah 1:5-9).
-National Suffering: The physical desolation of the land symbolizes spiritual desolation.
-Remnant Theology: Despite the nation's corruption, a remnant survives (Isaiah 1:9).
3. Dead Works vs. Righteousness
-Worthless Offerings: God rejects insincere worship and sacrifices (Isaiah 1:10-15).
-Critique of Religious Rituals: Emphasis on justice and righteousness over ceremonial practices.
4. Call to Repentance
-Invitation to Reason: God appeals to the people to reason together (Isaiah 1:18).
-Conditional Promises: Blessings for obedience and consequences for continued rebellion (Isaiah 1:19-20).
5. Restoration and Redemption
-Purification through Judgment: God promises to refine His people, removing impurities (Isaiah 1:24-26).
-Restored Zion: A vision of a faithful city once again characterized by righteousness (Isaiah 1:26-27).
6. Contrast between the Wicked and the Righteous
-Corruption of Zion: The chapter contrasts Zion’s former glory with its current state of harlotry and corruption (Isaiah 1:21-23).
-Judgment of the Wicked: God warns that rebels and sinners will be destroyed (Isaiah 1:28-31).
Literary Structure
Chiastic Structure: The Prophetic Commissioning of Isaiah
A (6:1) – Vision of the exalted Lord seated on His throne
→ "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up..."
B (6:2–4) – Heavenly seraphim proclaiming God's holiness and glory
→ "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory..."
C (6:5) – Isaiah's confession of uncleanness and unworthiness
→ "Woe is me! For I am undone... for my eyes have seen the King..."
D (6:6–7) – Isaiah’s cleansing and atonement
→ A seraph touches his lips with a coal from the altar: "Your guilt is taken away..."
C' (6:8) – Isaiah’s readiness to respond after cleansing
→ "Here am I. Send me!"
B' (6:9–10) – God’s message: prophetic words that will be rejected
→ "Go, and say to this people, ‘Hear indeed, but do not understand…’"
A' (6:11–13) – Vision of national desolation and the holy seed in the stump
→ "Until cities lie waste… but the holy seed shall be the stump in it."
Explanation of the Pattern:
A / A' – Isaiah's vision begins and ends with God’s sovereignty: He sees the exalted Lord (v1) and then receives a vision of devastation and hope (vv11–13). The outer frame reflects both divine majesty and long-term redemptive purpose.
B / B' – In the heavenly realm, God's glory is proclaimed (vv2–4), but on earth, the message will be rejected (vv9–10). The contrast sets up a tragic irony: heaven praises, while earth resists.
C / C' – Isaiah moves from confession to commission. He is unclean (v5), but once cleansed, he offers himself willingly (v8). This reveals the transformational nature of divine grace.
D (Centerpiece) – The cleansing of Isaiah (vv6–7) stands at the center. It is the turning point: no prophetic mission can proceed until the servant is purified. The altar coal (from the place of sacrifice) provides both atonement and empowerment.
Literary Devices in Isaiah 6:
- Repetition and Triadic Formula: “Holy, holy, holy” emphasizes absolute separateness and divinity.
- Irony: Isaiah pronounces “woe” upon himself — echoing the “woes” from chapter 5.
- Symbolism: The burning coal from the altar = purification, sacrifice, commissioning.
- Contrast: The exalted throne scene vs. the desolated land.
- Inclusio: The chapter is framed by vision at the beginning and revelation of the remnant at the end.
Unit
Chapter Units Macro and Micro
Isaiah 1–39: Trouble at Home (Macro Unit)
Isaiah 6 marks a dramatic shift in the Book of Judgment, transitioning from the sweeping indictments of chapters 1–5 into the personal commissioning of the prophet. Positioned at a literary and theological hinge, Isaiah 6 moves the narrative from general covenant failure to prophetic intervention.
In the context of chapters 1–39, this chapter serves as a visionary calling and legitimization of Isaiah’s ministry. Amid a national crisis — the death of King Uzziah — Isaiah sees the true King: the Lord on His throne. The vision reveals God’s holiness, the prophet’s unworthiness, and the need for cleansing before service. The message Isaiah is given is sobering: the people will not hear or repent, and judgment is assured. However, the chapter ends with a prophetic seed — a holy remnant symbolized by a stump — hinting that even in destruction, covenant hope remains alive. This sets the stage for God’s long-term redemptive plan introduced in chapters 7–12.
Isaiah 6–12: The Book of Immanuel (Micro Unit)
Isaiah 6 serves as the introduction and foundation for the "Book of Immanuel" (chapters 6–12), a micro unit that shifts from Israel’s rebellion to the rise of hope through divine intervention. While Isaiah 1–5 focused on societal sins and divine judgment, chapter 6 introduces the prophet’s personal encounter with the holiness and sovereignty of God, followed by a difficult commission: to speak to a people who will not respond.
This chapter lays the theological groundwork for the Immanuel prophecies that follow. The Lord is enthroned and holy; the nation is corrupt and deaf. Yet a remnant — the "holy seed" in the stump — will remain. The tone of Isaiah 6 is reverent, severe, and mysterious, preparing the reader for the themes of both judgment and messianic hope that unfold in chapters 7–12. The introduction of the "holy seed" in Isaiah 6:13 prophetically prefigures the emergence of Immanuel, the promised child and sign of God's continued presence with His covenant people.
Chapter 6
Verse by Verse
Isaiah 6:1
1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his trains filled the temple.
Hebrew
Hebrew (MT)
בִּשְׁנַת־מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ וָאֶרְאֶה אֶת־אֲדֹנָי יֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא וְשׁוּלָיו מְלֵאִים אֶת־הַהֵיכָל
Transliteration
Bish'natIn the yearRoot: שָׁנָה (shanah) – year. Marks a time frame or cycle.-môtof the deathRoot: מוּת (mut) – death. Refers to the event of King Uzziah’s passing.haMelekh'the kingRoot: מֶלֶךְ (melekh) – king. Title of Uzziah.uZiYähûUzziahעֻזִּיָּהוּ – Uzziah. His name means “Yahweh is my strength.” wäer'ehand I sawRoot: רָאָה (ra’ah) – to see. Isaiah’s prophetic vision begins. et-ádonäythe LordRoot: אָדוֹן (adon) – lord, master. Used for God. yoshëvsittingRoot: יָשַׁב (yashav) – to sit, dwell. Symbol of rule or permanence. aluponRoot: עַל (‘al) – upon, over. Indicates position.-KiŠëa throneRoot: כִּסֵּא (kisse) – throne. Symbol of divine authority. rämhighRoot: רוּם (rum) – high, exalted. w'niSäand lifted upRoot: נָשָׂא (nasa) – to lift, raise. Indicates exaltation. w'shûläywand the hemRoot: שׁוּל (shul) – hem or edge of garment. m'lëiymfilledRoot: מָלֵא (male) – to fill. Expresses divine presence or glory. et-hahëykhälthe templeRoot: הֵיכָל (heykhal) – palace, temple. Symbol of sacred space.
Strong's Concordance
In the year
בִּשְׁנַת־ (biš·naṯ-)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8141: A year
that King
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king
Uzziah
עֻזִּיָּ֔הוּ (‘uz·zî·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5818: Uzziah -- 'my strength is Yah', the name of several Israelites
died,
מוֹת֙ (mō·wṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4194: Death, the dead, their place, state, pestilence, ruin
I saw
וָאֶרְאֶ֧ה (wā·’er·’eh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see
the Lord
אֲדֹנָ֛י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord
seated
יֹשֵׁ֥ב (yō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry
on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against
a throne,
כִּסֵּ֖א (kis·sê)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3678: Seat of honor, throne
high
רָ֣ם (rām)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7311: To be high actively, to rise, raise
and exalted;
וְנִשָּׂ֑א (wə·niś·śā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take
and the train of His robe
וְשׁוּלָ֖יו (wə·šū·lāw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7757: A skirt, a bottom edge
filled
מְלֵאִ֥ים (mə·lê·’îm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of
the temple.
הַהֵיכָֽל׃ (ha·hê·ḵāl)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1964: A large public building, palace, temple
Translations
KJV – In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Nephi 16 – In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
NRSVUE – In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty, and the hem of his robe filled the temple.
JPS – In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.
BSB – In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple.
ESV – In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
NIV – In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
NASB – In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
YTL – In the year of the death of king Uzziah -- I see the Lord, sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and His train is filling the temple.
BST – And it came to pass in the year in which king Ozias died, that I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne, and the house was full of his glory.
Chabad – In the year of the death of King Uzziah, I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne, and His lower extremity filled the Temple.
Alter – In the year of the death of King Uzziah, I saw the Master seated on a high and lofty throne, and the skirts of his robe filled the Temple.
Parallelism
Verse
1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death,
I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne,
high and lifted up,
and his train filled the temple.
Parallelism
A. High – Lifted up
No formal couplets or parallel lines dominate this verse. The structure is primarily narrative and visionary. However, one poetic intensifier appears in the stacked phrase “high and lifted up,” which reflects a form of synthetic intensification rather than classic parallelism.
Synthetic Intensification
A. High – Lifted up:
This is not a standard synonymous parallelism but an intensifying phrase common in Isaiah (cf. Isaiah 52:13). “High” establishes the Lord’s exalted position, while “lifted up” adds an element of being actively elevated, possibly hinting at divine enthronement, judgment, or transcendence.
Literary Devices
Visionary Setting:
This verse initiates a theophany—a divine appearance in the temple. The historical note (“In the year of King Uzziah’s death”) grounds the vision in real-world political transition, which may symbolize the end of human kingship and the unveiling of divine kingship.
Symbolism:
The “throne” indicates authority and kingship. The “train” (or hem of his robe) filling the temple signals majesty, presence, and overwhelming holiness. This is not an incidental detail but is loaded with ritual significance: the robe’s hem often represents honor and fullness in the Hebrew Bible (cf. Exodus 28:33 34).
Thematic Analysis
Divine Sovereignty:
Isaiah’s vision contrasts the death of a human king with the enthronement of the divine King. While Uzziah’s reign ends, Yahweh’s sovereignty is magnified. This juxtaposition sets the stage for the entire prophetic commission.
Temple Theology:
God’s presence is not abstract but fills the temple, the center of covenantal worship. This links divine holiness with institutional worship and prophetic authority.
Transition and Revelation:
The death of Uzziah marks the end of an era. Isaiah’s vision launches a new phase—not just in Judah’s political history, but in prophetic history. The vision becomes the foundation of Isaiah’s authority as a prophet.
Wordlinks
Saw (וָאֵרְאֶה – vaʾereh
Root: ראה – to see, perceive, behold, experience a vision
Isaiah 6:1 – I saw (וָאֵרְאֶה) the Lord sitting upon a throne…
Isaiah 1:1 – The vision (חֲזוֹן) of Isaiah… (related concept of visionary seeing)
Isaiah 2:1 – The word that Isaiah… saw (חָזָה) concerning Judah and Jerusalem
Isaiah 13:1 – The oracle which Isaiah… saw (חָזָה) concerning Babylon
Isaiah 30:10 – Who say to the seers, “Do not see (תִרְאוּ)!”
Isaiah 33:17 – Your eyes will see (תֶחֱזֶינָה) the King in His beauty…
Isaiah 53:2 – …and when we see (וְרָאִינוּ) Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him
Isaiah 66:18 – …it shall come that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see (וְרָאוּ) My glory
Sitting (יֹשֵׁב – yōshēv
Root: ישׁב – to sit, dwell, remain, enthrone
Isaiah 6:1 – …the Lord sitting (יֹשֵׁב) upon a throne
Isaiah 8:14 – …a trap to the inhabitants (יֹשֵׁב) of Jerusalem
Isaiah 9:2 (MT 9:1) – …those who dwell (יֹשְׁבֵי) in the land of the shadow of death…
Isaiah 10:13 – …I have brought down as one who dwells (יוֹשֵׁב) the inhabitants
Isaiah 40:22 – It is He who sits (הַיֹּשֵׁב) above the circle of the earth…
Throne (כִּסֵּא – kissēʾ
Root: כסא – throne, seat of authority
Isaiah 6:1 – …upon a throne (כִּסֵּא), high and lifted up
Isaiah 9:7 (MT 9:6) – Upon the throne (כִּסֵּא) of David and upon his kingdom…
Isaiah 16:5 – Then a throne (כִּסֵּא) will be established in lovingkindness…
Isaiah 22:23 – …and he shall become a throne (כִּסֵּא) of honor to his father’s house
Lifted up (וְנִשָּׂא – wenissāʾ
Root: נשׂא – to lift, raise, exalt
Isaiah 6:1 – …high and lifted up (וְנִשָּׂא)
Isaiah 2:11 – …and the Lord alone will be exalted (יִנָּשֵׂא) in that day
Isaiah 33:10 – “Now I will arise,” says the LORD… “I will be exalted (אִנָּשֵׂא)”
Isaiah 52:13 – Behold, My servant… will be raised and lifted up (וְנִשָּׂא), and highly exalted
Train (וְשׁוּלָיו – wəšûlāw
Root: שׁול – hem, skirt, train (edge or extension of a garment)
Isaiah 6:1 – …and His train (וְשׁוּלָיו) filled the temple
Exodus 28:33 – On its hem (שׁוּלָיו) you shall make pomegranates…
Ezekiel 43:13 – …the gutter or skirt (שׁוּל) around it…
Temple (הֵיכָל – hêkhāl
Root: Possibly יכל – palace, temple, majestic dwelling
Isaiah 6:1 – …filled the temple (הֵיכָל)
Isaiah 44:28 – …and to the temple (הֵיכָל), “Your foundation shall be laid”
Psalm 11:4 – The LORD is in His holy temple (הֵיכָל קָדְשׁוֹ)…
Habakkuk 2:20 – The LORD is in His holy temple (בְּהֵיכַל קָדְשׁוֹ)… let all the earth keep silence before Him
Isaiah 6:2
2 Seraphim were standing above him; each had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
Hebrew
Hebrew
שְׂרָפִים עֹמְדִים מִמַּעַל לוֹ שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם לְאֶחָד בִּשְׁתַּיִם יְכַסֶּה פָנָיו וּבִשְׁתַּיִם יְכַסֶּה רַגְלָיו וּבִשְׁתַּיִם יְעוֹפֵף
Transliteration
s'räfiymSeraphimTooltip Contentom'diymstandingRoot: עָמַד (‘amad) – to stand; a posture of reverence or readiness.miMaalabove himRoot: מַעַל (ma‘al) – upward, above; indicates position over the throne.lôhimPronoun suffix; refers to the Lord on the throne. shëshsixשֵׁשׁ (shesh) – the number six; significant symbolic value (man, imperfection). K'näfayimwingsכָּנָף (kanaf) – wing. Here plural, as in angelic wings. shëshsixRepetition for poetic emphasis. K'näfayimwingsSame as previous: angelic covering and movement. l'echädto eachלְאֶחָד (l’echad) – to each one; refers to each seraph. Bish'Tayimwith twoPreposition ב + שתיים (shtayim) – with two; denotes means of action. y'khaŠehhe coveredRoot: כָּסָה (kāsāh) – to cover, conceal; reverent act. fänäywhis faceפָּנָיו (panav) – his face; a sign of humility before God. ûvish'Tayimand with twoSame phrase as earlier, emphasizing dual action. y'khaŠehhe coveredRepetition reinforces the covering of unworthiness. rag'läywhis feetרַגְלָיו (raglav) – his feet; symbolizes submission. ûvish'Tayimand with twoFinal repetition; symmetry and balance in the angelic form. y'ôfëfhe flewRoot: עוּף (‘uf) – to fly; symbolizes spiritual mobility.
