The Meaning of Isaiah 58:9 Explained

Isaiah 58:9

KJV: Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

YLT: Then thou callest, and Jehovah answereth, Thou criest, and He saith, 'Behold Me.' If thou turn aside from thy midst the yoke, The sending forth of the finger, And the speaking of vanity,

Darby: Then shalt thou call, and Jehovah will answer; thou shalt cry, and he will say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger and the unjust speech,

ASV: Then shalt thou call, and Jehovah will answer; thou shalt cry, and he will say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then shalt thou call,  and the LORD  shall answer;  thou shalt cry,  and he shall say,  Here I [am]. If thou take away  from the midst  of thee the yoke,  the putting forth  of the finger,  and speaking  vanity; 

What does Isaiah 58:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord would hear their prayers, and they would enjoy His presence (cf. Isaiah 58:1-3). Making self the focus of life, in contrast, results in darkness (cf. Isaiah 5:20; Isaiah 8:20; Isaiah 47:5; Isaiah 60:2), disease (cf. Isaiah 1:5), defeat (cf. Isaiah 1:7), and separation (cf. Isaiah 1:4). For these blessings to come, God"s people needed to stop oppressing others, and to stop mocking and showing contempt for others with wicked speech (cf. Isaiah 57:4; Isaiah 66:5). Notice the "if . . . then" constructions in Isaiah 58:9-10; Isaiah 58:13-14. It is possible that "the pointing of the finger" may refer to being critical of others who are not as socially sensitive as oneself. [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 58:9 mean?

Then you shall call and Yahweh will answer You shall cry and He will say Here I [am] if you take away from the your midst the yoke the pointing of finger and speaking wickedness
אָ֤ז תִּקְרָא֙ וַיהוָ֣ה יַעֲנֶ֔ה תְּשַׁוַּ֖ע וְיֹאמַ֣ר הִנֵּ֑נִי אִם־ תָּסִ֤יר מִתּֽוֹכְךָ֙ מוֹטָ֔ה שְׁלַ֥ח אֶצְבַּ֖ע וְדַבֶּר־ אָֽוֶן

תִּקְרָא֙  you  shall  call 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
וַיהוָ֣ה  and  Yahweh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יַעֲנֶ֔ה  will  answer 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
תְּשַׁוַּ֖ע  You  shall  cry 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁוַע  
Sense: (Piel) to cry out (for help), shout.
וְיֹאמַ֣ר  and  He  will  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הִנֵּ֑נִי  Here  I  [am] 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
תָּסִ֤יר  you  take  away 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
מִתּֽוֹכְךָ֙  from  the  your  midst 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
מוֹטָ֔ה  the  yoke 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹוטָה  
Sense: pole, bar of yoke.
שְׁלַ֥ח  the  pointing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֶצְבַּ֖ע  of  finger 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶצְבַּע  
Sense: finger, toe.
וְדַבֶּר־  and  speaking 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אָֽוֶן  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָוֶן 
Sense: trouble, wickedness, sorrow.