Isaiah 57:17
Isaiah 57:17 in Multiple Translations
I was enraged by his sinful greed, so I struck him and hid My face in anger; yet he kept turning back to the desires of his heart.
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid my face and was wroth; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
I was quickly angry with his evil ways, and sent punishment on him, veiling my face in wrath: and he went on, turning his heart from me.
Yes, I was angry with these sinful, greedy people so I punished them. I was angry, so I hid myself from them, but they went on their own rebellious way, doing whatever they wanted.
For his wicked couetousnesse I am angry with him, and haue smitten him: I hid mee and was angry, yet he went away, and turned after the way of his owne heart.
For the iniquity of his dishonest gain, I have been wroth, and I smite him, Hiding — and am wroth, And he goeth on turning back in the way of his heart.
I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness and struck him. I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry, and I struck him: I hid my face from thee, and was angry: and he went away wandering in his own heart.
I was angry with my people because they sinned by wanting the things that others had. So because I was angry, I punished them and turned away from them, but they continued sinning.
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 57:17
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Isaiah 57:17 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
בַּ/עֲוֺ֥ן
בִּצְע֛/וֹ
קָצַ֥פְתִּי
וְ/אַכֵּ֖/הוּ
הַסְתֵּ֣ר
וְ/אֶקְצֹ֑ף
וַ/יֵּ֥לֶךְ
שׁוֹבָ֖ב
בְּ/דֶ֥רֶךְ
לִבּֽ/וֹ
בַּ/עֲוֺ֥ן
ʻâvôn
H5771
iniquity
Prep | N-cs
בִּצְע֛/וֹ
betsaʻ
H1215
unjust-gain
N-ms | Suff
קָצַ֥פְתִּי
qâtsaph
H7107
be angry
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
וְ/אַכֵּ֖/הוּ
nâkâh
H5221
to smite
Conj | V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs | Suff
הַסְתֵּ֣ר
çâthar
H5641
to hide
V-Hiphil-Ptc
וְ/אֶקְצֹ֑ף
qâtsaph
H7107
be angry
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
וַ/יֵּ֥לֶךְ
yâlak
H3212
to walk
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
שׁוֹבָ֖ב
shôwbâb
H7726
turning back
Adj
בְּ/דֶ֥רֶךְ
derek
H1870
way
Prep | N-cs
לִבּֽ/וֹ
lêb
H3820
heart
N-ms | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 57:17
בַּ/עֲוֺ֥ן
ʻâvôn
H5771
"iniquity"
Prep | N-cs
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means moral evil or sin, like the kind God sees in people's hearts. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Psalms. This concept is key to understanding human nature.
Definition: : crime 1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity 1a) iniquity 1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition) 1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity
Usage: Occurs in 215 OT verses. KJV: fault, iniquity, mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin. See also: Genesis 4:13; Psalms 107:17; Psalms 18:24.
בִּצְע֛/וֹ
betsaʻ
H1215
"unjust-gain"
N-ms | Suff
This word describes unjust gain or profit, often acquired through violence or dishonest means, as referred to in the Bible.
Definition: profit, unjust gain, gain (profit) acquired by violence
Usage: Occurs in 23 OT verses. KJV: covetousness, (dishonest) gain, lucre, profit. See also: Genesis 37:26; Isaiah 56:11; Psalms 30:10.
קָצַ֥פְתִּי
qâtsaph
H7107
"be angry"
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to be angry or furious, like God's wrath in Psalm 2:12. It describes intense rage or displeasure, often used to warn against provoking God's anger. This word appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: 1) to be displeased, be angry, fret oneself, be wroth 1a) (Qal) to be wroth, to be full of wrath, to be furious 1b) (Hiphil) to provoke to wrath or anger 1c) (Hithpael) to put oneself in a rage, anger oneself Aramaic equivalent: qe.tsaph (קְצַף "be angry" H7108)
Usage: Occurs in 32 OT verses. KJV: (be) anger(-ry), displease, fret self, (provoke to) wrath (come), be wroth. See also: Genesis 40:2; Esther 1:12; Psalms 106:32.