Strong's Concordance
Above
מִמַּ֙עַל֙ (mim·ma·‘al)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 4605: The upper part, with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top
Him
ל֔וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew
stood
עֹמְדִ֤ים ׀ (‘ō·mə·ḏîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations
seraphim,
שְׂרָפִ֨ים (śə·rā·p̄îm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8314: Burning, poisonous, a saraph, symbolical creature
each
לְאֶחָ֑ד (lə·’e·ḥāḏ)
Preposition-l | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first
having six
שֵׁ֧שׁ (šêš)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 8337: Six (a cardinal number)
wings:
כְּנָפַ֛יִם (kə·nā·p̄a·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 3671: An edge, extremity, a wing, a flap, a quarter, a pinnacle
With two [wings]
בִּשְׁתַּ֣יִם ׀ (biš·ta·yim)
Preposition-b | Number - fd
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)
they covered
יְכַסֶּ֣ה (yə·ḵas·seh)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3680: To plump, fill up hollows, to cover
their faces,
פָנָ֗יו (p̄ā·nāw)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face
with two
וּבִשְׁתַּ֛יִם (ū·ḇiš·ta·yim)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Number - fd
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)
they covered
יְכַסֶּ֥ה (yə·ḵas·seh)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3680: To plump, fill up hollows, to cover
their feet,
רַגְלָ֖יו (raḡ·lāw)
Noun - fdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda
and with two
וּבִשְׁתַּ֥יִם (ū·ḇiš·ta·yim)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Number - fd
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)
they were flying.
יְעוֹפֵֽף׃ (yə·‘ō·w·p̄êp̄)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5774: To fly, to faint
Translations
KJV – Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
2 Nephi 16 – Above it stood the seraphim; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
NRSVUE – Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
JPS – Above Him stood the seraphim; each one had six wings: with twain he covered his face and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
BSB – Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
ESV – Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
NIV – Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
NASB – Seraphim were standing above Him, each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew.
YTL – Seraphs are standing above it: six wings hath each one; with two [each] covereth its face, and with two [each] covereth its feet, and with two [each] flieth.
BST – And seraphs stood round about him: each one had six wings: and with two they covered their face, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
Chabad – Seraphim stood above for Him, six wings, six wings to each one; with two he would cover his face, and with two he would cover his feet, and with two he would fly.
Alter – Seraphim were stationed over him, six wings for each one. With two it would cover its face, and with two it would cover its feet, and with two it would hover.
Parallelism
Parallelism
A. With two – with two – with two
B. Covered his face – Covered his feet – Flew
Three-line parallel structure, describing the function of each pair of wings. While not traditional couplets, the repetition and symmetry form a triplet with a climactic progression.
Synthetic and Climactic Parallelism
A. With two – with two – with two:
This repeated phrase provides rhythm and structure. It mimics a liturgical or ritual cadence, possibly reflecting the orderly, reverent nature of the heavenly realm.
B. Covered his face – Covered his feet – Flew:
This progression shows a movement from concealment to action. Covering the face suggests reverence or shielding from divine glory (cf. Moses in Exodus 3:6). Covering the feet may imply humility or modesty. Flight implies service and readiness. Together, they reflect the complete devotion and orientation of the seraphim toward God—reverence, modesty, and action.
Literary Devices
Anaphora:
The repetition of “with two” is a textbook example of anaphora—a poetic device emphasizing uniformity and drawing attention to the purpose of each wing pair.
Symbolism:
The wings symbolize reverence (face), humility (feet), and obedience or readiness (flight). Each action reflects a posture of holiness appropriate to beings in the divine presence.
Imagery:
This verse paints a vivid image of celestial beings not just described, but defined by their worshipful posture—every motion and gesture communicates awe and sanctity.
Thematic Analysis
Holiness and Reverence:
The seraphim’s behavior underscores that even the holiest beings veil themselves before God. This sets the tone for Isaiah’s later confession (v. 5), reinforcing the overwhelming holiness of the Lord.
Hierarchy of Response:
The sequence—face, feet, flight—implies that worship precedes action. The seraphim do not rush to serve before honoring the majesty and mystery of God. This order carries implications for both heavenly and earthly worship.
Divine Otherness:
God is so transcendent that even seraphim—burning ones—must shield themselves. This highlights the otherness and unapproachable light of the divine throne.
Wordlinks
Seraphim (שְׂרָפִים – śərāfîm
Root: שׂרף – to burn; fiery ones, burning ones (angelic beings associated with fire and holiness)
Isaiah 6:2 – Seraphim (שְׂרָפִים) stood above Him…
Isaiah 6:6 – Then one of the seraphim (הַשְּׂרָפִים) flew to me…
Numbers 21:6 – …the LORD sent fiery serpents (הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים) among the people…
Deuteronomy 8:15 – …where there are fiery serpents (שָׂרָף) and scorpions…
Isaiah 14:29 – …for from the serpent’s root shall come forth a viper, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent (שָׂרָף מְעוֹפֵף)
Stood (עֹמְדִים – ʿōmdîm
Root: עמד – to stand, remain, attend
Isaiah 6:2 – Seraphim stood (עֹמְדִים) above Him…
Isaiah 21:8 – …and he cried, “A lion! My lord, I stand (עֹמֵד) continually on the watchtower…”
Isaiah 47:12 – Stand now (עִמְדִי) with your enchantments…
Isaiah 66:22 – …so shall your seed and your name stand (יַעֲמֹד) before Me
Each one (אִישׁ – ʾîsh)
Root: אישׁ – man, individual, each one
Isaiah 6:2 – Each one had six wings…
Isaiah 2:20 – In that day a man (הָאָדָם) will cast away his idols…
Isaiah 3:5 – And the people shall be oppressed, every one (אִישׁ) by another…
Isaiah 5:27 – None is weary, none stumbles among them; none slumbers or sleeps; not a man (אִישׁ) loosens the belt…
Wings (כְּנָפַיִם – kənāfayim
Root: כנף – wing, edge, extremity
Isaiah 6:2 – …each one had six wings (כְּנָפַיִם)
Isaiah 8:8 – …and the stretching out of his wings (כַּנָּפָיו) will fill the breadth of your land…
Isaiah 10:14 – …and there was none that flapped the wing (כָּנָף)…
Isaiah 11:12 – …and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners (כַּנְפוֹת) of the earth
Covered (יְכַסֶּה – yəkassê)
Root: כסה – to cover, conceal
Isaiah 6:2 – With two he covered (יְכַסֶּה) his face…
Isaiah 25:7 – And He will destroy…the covering (הַלּוֹט) that is cast over all people…
Isaiah 30:1 – …who devise plans, but not of My spirit, that they may add sin to sin—who walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at My mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt.
Face (פָּנָיו – pānāw)
Root: פנים – face, presence, countenance
Isaiah 6:2 – …he covered his face (פָּנָיו)
Isaiah 3:15 – What mean ye that ye crush My people and grind the faces (פְּנֵי) of the poor?
Isaiah 53:3 – He was despised… and we hid as it were our faces (פָּנִים) from Him
Isaiah 59:2 – …your sins have hid His face (פָּנִים) from you, that He will not hear
Feet (רַגְלָיו – raglāw)
Root: רגל – foot, step
Isaiah 6:2 – …with two he covered his feet (רַגְלָיו)
Isaiah 7:20 – …to shave the head and the hair of the feet (הַרַגְלַיִם)
Isaiah 52:7 – How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet (רַגְלֵי) of him who brings good tidings…
Isaiah 60:13 – …I will make the place of My feet (רַגְלַי) glorious
Flew (יְעוֹפֵף – yəʿōfēf)
Root: עוף – to fly, flutter
Isaiah 6:2 – …and with two he flew (יְעוֹפֵף)
Isaiah 31:5 – As birds flying (צֹפוֹת) over Jerusalem…
Isaiah 60:8 – Who are these that fly (כָּעוּב) like a cloud…
Isaiah 14:29 – …his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent (שָׂרָף מְעוֹפֵף)
Isaiah 6:3
3 And one called to the other and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is YHWH of Hosts;
the whole earth is full of His glory!”
Hebrew
Hebrew
וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל־זֶה וְאָמַר קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת מְלֹא כָל־הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ
Transliteration
w'qäräand calledRoot: קרא – to call out, summon; a liturgical invocation between seraphim.zehthis oneRoot: זה – this; the first seraph addressing another.el-zehto this oneRoot: זה – to this one; reciprocal invocation.w'ämarand saidRoot: אמר – to say, speak, proclaim; introducing the triple holy declaration.qädôshholyRoot: קדש – sacred, set apart; complete holiness.qädôshholyRoot: קדש – repeated for emphasis; ultimate divine purity.qädôshholyRoot: קדש – third repetition; represents absolute separation and majesty.y'hwähYahwehRoot: היה – divine name (YHWH); He Who Is, covenant God.tz'väôtof hostsRoot: צבא – armies, celestial powers; commanding heaven’s forces.m'lofullnessRoot: מלא – fullness, completeness; indicates filling the earth entirely.khälall theRoot: כל – all, entirety; universal scope.hääretzearthRoot: ארץ – land, earth; the entire inhabited world.K'vôdôhis gloryRoot: כבד – weight, honor, majesty; visible presence of God.
Strong's Concordance
And they
זֶ֤ה (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that
called out
וְקָרָ֨א (wə·qā·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read
to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to
one another:
זֶה֙ (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that
Holy,
קָד֧וֹשׁ ׀ (qā·ḏō·wōš)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6918: Sacred, God, an angel, a saint, a sanctuary
holy,
קָד֛וֹשׁ (qā·ḏō·wōš)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6918: Sacred, God, an angel, a saint, a sanctuary
holy
קָד֖וֹשׁ (qā·ḏō·wōš)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6918: Sacred, God, an angel, a saint, a sanctuary
is the LORD
יְהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel
of Hosts;
צְבָא֑וֹת (ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign
His glory
כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃ (kə·ḇō·w·ḏōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3519: Weight, splendor, copiousness
fills
מְלֹ֥א (mə·lō)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4393: Fullness, that which fills
all
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every
the earth.
הָאָ֖רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land
Translations
KJV – And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
2 Nephi 16 – And one cried unto another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.
NRSVUE – And one called to another and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
JPS – And one called unto another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory.
BSB – And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.”
ESV – And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
NIV – And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
NASB – And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies. The whole earth is full of His glory.”
YTL – And this one hath called unto that, and hath said: `Holy, Holy, Holy, [is] Jehovah of Hosts, The fulness of all the earth [is] His glory.'
BST – And one cried to the other, and they said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
Chabad – And one called to the other and said, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory."
Alter – And each called out to each and said: “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of Armies. The fullness of all the earth is His glory.”
Parallelism
Parallelism
A. Holy – Holy – Holy
B. YHWH of Hosts – His glory
C. Whole earth – Full of His glory
1 climactic triplet followed by a synonymous couplet in Hebrew poetic rhythm. The verse is structured as an antiphonal proclamation between seraphim, reinforcing both the holiness of God and the cosmic extent of His glory.
Climactic and Synonymous Parallelism
A. Holy – Holy – Holy:
This climactic triplet intensifies the attribute of holiness. In Hebrew, repetition elevates meaning—threefold repetition is rare and indicates absolute, superlative holiness. Not merely “very holy,” but holiness in its fullness, perfection, and transcendence.
B. YHWH of Hosts – His glory:
Though not a strict synonymous pair, the subject (YHWH of Hosts) is closely linked to the predicate “His glory”. This implies that the essence of His being—His holiness—is inseparable from His manifest glory.
C. Whole earth – Full of His glory:
This is a clear synonymous parallel, where “whole earth” corresponds to “full of His glory.” The structure emphasizes totality and saturation: there is no part of creation untouched by His radiance.
Literary Devices
Trisagion (Threefold Sanctus):
“Holy, holy, holy” is known as the trisagion (Greek: thrice-holy), a liturgical formula expressing the completeness of God’s holiness. This is one of the most iconic liturgical echoes in all of Scripture, later repeated in Revelation 4:8.
Antiphonal Voice:
“One called to the other” introduces a responsive, heavenly liturgy. The calling suggests not just communication, but participation in worship—a divine call and response.
Metonymy:
“Glory” represents not only the radiance of God but His presence, authority, and weight (kavod in Hebrew). It stands in for all that God is, manifest in the created order.
Thematic Analysis
Transcendence and Immanence:
God is wholly other (holy, holy, holy), yet His presence fills the earth. Isaiah unites transcendence (heavenly throne) with immanence (earthly glory), presenting a God who is both above all and within all.
Cosmic Worship:
This is not limited to the temple or heaven—the whole earth is the stage of divine radiance. The worship of God transcends the confines of sacred space and encompasses all creation.
Liturgical Pattern:
This verse serves as a model for worship. The angels don’t speak about themselves—they proclaim God's nature. True worship reflects God's holiness and spreads His glory, echoing the heavenly model seen here.
Wordlinks
Cried (וְקָרָא – wəqārāʾ)
Root: קרא – to call, cry out, proclaim
Isaiah 6:3 – And one cried (וְקָרָא) to another and said…
Isaiah 40:3 – A voice cries (קֹרֵא) in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD…”
Isaiah 55:6 – Seek the LORD while He may be found, call (קִרְאוּ) upon Him while He is near
Isaiah 58:1 – Cry (קְרָא) aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet…
Isaiah 65:24 – Before they call (יִקְרָאוּ), I will answer…
Holy (קָדוֹשׁ – qādôš)
Root: קדשׁ – to be holy, set apart, consecrated
Isaiah 6:3 – Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts…
Isaiah 1:4 – …they have provoked the Holy One (קְדוֹשׁ) of Israel to anger…
Isaiah 10:17 – And the light of Israel will become a fire, and his Holy One (קְדוֹשׁוֹ) a flame…
Isaiah 29:23 – …they will sanctify My name and sanctify the Holy One (קְדוֹשׁ) of Jacob
Isaiah 57:15 – For thus says the high and exalted One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy (קָדוֹשׁ)…
LORD of Hosts (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת – YHWH tsevāʾôt)
Root: צבא – army, host, warfare, service
Isaiah 6:3 – …the LORD of Hosts (צְבָאוֹת)
Isaiah 1:9 – Unless the LORD of Hosts had left us a few survivors…
Isaiah 8:13 – …the LORD of Hosts, Him you shall sanctify
Isaiah 13:4 – …the LORD of Hosts is mustering an army for battle
Isaiah 24:23 – …the LORD of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
Whole earth (כָּל־הָאָרֶץ – kol hāʾāreṣ)
Root: ארץ – land, earth, territory
Isaiah 6:3 – …the whole earth is full of His glory
Isaiah 11:9 – …the earth (הָאָרֶץ) shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD
Isaiah 24:1 – Behold, the LORD empties the earth (הָאָרֶץ)…
Isaiah 26:9 – …for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness
Isaiah 62:11 – Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth…
Glory (כְּבוֹדוֹ – kevōdô)
Root: כבד – to be heavy, honored, glorified
Isaiah 6:3 – …the whole earth is full of His glory (כְּבוֹדוֹ)
Isaiah 2:10 – …hide in the dust from before the terror of the LORD and from the glory (הֲדָרוֹ) of His majesty
Isaiah 35:2 – …they shall see the glory (כְּבוֹד) of the LORD, the majesty of our God
Isaiah 40:5 – And the glory (כְּבוֹד) of the LORD shall be revealed…
Isaiah 58:8 – …and the glory (כְּבוֹד) of the LORD shall be your rear guard
Isaiah 6:4
4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of the one calling, and the temple was filled with smoke.
