The Meaning of Isaiah 58:7 Explained

Isaiah 58:7

KJV: Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

YLT: Is it not to deal to the hungry thy bread, And the mourning poor bring home, That thou seest the naked and cover him, And from thine own flesh hide not thyself?

Darby: Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring to thy house the needy wanderers; when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

ASV: Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Is it] not to deal  thy bread  to the hungry,  and that thou bring  the poor  that are cast out  to thy house?  when thou seest  the naked,  that thou cover  him; and that thou hide  not thyself from thine own flesh? 

What does Isaiah 58:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Likewise, helping the poor is more important than helping oneself. Feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, and clothing the naked are more important to God than living well oneself. What is the point of fasting if we do not give what we would eat to others? Self-denial should be for others, not for oneself (cf. Matthew 25:35; Luke 3:11; Luke 10:31-32; Hebrews 13:2).
"No religious observance has value for Jehovah that is not supported by a godly, law-abiding life, and compassion towards those in need." [1]

Context Summary

Isaiah 58:1-14 - The Fast That God Has Chosen
The divorce between outward rites and inward piety has been the curse of every age. When the Pharisees were plotting our Lord's death, they refused to enter Pilate's hall. Not the bowed head, but the broken heart; not the sackcloth and ashes of the flesh, but the contrition of the soul!
Notice the three paragraphs descriptive of the experiences of the devout and consecrated soul: (1.) The conditions of blessedness, Isaiah 58:6-7. (2.) The successive items which go to make a blessed life, Isaiah 58:8-12. (3.) The true Sabbath-keeping, Isaiah 58:13-14. Primarily, it is inward, not outward. Let us be on our watch against the entrance into our hearts of all thoughts that would break the holy inward calm. Remember to imitate Nehemiah's instructions: Nehemiah 13:16-22. Let the divine peace rule within and be as a sentinel keeping the outward gate, Colossians 3:15; Philippians 4:7. Cease to follow your own ways, or find your own pleasures, or speak your own words. Delight yourself in God; so shall you sit with Christ in heavenly places and feed at the heavenly table. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 58

1  The prophet, being sent to reprove hypocrisy,
3  shows the difference between a counterfeit fast and a true
8  He declares what promises are due unto godliness
13  And to the keeping of the Sabbath

What do the individual words in Isaiah 58:7 mean?

[is it] not to share with the hungry your bread and the poor who are cast out that you bring to your house when you see the naked that you cover him and from your own flesh not hide yourself
הֲל֨וֹא פָרֹ֤ס לָֽרָעֵב֙ לַחְמֶ֔ךָ וַעֲנִיִּ֥ים מְרוּדִ֖ים תָּ֣בִיא ؟ בָ֑יִת כִּֽי־ תִרְאֶ֤ה עָרֹם֙ וְכִסִּית֔וֹ ؟ וּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תִתְעַלָּֽם

הֲל֨וֹא  [is  it]  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
פָרֹ֤ס  to  share 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: פָּרַס  
Sense: to divide, break in two.
לָֽרָעֵב֙  with  the  hungry 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָעָב  
Sense: hungry.
לַחְמֶ֔ךָ  your  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
וַעֲנִיִּ֥ים  and  the  poor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עָנִי  
Sense: poor, afflicted, humble, wretched.
מְרוּדִ֖ים  who  are  cast  out 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מָרוּד  
Sense: restlessness, straying, wanderer, refugee.
תָּ֣בִיא  that  you  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
؟ בָ֑יִת  to  your  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
תִרְאֶ֤ה  you  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
עָרֹם֙  the  naked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָרֹום  
Sense: naked, bare.
וְכִסִּית֔וֹ  that  you  cover  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
؟ וּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ֖  and  from  your  own  flesh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
תִתְעַלָּֽם  hide  yourself 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָלַם  
Sense: to conceal, hide, be hidden, be concealed, be secret.