Isaiah 59 begins with one of the most important theological clarifications in the prophetic literature: the problem is not God's inability to save but Israel's sin, which has created a barrier between them and their God. What follows is a devastating catalog of sins — lies, violence, injustice, and moral blindness (vv.2-8). The people then confess their condition in raw communal lament (vv.9-15a). When God looks and sees that there is no justice and no one to intervene, He is appalled — and acts Himself, putting on righteousness as a breastplate and salvation as a helmet (vv.15b-17). The chapter climaxes with the Redeemer coming to Zion and an everlasting covenant of Spirit and word (vv.20-21).
Verses 15b-17 depict God as a divine warrior who, finding no human champion, arms Himself for battle. Paul draws directly on this imagery in Ephesians 6:14-17 ('the armor of God'). Verse 20 names the Redeemer (go'el) who comes to Zion — a text Paul cites in Romans 11:26. Verse 21's covenant of Spirit and words is one of the most forward-looking promises in Isaiah, anticipating Pentecost.
The shift from third-person indictment (vv.2-8) to first-person confession (vv.9-15a) is jarring. We have preserved this shift as it stands in the Hebrew rather than smoothing it, as the prophetic identification with the sinful community is theologically significant — Isaiah confesses as one of the people.
The divine warrior imagery (vv.16-17) is the source for Paul's 'armor of God' in Ephesians 6:14-17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:8. Verse 20's Redeemer (go'el) coming to Zion is cited by Paul in Romans 11:26. Verse 21's Spirit-and-word covenant anticipates Joel 2:28-29 and Acts 2. **Tradition comparisons:** The Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaiah-a) preserve this chapter with notable variants: Verse 15b contains a moderate variant in the description of God seeing that there is no justice. Verse 19 has a notable reading regarding the Spirit of the LORD. Verses 20-21, quoted in Romans 11:26-27, show a reading in the scroll that closely matches the MT, with only minor orthographic differe.... See the [DSS Isaiah comparison](/dss-isaiah/59). Targum Jonathan provides interpretive renderings: The Redeemer coming to Zion is rendered literally. Paul cites this verse in Romans 11:26. Jonathan does not add 'Messiah' here, but the eschatological context makes the Messianic identification implic... See [Targum Jonathan on Isaiah](/targum/isaiah).
הֵן לֹא־קָצְרָה יַד־יְהוָה מֵהוֹשִׁיעַ וְלֹא־כָבְדָה אָזְנוֹ מִשְּׁמוֹעַ
Surely the hand of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.
KJV Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
כִּי אִם־עֲוֹנֹתֵיכֶם הָיוּ מַבְדִּלִים בֵּינֵכֶם לְבֵין אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְחַטֹּאותֵיכֶם הִסְתִּירוּ פָנִים מִכֶּם מִשְּׁמוֹעַ
But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.
KJV But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor
"your iniquities"
The scroll uses fuller plene spelling for 'your iniquities' (awonoteikhem). The meaning is identical — your iniquities have separated you from your God.
כִּי כַפֵּיכֶם נְגֹאֲלוּ בַדָּם וְאֶצְבְּעוֹתֵיכֶם בֶּעָוֹן שִׂפְתוֹתֵיכֶם דִּבְּרוּ־שֶׁקֶר לְשׁוֹנְכֶם עַוְלָה תֶהְגֶּה
For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness.
KJV For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor
"are stained with blood"
The scroll uses plene spelling for nego'alu ('are stained/defiled'). The vivid image of hands defiled with blood and fingers with iniquity is identical in meaning.
אֵין־קֹרֵא בְצֶדֶק וְאֵין נִשְׁפָּט בֶּאֱמוּנָה בָּטוֹחַ עַל־תֹּהוּ וְדַבֶּר־שָׁוְא הָרוֹ עָמָל וְהוֹלֵיד אָוֶן
No one brings a lawsuit in righteousness; no one pleads a case in truth. They trust in emptiness and speak lies; they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.
KJV None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
בֵּיצֵי צִפְעוֹנִי בִּקֵּעוּ וְקוּרֵי עַכָּבִישׁ יֶאֱרֹגוּ הָאֹכֵל מִבֵּיצֵיהֶם יָמוּת וְהַזּוּרֶה תִּבָּקַע אֶפְעֶה
They hatch adders' eggs and weave the spider's web. Whoever eats their eggs dies, and from one that is crushed, a viper hatches.
KJV They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor
"eggs of a viper"
The scroll uses plene spelling for 'eggs' (beitsei). The striking metaphor — they hatch viper eggs and weave spider webs — is identical in both texts.
קוּרֵיהֶם לֹא־יִהְיוּ לְבֶגֶד וְלֹא יִתְכַּסּוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם מַעֲשֵׂי־אָוֶן וּפֹעַל חָמָס בְּכַפֵּיהֶם
Their webs will not serve as clothing; they cannot cover themselves with their works. Their works are works of iniquity, and deeds of violence are in their hands.
