Isaiah 65:2
in Isaiah 65All day long I have held out My hands to an obstinate people who walk in the wrong path, who follow their own imaginations,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, that walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts;
KJV
I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
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This verse in Isaiah 65
Commentary
12 notes on this verse(Verse 2) I have stretched out my hands all day long to an unbelieving people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own thoughts. LXX: I have stretched out my hands all day long to an unbelieving and contradicting people, who have not walked in the good way but after their own sins.
This site's exposition
I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me
on Isaiah 65:1-2
The chapter opens with the answer, and Paul quotes both verses at Romans 10:20-21. “I was found by those who did not seek Me” he applies to the Gentiles, and the held-out hands to Israel. The patience is a standing posture: “All day long I have held out My hands”.
This site's exposition
I have held out My hands
Held out hands is the gesture of pleading, Barnes explains, the same picture as Proverbs 1:24. The Chaldee paraphrase reads it as prophets sent all day long to an obstinate people. Henry sees the hands of Christ spread out on the cross.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
It is the nations who did not have a prophet sent to them who recognize their maker and benefactor, whereas those who received all sorts of care gained no profit but continued in their sinful habits. The phrase "all day long I have held out …
If, dearly beloved, we comprehend faithfully and wisely the beginning of our creation, we shall find that humankind was made in God's image, to the end that he might imitate the Creator and that our race attains its highest natural dignity, by the form of the divine goodness being reflected in us, as in a mirror. And assuredly to this form the Savior's grace is daily restoring us, so long as that which in the first Adam fell, is raised up again in the second. And the cause of our restoration is nothing else but the mercy of God, whom we would not have loved unless he had first loved us and dispelled the darkness of our ignorance by the light of his truth.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Second, he sentences separation: I have spread forth my hands. And first, he sentences the separation of the wicked from the good, because of sins of transgression; second, because of sins of omission: and you, that have forsaken (Isa 65:11). The first of these is …
The Reformation1 voice
I have stretched out my hands. He accuses the Jews, and complains of their ingratitude and rebellion; and in this manner he proves that there is no reason why they should say that the Lord does them wrong if he bestow his grace on others.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
When Christ was crucified his hands were spread out and stretched forth, as if he were preparing to receive returning sinners into his bosom; and this all the day, all the gospel-day. He waited to be gracious, and was not weary of waiting; even those that came in at the eleventh hour of the day were not rejected.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
I have spread out mine hands all the day unto a rebellious people,....
Yet this was not all: You did evil before my eyes, not by surprise, or through inadvertency, but with deliberation: You did choose that wherein I delighted not; he means that which he utterly detested and abhorred. It is not strange that those who will not be persuaded to choose that which is good persist in their choice and pursuit of that which is evil.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
I have spread out my hands - To spread out the hands is an action denoting invitation or entreaty Pro 1:24. The sense is, that God had invited the Jews constantly to partake of his favors, but they had been rebellious, and had rejected his offers. All the day - I have not ceased to do it. The Chaldee renders this, ‘I sent my prophets all the day to a rebellious people.’ Unto a rebellious people - (See the notes at Isa 1:2).
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
spread out . . . hands--inviting them earnestly (Pr 1:24). all . . . day--continually, late and early (Jer 7:13). rebellious people--Israel, whose rebellion was the occasion of God's turning to the Gentiles (Ro 11:11, 12, 15). way . . . not good--that is, the very reverse of good, very bad (Eze 36:31).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
I allowed Myself to be sought by those who did not ask The Holy One, blessed be He, replies to him, It is impossible not to avenge Myself on them, for I allowed Myself to be sought by them by reproving them through My prophets, but they did not ask.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
I am asked concerning my WORD of them that have not asked after me; I am inquired of for instruction in my law, of them who have not sought my fear: I will say, Behold, I am inquired after continually, all the day, of a people that hath not prayed in my name.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| פֵּרַ֧שְׂתִּי | perasti | I spread out | H6566 → | 67 times |
| יָדַ֛י | yadai | hands my | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַיּ֖וֹם | haiyom | the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עַ֣ם | ʾam | a people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| סוֹרֵ֑ר | sorer | rebellious | H5637 → | 17 times |
| הַהֹלְכִים֙ | haholekhim | who walk | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| הַדֶּ֣רֶךְ | haderekh | the way | H1870 → | 707 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| ט֔וֹב | tov | good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| אַחַ֖ר | ʾachar | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| מַחְשְׁבֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ | machshevoteihem | own thoughts their | H4284 → | 56 times |
פֵּרַ֧שְׂתִּיI spread out
perastiH6566 →67 times
יָדַ֛יhands my
yadaiH3027 →1618 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַיּ֖וֹםthe day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
עַ֣םa people
ʾamH5971 →1873 times
סוֹרֵ֑רrebellious
sorerH5637 →17 times
הַהֹלְכִים֙who walk
haholekhimH1980 →1546 times
הַדֶּ֣רֶךְthe way
haderekhH1870 →707 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
ט֔וֹבgood
tovH2896 →538 times
אַחַ֖רafter
ʾacharH310 →715 times
מַחְשְׁבֹתֵיהֶֽם׃own thoughts their
machshevoteihemH4284 →56 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 10:21But as for Israel he says: “All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 65:2–5
All day long I have held out My hands to an obstinate people who walk in the wrong path, who follow their own imaginations,
- Isaiah 65:2–5
Through
Isaiah 1:2Listen, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:1
Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
- Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live,
- Micah 1:2
Hear, O peoples, all of you; listen, O earth, and everyone in it! May the Lord GOD bear witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple.
- Deuteronomy 32:1
Through
Jeremiah 4:14Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?
it leads to
- James 4:8
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- James 4:8
Through
Proverbs 1:24Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
it leads to
- Romans 10:21
But as for Israel he says: “All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
- Isaiah 65:12
I will destine you for the sword, and you will all kneel down to be slaughtered, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not listen; you did evil…
- Jeremiah 7:13
And now, because you have done all these things, declares the LORD, and because I have spoken to you again and again but you would not listen, and I have called to you but…
- Romans 10:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About Isaiah
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Calvin, Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Leo the Great, SERMON 12:1; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 20:65.2 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.