Isaiah 1:4

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

Ah {H1945} sinful {H2398} nation {H1471}, a people {H5971} laden {H3515} with iniquity {H5771}, a seed {H2233} of evildoers {H7489}, children {H1121} that are corrupters {H7843}: they have forsaken {H5800}{H853} the LORD {H3068}, they have provoked {H5006}{H853} the Holy One {H6918} of Israel {H3478} unto anger {H5006}, they are gone away {H2114} backward {H268}.

"Oh, sinful nation, a people weighed down by iniquity, descendants of evildoers, immoral children! They have abandoned ADONAI, spurned the Holy One of Isra'el, turned their backs on him!

Alas, O sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children of depravity! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly! they have forsaken Jehovah, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are estranged and gone backward.

Commentary

Commentary on Isaiah 1:4 (KJV)

Isaiah 1:4 presents a scathing indictment of the nation of Judah, delivered by the prophet Isaiah. This verse immediately follows a divine lament where God expresses His disappointment over His rebellious children. It sets a somber tone for the entire book, highlighting the profound spiritual decay that had permeated society.

Context

This verse opens Isaiah's prophetic ministry, likely during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Isaiah 1:1). At this time, Judah, though outwardly religious, was deeply corrupt internally. The people had become complacent, engaging in ritualistic worship while neglecting justice, righteousness, and true devotion to God. Isaiah, often called the "evangelical prophet," begins his message not with comfort but with a stark confrontation of their sin, aiming to bring them to repentance before impending judgment.

Key Themes

  • Profound Sinfulness: The verse uses strong, cumulative language—"sinful nation," "laden with iniquity," "seed of evildoers," "children that are corrupters"—to emphasize the pervasive and hereditary nature of their moral decay. Sin was not isolated but deeply ingrained.
  • Rebellion Against God: The core accusation is that "they have forsaken the LORD." This speaks to a deliberate abandonment of their covenant relationship with God, turning away from His laws and His presence. This forsaking is a recurring theme in prophetic literature, often leading to divine judgment, as seen in Jeremiah 2:13.
  • Provoking Divine Anger: Their actions did not go unnoticed; they "have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger." This highlights God's holiness and His intolerance for sin. The title "Holy One of Israel" underscores His unique, set-apart nature and righteous character, which is offended by their unholy practices.
  • Spiritual Backsliding: The phrase "they are gone away backward" vividly portrays their spiritual regression. Instead of progressing in faith and obedience, they had turned their backs on God, moving further away from His path and into deeper apostasy. This is a stark warning against spiritual apathy and drifting, a theme echoed in the New Testament, as seen in Hebrews 10:39.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "sinful" (חַטָּא, chatta') implies missing the mark or going astray from God's standard.
  • "Laden with iniquity" uses the word עָוֹן (‘awon), which suggests twistedness, perversity, or guilt, indicating a heavy burden of moral corruption.
  • "Corrupters" (מַשְׁחִיתִים, mashḥithim) comes from a root meaning to destroy or spoil, implying that they not only were corrupt but actively spread corruption to others, akin to a destructive force.
  • "Provoked...unto anger" uses the verb נָאַץ (na'ats), which means to spurn, despise, or treat with contempt, indicating a profound disrespect for God's authority and character.

Practical Application

Isaiah 1:4 serves as a timeless warning for all generations, including believers today. It calls us to examine our own hearts and lives:

  • Self-Examination: Are we truly devoted to God, or are we merely going through the motions? This verse challenges us to confront any areas of spiritual apathy or rebellion.
  • Consequences of Sin: It reminds us that sin is not trivial; it offends a holy God and carries serious consequences, leading to spiritual decline and separation.
  • Call to Repentance: Though this verse is an indictment, the book of Isaiah also contains powerful messages of hope and redemption for those who truly repent and return to the Lord, as seen later in Isaiah 1:18.
  • God's Unchanging Character: It underscores God's unwavering holiness and His righteous anger against sin, balanced by His ultimate desire for His people to return to Him.
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Cross-References

  • Isaiah 5:24 (7 votes)

    Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, [so] their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

  • Jeremiah 2:17 (6 votes)

    Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?

  • Jeremiah 2:13 (5 votes)

    For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, [and] hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

  • Romans 8:7 (4 votes)

    Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

  • Acts 7:51 (3 votes)

    ¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did], so [do] ye.

  • Acts 7:52 (3 votes)

    Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

  • Matthew 3:7 (3 votes)

    ¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?