KJV Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
רַגְלֵיהֶם לָרַע יָרוּצוּ וִימַהֲרוּ לִשְׁפֹּךְ דָּם נָקִי מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיהֶם מַחְשְׁבוֹת אָוֶן שֹׁד וָשֶׁבֶר בִּמְסִלּוֹתָם
Their feet run to evil, and they rush to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their paths.
KJV Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor
"their feet run to evil"
No meaningful variant. This verse is quoted in Romans 3:15-17 (via the LXX). The scroll confirms the Hebrew Vorlage: 'Their feet run to evil, and they hasten to shed innocent blood.' The consonantal text matches MT.
דֶּרֶךְ שָׁלוֹם לֹא יָדָעוּ וְאֵין מִשְׁפָּט בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָם נְתִיבוֹתֵיהֶם עִקְּשׁוּ לָהֶם כֹּל דֹּרֵךְ בָּהּ לֹא יָדַע שָׁלוֹם
The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths. They have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace.
KJV The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
עַל־כֵּן רָחַק מִשְׁפָּט מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא תַשִּׂיגֵנוּ צְדָקָה נְקַוֶּה לָאוֹר וְהִנֵּה־חֹשֶׁךְ לִנְגֹהוֹת בָּאֲפֵלוֹת נְהַלֵּךְ
Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep gloom.
KJV Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor
"therefore justice is far from us"
The scroll omits the maqqef. The communal confession beginning here — 'therefore justice is far from us and righteousness does not reach us' — is identical in both texts.
נְגַשְׁשָׁה כַעִוְרִים קִיר וּכְאֵין עֵינַיִם נְגַשֵּׁשָׁה כָּשַׁלְנוּ בַצָּהֳרַיִם כַּנֶּשֶׁף בָּאַשְׁמַנִּים כַּמֵּתִים
We grope along the wall like the blind; we grope like those who have no eyes. We stumble at noon as in the twilight; among the vigorous we are like the dead.
KJV We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor
"we grope like the blind"
The scroll spells 'blind' (iwrim) with plene waw as owrim. The imagery of groping along a wall like blind men is identical in meaning.
נֶהֱמֶה כַדֻּבִּים כֻּלָּנוּ וְכַיּוֹנִים הָגֹה נֶהְגֶּה נְקַוֶּה לַמִּשְׁפָּט וָאַיִן לִישׁוּעָה רָחֲקָה מִמֶּנּוּ
We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves. We hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us.
KJV We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor
"we growl like bears"
The scroll uses plene spelling for 'bears' (dubim). The vivid confession continues — 'we all growl like bears and moan like doves' — identical in meaning.
כִּי־רַבּוּ פְשָׁעֵינוּ נֶגְדֶּךָ וְחַטֹּאותֵינוּ עָנְתָה בָּנוּ כִּי־פְשָׁעֵינוּ אִתָּנוּ וַעֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ יְדַעֲנוּם
For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities:
KJV For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
פָּשֹׁעַ וְכַחֵשׁ בַּיהוָה וְנָסוֹג מֵאַחַר אֱלֹהֵינוּ דַּבֶּר־עֹשֶׁק וְסָרָה הֹרוֹ וְהֹגוֹ מִלֵּב דִּבְרֵי־שָׁקֶר
transgressing and denying the LORD, turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
KJV In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor
"transgressing and denying"
The scroll uses plene spelling for the infinitive 'transgressing.' The catalogue of sins — transgressing, denying the LORD, turning away, speaking oppression and revolt — is identical in meaning.
וְהֻסַּג אָחוֹר מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה מֵרָחוֹק תַּעֲמֹד כִּי־כָשְׁלָה בָרְחוֹב אֱמֶת וּנְכֹחָה לֹא־תוּכַל לָבוֹא
Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public square, and uprightness cannot enter.
KJV And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
וַתְּהִי הָאֱמֶת נֶעְדֶּרֶת וְסָר מֵרָע מִשְׁתּוֹלֵל וַיַּרְא יְהוָה וַיֵּרַע בְּעֵינָיו כִּי־אֵין מִשְׁפָּט
Truth is lacking, and whoever turns from evil is plundered. The LORD saw it, and it was evil in His eyes that there was no justice.
KJV Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)moderate
"and the LORD saw, and it was evil in His eyes"
The scroll reads identically in consonantal text. The pivot of the chapter occurs here — God Himself sees the absence of justice and is displeased. The transition from human confession (vv. 9-15a) to divine intervention (vv. 15b-20) is preserved without variant. Some scholars note that the scroll's spacing may suggest a paragraph break at this point, consistent with the shift in speaker.
וַיַּרְא כִּי־אֵין אִישׁ וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵם כִּי אֵין מַפְגִּיעַ וַתּוֹשַׁע לוֹ זְרֹעוֹ וְצִדְקָתוֹ הִיא סְמָכָתְהוּ
He saw that there was no one, and was appalled that there was no one to intervene. So His own arm brought Him salvation, and His own righteousness upheld Him.
KJV And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)moderate
"and He saw that there was no one"
The scroll spells ki ('that/because') with aleph as kia (כיא), a characteristic Qumran spelling convention. The meaning is identical — God saw that there was no one to intervene, so His own arm brought salvation.
וַיִּלְבַּשׁ צְדָקָה כַּשִּׁרְיָן וְכוֹבַע יְשׁוּעָה בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וַיִּלְבַּשׁ בִּגְדֵי נָקָם תִּלְבֹּשֶׁת וַיַּעַט כַּמְעִיל קִנְאָה
He put on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation on His head. He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself in zeal as a cloak.
KJV For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
God puts on qin'ah ('zeal, jealousy') as a cloak — the divine warrior dresses for battle not in armor alone but in passionate commitment to His people. The same root describes God's jealous love in Exodus 20:5 and 34:14.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor
"and He put on righteousness as a breastplate"
The scroll spells shiryan ('breastplate') with waw as shiryown. The divine warrior imagery — God arming Himself with righteousness as breastplate and salvation as helmet — is identical. Paul draws on this passage in Ephesians 6:14-17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:8.
כְּעַל גְּמֻלוֹת כְּעַל יְשַׁלֵּם חֵמָה לְצָרָיו גְּמוּל לְאֹיְבָיו לָאִיִּים גְּמוּל יְשַׁלֵּם
According to their deeds, so He will repay: wrath to His adversaries, repayment to His enemies; to the coastlands He will render repayment.
KJV According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.
וְיִירְאוּ מִמַּעֲרָב אֶת־שֵׁם יְהוָה וּמִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁמֶשׁ אֶת־כְּבוֹדוֹ כִּי־יָבוֹא כַנָּהָר צָר רוּחַ יְהוָה נֹסְסָה בוֹ
So they shall fear the name of the LORD from the west and His glory from the rising of the sun. For He will come like a rushing stream driven by the breath of the LORD.
KJV So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)moderate
"for He will come like a rushing stream which the wind of the LORD drives"
The scroll spells ki as kia (כיא) per Qumran convention and nossesah with plene waw. The crucial ambiguity in this verse — does ruach YHWH mean 'the Spirit of the LORD' or 'the wind/breath of the LORD'? — exists identically in both texts. The consonantal text is the same.
וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל וּלְשָׁבֵי פֶשַׁע בְּיַעֲקֹב נְאֻם יְהוָה
'And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,' declares the LORD.
KJV And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
The go'el ('Redeemer') comes to Zion specifically for 'those in Jacob who turn from transgression.' The kinsman-redeemer arrives not for the righteous but for the repentant. Paul cites this verse in Romans 11:26.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)theological
"And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression"
The scroll reads identically to MT in all substantive respects. The only difference is plene spelling of Ya'aqov with waw (ביעקוב). This is theologically significant because Paul quotes this verse in Romans 11:26-27 (via the LXX, which reads 'out of Zion' rather than 'to Zion'). The Hebrew text in both MT and the scroll reads le-Tsiyyon ('to Zion'), confirming that the Redeemer comes TO Zion, not FROM Zion as in Paul's LXX citation.
Targum Jonathan (Aramaic, 1st-5th c. CE)messianic
"And a redeemer shall come to Zion."
The Redeemer coming to Zion is rendered literally. Paul cites this verse in Romans 11:26. Jonathan does not add 'Messiah' here, but the eschatological context makes the Messianic identification implicit.
וַאֲנִי זֹאת בְּרִיתִי אוֹתָם אָמַר יְהוָה רוּחִי אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיךָ וּדְבָרַי אֲשֶׁר־שַׂמְתִּי בְּפִיךָ לֹא־יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֲךָ וּמִפִּי זֶרַע זַרְעֲךָ אָמַר יְהוָה מֵעַתָּה וְעַד־עוֹלָם
'And as for Me, this is My covenant with them,' says the LORD: 'My Spirit who is upon you, and My words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, or from the mouth of your offspring, or from the mouth of your offspring's offspring,' says the LORD, 'from this time forth and forevermore.'
KJV As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor
"My Spirit that is upon you"
The scroll uses the fuller suffix form -kha (עליכה) for 'upon you.' The meaning is identical. This verse contains God's covenant promise: 'My Spirit that is upon you, and My words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring, says the LORD, from now and forever.' The perpetual covenant is confirmed identically in both texts.