Hebrew
Hebrew
וַיָּנֻעוּ אַמּוֹת הַסִּפִּים מִקּוֹל הַקּוֹרֵא וְהַבַּיִת יִמָּלֵא עָשָׁן
Transliteration
vayyânu‘uShook – נָעוּ vayyânu‘uRoot: נוּעַ (nûa‘), to shake, quake, or sway—often associated with divine presence or fear ‘ammōtFoundations – אַמּוֹת ‘ammōtRoot: אֵם (‘em), base or support—used for structural elements like pillars or foundational beams hassippîmThresholds – הַסִּפִּים hassippîmRoot: סָפַף (sāfaf), to border or enclose—thresholds symbolically mark the boundary between sacred and profane miqqôlAt the voice of – מִקּוֹל miqqôlRoot: קוֹל (qôl), voice, sound, thunder—often a symbol of divine command or presence haqqôrē’The caller – הַקּוֹרֵא haqqôrē’Root: קָרָא (qārā’), to call, proclaim, or invite—frequently used in prophetic or angelic speech vehabbayitAnd the house – וְהַבַּיִת vehabbayitRoot: בַּיִת (bayit), house, temple, or household—represents both physical and spiritual dwelling millē’Was filled – מִלֵּא millē’Root: מָלֵא (malē’), to fill, complete, or fulfill—often denotes divine fullness or glory ‘āshānWith smoke – עָשָׁן ‘āshānRoot: עָשַׁן (‘āshan), smoke or vapor—symbol of divine presence, mystery, or judgment
Strong's Concordance
The doorposts
אַמּ֣וֹת (’am·mō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 520: A mother, a cubit, a door-base
and thresholds
הַסִּפִּ֔ים (has·sip·pîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5592: A vestibule, a dish
shook
וַיָּנֻ֙עוּ֙ (way·yā·nu·‘ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5128: To quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter
at the sound
מִקּ֖וֹל (miq·qō·wl)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound
of their voices,
הַקּוֹרֵ֑א (haq·qō·w·rê)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read
and the temple
וְהַבַּ֖יִת (wə·hab·ba·yiṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house
was filled
יִמָּלֵ֥א (yim·mā·lê)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of
with smoke.
עָשָֽׁן׃ (‘ā·šān)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6227: Smoke
Translations
KJV – And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
2 Nephi 16 – And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
NRSVUE – The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke.
JPS – And the posts of the door were moved at the voice of them that called, and the house was filled with smoke.
BSB – At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke.
ESV – And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
NIV – At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
NASB – And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.
YTL – And the posts of the thresholds are moved by the voice of him who is calling, and the house is full of smoke.
BST – And the lintel shook at the voice they uttered, and the house was filled with smoke.
Chabad – And the doorposts quaked from the voice of him who called, and the House became filled with smoke.
Alter – And the pillars of the thresholds swayed from the voice calling out and the house was filled with smoke.
Parallelism
Parallelism
A. Foundations shook – Temple was filled
B. Voice of the one calling – Smoke
1 couplet, loosely constructed, where action and consequence are paralleled symbolically more than syntactically. The verse does not follow strict parallel poetic lines, but it does reflect emblematic parallelism, where one line presents cause, and the second mirrors effect in a different form.
Emblematic Parallelism
A. Foundations shook – Temple was filled:
These are two consequences of divine presence. The first is physical trembling—earthquake-like—suggesting power. The second is sensory obscuration—smoke—suggesting mystery and divine inaccessibility. Together, they show that God's presence is both overwhelming and unapproachable.
B. Voice of the one calling – Smoke:
Not direct parallels, but conceptually linked: the voice produces shaking; the smoke fills the temple. Both result from divine or heavenly speech, suggesting that even the call of the seraph has an overwhelming impact in God's presence. The voice shakes the earth; the smoke veils the glory.
Literary Devices
Imagery:
Rich sensory imagery dominates—shaking thresholds and smoke-filled temple—evoking awe and instability in the face of divine revelation. The audience is immersed in sound, motion, and obscured vision.
Metonymy and Symbolism:
“Foundations of the thresholds” represents the entire temple structure—its deepest, most immovable parts. That even they shake emphasizes the weight of divine presence. “Smoke” is often associated with God's glory (cf. Exodus 19:18; 1 Kings 8:10–11), symbolizing both presence and concealment.
Cause and Effect:
The voice causes seismic response. The calling of the seraph is no mere speech—it reverberates through the cosmic sanctuary, linking heavenly liturgy with earthly consequence.
Thematic Analysis
Overwhelming Presence:
This verse reinforces the raw power of God's presence. Even heaven’s foundations are not immune to shaking. Divine speech—mediated even through seraphim—carries seismic force.
Hidden Glory:
The smoke filling the temple may suggest a barrier to Isaiah’s sight, emphasizing God's holiness and unapproachability. This mirrors the Sinai theophany where God descended in fire and smoke (Exodus 19), reinforcing continuity between the temple and the mountain.
Threshold of Transformation:
Isaiah is standing at the literal and symbolic threshold—caught between heaven and earth, life and death, purity and impurity. The shaking thresholds anticipate his own internal shaking in the next verse: “Woe is me.” The setting prepares for prophetic commissioning through awe and fear.
Wordlinks
Shook (וַיָּנֻעוּ – vayyānûʿû)
Root: נוע – to shake, quake, totter
Isaiah 6:4 – And the foundations of the thresholds shook (וַיָּנֻעוּ) at the voice of the one who called
Isaiah 7:2 – …his heart shook (נָעוּ) and the heart of his people, as the trees of the forest shake before the wind
Isaiah 24:18 – …for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth shake (יִרְעָשׁוּ)
Isaiah 29:6 – You will be visited by the LORD of hosts… with earthquake and great noise, with storm and tempest… (context of shaking)
Foundations (אַשְׁמוֹת – ʾashmōt)
Root: אשׁם (or possibly שׁמם in derived sense) – desolations, thresholds, foundations (rare term, likely architectural base or socket)
Isaiah 6:4 – And the foundations (אַשְׁמוֹת) of the thresholds shook…
Ezekiel 41:8 – I saw also that the house had a raised platform all around; the foundations of the side chambers were a full rod of six long cubits (conceptually linked)
Psalm 82:5 – …all the foundations of the earth are shaken (יִמּוֹטוּ – different root but similar imagery)
Thresholds (הַסִּפִּים – hassippîm)
Root: ספף – threshold, doorstep
Isaiah 6:4 – And the foundations of the thresholds (הַסִּפִּים) shook…
Isaiah thresholds of God's dwelling only appear here
1 Kings 6:31 – For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood… and the doorposts (מְזוּזוֹת – related architectural part)
Zephaniah 2:14 – …columns will lie bare, the thresholds (סִפִּים) will be broken
Voice (קוֹל – qôl)
Root: קול – voice, sound, thunder
Isaiah 6:4 – …at the voice (קוֹל) of the one who called
Isaiah 30:30 – And the LORD will cause His glorious voice (קוֹל) to be heard…
Isaiah 40:3 – A voice (קוֹל) of one crying in the wilderness…
Isaiah 66:6 – A voice of uproar from the city, a voice from the temple, the voice of the LORD…
Called (הַקּוֹרֵא – haqqōrēʾ)
Root: קרא – to call, proclaim, summon
Isaiah 6:4 – …at the voice of the one calling (הַקּוֹרֵא)
Isaiah 40:6 – A voice says, “Call out!” (קְרָא)
Isaiah 55:6 – …call (קִרְאוּ) upon Him while He is near
Isaiah 58:1 – Call (קְרָא) with a full voice, do not spare
House (הַבַּיִת – habbayit)
Root: בית – house, dwelling, temple
Isaiah 6:4 – …and the house (הַבַּיִת) was filled with smoke
Isaiah 2:2 – …the mountain of the LORD’s house (בֵּית) shall be established…
Isaiah 56:7 – …My house (בֵּיתִי) shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples
Isaiah 66:1 – Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool; what house (בַּיִת) will you build for Me?
Was filled (וַיִּמָּלֵא – vayyimmālēʾ)
Root: מלא – to fill, be full
Isaiah 6:4 – …and the house was filled (וַיִּמָּלֵא) with smoke
Isaiah 8:8 – …he will sweep into Judah, he will overflow and pass through (וּמִלְּאוֹ – and fill it)
Isaiah 11:9 – …the earth shall be full (מָלְאָה) of the knowledge of the LORD
Isaiah 65:11 – …you who forsake the LORD… who fill (הַמְמַלְאִים) My mountain with food offerings
Smoke (עָשָׁן – ʿāshān)
Root: עשׁן – smoke, vapor
Isaiah 6:4 – …was filled with smoke (עָשָׁן)
Isaiah 9:18 – …they mount up like the lifting up of smoke (עָשָׁן)
Isaiah 14:31 – …there shall come from the north smoke (עָשָׁן), and none shall be alone in his appointed times
Psalm 104:32 – …He touches the mountains, and they smoke (וַיֶּעֱשָׁנוּ)
Isaiah 6:5
5 Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am silenced! For I am a man of unclean lips, and in the midst of a people of unclean lips I dwell; for my eyes have seen the King, YHWH of Hosts.
Hebrew
Hebrew (MT)
וָאֹמַר אוֹי־לִי כִי־נִדְמֵיתִי כִּי אִישׁ טְמֵא־שְׂפָתַיִם אָנֹכִי וּבְתוֹךְ עַם־טְמֵא שְׂפָתַיִם אָנֹכִי יוֹשֵׁב כִּי אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת רָאוּ עֵינָי
Transliteration
wäomarAnd I saidRoot: אָמַר (’āmar), to say, speak, or declare—used for speech in both divine and human contexts ôyWoeRoot: אוֹי (ôy), an exclamation of distress, lamentation, or impending judgment—often used in prophetic declarations-liyTo meRoot: אֲנִי (’aniy), pronoun for 'I' or 'me'—often used for emphasis or personal lament khiy-nid'mëytiyFor I am undoneRoot: דָּמָה (dāmāh), to cease, be silenced, destroyed—expresses awe, disintegration, or impending death KiyForRoot: כִּי (kiy), a conjunction meaning 'for,' 'because,' or 'when'—introduces reason or cause iyshA manRoot: אִישׁ (’iysh), man or individual—often used in a representative or covenantal sense ţ'mëOf uncleanRoot: טָמֵא (ṭāmē’), to be impure, defiled—ritually or morally unclean, often in temple contexts-s'fätayimLipsRoot: שָׂפָה (śāpāh), lip or language—symbolic of speech, covenant declarations, or expression änokhiyIRoot: אֲנִי (’anokhiy), archaic form of 'I'—used in emphatic or elevated language ûv'tôkh'And in the midst ofRoot: בְּתוֹךְ (bətôkh), in the middle of, among—used for physical or relational proximity amA peopleRoot: עַם (‘am), people, nation—often covenantal, referring to Israel or the nations-ţ'mëOf uncleanRoot: טָמֵא (ṭāmē’), to be impure, defiled—repetition intensifies the sense of collective unworthiness-s'fätayimLipsRoot: שָׂפָה (śāpāh), lip or language—used here to signify defiled or unworthy speech änokhiy yôshëvI dwellRoot: יָשַׁב (yāshav), to sit, dwell, remain—conveys settled presence among the people KiyForRoot: כִּי (kiy), because—for reasoning or explanatory connection to the vision et-haMelekh'The KingRoot: מֶלֶךְ (melekh), king, ruler—used of earthly and divine kingship, here clearly divine y'hwähYHWHRoot: יהוה (YHWH), the tetragrammaton—covenant name of the God of Israel, source of divine glory tz'väôtOf HostsRoot: צָבָא (tzāvā’), army, host, or celestial body—denoting God as commander of heavenly forces räûHave seenRoot: רָאָה (rā’āh), to see, perceive—implies direct revelation or visionary experience ëynäyMy eyesRoot: עַיִן (‘ayin), eye—symbol of perception, discernment, and encounter with the divine
Strong's Concordance
Then I said,
וָאֹמַ֞ר (wā·’ō·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say
“Woe
אֽוֹי־ (’ō·w-)
Interjection
Strong's 188: Lamentation, Oh!
is me,
לִ֣י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew
for
כִֽי־ (ḵî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction
I am ruined,
נִדְמֵ֗יתִי (niḏ·mê·ṯî)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1820: To be dumb, silent, to fail, perish, trans, to destroy
because
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction
I
אָנֹ֔כִי (’ā·nō·ḵî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I
am a man
אִ֤ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person
of unclean
טְמֵֽא־ (ṭə·mê-)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2931: Unclean
lips
שְׂפָתַ֙יִם֙ (śə·p̄ā·ṯa·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin
dwelling
יוֹשֵׁ֑ב (yō·wō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry
among
וּבְתוֹךְ֙ (ū·ḇə·ṯō·wḵ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre
a people
עַם־ (‘am-)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock
of unclean
טְמֵ֣א (ṭə·mê)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2931: Unclean
lips,
שְׂפָתַ֔יִם (śə·p̄ā·ṯa·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin
[and]
כִּ֗י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction
my eyes
עֵינָֽי׃ (‘ê·nāy)
Noun - cdc | first person common singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain
have seen
רָא֥וּ (rā·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7200: To see
the King,
הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king
the LORD
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel
of Hosts.”
צְבָא֖וֹת (ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign
Translations
KJV – 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.
2 Nephi 16 – Then said I: Wo is unto 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.
NRSVUE – And I said, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
JPS – 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.
BSB – Then 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.”
ESV – And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for 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!”
NIV – “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
NASB – Then I said, “Woe to me, for I am ruined! 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.”
YTL – And I say, `Wo 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.'
BST – And I said, Woe is me, for I am pricked to the heart; for being a man, and having unclean lips, I dwell in the midst of a people having unclean lips; and I have seen with mine eyes the King, the Lord of hosts.
Chabad – And I said, "Woe is me for I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and amidst a people of unclean lips I dwell, for the King, the Lord of Hosts have my eyes seen.
Alter – And I said, “Woe to me, for I am undone, for I am a man of impure lips, and in a people of impure lips do I dwell. My eyes have seen the King LORD of Armies.”
Parallelism
Parallelism
A. I am a man of unclean lips – I dwell among a people of unclean lips
B. Woe is me – I am silenced
C. My eyes have seen – the King, YHWH of Hosts
2 couplets with a climactic conclusion. The structure builds from confession to awe, with synonymous and synthetic parallelism intertwining.
Synonymous Parallelism
A. I am a man of unclean lips – I dwell among a people of unclean lips:
This parallel deepens the speaker’s confession. The first line is personal; the second extends the impurity corporately. It suggests that Isaiah is not only aware of his own sin but sees himself as part of a community equally defiled.
B. Woe is me – I am silenced:
This pair expresses emotional and existential collapse. “Woe” indicates lament or curse; “I am silenced” (often rendered “undone,” “ruined,” or “destroyed”) intensifies the inner disintegration. The structure reinforces a prophetic pattern: confrontation with God brings a crisis of self.
