Isaiah 58:2
in Isaiah 58For day after day they seek Me and delight to know My ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not forsake the justice of their God. They ask Me for righteous judgments; they delight in the nearness of God.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near unto God.
KJV
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
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This verse in Isaiah 58
Commentary
13 notes on this verse(Verse 2) They search for me day after day and desire to know my ways, like a nation that has done righteousness and has not forsaken the judgment of their God. LXX likewise. This specifically applies to the Jews, who run to the synagogues every day and meditate on the law of God, desiring to know what Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the other saints have done, and diligently studying the books of the Prophets and Moses, reciting the divine commands. To them, the following is most fittingly applied: The wicked seek me out but will not find me.
This site's exposition
Cry aloud, do not hold back!
on Isaiah 58:1-2
The command to “Raise your voice like a ram’s horn” opens the chapter on fasting as a charge against “the house of Jacob”. Verse 2 describes religion faultless to the eye: “they seek Me and delight to know My ways”. They act “like a nation that does what is right”.
This site's exposition
They ask Me for righteous judgments
Barnes takes day after day as the daily sacrifice at the temple, a worship the people kept without a break. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown hear the request for righteous judgments as a demand that God judge the wicked, and set it beside Malachi 2:17. Verse 3 voices their grievance aloud.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
These words about the calling of those from Israel can be transferred and come to be understood in another good and highly useful way.… For I think the scope of the prophecy is to be unveiled to those who are prayerful, as will become clear from what follows. … There were those among them who received a reputation for piety and behaved shamefully without being noticed, decorating themselves on the outside and gaining a reputation of gentleness. They undertook fasts and made prayers, thinking that through this they could turn aside God's anger.… Here they learn what their sins are and that they must turn from these if they want to be rewarded by God and become worthy of his sparing them.
The Medieval Church1 voice
1023. The prophet, in the person of the Lord, excludes the useless remedy: for they seek me from day to day. And concerning this, he does two things: first, he excludes the remedy in which they trusted; second, he exhorts them to those things in …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Yet - They cover all their wickedness with a profession of religion. Delight - There are many men who take some pleasure in knowing God's will and word, and yet do not conform their lives to it. As - As if they were a righteous people.
Yet they seek me daily,....
He intimates that this was so far from being a cover or excuse for their sin that really it was an aggravation of it: "Show them their sins which they go on in notwithstanding their knowledge of good and evil, sin and duty, and the convictions of their consciences concerning them." A Charge against the People.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Sinners reflect upon religion as a hard and melancholy service, and on which there is nothing to be got by, when really it is owing to themselves that it seems so to them, because they are not sincere in it.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Yet they seek me daily - The whole description here is appropriate to the character of formalists and hypocrites; and the idea is, that public worship by sacrifice was celebrated daily in the temple, and was not intermitted. It is not improbable also that they kept up the regular daily service in their dwellings. And delight to know my ways - Probably this means, they profess to delight to know the ways of God; that is, his commands, truths, and requirements.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
So JEROME, "In the confidence, as it were, of a good conscience, they demand a just judgment, in the language of the saints: Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in mine integrity." So in Mal 2:17, they affect to be scandalized at the impunity of the wicked, and impugn God's justice [HORSLEY].
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2308: “Ten Wrong Kinds of Hearers” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
IF we would understand these words aright, we must remember that the people here mentioned were not good people—they were a set of hypocrites. This is quite clear if we read the verses that follow our text—"Why have we fasted, they say, and You see not? Why have we afflicted our souls and You take no notice? Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exploit all your laborers. Behold, you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness.