וְ/אַכֵּ֖/הוּ
nâkâh
H5221
"to smite"
Conj | V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to strike or hit something, and it's used in many different ways, like in Exodus when God strikes down the Egyptians. It can also mean to punish or destroy, as seen in Isaiah. The word is used to describe God's judgment.
Definition: 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) 1d7) to be blighted (of plants)
Usage: Occurs in 461 OT verses. KJV: beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound. See also: Genesis 4:15; Joshua 10:20; 1 Samuel 29:5.
הַסְתֵּ֣ר
çâthar
H5641
"to hide"
V-Hiphil-Ptc
This word means to hide or conceal something, like covering it up. It can also mean to keep something secret or hidden from others, as in Psalm 27:5.
Definition: 1) to hide, conceal 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to hide oneself 1a2) to be hidden, be concealed 1b) (Piel) to hide carefully 1c) (Pual) to be hidden carefully, be concealed 1d) (Hiphil) to conceal, hide 1e) (Hithpael) to hide oneself carefully Aramaic equivalent: se.tar (סְתַר "to hide" H5642A)
Usage: Occurs in 80 OT verses. KJV: be absent, keep close, conceal, hide (self), (keep) secret, [idiom] surely. See also: Genesis 4:14; Psalms 55:13; Psalms 10:11.
וְ/אֶקְצֹ֑ף
qâtsaph
H7107
"be angry"
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to be angry or furious, like God's wrath in Psalm 2:12. It describes intense rage or displeasure, often used to warn against provoking God's anger. This word appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: 1) to be displeased, be angry, fret oneself, be wroth 1a) (Qal) to be wroth, to be full of wrath, to be furious 1b) (Hiphil) to provoke to wrath or anger 1c) (Hithpael) to put oneself in a rage, anger oneself Aramaic equivalent: qe.tsaph (קְצַף "be angry" H7108)
Usage: Occurs in 32 OT verses. KJV: (be) anger(-ry), displease, fret self, (provoke to) wrath (come), be wroth. See also: Genesis 40:2; Esther 1:12; Psalms 106:32.
וַ/יֵּ֥לֶךְ
yâlak
H3212
"to walk"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
To walk or go, this verb means to move from one place to another, used literally or figuratively, as in to live or die, or to lead someone.
Definition: 1) to go, walk, come 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away 1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.) 1b) (Hiphil) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
Usage: Occurs in 936 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue, cause to run, spread, take away (-journey), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, [idiom] be weak. See also: Genesis 3:14; Exodus 5:8; Deuteronomy 28:14.
שׁוֹבָ֖ב
shôwbâb
H7726
"turning back"
Adj
This word describes someone who has turned away from God, and is often translated as backsliding or apostate. It is used to describe those who have rejected God's ways and turned to idolatry.
Definition: backsliding, backturning, apostate, recusant
Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: backsliding, frowardly, turn away (from margin). See also: Isaiah 57:17; Jeremiah 3:22; Jeremiah 3:14.
בְּ/דֶ֥רֶךְ
derek
H1870
"way"
Prep | N-cs
Derek refers to a road or path, and can also mean a way of life or manner of action. It is often used to describe a journey or direction, and can be used figuratively to describe a person's character or moral path.
Definition: : road/route 1) way, road, distance, journey, manner 1a) road, way, path 1b) journey 1c) direction 1d) manner, habit, way 1e) of course of life (fig.) 1f) of moral character (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 626 OT verses. KJV: along, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever). See also: Genesis 3:24; Deuteronomy 28:29; 1 Kings 15:34.
לִבּֽ/וֹ
lêb
H3820
"heart"
N-ms | Suff
Leb refers to the heart, but also represents feelings, will, and intellect in the Bible. It is used figuratively to describe the center of something, and is often translated as heart or mind. Leb is a complex concept that encompasses emotions and thoughts.
Definition: 1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding 1a) inner part, midst 1a1) midst (of things) 1a2) heart (of man) 1a3) soul, heart (of man) 1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory 1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will) 1a6) conscience 1a7) heart (of moral character) 1a8) as seat of appetites 1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage
Usage: Occurs in 552 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom] themselves, [idiom] unawares, understanding, [idiom] well, willingly, wisdom. See also: Genesis 6:5; 2 Samuel 13:33; Psalms 4:8.