Synthetic Parallelism
C. My eyes have seen – the King, YHWH of Hosts:
The seeing leads to the crisis. This is not parallel repetition but an explanatory climax. The reason for Isaiah’s undone state is not sin alone, but sin in the presence of the King—a term loaded with divine authority and sovereignty.
Literary Devices
Confession Formula:
The verse echoes the priestly and prophetic tradition of declaring unworthiness before a holy God. Isaiah’s self-judgment aligns him with figures like Moses (Ex. 4:10), Gideon (Judg. 6:22), and Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:28).
Repetition:
“Unclean lips” is repeated for emphasis and expansion—from self to society. This repetition establishes a link between personal impurity and communal failure, often a prophetic theme.
Metonymy:
“Lips” stand in for speech, which reflects the inner state. In prophetic literature, impure speech represents moral and spiritual corruption.
Climax:
The vision ends with “My eyes have seen the King,” which serves as the final, awe-stricken realization that the speaker has come face to face with holiness incarnate. It is both terrifying and transformative.
Thematic Analysis
Unworthiness in the Face of Holiness:
Isaiah’s reaction is not curiosity or wonder—it’s devastation. The overwhelming holiness of God exposes not just sin, but inability—to speak, to stand, to remain whole.
Corporate Identity and Guilt:
Isaiah does not isolate his own impurity but recognizes his place within a people marked by the same fault. This is critical to prophetic calling: he must intercede for and speak to a people whose sins he shares.
Seeing the King:
The phrase “my eyes have seen the King” is not incidental—it’s pivotal. In Hebrew thought, to see God is to risk death (Ex. 33:20). That Isaiah survives initiates the grace-filled turning point in the next verse, but here the focus is on reverent dread.
Transformation Through Crisis:
The prophetic commission begins not with power, but with a breaking. Only when Isaiah acknowledges his total unworthiness does he become a vessel for the message. This moment models the paradox that humility precedes authority.
Wordlinks
Woe (אוֹי – ʾôy)
Root: אוֹי – alas, woe, an exclamation of distress or judgment
Isaiah 6:5 – Then I said, Woe (אוֹי) is me!
Isaiah 3:11 – Woe (אוֹי) to the wicked! It shall be ill with him…
Isaiah 5:8 – Woe (הוֹי) to those who join house to house…
Isaiah 10:1 – Woe (הוֹי) to those who decree iniquitous decrees…
Isaiah 29:15 – Woe (הוֹי) to those who seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD…
I am undone (נִדְמֵיתִי – nidmêthî)
Root: דמה – to be silent, destroyed, ruined, cease
Isaiah 6:5 – …for I am undone (נִדְמֵיתִי)
Hosea 4:5 – …you shall stumble (וְנִדְמֵיתִי) in the day (same verb in judgment context)
Psalm 49:12 – Man in his pomp will not endure (נִמְשַׁל)… (related semantic field of ceasing)
Unclean (טְמֵא – ṭamēʾ)
Root: טמא – to be unclean, defiled
Isaiah 6:5 – …a man of unclean (טְמֵא) lips
Isaiah 52:11 – …go out from the midst of her, be ye clean, who bear the vessels of the LORD (opposite of טָמֵא)
Isaiah 64:6 – We are all as an unclean (טָמֵא) thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…
Leviticus 13:45 – …he is unclean (טָמֵא), he shall dwell alone…
Lips (שְׂפָתַיִם – śəfāthayim)
Root: שׂפה – lip, speech, language, edge
Isaiah 6:5 – …unclean lips (שְׂפָתַיִם)
Isaiah 29:13 – …this people draw near with their mouth and honor Me with their lips (שְׂפָתָיו), but their heart is far from Me
Isaiah 57:19 – I create the fruit of the lips (שָׂפָה); Peace, peace…
Isaiah 11:4 – …and with the breath of His lips (שְׂפָתָיו) He shall slay the wicked
Dwell (יֹשֵׁב – yōshēv)
Root: ישׁב – to sit, dwell, remain
Isaiah 6:5 – and I dwell (יֹשֵׁב) in the midst of a people of unclean lips
Isaiah 8:14 – …a trap for the inhabitants (יֹשֵׁב) of Jerusalem
Isaiah 9:2 – …those who dwell (יֹשְׁבֵי) in the land of the shadow of death
Isaiah 40:22 – It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants (יֹשְׁבֶיהָ) are like grasshoppers
People (עָם – ʿām)
Root: עם – people, nation
Isaiah 6:5 – …a people (עָם) of unclean lips
Isaiah 1:3 – …but Israel does not know, My people (עַמִּי) do not understand
Isaiah 5:13 – Therefore My people (עַמִּי) go into exile for lack of knowledge
Isaiah 53:8 – …for the transgression of My people (עַמִּי) He was stricken
Eyes (עֵינַי – ʿênay)
Root: עין – eye, spring, appearance
Isaiah 6:5 – for my eyes (עֵינַי) have seen the King
Isaiah 33:17 – Your eyes (עֵינֶיךָ) will see the King in His beauty
Isaiah 52:8 – …they will see with their own eyes (בְּעֵינֶיהֶם)
Isaiah 64:4 – …nor has the eye (עַיִן) seen any God besides You
King (הַמֶּלֶךְ – hammelekh)
Root: מלך – to rule, king, reign
Isaiah 6:5 – …I have seen the King (הַמֶּלֶךְ), the LORD of Hosts
Isaiah 32:1 – Behold, a king (מֶלֶךְ) shall reign in righteousness…
Isaiah 33:17 – Your eyes will see the King (מֶלֶךְ) in His beauty
Isaiah 41:21 – Bring forth your case, says the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, says the King (מֶלֶךְ) of Jacob
LORD of Hosts (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת – YHWH tsevāʾôt)
Root: צבא – army, host, service, war
Isaiah 6:5 – …the LORD of Hosts (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת)
Isaiah 1:9 – Unless the LORD of Hosts had left us a remnant…
Isaiah 13:4 – …the LORD of Hosts is mustering an army for war
Isaiah 28:29 – …the LORD of Hosts, wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom
Isaiah 44:6 – Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of Hosts: I am the First and I am the Last…
Isaiah 6:6
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a live coal, which he took with tongs from the altar.
Hebrew
Hebrew (MT)
מִכַּף־רֶגֶל וְעַד־רֹאשׁ אֵין־בּוֹ מְתֹם פֶּצַע וְחַבּוּרָה וּמַכָּה טְרִיָּה לֹא־זֹרוּ וְלֹא חֻבָּשׁוּ וְלֹא רֻכְּכָה בַּשָּׁמֶן
Transliteration
waYääfAnd flewRoot: עוּף (‘ûf), to fly or hover—used of winged movement, especially in visionary or angelic contextsëlayTo meRoot: אֵל (’el), to, toward—preposition of direction or movement echädOneRoot: אֶחָד (’echād), one, a certain one—used here to single out one of the seraphim minFromRoot: מִן (min), from, out of—indicates source or origin And in his handRoot: יָד (yād), hand—symbol of action, possession, or agencyûv'yädôThe seraphimRoot: שָׂרַף (śārāf), to burn—seraphim are fiery, burning celestial beings ritz'PähA burning coalRoot: רָצַף (rātzaf), to glow or be hot—ritual object of purification B'mel'qachayimWith tongsRoot: מַלְקַחַיִם (malqāḥayim), tongs or utensils—used for handling holy or hot objects in temple service läqachHe had takenRoot: לָקַח (lāqach), to take, grasp—indicates purposeful selection or action mëalFrom uponRoot: מֵעַל (me‘al), from above, from upon—indicating elevated originhaMiz'BëªchThe altarRoot: מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbēaḥ), altar—place of sacrifice, central to temple service and purification
Strong's Concordance
Then one
אֶחָד֙ (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first
of
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of
the seraphim
הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים (haś·śə·rā·p̄îm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8314: Burning, poisonous, a saraph, symbolical creature
flew
וַיָּ֣עָף (way·yā·‘āp̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5774: To fly, to faint
to me,
אֵלַ֗י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to
and in his hand
וּבְיָד֖וֹ (ū·ḇə·yā·ḏōw)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand
was a glowing coal
רִצְפָּ֑ה (riṣ·pāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7531: A hot stone, a tessellated pavement
that he had taken
לָקַ֖ח (lā·qaḥ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take
with tongs
בְּמֶ֨לְקַחַ֔יִם (bə·mel·qa·ḥa·yim)
Preposition-b | Noun - md
Strong's 4457: Tongs, snuffers
from
מֵעַ֥ל (mê·‘al)
Preposition-m
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against
the altar.
הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (ham·miz·bê·aḥ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4196: An altar
Translations
KJV – 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:
2 Nephi 16 – Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar;
NRSVUE – Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.
JPS – Then flew unto me one of the seraphim, with a glowing stone in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar;
BSB – Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
ESV – Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
NIV – Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.
NASB – Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.
YTL – And flee unto me doth one of the seraphs, and in his hand a burning coal, (with tongs he hath taken [it] from off the altar,)
BST – And there was sent to me one of the seraphs, and he had in his hand a coal, which he had taken off the altar with the tongs:
Chabad – And one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal; with tongs he had taken it from upon the altar.
Alter – And one of the seraphim flew down to me, in his hand a glowing coal in tongs that he had taken from the altar.
Parallelism
Parallelism
No formal parallelism in structure. The verse is narrative and transitional, moving the scene from Isaiah’s confession to his purification. Each clause adds sequential detail rather than poetic parallel.
Narrative Progression
This verse advances the vision with chronological unfolding rather than parallel expression. Each element builds toward a theological act (purification) rather than a literary symmetry.
Literary Devices
Symbolism:
The live coal symbolizes purification, judgment, and transformation. Fire in biblical imagery often signifies holiness and refining power (cf. Malachi 3:2–3). The fact that it comes from the altar links Isaiah’s cleansing directly to the sacrificial system, implying atonement.
Irony of Mediation:
The seraph does not touch the coal directly but uses tongs—even these burning ones must show reverence before the holy. Yet the coal is brought near to Isaiah’s lips. This contrast heightens the gravity of Isaiah’s commissioning.
Imagery:
The movement of the seraph (“flew to me”) signals divine initiative. Isaiah does not cleanse himself—he is approached, and the means of purification comes from the divine realm. The drama and tension of the moment are amplified by vivid physical detail: flight, fire, tongs, and altar.
Thematic Analysis
Divine Initiative:
Isaiah’s confession does not result in rejection but in immediate divine response. God initiates healing. The sequence emphasizes that grace follows confession.
Purification through Fire:
The burning coal is not destructive but redemptive. Fire here sanctifies rather than consumes. This introduces a theme throughout Isaiah—God as a refining fire (Isaiah 1:25, 4:4).
Altar Theology:
By taking the coal from the altar, the act draws upon sacrificial atonement theology. The prophet’s lips are cleansed not abstractly, but through a symbolic act rooted in temple ritual, merging visionary experience with cultic symbolism.
Readiness for Commission:
Though no words are spoken yet, this verse sets up the transformation necessary for Isaiah to become a mouthpiece for YHWH. The defiled lips confessed in verse 5 are about to become consecrated in verse 7. This is the hinge upon which the call narrative turns.
Wordlinks
Flew (וַיָּעָף – vayyāʿāf)
Root: עוף – to fly, soar
Isaiah 6:6 – Then one of the seraphim flew (וַיָּעָף) to me…
Isaiah 6:2 – …with two he flew (יְעוֹפֵף)
Isaiah 31:5 – As birds flying (צֹפוֹת), so will the LORD of Hosts protect Jerusalem
Isaiah 60:8 – Who are these that fly (כָּעוּב) as a cloud, and as doves to their windows?
Isaiah 14:29 – …his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent (שָׂרָף מְעוֹפֵף)
Seraphim (הַשְּׂרָפִים – hasśərāfîm)
Root: שׂרף – to burn; burning ones, fiery beings
Isaiah 6:6 – …one of the seraphim (הַשְּׂרָפִים)
Isaiah 6:2 – Above Him stood the seraphim (שְׂרָפִים)…
Numbers 21:6 – …the LORD sent fiery serpents (הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים)…
Isaiah 14:29 – …a fiery flying serpent (שָׂרָף מְעוֹפֵף)
Having taken (וּבְיָדוֹ – ûḇəyādô)
Root: יד – hand; the phrase literally means "and in his hand"
Isaiah 6:6 – …having in his hand (וּבְיָדוֹ) a burning coal
Isaiah 62:3 – You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand (בְּיַד) of the LORD
Isaiah 49:16 – Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands (כַּפַּיִם)
Isaiah 51:22 – …the cup of staggering, you shall no more drink it again from the hand (מִיַּד) of your tormentors
Burning coal (רִצְפָּה – riṣpāh)
Root: possibly רצב – glowing stone, live coal
Isaiah 6:6 – …a burning coal (רִצְפָּה)
Only occurrence in the Bible – unique, rare word for a glowing coal or hot stone
Altar (הַמִּזְבֵּחַ – hammizbēaḥ)
Root: זבח – to sacrifice, slaughter
Isaiah 6:6 – …which he had taken with tongs from the altar (הַמִּזְבֵּחַ)
Isaiah 56:7 – …their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar (מִזְבְּחִי)
Isaiah 60:7 – …they shall ascend with acceptance on My altar (מִזְבְּחִי)
Isaiah 66:6 – A sound of uproar from the city, a sound from the temple, a sound from the LORD rendering recompense to His enemies (temple context)
Tongs (בְּמַלְקַחַיִם – bəmalqaḥayim)
Root: לקח – to take, grasp; noun form means tongs, utensils for grasping
Isaiah 6:6 – …taken with tongs (בְּמַלְקַחַיִם)
Only occurrence in Isaiah – rare term used also in 1 Kings 7:49 regarding temple utensils
1 Kings 7:49 – …the tongs (הַמֶּלְקָחִים) of gold
Isaiah 6:7
7 And he touched upon my mouth and said: Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is removed, and your sin is covered.
Hebrew
Hebrew (MT)
וַיַּגַּע עַל־פִּי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה נָגַע זֶה עַל־שְׂפָתֶיךָ וְסָר עֲוֹנֶךָ וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻפָּר
Transliteration
waYaGaAnd he touchedRoot: נָגַע (nāga‘), to touch, strike, or reach—often implies transmission of holiness, power, or judgmentMy mouthRoot: פֶּה (peh), mouth—symbol of speech, agency, and prophetic callingPiyUponRoot: עַל (‘al), on, upon—preposition of contact or position waYomerAnd he saidRoot: אָמַר (’āmar), to say, speak, or declare—used for speech in both divine and human contexts hiNëhBeholdRoot: הִנֵּה (hinēh), look, behold—calls attention to a vision or declaration nägaHas touchedRoot: נָגַע (nāga‘), to touch—repetition emphasizes direct impact and transformation zehThisRoot: זֶה (zeh), this—points demonstratively to the burning coal alUponRoot: עַל (‘al), on, upon—used again to signify contact-s'fäteykhäYour lipsRoot: שָׂפָה (śāpāh), lips or speech—object of purification for prophetic service w'šärAnd is removedRoot: סוּר (sûr), to turn aside, depart, remove—here referring to removal of guilt áwonekhäYour iniquityRoot: עָוֹן (‘āwōn), guilt, iniquity—deep moral or covenantal failing w'chaŢät'khäAnd your sinRoot: חָטָא (ḥāṭā’), to miss the mark—moral fault or offense T'khuPärIs atonedRoot: כָּפַר (kāphar), to cover, purge, atone—ritual or divine act of cleansing guilt
Strong's Concordance
And with it he touched
וַיַּגַּ֣ע (way·yag·ga‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5060: To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike
my mouth
פִּ֔י (pî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to
and said,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say
“Now that
הִנֵּ֛ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!
this
זֶ֖ה (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that
has touched
נָגַ֥ע (nā·ḡa‘)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5060: To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike
your lips,
שְׂפָתֶ֑יךָ (śə·p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā)
Noun - fdc | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin
your iniquity
עֲוֺנֶ֔ךָ (‘ă·wō·ne·ḵā)
Noun - common singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5771: Iniquity, guilt, punishment for iniquity
is removed
וְסָ֣ר (wə·sār)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside
and your sin
וְחַטָּאתְךָ֖ (wə·ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯə·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2403: An offence, its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, expiation, an offender
is atoned for.”
