Meaning, commentary and cross references
Isaiah 59:2
“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.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
NIV · New International Version
But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
WEB · World English Bible
But your iniquities have separated you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
What does Isaiah 59:2 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Isaiah 59:2
Like a partition wall dividing between them, so that they enjoy no communion with him in his worship and ordinances; which is greatly the case of the reformed churches: they profess the true God, and the worship of him, and do attend the outward ordinances of it; but this is done in such a cold formal way, and such sins and wickedness are perpetrated and connived at, that the Lord does not grant his gracious presence to them, but stands at a distance from them: and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear; or have caused him to hide himself; withdraw his gracious presence; neglect the prayers put up to him; deny an answer to them; or, however, not appear as yet for the…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on Isaiah 59:2
But your iniquities have made a separation. The amount of what is said is, that they cannot say that God has changed, as if he had swerved from his natural disposition, but that the whole blame lies with themselves; because by their own sins they, in some measure, prevent his kindness, and refuse to receive his assistance. Hence we infer that our sins alone deprive us of the grace of God, and cause separation between us and him; for what the Prophet testifies as to the men of his time is applicable to all ages; since he pleads the cause of God, against the slanders of wicked men. Thus God is always like himself, and is not wearied in doing good; and his power is not diminished, but we…
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Isaiah 59:1–5 (WEB)
1Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it can’t save; nor his ear dull, that it can’t hear. 2But your iniquities have separated you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. 3For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity. Your lips have spoken lies. Your tongue mutters wickedness. 4No one sues in righteousness, and no one pleads in truth. They trust in vanity and speak lies. They conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity. 5They hatch adders’ eggs and weave the spider’s web. He who eats of their eggs dies; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.
Cross references
- Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
- Jeremiah 5:25
“Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld good from you.
- Micah 3:4
Then they will cry to the LORD, but he will not answer them. Yes, he will hide his face from them at that time, because they made their deeds evil.”
- Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
- Deuteronomy 31:17–18
Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall come on them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Haven’t these evils come on us because our God is not among us?’
- Ezekiel 39:23–24
The nations will know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, because they trespassed against me, and I hid my face from them; so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and they all fell by the sword.
- Deuteronomy 32:19–20
The LORD saw and abhorred, because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.
- Isaiah 57:17
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.