Study Notes — Isaiah 57:17
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 57:17 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 57:17
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 57:17
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 57:17
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 57:17
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 57:17
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 57:17
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 57:17
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 57:17
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 57:17
- Sermons on Isaiah 57:17
Context — Healing for the Repentant
15For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.
16For I will not accuse you forever, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirit of man would grow weak before Me— the breath of life I have made.
17I was enraged by his sinful greed, so I struck him and hid My face in anger; yet he kept turning back to the desires of his heart.
18I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, 19bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 56:11 | Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain: |
| 2 | Jeremiah 6:13 | “For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit. |
| 3 | Colossians 3:5 | Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. |
| 4 | Ephesians 5:3–5 | But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. |
| 5 | 2 Peter 2:14 | Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed. |
| 6 | Isaiah 8:17 | I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in Him. |
| 7 | Jeremiah 22:17 | “But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood, on practicing extortion and oppression.” |
| 8 | Isaiah 5:8–9 | Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field until no place is left and you live alone in the land. I heard the LORD of Hosts declare: “Surely many houses will become desolate, great mansions left unoccupied. |
| 9 | Isaiah 45:15 | Truly You are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. |
| 10 | Jeremiah 5:3 | O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent. |
Isaiah 57:17 Summary
Isaiah 57:17 shows us that God gets angry when we prioritize our selfish desires over Him, and as a result, He may hide His face from us. However, this anger is not permanent, and He desires to restore us, as seen in Isaiah 57:18. To avoid His anger, we need to turn away from our sinful desires and seek Him with a humble heart, as encouraged in Psalm 51:17 and Matthew 5:3. By doing so, we can experience His love, forgiveness, and restoration, just like the promise in 1 John 1:9.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did God hide His face in anger according to Isaiah 57:17?
God hid His face in anger because of the sinful greed of His people, as stated in Isaiah 57:17, which is a consequence of turning away from Him, similar to what is described in Deuteronomy 31:17-18.
What does it mean to turn back to the desires of one's heart?
Turning back to the desires of one's heart, as mentioned in Isaiah 57:17, means to prioritize one's own selfish wants and desires over God's will, which is also warned against in Jeremiah 17:9 and Romans 1:21.
How does God's anger relate to His love for us?
Although God's anger is a response to sin, as seen in Isaiah 57:17, it is also a demonstration of His love, as He desires to correct and restore us, similar to the concept of discipline in Hebrews 12:6 and the loving rebuke in Revelation 3:19.
Can we avoid God's anger by changing our behavior?
While changing our behavior is a step towards reconciliation, as encouraged in Isaiah 57:15-16, it is not just about avoiding God's anger, but about genuinely turning to Him with a humble and contrite heart, as described in 1 John 1:9 and Psalm 51:17.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I prioritize my own desires over God's will, and how can I surrender those to Him?
- How do I respond when I feel God is hiding His face from me, and what can I do to seek His presence again?
- In what ways can I demonstrate a humble and contrite heart before God, as described in Isaiah 57:15, and what are the benefits of doing so?
