The Meaning of Isaiah 64:4 Explained

Isaiah 64:4

KJV: For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

YLT: Even from antiquity men have not heard, They have not given ear, Eye hath not seen a God save Thee, He doth work for those waiting for Him.

Darby: Never have men heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor hath eye seen a God beside thee, who acteth for him that waiteth for him.

ASV: For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For since the beginning of the world  [men] have not heard,  nor perceived by the ear,  neither hath the eye  seen,  O God,  beside  thee, [what] he hath prepared  for him that waiteth  for him. 

What does Isaiah 64:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Isaiah respected Yahweh because he knew who Yahweh was, but so many of his contemporaries were spiritually blind and deaf that they could have profited from a dramatic revelation (cf. Psalm 31:20; Matthew 13:17; 1 Corinthians 2:9).

Context Summary

Isaiah 64:1-12 - A Cry For Pardon
The great past, Isaiah 64:1-5. We are introduced to the prophet's oratory and hear the outpourings of his heart. As he recalls the story of bygone days, he asks that God would do as He had done. It is as easy for God to rend the heavens as for us to tear a piece of cloth: and great mountains of difficulty dissolve before Him, as a pyramid of snow in a thaw. God works while we wait. When there is no sign of His help, He is hastening toward us. If you go out to meet Him, He will quicken His pace, and run to embrace you. These are God's ways and in them there is everlasting continuance. See Malachi 3:6.
Confession and prayer, Isaiah 64:6-12. The leper, the foul garment, the fading leaf fleeing before the autumn gusts-such emblems become us. If our righteousnesses are black, what must not our sins be! We need Him who comes not with water only, but with water and with blood. See 1 John 5:6. Perhaps our greatest sin is our prayerlessness. We do not stir ourselves up to it. God cannot refrain His mercy, if we cannot refrain our tears! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 64

1  The church prays for the illustration of God's power
4  Celebrating God's mercy, it makes confession of their natural corruptions
9  It complains of their afflictions

What do the individual words in Isaiah 64:4 mean?

For since the [beginning] of the world not [Men] have heard nor perceived by the ear the eye nor has seen any God besides You who acts for the one who waits for Him
וּמֵעוֹלָ֥ם לֹא־ שָׁמְע֖וּ לֹ֣א הֶאֱזִ֑ינוּ עַ֣יִן לֹֽא־ רָאָ֗תָה אֱלֹהִים֙ זוּלָ֣תְךָ֔ יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה לִמְחַכֵּה־ לֽוֹ

וּמֵעוֹלָ֥ם  For  since  the  [beginning]  of  the  world 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
שָׁמְע֖וּ  [Men]  have  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
לֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הֶאֱזִ֑ינוּ  perceived  by  the  ear 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָזַן  
Sense: to hear, listen.
עַ֣יִן  the  eye 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
לֹֽא־  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
רָאָ֗תָה  has  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֱלֹהִים֙  any  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
זוּלָ֣תְךָ֔  besides  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: זוּלָה  
Sense: a removal, a putting away prep.
יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה  who  acts 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לִמְחַכֵּה־  for  the  one  who  waits 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: חָכָה  
Sense: to wait, wait for, await.
לֽוֹ  for  Him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular