Isaiah 64:4 BSB — MannaFest

Isaiah 64:4

From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him.

KJV

For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

⋯

Commentary

3 voices

Jerome

Commentary on Isaiah (420)

The Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, takes a paraphrase, as it were, of this testimony from a Hebrew of the Hebrews, from the authentic books, not rendering word for word, which he altogether despises, but expressing the truth of the sense, which he uses to strengthen what he wants to say. Hence, let the delirium of the apocryphal writings be silenced, which are foisted upon the Churches of Christ on the occasion of this testimony.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

Waiteth - This may be taken with reference both to the state of grace and glory, those incomprehensible things that are exhibited through Christ in the mysteries of the gospel.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

For since the beginning of the world men have not heard “For never have men heard” - St. Paul is generally supposed to have quoted this passage of Isaiah, 1Co 2:9; and Clemens Romanus in his first epistle has made the same quotation, very nearly in the same words with the apostle. But the citation is so very different both from the Hebrew text and the version of the Septuagint, that it seems very difficult, if not impossible, to reconcile them by any literal emendation, without going beyond the bounds of temperate criticism.

Voices on this verse

loading…

Original language & word study

13 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
וּמֵעוֹלָ֥ם	u.me.'o.Lam	and from long ago	H5769 →
לֹא־	lo'-	not	H3808 →
שָׁמְע֖וּ	sha.me.'U	people have heard	H8085 →
לֹ֣א	lo'	not	H3808 →
הֶאֱזִ֑ינוּ	he.'e.Zi.nu	people have given ear	H238 →
עַ֣יִן	'A.yin	eye	H5869 →
לֹֽא־	lo'-	not	H3808 →
רָאָ֗תָה	ra.'A.tah	it has seen	H7200 →
אֱלֹהִים֙	'E.lo.Him	a God	H430 →
זוּלָ֣תְךָ֔	zu.La.te.kha	besides you	H2108 →
יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה	ya.'a.Seh	[who] he acts	H6213 →
לִמְחַכֵּה־	lim.cha.keh-	for [one who] waits	H2442 →
לֽוֹ׃	lo	for <the> him

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Psalms 31:19
How great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have bestowed before the sons of men on those who take refuge in You!
leads to
- 1 Corinthians 2:9
  Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
- Lamentations 3:23–25
  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!
- 1 Peter 1:4–5
  and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,
- Colossians 3:2–4
  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
- James 2:5
  Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
Through
James 5:7
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
leads to
- Hebrews 12:1–3
  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set…
- James 5:8–9
  You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.
- Joel 2:23
  Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as…

Featured studies on this passage

On Isaiah 64:4

The Potter and the Clay — Jeremiah 18–19

Open the study →

Walks through Isaiah 64

The Garment & the Robe

Open the study →

About Isaiah

The Prophet Isaiah — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

Isaiah: the study guide →Read chapter 64 →The featured study →

Continue: Isaiah 64 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Isaiah

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Isaiah