תְּכֻפָּֽר׃ (tə·ḵup·pār)
Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3722: To cover, to expiate, condone, to placate, cancel
Translations
KJV – And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
2 Nephi 16 – And he laid it upon my mouth, and said: Lo, this has touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
NRSVUE – The seraph touched my mouth with it and said, “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.”
JPS – And he touched my mouth with it, and said: Lo, this hath touched thy lips; And thine iniquity is taken away, And thy sin expiated.
BSB – And with it he touched my mouth and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for.”
ESV – And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
NIV – With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
NASB – He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your guilt is taken away and atonement is made for your sin.”
YTL – and he striketh against my mouth, and saith: `Lo, this hath stricken against thy lips, And turned aside is thine iniquity, And thy sin is covered.'
BST – and he touched my mouth, and said, Behold, this has touched thy lips, and will take away thine iniquities, and will purge off thy sins.
Chabad – And he caused it to touch my mouth, and he said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity shall be removed, and your sin shall be atoned for."
Alter – And he touched my mouth and said, “Look, this has touched your lips, and your crime is gone, your offense shall be atoned.”
Parallelism
Parallelism
A. Your iniquity is removed – Your sin is covered
B. Touched your lips – Iniquity removed / Sin covered
1 couplet in the second half of the verse, using synonymous parallelism to emphasize the completeness of cleansing. The verse contains a blend of action-result structure and poetic affirmation.
Synonymous Parallelism
A. Your iniquity is removed – Your sin is covered:
These are not two different events but two expressions of the same reality. “Removed” (or “taken away”) and “covered” (or “atoned”) reinforce each other. One emphasizes release or lifting of guilt; the other emphasizes atonement—the covering over of offense, likely drawing on Levitical terminology (cf. Leviticus 16).
Emblematic Parallelism
B. Touched your lips – Iniquity removed / Sin covered:
This is an action-result relationship. The physical act of the coal touching Isaiah’s lips emblematically conveys the invisible spiritual reality—cleansing and forgiveness. The symbolic gesture effects a real change.
Literary Devices
Symbolic Act:
Touching the lips is an enacted metaphor. Just as Isaiah confessed “unclean lips,” the coal now purifies that very spot—the source of speech, the prophet’s instrument. This is a consecration of the mouth for divine service.
Metonymy:
“Lips” again represent more than anatomy—they stand for speech, character, even identity. The cleansing of the lips equals the purification of the self.
Divine Speech:
“Behold” introduces a divine pronouncement. This formulaic expression draws attention to a moment of transformation, marking a new prophetic status.
Thematic Analysis
Atonement and Transformation:
This is the turning point of the chapter. Isaiah moves from confession to commission, from impurity to empowerment. The forgiveness is total: both “iniquity” (often denoting guilt or moral perversion) and “sin” (offense or failure) are addressed.
Restoration Before Mission:
Before Isaiah can speak for God, his speech must be purified. The act validates that divine service requires not perfection, but purification—a core prophetic theme.
Divine Mercy:
Though the setting is awe-filled and fearsome, the result is grace. The divine holiness that threatened to undo Isaiah (v.5) now makes him whole. The holiness of God is not just separating, but sanctifying.
Wordlinks
Touched (וַיַּגַּע – vayyaggaʿ)
Root: נגע – to touch, strike, reach
Isaiah 6:7 – And he touched (וַיַּגַּע) my mouth with it…
Isaiah 53:4 – …yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten (נָגוּעַ) by God…
Isaiah 58:10 – …if you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy (תַּשְׂבִּיעַ) the afflicted soul (related sense of contact/help)
Jeremiah 1:9 – Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched (וַיִּגַּע) my mouth
Mouth (פִּיךָ – pîkha)
Root: פה – mouth, speech
Isaiah 6:7 – …he touched my mouth (פִּיךָ)
Isaiah 1:20 – …the mouth (פִּי) of the LORD has spoken
Isaiah 30:27 – Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar… His lips are full of indignation, and His tongue like a devouring fire (mouth imagery)
Isaiah 55:11 – So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth (פִּי)…
Behold (הִנֵּה – hinnēh)
Root: הנה – behold, look, pay attention
Isaiah 6:7 – And he said, Behold (הִנֵּה), this has touched your lips…
Isaiah 3:1 – Behold (הִנֵּה), the Lord, the LORD of Hosts, removes from Jerusalem…
Isaiah 7:14 – Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son…
Isaiah 40:10 – Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might…
Iniquity (עֲוֺנֶךָ – ʿăwōnekha)
Root: עון – iniquity, guilt, perversity
Isaiah 6:7 – …your iniquity (עֲוֺנֶךָ) is taken away
Isaiah 1:4 – A sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity (עָוֺן)…
Isaiah 53:6 – …the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity (עֲוֺן) of us all
Isaiah 59:2 – Your iniquities (עֲוֺנֹתֵיכֶם) have separated between you and your God
Taken away (סָר – sār)
Root: סור – to turn aside, remove, depart
Isaiah 6:7 – …your iniquity is taken away (סָר)
Isaiah 1:16 – Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove (הָסִירוּ) the evil of your deeds
Isaiah 10:27 – …his burden shall be taken away (סוּר) from off your shoulder
Isaiah 24:20 – …the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard… and transgression shall be heavy upon it
Sin (חַטַּאתְךָ – ḥaṭṭatəkha)
Root: חטא – to sin, miss the mark
Isaiah 6:7 – …and your sin (חַטַּאתְךָ) is atoned for
Isaiah 1:18 – Though your sins (חַטָּאֵיכֶם) are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow
Isaiah 53:10 – When His soul makes an offering for sin (אָשָׁם)
Isaiah 59:2 – …your sins (חַטֹּאותֵיכֶם) have hidden His face from you
Atoned for (תְּכֻפָּר – təkhuppār)
Root: כפר – to cover, atone, appease
Isaiah 6:7 – …your sin is atoned for (תְּכֻפָּר)
Isaiah 22:14 – Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for (יְכֻפַּר) until you die…
Leviticus 16:30 – For on that day shall atonement (כִּפֶּר) be made for you
Psalm 65:3 – Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, You shall purge them away (תְּכַפְּרֵם)
Isaiah 6:8
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here I am; send me!
Hebrew
Hebrew (MT)
וָאֶשְׁמַע אֶת־קוֹל אֲדֹנָי אֹמֵר אֶת־מִי אֶשְׁלַח וּמִי יֵלֶךְ־לָנוּ וָאֹמַר הִנְנִי שְׁלָחֵנִי
Transliteration
wäesh'maAnd I heardRoot: שָׁמַע (shāma‘), to hear, listen, obey—implies perception and readiness to respond et-qôlThe voice ofRoot: קוֹל (qôl), voice, sound, thunder—often a symbol of divine command or presence ádonäyThe LordRoot: אָדוֹן (’ādôn), lord, master—title of sovereignty and authority, often divine omërSayingRoot: אָמַר (’āmar), to say, speak, declare—used in divine communication et-miyWhomRoot: מִי (miy), who, whom—used in rhetorical or divine inquiry esh'lachShall I sendRoot: שָׁלַח (shālāch), to send—used of mission, commissioning, or dispatching ûmiyAnd whoRoot: מִי (miy), who—parallel structure reinforces divine call yëlekh'Will goRoot: הָלַךְ (hālak), to go, walk, proceed—used for mission or covenantal journey-länûFor usRoot: אֲנַחְנוּ (‘anachnû), we, us—divine council or covenant language wäomarAnd I saidRoot: אָמַר (’āmar), to say, declare—Isaiah’s immediate prophetic response hin'niyHere I amRoot: הִנְנִי (hinēnî), behold me—expression of readiness and self-offering sh'lächëniySend meRoot: שָׁלַח (shālāch), to send—voluntary offering to be God’s messenger
Strong's Concordance
Then I heard
וָאֶשְׁמַ֞ע (wā·’eš·ma‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently
the voice
ק֤וֹל (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound
of the Lord
אֲדֹנָי֙ (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord
saying,
אֹמֵ֔ר (’ō·mêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say
“Whom
מִ֥י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix
shall I send?
אֶשְׁלַ֖ח (’eš·laḥ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out
Who
וּמִ֣י (ū·mî)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix
will go for Us?”
יֵֽלֶךְ־ (yê·leḵ-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk
And I said,
וָאֹמַ֖ר (wā·’ō·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say
“Here am I.
הִנְנִ֥י (hin·nî)
Interjection | first person common singular
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!
Send me!”
שְׁלָחֵֽנִי׃ (šə·lā·ḥê·nî)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out
Translations
KJV – Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
2 Nephi 16 – Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said: Here am I; send me.
NRSVUE – Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”
JPS – And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send, And who will go for us? Then I said: ‘Here am I; send me.’
BSB – Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!”
ESV – And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
NIV – Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
NASB – Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
YTL – And I hear the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom do I send? and who doth go for Us?' And I say, Here [am] I, send me.'
BST – And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people? And I said, behold, I am here, send me.
Chabad – And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here I am; send me."
Alter – And I heard the voice of the Master saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am, send me.”
Parallelism
Parallelism
A. Whom shall I send – Who will go for us
B. Here I am – Send me
1 couplet from God’s question with a responsive couplet from Isaiah. The divine question uses synonymous parallelism, while Isaiah’s response reflects a synthetic and responsive parallelism, forming a dialogic symmetry.
Synonymous Parallelism
A. Whom shall I send – Who will go for us:
These two lines mirror each other in meaning but differ slightly in pronoun usage—“I” vs. “us.” This shift may allude to the divine council motif (cf. 1 Kings 22:19), where God speaks on behalf of the heavenly host. Both lines express the same mission initiative, reinforcing the urgency and openness of the divine call.
Synthetic/Responsive Parallelism
B. Here I am – Send me:
Isaiah’s declaration is not simply redundant—it progresses. “Here I am” is the availability; “Send me” is the willingness to act. The second builds on the first, expressing full consent and readiness for mission.
Literary Devices
Dialogue:
This is the only spoken interaction between YHWH and Isaiah in the entire chapter, making it deeply significant. The format—a divine question followed by a human answer—recalls covenant patterns and commissioning scenes (e.g., Moses in Exodus 3, Samuel in 1 Samuel 3).
Rhetorical Question:
“Whom shall I send?” is not seeking unknown information but inviting participation. It is a voluntary call, not a coercive one. The openness of the question intensifies the drama of Isaiah’s spontaneous answer.
Ellipsis and Emphasis:
Isaiah’s response is strikingly brief. There’s no hesitation or qualification—just pure, unfiltered willingness. The economy of words makes it powerful.
Thematic Analysis
Divine Invitation and Human Response:
God does not command but calls. Isaiah volunteers without knowing the details. This is a paradigm for prophetic calling: availability precedes clarity.
Communal Mission:
The phrase “for us” links the prophet not only to God but to a heavenly council or divine plurality. Isaiah’s mission is representative—he becomes a mouthpiece not for a private deity but for the cosmic reign of YHWH.
Transformation Completed:
Only after confession (v.5) and cleansing (v.7) does the call come—and only now can Isaiah respond. His words are now fit to be spoken. This sequence—vision, confession, cleansing, commission—becomes a pattern for all true callings.
Wordlinks
Daughter of Zion (בַּת־צִיּוֹן – bat tziyyon)
Isaiah 1:8 – The Daughter of Zion (בַּת־צִיּוֹן) is abandoned…
Isaiah 10:32 – He will shake his fist at the mount of the Daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 16:1 – Send the lamb to the ruler of the land… to the mount of the Daughter of Zion.
Isaiah 37:22 – This is the word the LORD has spoken concerning him: “The Daughter of Zion despises you and laughs you to scorn…”
Isaiah 62:11 – Say to the Daughter of Zion, “Behold, your salvation comes…”
Abandoned / Left (נֹותְרָה – notərāh)
Root: נָתַר / שָׁאַר – to be left, remain, survive
Isaiah 1:8 – And the Daughter of Zion is abandoned (נֹותְרָה)…
Isaiah 4:3 – He who is left (הַנִּשְׁאָר) in Zion and remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy…
Isaiah 6:13 – …the holy seed shall be the stump (שָׁרֶשׁ) in it (conceptually “what is left”)
Isaiah 7:22 – …everyone who is left (נִשְׁאָר) in the land will eat curds and honey
Isaiah 10:19–22 – A remnant will return; the remnant (שְׁאָר) of Jacob will return to the Mighty God
Isaiah 37:31 – …and the surviving remnant (הַפְּלֵיטָה) of the house of Judah shall again take root…
The idea of what remains — Zion’s survival through desolation — is a key remnant theme in Isaiah.
Shelter / Hut (סֻכָּה – sukkāh)
Root: סכך – to cover, shelter
Isaiah 1:8 – Like a shelter (סֻכָּה) in a vineyard…
Isaiah 4:6 – There will be a shelter (סֻכָּה) for shade by day from the heat, and for refuge and cover from storm and rain.
Isaiah 22:8 – …you looked to the armor in the House of the Forest (not same word, but concept of protection)
Shack / Hut (מְלוּנָה – melunāh)
Root: לוּן – to lodge, dwell temporarily
Isaiah 1:8 – …like a shack (מְלוּנָה) in a cucumber field
This form is unique in Isaiah, but it contributes to the theme of fragile, temporary shelters — contrasting with God’s intended permanent dwelling in Zion (see Isaiah 4:5–6, 33:20)
Vineyard (כֶּרֶם – kerem)
Isaiah 1:8 – A shelter in a vineyard (כֶּרֶם)
Isaiah 3:14 – The LORD enters into judgment… it is you who have devoured the vineyard (כֶּרֶם)
Isaiah 5:1 – My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill…
Isaiah 5:5 – I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down… (on the vineyard)
Isaiah 5:7 – For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel…
Isaiah 27:2–3 – In that day: “A pleasant vineyard, sing of it! I, the LORD, am its keeper…”
City (עִיר – ʿîr)
Isaiah 1:8 – …like a city (עִיר) besieged
Isaiah 1:21 – How the faithful city has become a harlot…
Isaiah 14:31 – Wail, O gate; cry, O city…
Isaiah 24:10 – The city of confusion is broken down…
Isaiah 25:2 – For You have made a city a heap…
Isaiah 26:1 – We have a strong city…
Isaiah 33:20 – Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts…
Isaiah 60:14 – …they shall call you the City of the LORD, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel
Besieged (נְצוּרָה – netzurāh)
Root: נָצַר – to guard, watch, enclose (in this form: to be besieged)
Isaiah 1:8 – …like a city besieged (כְּעִיר נְצוּרָה)
Isaiah 29:3 – I will encamp against you all around, I will lay siege against you with a mound, and I will raise siegeworks against you (siege context)
Isaiah 36:1 – Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities (עָרֵי מִבְצָר) of Judah and took them (besieged in action)
Isaiah 37:26 – …have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass: that you should make fortified cities crash into heaps of ruins (siege as fulfillment of prophecy)
Notes
Isaiah 6:9
9 Go, and say to this people:
Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not know.