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2308: “Ten Wrong Kinds of Hearers” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
IF we would understand these words aright, we must remember that the people here mentioned were not good people—they were a set of hypocrites. This is quite clear if we read the verses that follow our text—"Why have we fasted, they say, and You see not? Why have we afflicted our souls and You take no notice? Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exploit all your laborers. Behold, you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You shall not fast as you do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your health shall spring forth speedily: and your righteousness shall go before you; the Glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard." It is a very pleasing sign when people like to go up to the House of God. I do not know of a more beautiful sight than the present congregation, with every seat occupied, and some people even willing to stand to hear the Word preached! There are many who would give all they have to see such a sight! How sad is the opposite of this! An empty place of worship—people loafing about at home all the Sabbath, not caring to listen to the eternal Truth of God—that is a very melancholy state of things.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
and relate to My people their transgression These are the Torah scholars, whose every inadvertent sin is counted as a transgression, for an error in study is accounted as an intentional sin.
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
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאוֹתִ֗י | veoti | and <obj.> me | H853 → | 10935 times |
| י֥וֹם | yom | day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| יוֹם֙ | yom | day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| יִדְרֹשׁ֔וּן | yidroshun | they seek ! | H1875 → | 164 times |
| וְדַ֥עַת | vedaat | and [the] knowledge of | H1847 → | 92 times |
| דְּרָכַ֖י | derakhai | ways my | H1870 → | 707 times |
| יֶחְפָּצ֑וּן | yechpatzun | they desire ! | H2654 → | 74 times |
| כְּג֞וֹי | kegoy | like a nation | H1471 → | 561 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צְדָקָ֣ה | tzedakah | righteousness | H6666 → | 157 times |
| עָשָׂ֗ה | ʾasah | it has done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| וּמִשְׁפַּ֤ט | umishpat | and [the] judgment of | H4941 → | 422 times |
| אֱלֹהָיו֙ | ʾelohav | God its | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| עָזָ֔ב | ʾazav | it has forsaken | H5800 → | 215 times |
| יִשְׁאָל֙וּנִי֙ | yishaluni | they ask me | H7592 → | 171 times |
| מִשְׁפְּטֵי־ | mishpetei- | judgments of | H4941 → | 422 times |
| צֶ֔דֶק | tzedek | righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
| קִרְבַ֥ת | kirvat | [the] approach of | H7132 → | |
| אֱלֹהִ֖ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יֶחְפָּצֽוּן׃ | yechpatzun | they desire ! | H2654 → | 74 times |
וְאוֹתִ֗יand <obj.> me
veotiH853 →10935 times
י֥וֹםday
yomH3117 →2304 times
יוֹם֙day
yomH3117 →2304 times
יִדְרֹשׁ֔וּןthey seek !
yidroshunH1875 →164 times
וְדַ֥עַתand [the] knowledge of
vedaatH1847 →92 times
דְּרָכַ֖יways my
derakhaiH1870 →707 times
יֶחְפָּצ֑וּןthey desire !
yechpatzunH2654 →74 times
כְּג֞וֹיlike a nation
kegoyH1471 →561 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
צְדָקָ֣הrighteousness
tzedakahH6666 →157 times
עָשָׂ֗הit has done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
וּמִשְׁפַּ֤טand [the] judgment of
umishpatH4941 →422 times
אֱלֹהָיו֙God its
ʾelohavH430 →2601 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
עָזָ֔בit has forsaken
ʾazavH5800 →215 times
יִשְׁאָל֙וּנִי֙they ask me
yishaluniH7592 →171 times
מִשְׁפְּטֵי־judgments of
mishpetei-H4941 →422 times
צֶ֔דֶקrighteousness
tzedekH6664 →119 times
קִרְבַ֥ת[the] approach of
kirvatH7132 →
אֱלֹהִ֖יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
יֶחְפָּצֽוּן׃they desire !
yechpatzunH2654 →74 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
Titus 1:16They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
it leads to
- 1 John 2:4
If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
- Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught…
- Ephesians 5:6
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
- Ezekiel 33:31
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest…
- 1 John 2:4
Through
Isaiah 29:13Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 12:2
You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips, but far from their hearts.
- Ezekiel 33:31–33
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest…
- Mark 7:2–13
and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed.
- Matthew 15:2–9
“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
- Jeremiah 12:2
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
This page draws on 10 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); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2308: “Ten Wrong Kinds of Hearers” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:3.58:1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.