- What are some desires of my heart that may be leading me away from God, and how can I align them with His will as stated in Proverbs 3:5-6?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 57:17
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him, .... Not the greedy watchmen of the church of Rome, Isaiah 56:10, but teachers and preachers in the reformed churches, who mind their
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 57:17
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 57:17
Covetousness; of which sin the Jews were eminently guilty, as is expressly affirmed, 8:10. But this is not mentioned exclusively as to other sins, but synecdochically, so as to comprehend all those sins for which God contended with them. I hid me; I withdrew my favour and help from him, and left him in great calamities. And he went on frowardly in the way of his heart; yet he was not reformed by corrections, but in his distresses trespassed more and more, as was said of Ahaz, and obstinately persisted in those sinful courses which were chosen by and were most pleasing to the lusts of his own corrupt heart.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 57:17
Isaiah 57:17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.Ver. 17. For the iniquity of his covetousness.] Or, Of his concupiscence, the sin of his nature. But covetousness is a wickedness with a witness, the "root of all evil." Timon could say that there were two sources of all sin, viz., απληστιανκαιφιλοδοξιαν, covetousness and vainglory. And he went on frowardly in the way of his own heart,] i.e., Excaecotus sequitur animalem suum spiritum, he, blindling, blundered on, without fear or wit, cross grained and irreclaimable.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 57:17
(17) For the iniquity of his covetousness . . .—Literally, of his gain. This was the root-evil, out of which all others sprang (Jeremiah 6:13; Ezekiel 33:31; 1 Timothy 6:10), and for this, therefore, a sharp chastisement was needed that men might learn what their true wealth consisted in. The last clause may either state the guilt Which caused the wrath, or paint the obduracy which went on doing evil in spite of it.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 57:17
Verse 17. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth - "Because of his iniquity for a short time was I wroth"] For בצעו bitso, I read בצע betsa, a little while, from בצע batsa, he cut off, as the Septuagint read and render it, βραχυτι "a certain short space." Propter iniquitatem avaritiae ejus, "because of the iniquity of his avarice," the rendering of the Vulgate, which our translators and I believe all others follow, is surely quite beside the purpose.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 57:17
17. For the iniquity of his covetousness] The mention of “covetousness” as the typical sin of the community here addressed affords some support to the theory that the post-exilic Jews are referred to. See Haggai 1:2; Haggai 1:9; Malachi 1:8; Malachi 1:13-14; Malachi 3:8; Nehemiah 5. These passages shew that a sordid, avaricious spirit was characteristic of the returned exiles, although on the other hand Jeremiah 6:13 shews that it was prevalent before the Captivity (cf. Ezekiel 33:31). The same feature is touched on in ch. Isaiah 56:11 and in ch. 58. The significant thing is that it is specified as the besetting sin of the time, and this again appears to indicate that the people spoken of are distinct from those who were guilty of the more heinous offences enumerated in Isaiah 57:5-9. covetousness is strictly “gain”; (Genesis 37:26) then unjust gain. I hid me, and was wroth] hiding myself in my wrath (lit. “hiding and being wroth”; see Davidson’s Syntax, § 87 R. 1). and he went on frowardly] (cf. Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 3:22; Jeremiah 31:22; Jeremiah 49:4) lit. “turning away” (R.V. marg.).
The meaning can hardly be that the effect of punishment was to harden the people in sin, and that therefore Jehovah desists from it. The clause does not give the consequence of the chastisement, but continues the description of the sinful life of the people which had drawn forth the Divine anger.
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 57:17
For the iniquity of his covetousness - The guilt of his avarice; that is, of the Jewish people.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 57:17
17. Iniquity of his covetousness — The strong words that describe this evil are rapine, plunder, prey. Of these the Jews, in grade just above the very wicked, were guilty. Smote him — For these Jehovah disciplined Israel.
Sermons on Isaiah 57:17
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
The Dangerous Symptoms of Any Lust (Chapter 9 of the Book, the Mortification of Sin) by John Owen | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of examining one's heart and soul in order to understand the root causes of sinful behavior. He suggests that one should cons |
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God Loves You! by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes the profound love of the Father for His children, highlighting that many believers struggle to accept this love while remaining focused on conviction and |
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The Healer by Henry Law | Henry Law preaches about the healing power of the Lord, emphasizing how sin is a universal malady that affects every aspect of humanity, leading to a deep spiritual disease that on |
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寻访古道 - Finding the Old Path by Paul Washer | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of being captivated by the glory of Christ. He shares that his own devotion to Christ is not based on discipline or religious |
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We've Forgotten How to Blush by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the state of God's people in Israel during a time of rebellion and turning away from the truth. He references Jeremiah 5:1-3, where God chall |
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(Through the Bible) Micah by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that God's requirement for us is to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior. The prophet in the Bible asks what he can do t |
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The Generation Gap - Part 1 by Denny Kenaston | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of passing on a godly vision to future generations. He laments the loss of vision in families, leading to divorce and remarria |