Isaiah 59:1

Injustice Brings Alienation from God

59:1 Look, the Lord’s hand is not too weak ¹  to deliver you;

his ear is not too deaf to hear you. ² 

Isaiah 50:2

50:2 Why does no one challenge me when I come?

Why does no one respond when I call? ³ 

Is my hand too weak ⁴  to deliver ⁵  you?

Do I lack the power to rescue you?

Look, with a mere shout ⁶  I can dry up the sea;

I can turn streams into a desert,

so the fish rot away and die

from lack of water. ⁷ 

[59:1]  ¹ tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[59:1]  ² tn Heb “or his ear too heavy [i.e., “dull”] to hear.”

[50:2]  ³ sn The present tense translation of the verbs assumes that the Lord is questioning why Israel does not attempt to counter his arguments. Another possibility is to take the verbs as referring to past events: “Why did no one meet me when I came? Why did no one answer when I called?” In this case the Lord might be asking why Israel rejected his calls to repent and his offer to deliver them.

[50:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).

[50:2]  ⁵ tn Or “ransom” (NAB, NASB, NIV).

[50:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “with my rebuke.”

[50:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”