Hebrew
Hebrew (MT)
וַיֹּאמֶר לֵךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ לָעָם הַזֶּה שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ וְאַל־תָּבִינוּ וּרְאוּ רָאוֹ וְאַל־תֵּדָעוּ
Transliteration
waYomerAnd he saidRoot: אָמַר (’āmar), to say, speak—divine command to the prophet lëkh'GoRoot: הָלַךְ (hālak), to go, walk—command to begin a prophetic mission w'ämar'TäAnd sayRoot: אָמַר (’āmar), to say, speak—proclaiming a divine message läämTo this peopleRoot: עַם (‘am), people, nation—refers to the covenant people, Israel haZehThisRoot: זֶה (zeh), this—used to specify the people being addressed shim'ûHearRoot: שָׁמַע (shāma‘), to hear, listen—command to listen, often linked with obedience shämôªIndeed hearRoot: שָׁמַע (shāma‘), to hear—repetition emphasizes continual hearing without understanding w'al-TäviynûBut do not understandRoot: בִּין (bîn), to understand, discern—negation implies spiritual blindness ûr'ûAnd seeRoot: רָאָה (rā’āh), to see, perceive—invokes the prophetic theme of vision räôIndeed seeRoot: רָאָה (rā’āh), to see—repetition stresses repeated perception without comprehension w'al-TëdäûBut do not knowRoot: יָדַע (yāda‘), to know, recognize—negated form expresses spiritual dullness
Strong's Concordance
And He replied,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say
“Go
לֵ֥ךְ (lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk
and tell
וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ (wə·’ā·mar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say
this
הַזֶּ֑ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that
people:
לָעָ֣ם (lā·‘ām)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock
‘Be ever hearing,
שִׁמְע֤וּ (šim·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently
but never
וְאַל־ (wə·’al-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 408: Not
understanding;
תָּבִ֔ינוּ (tā·ḇî·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand
be ever seeing,
וּרְא֥וּ (ū·rə·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see
but never
וְאַל־ (wə·’al-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 408: Not
perceiving.’
תֵּדָֽעוּ׃ (tê·ḏā·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3045: To know
Translations
KJV – And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
2 Nephi 16 – And he said: Go and tell this people—Hear ye indeed, but they understood not; and see ye indeed, but they perceived not.
NRSVUE – And he said, “Go and say to this people: ‘Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.’”
JPS – And He said: ‘Go, and tell this people: Hear ye indeed, but understand not; And see ye indeed, but perceive not.
BSB – And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’”
ESV – And he said, “Go, and say to this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’”
NIV – He said, “Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’”
NASB – And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not understand; And keep on looking, but do not gain knowledge.’”
YTL – And He saith, `Go, and thou hast said to this people, Hear ye -- to hear, and ye do not understand, And see ye -- to see, and ye do not know.
BST – And he said, Go, and say to this people, Ye shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand; and ye shall see indeed, but ye shall not perceive.
Chabad – And He said, "Go and say to this people, 'Indeed you hear, but you do not understand; indeed you see, but you do not know.'
Alter – And he said, “Go and say to this people: ‘Indeed you must hear but you will not understand, indeed you must see but you will not know.’”
Parallelism
Parallelism
A. Keep on hearing – Keep on seeing
B. Do not understand – Do not know
1 couplet, built in antithetic parallelism through ironic command. The first line states ongoing sensory activity; the second negates its effect.
Antithetic and Ironic Parallelism
A. Keep on hearing – Keep on seeing:
These are synonymous actions representing intake of revelation. They parallel the senses most associated with prophetic reception: hearing (word) and seeing (vision). Yet, both are ironically charged—the people are active in perception but passive in comprehension.
B. Do not understand – Do not know:
These pairings negate the expected outcome. Understanding and knowing are the intended fruits of hearing and seeing. Their absence is a judgment motif—not just ignorance, but spiritual dullness.
Literary Devices
Irony:
This divine command is intentionally paradoxical. The prophet is told to proclaim a message that ensures the people won’t grasp it. This is not a failure of communication but a judicial hardening—God confirming Israel’s resistance by giving them exactly what they desire: the form of revelation without its substance.
Repetition:
The verb structure (“keep on...”) intensifies the irony. The people are saturated with prophetic input but insulated from its meaning. Their persistence in hearing/seeing becomes their condemnation.
Hyperbole:
The statement exaggerates for rhetorical force. The people’s spiritual state is not merely weak—it’s portrayed as systematically closed, almost irrevocably.
Thematic Analysis
Judicial Hardening:
Isaiah is not just sent to warn, but to seal judgment. His preaching will not soften hearts but confirm their resistance. This is echoed in later scriptures (e.g., Matthew 13:13-15; John 12:39-40) as a divine principle: light rejected becomes blindness.
Prophetic Paradox:
Isaiah’s call is not to produce immediate success. He is sent to speak truth that will be ignored, and this ignorance becomes the basis of judgment. The prophetic role here is not to persuade but to bear witness.
Spiritual Sensory Failure:
The people’s spiritual faculties—hearing and sight—are active but ineffective. This diagnosis runs deep: Revelation is present, but perception is absent. The tragedy of this verse lies in the disconnect between exposure and transformation.
Wordlinks
Left / Remained (הוֹתִיר – hôtîr)
Root: יתר – yātar – to leave, remain, spare
Isaiah 1:9 – Unless the LORD had left us a remnant…
Isaiah 4:3 – He who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy…
Isaiah 7:3 – Shear-jashub, whose name means “a remnant shall return” (שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב)
Isaiah 37:4 – …lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left
Isaiah builds a theology of the remnant — survival despite judgment.
Few Survivors / Remnant (שְׂרִיד – śĕrîd)
Root: שָׂרַד – śārad – survivor, escapee
Isaiah 1:9 – …a few survivors (שְׂרִיד)
Isaiah 14:30 – The remnant (שְׁאֵרִית) of the poor will lie down in safety
Isaiah 37:32 – The remnant (שְׁאֵרִית) shall go forth from Jerusalem…
Isaiah 10:21–22 – A remnant will return… though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea…
“Remnant” in Isaiah = God’s grace preserving a seed for renewal.
Sodom (סְדֹם – S'dōm)
Isaiah 1:9 – …we would have been like Sodom
Isaiah 1:10 – You rulers of Sodom…
Isaiah 3:9 – They proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it
Isaiah 13:19 – And Babylon… will be overthrown like Sodom and Gomorrah
Gomorrah (עֲמֹרָה – ʿAmōrāh)
Isaiah 1:9 – …we would have resembled Gomorrah
Isaiah 1:10 – …you people of Gomorrah
Isaiah 13:19 – Babylon will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah
Isaiah 6:10
10 Make fat the heart of this people,
make their ears heavy,
and shut their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and their hearts understand,
and he returns and it is healed for him.
Hebrew
Hebrew (MT)
הַשְׁמֵן לֵב־הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאָזְנָיו הַכְבֵּד וְעֵינָיו הָשַׁע פֶּן־יִרְאֶה בְעֵינָיו וּבְאָזְנָיו יִשְׁמָע וּלְבָבוֹ יָבִין וָשָׁב וְרָפָא לוֹ
Transliteration
hash'mënMake fatRoot: שָׁמֵן (shāman), to become fat, insensitive—metaphor for dulling or hardening the heart lëvThe heart ofRoot: לֵב (lēv), heart—symbol of mind, will, and understanding-häämThis peopleRoot: זֶה (zeh), this—designation of the specific audience under judgment w'äz'näywAnd his earsRoot: אֹזֶן (’ozen), ear—symbol of hearing, attention, and receptivity hakh'BëdMake heavyRoot: כָּבֵד (kāvēd), to be heavy, dull—used metaphorically for insensitivity or resistance w'ëynäywAnd his eyesRoot: עַיִן (‘ayin), eye—used symbolically for perception or revelation häshaSmear overRoot: שָׁעָה (shā‘āh) or שׁוּעַ (shûa‘), to smear or blind—obscuring vision Pen-yir'ehLest he seeRoot: רָאָה (rā’āh), to see—used here in preventive judgment v'ëynäywWith his eyesRoot: עַיִן (‘ayin), eye—sight as symbol of understanding or revelation ûv'äz'näywAnd with his earsRoot: אֹזֶן (’ozen), ear—parallel to seeing, implies full perception yish'mäHe will hearRoot: שָׁמַע (shāma‘), to hear, listen, obey—complete sensory awareness ûl'vävôAnd his heartRoot: לֵב (lēv), heart—again signifies inward understanding and decision yäviynWill understandRoot: בִּין (bîn), to understand, discern—clear mental grasp or insight wäshävAnd he will turnRoot: שׁוּב (shûv), to return, turn back—repentance or reversal w'räfäAnd he be healedRoot: רָפָא (rāfā’), to heal, restore—used spiritually for forgiveness and restorationlôHimRoot: לוֹ (lô), to him—for personal restoration or mercy
Strong's Concordance
{Make} the hearts
לֵב־ (lêḇ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre
of this
הַזֶּ֔ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that
people
הָעָ֣ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock
calloused;
הַשְׁמֵן֙ (haš·mên)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 8080: To shine, be, oily, gross
deafen
הַכְבֵּ֖ד (haḵ·bêḏ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3513: To be heavy, weighty, or burdensome
their ears
וְאָזְנָ֥יו (wə·’ā·zə·nāw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - fdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 241: Broadness, the ear
and close
הָשַׁ֑ע (hā·ša‘)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 8173: To look upon, fondle, please, amuse, to look about, stare
their eyes.
וְעֵינָ֣יו (wə·‘ê·nāw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain
Otherwise
פֶּן־ (pen-)
Conjunction
Strong's 6435: Removal, lest
they might see
יִרְאֶ֨ה (yir·’eh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see
with their eyes,
בְעֵינָ֜יו (ḇə·‘ê·nāw)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain
hear
יִשְׁמָ֗ע (yiš·mā‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently
with their ears,
וּבְאָזְנָ֣יו (ū·ḇə·’ā·zə·nāw)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - fdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 241: Broadness, the ear
understand
יָבִ֛ין (yā·ḇîn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand
with their hearts,
וּלְבָב֥וֹ (ū·lə·ḇā·ḇōw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3824: Inner man, mind, will, heart
and turn
וָשָׁ֖ב (wā·šāḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again
and be healed.
וְרָ֥פָא (wə·rā·p̄ā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7495: To mend, to cure
Translations
KJV – Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
2 Nephi 16 – Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes—lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed.
NRSVUE – Make the mind of this people dull, and stop their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their eyes and listen with their ears and comprehend with their minds and turn and be healed.
JPS – Make the heart of this people fat, And make their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they, seeing with their eyes, And hearing with their ears, And understanding with their heart, Return, and be healed.
BSB – Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.
ESV – Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.
NIV – Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.
NASB – Make the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull, and their eyes blind, so that they will not see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and return and be healed.
YTL – Declare fat the heart of this people, And its ears declare heavy, And its eyes declare dazzled, Lest it see with its eyes, And with its ears hear, and its heart consider, And it hath turned back, and hath health.
BST – For the heart of this people has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
Chabad – This people's heart is becoming fat, and his ears are becoming heavy, and his eyes are becoming sealed, lest he see with his eyes, and hear with his ears, and his heart understand, and he repent and be healed.
Alter – Make the heart of this people obtuse and block its ears and seal its eyes. Lest it see with its eyes and with its ears hear and its heart understand and it turn back and be healed.
Parallelism
Parallelism
A. Make fat the heart – Make ears heavy – Shut eyes
B. See with their eyes – Hear with their ears – Hearts understand
C. He returns – It is healed for him
2 triplets followed by a final couplet. This verse is constructed as an extended synthetic parallelism with emblematic and antithetic layers.
Synthetic and Emblematic Parallelism
A. Make fat the heart – Make ears heavy – Shut eyes:
These three lines describe increasing levels of spiritual insensibility. The heart (the seat of understanding), the ears (for hearing truth), and the eyes (for perceiving vision) are all deliberately dulled. The effect is a comprehensive spiritual stupor. “Make fat” suggests dullness and insensitivity—clogged and unresponsive. This is not descriptive but prescriptive, as part of the divine judicial hardening.
B. See with their eyes – Hear with their ears – Hearts understand:
This triad echoes the earlier verse (v.9) but from the opposite angle: it lists the outcomes God is preventing. The structure mirrors the earlier set in reverse—a chiasm of perception. The eyes, ears, and heart correspond directly to their earlier dulling, but now positioned as potential but thwarted faculties.
Antithetic Parallelism
C. He returns – It is healed for him:
These final two clauses present the rejected possibility: repentance and healing. The grammar shows cause and effect—if the people could perceive, they would turn back (שׁוּב) and receive healing (רָפָא). But this outcome is negated by the divine command to harden.
Literary Devices
Chiasm:
The verse contains a subtle ABC || CBA structure—beginning with heart/ears/eyes and returning in reverse with eyes/ears/heart. This inversion mirrors the reversal of what should happen—perception leading to healing. Instead, the possibility is blocked.
Metaphor and Synecdoche:
“Make fat the heart” is metaphorical: not literal obesity, but spiritual dullness. Similarly, “ears” and “eyes” stand in for whole systems of perception and response—synecdoches for cognitive openness.
Irony and Divine Pathos:
There’s deep irony in that healing is possible—but withheld. The very message meant to awaken now becomes the instrument of judgment. The tragedy is that divine truth, if embraced, would save—but here, it seals.
Thematic Analysis
Hardening as Judgment:
This is one of the most theologically profound and unsettling verses in Isaiah. The people’s persistent rejection of God leads to God confirming their blindness—a fulfillment of covenantal consequence (cf. Deut. 29:4).
Prophet as Agent of Consequence:
Isaiah is not sent merely to warn, but to bring about a divine decision. His words function like a double-edged sword—able to heal, but here used to cut off. The prophet becomes an agent of judicial severance.
Salvation Withheld:
The final clause—“and it is healed for him”—remains painfully unfulfilled. It hangs suspended, a portrait of what could have been. The verse drives home the cost of rejecting the divine word: lost opportunity for healing.
Wordlinks
Hear (שִׁמְעוּ – shimʿû)
Root: שׁמע – to hear, obey
Isaiah 1:10 – Hear (שִׁמְעוּ) the word of the LORD…
Isaiah 1:2 – Hear, O heavens…
Isaiah 28:23 – Give ear and hear (שִׁמְעוּ) my voice…
Isaiah 32:9 – Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear (שְׁמַעְנָה) my voice…
Isaiah 34:1 – Come near, O nations, to hear (שִׁמְעוּ)…
Isaiah 46:3 – Hear (שִׁמְעוּ) Me, O house of Jacob…
Isaiah 48:1 – Hear (שִׁמְעוּ) this, O house of Jacob…
Isaiah 55:3 – Incline your ear and come to Me; hear (שִׁמְעוּ), that your soul may live…
Isaiah 66:5 – Hear (שִׁמְעוּ) the word of the LORD, you who tremble at His word…
Instruction / Law (תּוֹרַת – torat)
Root: תּוֹרָה – torah – instruction, teaching, law
Isaiah 1:10 – Listen to the instruction (תּוֹרַת) of our God…
Isaiah 2:3 – For out of Zion shall go forth the law (תוֹרָה), and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Isaiah 5:24 – Because they have rejected the law (תוֹרַת) of the LORD of Hosts…
Isaiah 8:16 – Bind up the testimony; seal the law (תוֹרָה) among My disciples.
Isaiah 30:9 – …children who will not hear the law (תוֹרַת) of the LORD
Isaiah 42:4 – He will not fail nor be discouraged till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law (תוֹרָה)
Isaiah 42:21 – The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will magnify the law (תוֹרָה) and make it honorable.
Isaiah 51:4 – A law (תוֹרָה) will proceed from Me, and I will make My justice rest…
Isaiah 51:7 – Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, a people in whose heart is My law (תוֹרָתִי)…
Rulers (קְצִינֵי – qĕtzinê)
Root: קָצִין – qatsin – commander, chief, ruler
Isaiah 1:10 – You rulers (קְצִינֵי) of Sodom…
Isaiah 3:6 – A man will seize his brother… saying, “You have clothing; you be our ruler (קָצִין)…”
Isaiah 3:7 – …he will protest, “I will not be your healer, for in my house is neither bread nor cloak; do not make me a ruler (קָצִין) of the people!”
Isaiah 33:21 – …the majestic LORD will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams… no gallant ship or ruler shall pass through it (poetic contrast)
Sodom (סְדֹם – S’dom)
Isaiah 1:10 – You rulers of Sodom (סְדֹם)…
Isaiah 3:9 – The expression of their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom (סְדֹם); they do not hide it.
Isaiah 13:19 – And Babylon… shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
Gomorrah (עֲמֹרָה – ʿAmorah)
Isaiah 1:10 – …you people of Gomorrah (עֲמֹרָה)!
Isaiah 13:19 – …as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah (סְדֹם וְעֲמֹרָה)
Isaiah 6:11
11 Then I said, Until when, my Lord? And He said,
Until cities are destroyed, without inhabitant,
and houses without a human inhabitant,
and the land lies utterly desolate.
Hebrew
Hebrew (MT)
וָאֹמַר עַד־מָתַי אֲדֹנָי וַיֹּאמֶר עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם־שָׁאוּ עָרִים מֵאֵין יוֹשֵׁב וּבָתִּים מֵאֵין אָדָם וְהָאֲדָמָה תִּשָּׁאֶה שְׁמָמָה
Transliteration
wäomarAnd I saidRoot: אָמַר (’āmar), to say, speak, declare—Isaiah’s questioning response ad-mätayUntil whenRoot: עַד (ʿad) + מָתַי (matay), until when—cry of duration and lament ádonäyO LordRoot: אָדוֹן (’ādôn), lord, master—title of reverence and authority waYomerAnd he saidRoot: אָמַר (’āmar), to say, declare—Yahweh’s response to Isaiah adUntilRoot: עַד (ʿad), until, as far as—marks duration of judgment ásherThatRoot: אֲשֶׁר (’asher), that, which—introduces a conditional or temporal clause im-shäûAre desolatedRoot: שָׁאָה (shā’û), to lay waste, devastate—used of cities or lands emptied by judgment äriymCitiesRoot: עִיר (‘îr), city—symbol of organized habitation and society mëëynWithoutRoot: מִן (min) or negative particle—here denotes total absence or emptiness yôshëvInhabitantRoot: יָשַׁב (yāshav), to sit, dwell—implies removal of people from their homes ûväTiymAnd housesRoot: בַּיִת (bayit), house—symbol of stability, family, and presence mëëynWithoutRoot: אַיִן (ayin), none, nothing—emphasizes complete absence ädämManRoot: אָדָם (’ādām), man, human—represents all humanity w'häádämähAnd the landRoot: אֲדָמָה (’adāmāh), ground, land—used for inhabited or covenant land TiSHäehBecomes utterly desolateRoot: שָׁמֵם (shāmēm), to be desolate, deserted—intensified form of total devastation sh'mämähWastedRoot: שָׁמֵם (shāmēm), ruin, desolation—repetition stresses irreversible judgment
Strong's Concordance
Then I asked,
וָאֹמַ֕ר (wā·’ō·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say
“How long,
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while
O Lord?”
אֲדֹנָ֑י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord
And He replied,
וַיֹּ֡אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say
“Until
עַ֣ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while
cities
עָרִ֜ים (‘ā·rîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5892: Excitement
lie in ruins
שָׁא֨וּ (šā·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7582: To make a din or crash, crash into ruins
without
מֵאֵ֣ין (mê·’ên)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle
an inhabitant,
יוֹשֵׁ֗ב (yō·wō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry
until the houses
וּבָתִּים֙ (ū·ḇāt·tîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1004: A house
are left unoccupied,
מֵאֵ֣ין (mê·’ên)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle
and the land
וְהָאֲדָמָ֖ה (wə·hā·’ă·ḏā·māh)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 127: Ground, land
is desolate
תִּשָּׁאֶ֥ה (tiš·šā·’eh)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7582: To make a din or crash, crash into ruins
and ravaged,
שְׁמָמָֽה׃ (šə·mā·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8077: Devastation, astonishment
Translations
KJV – Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
2 Nephi 16 – Then said I: Lord, how long? And he said: Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate;
NRSVUE – Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said, “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is utterly desolate;
JPS – Then said I: ‘Lord, how long?’ And He answered: ‘Until cities be waste without inhabitant, And houses without man, And the land become utterly waste,
BSB – Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied and the land is desolate and ravaged,
ESV – Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste,
NIV – Then I said, “For how long, Lord?” And he answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged,
NASB – Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered, “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, houses are without people and the land is utterly desolate,
YTL – And I say, Till when, O Lord?' And He saith, Surely till cities have been wasted without inhabitant, And houses without man, And the ground be wasted -- a desolation,
BST – And I said, How long, O Lord? And he said, Until cities be deserted by reason of their not being inhabited, and the houses by reason of there being no men, and the land shall be left desolate.
Chabad – And I said, "Until when, O Lord?" And He said, "Until cities be desolate without inhabitant and houses without people, and the ground lies waste and desolate.
Alter – And I said, “Till when, O Master?” And he said, “Till towns are laid waste with no dwellers and homes with no man and the land is laid waste, a desolation.
Parallelism
Parallelism
A. Cities without inhabitant – Houses without a human inhabitant
B. Cities/houses – Land
C. Destroyed/desolate – Without inhabitant
1 extended synonymous couplet, followed by a climactic completion. The verse progresses through synthetic and synonymous parallelism to build a full picture of devastation.
Synonymous Parallelism
A. Cities without inhabitants – Houses without a human inhabitant:
These lines mirror each other almost exactly. “Cities” and “houses” parallel in scale (macro to micro); “without inhabitant” and “without a human” are reinforced redundancies. The point is total emptiness—not just depopulated but abandoned at every level of society.
Synthetic Parallelism
B. Cities/houses – Land lies utterly desolate:
The final line escalates the judgment. It is not only that people are gone from dwellings—the entire land is laid waste. The progression moves from urban to domestic to cosmic/national. It deepens the scope of divine judgment.
Emblematic Parallelism
C. Destroyed/desolate – Without inhabitants:
The imagery here is emblematic—the destruction and emptiness symbolize the spiritual desolation of the people. Physical ruin reflects covenantal breakdown.
Literary Devices
Dialogue:
Isaiah’s brief question—“Until when, my Lord?”—is packed with emotion. It reveals a prophetic instinct not just to obey, but to intercede. The brevity contrasts with the long answer, emphasizing the weight of the divine decree.
Repetition:
The echoing phrase “without inhabitants” drives the point. The emphasis is on absence—of people, of life, of covenant blessings.
Climax:
The verse builds from loss of city to home to land, ending in the term utterly desolate (שְׁמָמָה). This is the prophetic crescendo of judgment—a nation spiritually deaf and blind now physically vacant.
Thematic Analysis
Inevitable Judgment:
Isaiah’s question seeks hope, a limit, a light at the end. But the answer is stark: judgment will run its full course. This reinforces the seriousness of covenant violation and the integrity of God’s justice.
Complete Reversal of Blessing:
Cities, homes, land—these are blessings of the covenant (cf. Deut. 28). Their removal marks a full reversal: the land of promise becomes a wilderness.
Prophet’s Burden:
This verse underscores the emotional and theological burden of the prophet. Isaiah is not just a messenger—he is a witness to devastation. His question reflects grief, and the answer confirms the severity of the mission he must now carry.
Timeframe of Hardening:
The divine hardening of verses 9–10 is not eternal. It lasts “until”—until judgment empties the land. After that, a remnant may emerge. This "until" prepares for the surprising hope in verse 13.
Wordlinks
Multitude / Abundance (רֹב – rov)
Isaiah 1:11 – What use is your multitude of sacrifices?
Isaiah 8:7 – The LORD brings up the mighty and abundant river
Isaiah 60:5 – …the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you
Isaiah 10:13 – …by the multitude of my wise men… (arrogance of Assyria)
Sacrifices (זְבָחִים – zevāḥîm)
Root: זָבַח – zāvaḥ – to slaughter, sacrifice
Isaiah 1:11 – …your sacrifices
Isaiah 34:6 – The sword of the LORD is filled with blood… the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah
Isaiah rarely uses this noun — the emphasis is on the rejection of ritual when detached from righteousness.
Burnt offerings (עוֹלוֹת – ʿōlôt)
Root: עָלָה – ʿālāh – to go up, ascend (offerings that ascend in smoke)
Isaiah 1:11 – Burnt offerings of rams
Isaiah 56:7 – …their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar
Isaiah 66:3 – He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man… (condemns sacrifices without righteousness)
Rams (אֵילִים – ʾêlîm)
Isaiah 1:11 – …burnt offerings of rams
Isaiah 34:6–7 – …the land is soaked with blood… and the rams fall with them
Isaiah 60:7 – All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you… the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to You
Fat (חֵלֶב – ḥēlev)
Fat in Hebrew thought represents richness or luxury — but also excess when abused.
Isaiah 1:11 – …the fat of well-fed beasts
Isaiah 34:6 – …the fat of the kidneys of rams
Isaiah 55:2 – Eat what is good, and let your soul delight in fatness (דֶּשֶׁן) — a positive image of abundance
Well-fed cattle (מְרִיאִים – merîʾîm)
Root: מָרִיא – marîʾ – fattened, well-fed
Isaiah 1:11 – …well-fed beasts
Isaiah 11:6 – The calf and the young lion and the fatling (מְרִיא) together
This imagery may also point to elite, luxurious excess — i.e., treating worship as performance rather than sacrifice.
Delight (חָפַצְתִּי – ḥāfaṣtî)
Root: חָפֵץ – ḥāphēts – to delight in, desire
Isaiah 1:11 – I do not delight in the blood of bulls…
Isaiah 53:10 – It pleased (חָפֵץ) the LORD to crush Him… (divine intent with the suffering servant)
Isaiah 58:3 – “Why have we fasted, and You do not see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and You take no pleasure?”
Isaiah 62:4 – You shall no longer be called Forsaken… but My delight is in her (חֶפְצִי-בָהּ)
Blood (דָּם – dām)
Isaiah 1:11 – …the blood of bulls
Isaiah 1:15 – Your hands are full of blood
Isaiah 26:21 – The earth shall disclose her blood
Isaiah 63:3 – …their blood is sprinkled on My garments
Isaiah 34:3–6 – Blood imagery used in judgment metaphors
Bulls, Lambs, Goats
Bulls (פָּרִים – parîm)
Lambs (כְּבָשִׂים – kĕvāsîm)
Goats (עֲתּוּדִים – ʿattûdîm)
Isaiah 1:11 – I do not delight in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats
Isaiah 34:6–7 – The LORD has a sacrifice… the land soaked with blood, and the fat with the blood of lambs and goats and bulls
Isaiah 53:7 – He was led as a lamb to the slaughter… (true sacrifice)
Isaiah contrasts animal sacrifices with the suffering servant as the one acceptable offering.
Isaiah 6:12
12 And YHWH removes man far away,
and the abandonment is great in the midst of the land.
Hebrew
Hebrew (MT)
וְרִחַק יְהוָה אֶת־הָאָדָם וְרַבָּה הָעֲזוּבָה בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ
Transliteration
w'richaqAnd removesRoot: רָחַק (rāchaq), to be far, put far away—signifies divine distancing, exile, or judgment y'hwähYHWHRoot: יהוה (YHWH), covenant name of God—He who enacts judgment or deliverance et-häädämThe manRoot: אָדָם (’ādām), man, humankind—symbol of covenant people or humanity generally w'raBähAnd greatRoot: רָבָה (rābāh), to be many, great—in this case, an intensifier of the desolation häázûvähThe forsakingRoot: עָזַב (‘āzav), to leave, forsake—conveys abandonment, destruction, or desolation B'qerevIn the midst ofRoot: בְּקֶרֶב (bəqerev), in the middle of, among—used for internal desolation or national ruin hääretzThe landRoot: אֶרֶץ (‘erets), land, earth—often refers to the land of Israel or covenant territory
Strong's Concordance
until the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH
has driven men
הָאָדָ֑ם (hā·’ā·ḏām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being
far away,
וְרִחַ֥ק (wə·ri·ḥaq)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7368: To be or become far or distant
and the land
הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land
is utterly
וְרַבָּ֥ה (wə·rab·bāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great
forsaken.
הָעֲזוּבָ֖ה (hā·‘ă·zū·ḇāh)
Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular
Strong's 5805: Forsakenness, desolation
Translations
KJV – And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
2 Nephi 16 – And the Lord have removed men far away, for there shall be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
NRSVUE – until the Lord sends everyone far away, and vast is the emptiness in the midst of the land.
JPS – And the LORD have removed men far away, And the forsaken places be many in the midst of the land.
BSB – until the LORD has driven men far away and the land is utterly forsaken.
ESV – and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
NIV – until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken.
NASB – The Lord has completely removed people, and there are many forsaken places in the midst of the land.
YTL – And Jehovah hath put man far off, And great [is] the forsaken part in the heart of the land.
BST – And after this God shall remove the men far off, and they that are left upon the land shall be multiplied.
Chabad – And the Lord removes the people far away, and the deserted places be many in the midst of the land.
Alter – And the LORD shall drive man far away and abandonment grow in the midst of the land.
Parallelism
Parallelism
A. YHWH removes man far away – The abandonment is great in the midst of the land
B. Removes man – Abandonment
C. Far away – In the midst of the land
1 synonymous couplet with inverted spatial imagery. The lines mirror and intensify each other using synthetic parallelism with symbolic tension between distance and emptiness.
Synonymous and Synthetic Parallelism
A. YHWH removes man far away – The abandonment is great in the midst of the land:
This pair expresses the same reality from two perspectives: removal and result. YHWH’s active dispersal leads to passive desolation. What begins as divine action ends as social and existential void.
B. Removes man – Abandonment:
The act (“removes”) and its effect (“abandonment”) are causally related and semantically linked. This is a classic case of synthetic parallelism, where the second line expands the implications of the first.
C. Far away – In the midst of the land:
This pairing introduces a spatial irony. Though people are taken “far away,” the result is felt “in the midst.” The absence is centrally experienced, not just peripheral. This reinforces the totalizing nature of the judgment—what is absent dominates what remains.
Literary Devices
Divine Causality:
“YHWH removes” is unambiguous: the judgment is not random exile but intentional divine action. This aligns with covenantal warnings (cf. Deut. 28:64).
Irony and Juxtaposition:
The juxtaposition of “far away” and “in the midst” creates an emotional and poetic tension. It evokes the feeling that even though people are gone, their absence haunts the land.
Hyperbole:
“The abandonment is great” (רַבָּה הָעֲזוּבָה) uses intensification to emphasize scale. This is not ordinary emptiness—it’s a catastrophic vacancy, a ghostly silence in the land of promise.
Thematic Analysis
Exile and Emptiness:
Exile is not just physical displacement but spiritual and communal undoing. The land, once flowing with milk and honey, becomes a vast and desolate space.
Divine Judgment as Reversal:
The covenant blessings of habitation and presence are reversed by divine decree. This “removal” undoes creation’s ordering and Israel’s inheritance.
Visible Consequences of Invisible Guilt:
The emptiness in the midst of the land becomes a visible sign of invisible guilt. It makes tangible the consequences of the spiritual deafness described in verses 9–10.
Lingering Silence:
The verse reinforces the sense that judgment has not only emptied the land but muted it. The prophet stands in the aftermath, surrounded not by people, but by the echo of what once was.
Wordlinks
Appear (לֵרָאוֹת – lērāʾōt)
Root: רָאָה – rāʾāh – to see, appear, be seen
Isaiah 1:12 – When you come to appear (לֵרָאוֹת) before Me…
While this exact form doesn’t appear again in Isaiah, related forms show up in prophetic visions and divine manifestations:
Isaiah 6:1 – I saw (וָאֵרֶא) the Lord sitting on a throne…
Isaiah 33:17 – Your eyes will see (תֶחֱזֶינָה) the King in His beauty…
Isaiah 40:5 – The glory of the LORD shall be revealed (וְנִגְלָה)… (different verb, similar idea)
Isaiah 52:8 – For they shall see (כִּי־עַיִן בְּעַיִן יִרְאוּ) eye to eye when the LORD returns to Zion
Isaiah 53:2 – …He has no form or majesty that we should look at Him (וְלֹא־מַרְאֶה)
Required / Sought (בִּקֵּשׁ – bikkēsh)
Root: בקש – bāqash – to seek, inquire, demand
Isaiah 1:12 – Who has required (בִּקֵּשׁ) this from your hand?
Isaiah 26:9 – With my soul I have desired (אִוִּיתִיךָ) You in the night; yes, by my spirit within me I will seek (אֲשַׁחֲרֶךָּ) You early (same concept, different root)
Isaiah 34:16 – Seek (דִּרְשׁוּ) from the book of the LORD and read… (again, same theme – diligent search)
Isaiah 55:6 – Seek (דִּרְשׁוּ) the LORD while He may be found…
Isaiah 58:2 – They seek (יִדְרְשׁוּנִי) Me daily, and delight to know My ways… (but hypocritically)
Note: Isaiah uses דרש more than בקש, but both carry the idea of seeking/demanding. Here in 1:12, God flips it: “Who asked for this?” — i.e., You’re seeking Me wrongly.
Trampling (רְמֹס – r’mōs)
Root: רמס – rāmas – to trample, tread down
Isaiah 1:12 – This trampling (רְמֹס) of My courts…
Isaiah 10:6 – …to tread them down like the mire of the streets (רְמֹס כַּחֹמֶר)
Isaiah 14:19 – …like a trampled corpse (כְּפֶגֶר מוּבָס)
Isaiah 18:7 – …a people terrible from their beginning onward—a nation meted out and trodden down (וּמוּבָסָה)
Isaiah 25:10 – Moab will be trampled down (תֵּרָמֵס) in his place…
Isaiah 63:3 – “I have trodden (רָמַסְתִּי) the winepress alone…” — messianic judgment imagery
This is a critical Isaiah motif: trampling can be a sign of judgment (God tramples nations), or profane ritualism (people trampling sacred space).
Courts (חֲצֵרַי – chatzēray)
Root: חָצֵר – chatzêr – courtyard, enclosure
Isaiah 1:12 – …trampling of My courts (חֲצֵרַי)
Isaiah 62:9 – …those who gathered it shall eat it and praise the LORD, and those who brought it together shall drink it in My holy courts (בְּחַצְרוֹת קָדְשִׁי)
Isaiah 65:21 – They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit (context of restored dwelling — contrast to trampling)
The temple courts are the setting in 1:12 — the very place meant for reverence has become a trampled floor due to hypocrisy.
Isaiah 6:13
13 And yet in it a tenth remains,
and it returns and is for burning,
like a terebinth or like an oak,
whose felling leaves a stump in them;
the holy seed is its stump.
Hebrew
Hebrew (MT)
וְעוֹד בָּהּ עֲשִׂרִיָּה וְשָׁבָה וְהָיְתָה לְבָעֵר כָּאֵלָה וְכָאַלּוֹן אֲשֶׁר בְּשַׁלֶּכֶת מַצֶּבֶת בָּם זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ מַצַּבְתָּהּ פ
Transliteration
w'ôdAnd yetRoot: עוֹד (‘ôd), still, yet—signals continuation or survival BäHIn itRoot: בְּ (bə) + הוּא (hû’), in + it—refers to what remains in the land ásiriYähA tenthRoot: עֶשֶׂר (‘eser), ten—used here as a remnant or tithe portion w'shävähAnd it shall returnRoot: שׁוּב (shûv), to return, turn back—often used for repentance or restoration w'häy'tähAnd it shall beRoot: הָיָה (hāyāh), to be, become—emphasizes future state l'väërFor burningRoot: בָּעַר (bā‘ar), to burn—implies purging or judgment by fire KäëlähLike a terebinthRoot: אֵלָה (‘ēlāh), terebinth tree—used symbolically for enduring or remnant trees w'khäaLônAnd like an oakRoot: אַלּוֹן (allôn), oak tree—another strong tree, representing what endures ásherWhichRoot: אֲשֶׁר (’asher), which, that—relative clause connector B'shaLekhetIn the fellingRoot: שָׁלַךְ (shālak), to throw down, cast—here refers to cutting or clearing trees maTZevetA stumpRoot: מַצֶּבֶת (matzevet), stump, pillar—what remains after cutting BämIn themRoot: בְּ (bə) + הֵם (hēm), in + them—remnant left inside the land or trees zera qodeshA holy seedRoot: זֶרַע (zera‘), seed—used for descendants or remnant, and קֹדֶשׁ (qōdesh), holy—sacred, set apart maTZav'TäHIts stumpRoot: מַצֶּבֶת (matzevet), stump, remnant—concludes the chiastic image of destruction and hope
Strong's Concordance
And though
וְע֥וֹד (wə·‘ō·wḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more
a tenth [remains]
עֲשִׂ֣רִיָּ֔ה (‘ă·śi·rî·yāh)
Number - ordinal feminine singular
Strong's 6224: Tenth, tenth month, part
in [the land],
בָּהּ֙ (bāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew
it will be
וְהָיְתָ֣ה (wə·hā·yə·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be
burned
לְבָעֵ֑ר (lə·ḇā·‘êr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1197: To kindle, consume, to be, brutish
again.
וְשָׁ֖בָה (wə·šā·ḇāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again
As the terebinth
כָּאֵלָ֣ה (kā·’ê·lāh)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 424: An oak, other strong tree
and oak
וְכָאַלּ֗וֹן (wə·ḵā·’al·lō·wn)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 437: An oak, other strong tree
leave stumps
מַצֶּ֣בֶת (maṣ·ṣe·ḇeṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4678: Something stationary, a monumental stone, the stock of a, tree
when felled,
בְּשַׁלֶּ֙כֶת֙ (bə·šal·le·ḵeṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7995: Felling (of a tree)
so the holy
קֹ֖דֶשׁ (qō·ḏeš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity
seed
זֶ֥רַע (ze·ra‘)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity
will be a stump
מַצַּבְתָּֽהּ׃ (maṣ·ṣaḇ·tāh)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4678: Something stationary, a monumental stone, the stock of a, tree
in [the land].”
פ (p̄)
Punctuation
Strong's Hebrew
Translations
KJV – But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.
2 Nephi 16 – But yet there shall be a tenth, and they shall return, and shall be eaten, as a teil tree, and as an oak whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves; so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.
NRSVUE – Even if a tenth part remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains standing when it is felled. (The holy seed is its stump.)
JPS – And if there be yet a tenth in it, it shall again be eaten up; as a terebinth, and as an oak, whose stock remaineth, when they cast their leaves, so the holy seed shall be the stock thereof.
BSB – And though a tenth remains in the land, it will be burned again. As the terebinth and oak leave stumps when felled, so the holy seed will be a stump in the land.
ESV – And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump.
NIV – And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.
NASB – Yet there will still be a tenth portion in it, and it will again be subject to burning, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is cut down. The holy seed is its stump.
YTL – And yet in it a tenth, and it hath turned, And hath been for a burning, As a teil-tree, and as an oak, that in falling, Have substance in them, The holy seed [is] its substance!
BST – And yet there shall be a tenth upon it, and again it shall be for a spoil, as a turpentine tree, and as an acorn when it falls out of its husk.
Chabad – And when there is yet a tenth of it, it will again be purged, like the terebinth and like the oak, which in the fall have but a trunk, the holy seed is its trunk.
Alter – And yet a tenth part shall be in it and turn back. And it shall be ravaged like a terebinth and an oak which though felled have a stump within them, the holy seed is its stump.
Parallelism
Parallelism
A. A tenth remains – It returns – It is for burning
B. Like a terebinth – Like an oak
C. Felling – Leaves a stump
D. The holy seed – Its stump
This verse is structured as an extended metaphorical parallelism, where each clause builds upon the prior with symbolic layering. It contains synthetic, emblematic, and climactic parallelism, culminating in a surprising note of hope.
Synthetic and Emblematic Parallelism
A. A tenth remains – It returns – It is for burning:
This sequence moves from remnant to refinement. Even the surviving tenth is not spared suffering—it “returns” (likely meaning “turns back” or “comes again”) and faces fire. Yet the fire is not total destruction but purifying judgment.
B. Like a terebinth – Like an oak:
The comparison to strong trees introduces an emblem. These are hardy, enduring trees of the land—symbols of strength and life rooted in the soil. The simile suggests resilience.
C. Felling – Leaves a stump:
Even when cut down, the tree is not utterly lost. The stump remains, hinting at continuity and potential regrowth. This is emblematic of Israel’s survival through judgment.
Climactic Parallelism
D. The holy seed – Its stump:
The final line delivers a reversal of expectation. What seemed to be just a remnant—a stump—is now named as holy. The “stump” is not the end; it is the beginning of restoration. “Seed” (זֶרַע) ties to future, fertility, and Messianic promise.
Literary Devices
Metaphor:
The terebinth and oak are metaphors for Israel. The felling represents judgment/exile; the stump is the surviving remnant. This image foreshadows Isaiah 11:1—“a shoot will come forth from the stump of Jesse.”
Irony:
The fire that destroys also refines. The burning becomes part of the preservation process. This paradox reflects God’s judgment as both just and redemptive.
Inclusio (frame):
This final verse echoes themes introduced at the beginning of the chapter—judgment, holiness, and calling. The holy seed anchors Isaiah’s mission not in despair, but in hope through devastation.
Thematic Analysis
Remnant Theology:
Though only a tenth remains—and even that is scorched—something persists. This becomes one of Isaiah’s most enduring themes: God always preserves a holy remnant.
Holiness Through Fire:
Holiness is not innate—it is formed through fire. The stump is not called “holy” because it avoided judgment, but because it passed through it.
Messianic Foreshadowing:
This stump anticipates later chapters (especially Isaiah 11). From the ruined tree of Davidic kingship will arise a new shoot. The holy seed suggests continuity of the covenant through apparent collapse.
Hope in Desolation:
Isaiah 6 ends not in triumph or resolution, but in a paradox: life concealed in death, future hidden in ruin, holiness emerging from judgment. This is the prophetic vision Isaiah is now commissioned to bear.
Wordlinks
Offerings (מִנְחָה – minchah)
Root: נחה – to offer, gift (typically grain offerings)
Isaiah 1:13 – Bring no more vain offerings (מִנְחָה)…
Isaiah 19:21 – …they will make vows to the LORD and present offerings (מִנְחָה)…
Isaiah 43:23 – You have not brought Me the sheep of your burnt offerings, nor honored Me with your sacrifices (different term – זֶבַח)…
Isaiah 57:6 – …you have poured out drink offerings, you have offered grain offerings (מִנְחָה). Shall I relent for these things?
Isaiah 66:20 – They shall bring all your brethren for an offering (מִנְחָה) to the LORD…
Incense (קְטֹרֶת – qetoret)
Root: קטר – qāṭar – to burn incense, smoke
Isaiah 1:13 – Your incense (קְטֹרֶת) is detestable to Me…
Isaiah 43:23 – …you have not honored Me with your incense (קְטֹרֶת)…
Isaiah 65:3 – …a people who continually provoke Me to My face… who burn incense (מְקַטְּרִים) on bricks
Isaiah 66:3 – …he who offers incense (מַזְכִּיר לְבוֹנָה) is like one who blesses an idol… (same ritual condemned when heart is wrong)
Detestable (תוֹעֵבָה – toʿevah)
Root: תעב – toʿev – abomination, morally repulsive
Isaiah 1:13 – Your incense is a detestable thing (תוֹעֵבָה)
Isaiah 66:3 – …he who offers a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood… they have chosen their own ways and their soul delights in their abominations (בְּתוֹעֲבוֹתֵיהֶם)
Isaiah 66:17 – Those who sanctify and purify themselves… eating swine’s flesh and the abomination (הַתּוֹעֵבָה)…
New Moons (חֹדֶשׁ – chodesh)
Isaiah 1:13 – New Moons (חֹדֶשׁ)…
Isaiah 1:14 – Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates…
Isaiah 66:23 – From one New Moon (מֵחֹדֶשׁ) to another… all flesh shall come to worship before Me…
Sabbath (שַׁבָּת – shabbat)
Isaiah 1:13 – Sabbaths (שַׁבָּת)…
Isaiah 56:2 – Blessed is the one… who keeps the Sabbath (שַׁבָּת) from profaning it…
Isaiah 56:4 – The eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths (שַׁבְּתוֹתַי)…
Isaiah 58:13 – If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath… and call the Sabbath a delight…
Isaiah 66:23 – From one Sabbath to another… all flesh shall come to worship before Me
Convocation / Assembly (מִקְרָא – miqra)
Root: קרא – qārāʾ – to call, summon
Isaiah 1:13 – …and convocations (וּמִקְרָא)
This specific form is rare in Isaiah, but related concepts include:
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Isaiah 4:5 – …a cloud by day and smoke and shining flame by night over every dwelling and over her assemblies (מִקְרָאֶהָ – gatherings)
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Isaiah 66:18 – …I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory (final eschatological convocation)
Iniquity (אָוֶן – ʾāven)
Root: אָוֶן – wickedness, vanity, trouble
Isaiah 1:13 – I cannot endure iniquity (אָוֶן) and solemn assembly
Isaiah 10:1 – Woe to those who decree iniquity (אָוֶן)…
Isaiah 41:29 – Behold, they are all vanity; their works are worthless (אָוֶן)…
Isaiah 58:4 – Behold, you fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness (אָוֶן)…