Isaiah 50:1

KJV

¶ Thus saith the LORD, Where [is] the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors [is it] to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

KJV (with Strong's)

Thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}, Where is the bill {H5612} of your mother's {H517} divorcement {H3748}, whom I have put away {H7971}? or which of my creditors {H5383} is it to whom I have sold {H4376} you? Behold, for your iniquities {H5771} have ye sold {H4376} yourselves, and for your transgressions {H6588} is your mother {H517} put away {H7971}.

Complete Jewish Bible

ADONAI says: "Where is your mother's divorce document which I gave her when I divorced her? Or: to which of my creditors did I sell you? You were sold because of your sins; because of your crimes was your mother divorced.

Berean Standard Bible

This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.

American Standard Version

Thus saith Jehovah, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, wherewith I have put her away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities were ye sold, and for your transgressions was your mother put away.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Isaiah 50:1 serves as a profound rhetorical challenge from the LORD to the exiled people of Israel, who, in their suffering, may have felt abandoned or "divorced" by God. The verse directly refutes any notion that God's covenant faithfulness has failed or that He is somehow indebted, forcing Him to "sell" His people into bondage. Instead, it unequivocally declares that Israel's predicament—their separation and hardship—is a direct consequence of their own accumulated "iniquities" and "transgressions," emphasizing their self-inflicted spiritual and national plight.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse opens the third major section of Isaiah's prophecy, often referred to as "Second Isaiah" (chapters 40-55), which primarily addresses the Jewish exiles in Babylon. Following chapters that emphasize God's comfort and the promise of restoration (e.g., [Isaiah 40](/isaiah/40 "Isaiah 40 - Comfort for Israel")), Isaiah 50 shifts focus to the theme of the Suffering Servant and the continued disobedience of Israel. While God promises deliverance, this verse serves as a crucial reminder that Israel's past and present suffering is not arbitrary but a just consequence of their rebellion. It sets the stage for the Servant's radical obedience, which stands in stark contrast to Israel's repeated unfaithfulness, preparing the reader for the profound message of [Isaiah 53](/isaiah/53 "Isaiah 53 - The Suffering Servant").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The imagery employed in Isaiah 50:1 draws heavily from ancient Near Eastern legal and social practices. A "bill of divorcement" (Hebrew: *sepher kerithuth*) was a formal, written document required by Mosaic Law (cf. [Deuteronomy 24:1-4](/deuteronomy/24-1 "Deuteronomy 24:1-4 - Laws of Divorce")) to legally terminate a marriage. God's rhetorical question, "Where is the bill... whom I have put away?", challenges Israel's perception that He has irrevocably severed their covenant relationship, implying no such document exists from His side. Similarly, the concept of selling oneself or being sold to creditors was a common practice in ancient societies for debt repayment or as a consequence of economic hardship. By denying He sold them due to His own debt and asserting they "sold yourselves," God refutes any claim of His deficiency and places the responsibility squarely on Israel's moral and spiritual bankruptcy, which led to their exile and subjugation.
* **Key Themes:** Isaiah 50:1 powerfully articulates several key theological themes. Firstly, it underscores **God's Unwavering Faithfulness** to His covenant, even in the face of Israel's persistent unfaithfulness. By challenging the existence of a "bill of divorcement," God asserts that despite their spiritual adultery (as seen in [Jeremiah 3:8](/jeremiah/3-8 "Jeremiah 3:8 - Israel's Spiritual Adultery")), His ultimate commitment to His people remains. Secondly, the verse highlights the principle of **Self-Inflicted Consequences**, making it clear that Israel's suffering and exile are not arbitrary acts of divine abandonment but the direct, just outcome of their own "iniquities" and "transgressions." They were not sold by God due to His lack, but they "sold themselves" into spiritual and physical bondage through their disobedience, a concept echoed in the New Testament regarding the slavery of sin (e.g., [John 8:34](/john/8-34 "John 8:34 - Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin")). Finally, the verse affirms **Divine Justice and Accountability**, demonstrating that God operates according to His righteous character and the terms of His covenant, where actions inevitably lead to consequences, whether blessings for obedience or judgment for rebellion.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **LORD (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôvâh'_):** From the root meaning "to be," this is the covenant name of God, often translated as "Jehovah" or "the Lord." It signifies the self-existent, eternal, and unchanging God who is faithful to His promises. In this verse, its use emphasizes that the one speaking is the sovereign, covenant-keeping God of Israel, whose character is utterly reliable, contrasting with Israel's implied accusations of His unfaithfulness.
* **divorcement (Hebrew, _kᵉrîythûwth'_):** Literally meaning "a cutting," this term refers to the legal act of severing a matrimonial bond, i.e., divorce. Its presence in the rhetorical question highlights the legal and covenantal nature of God's relationship with Israel, a marriage metaphor. God's challenge about the "bill of divorcement" implies that He has not legally or permanently cut off His relationship with Israel, despite their actions that would warrant such a separation.
* **sold (Hebrew, _mâkar'_):** This primitive root means "to sell," either literally (merchandise, a person into slavery) or figuratively (to surrender). In the context of debt, it refers to being sold into servitude to pay off obligations. The verse first uses it in a rhetorical question ("to whom I have sold you?") and then emphatically in the declaration ("have ye sold yourselves"), underscoring that Israel's bondage was not due to God's financial insolvency but their own moral bankruptcy, leading them to surrender themselves to the consequences of their sin.
* **iniquities (Hebrew, _ʻâvôn'_):** This word denotes perversity, moral evil, fault, or sin, often carrying the connotation of the guilt or punishment associated with such wrongdoing. It speaks to the crookedness or deviation from God's straight path. Paired with "transgressions," it emphasizes the deep-seated moral corruption and active rebellion that led to Israel's downfall, making their suffering a just consequence rather than an arbitrary act by God.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Thus saith the LORD,"**: This opening phrase establishes the divine authority of the message. It is not merely human opinion or prophecy, but a direct declaration from Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, lending absolute weight and truthfulness to the subsequent statements.
* **"Where [is] the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away?"**: This is the first of two rhetorical questions. God challenges Israel to produce a legal document of divorce, implying that He has not issued such a bill. The "mother" here personifies the nation of Israel or Jerusalem, representing the covenant relationship God had with His people. God's question powerfully asserts that He has not unilaterally or irrevocably ended their covenant relationship, despite their unfaithfulness.
* **"or which of my creditors [is it] to whom I have sold you?"**: This is the second rhetorical question. God challenges the notion that He was indebted to anyone and thus forced to sell His people into slavery to pay off His debts. This imagery refutes any accusation that God lacked power, resources, or faithfulness, or that He was somehow constrained by external forces.
* **"Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves,"**: This clause provides the definitive answer to the preceding questions. The people's suffering and bondage are not due to God's actions or deficiencies but are a direct result of their own "iniquities" (moral evil, perversity). They willingly, through their sinful choices, brought themselves into a state of spiritual and physical enslavement.
* **"and for your transgressions is your mother put away."**: This final clause parallels the previous one, reiterating the cause of their "mother's" (the nation's) separation or "putting away." Their "transgressions" (rebellion, revolt against God's law) are the reason for their national calamity and exile, not an arbitrary act of God. It underscores that God's actions are always just responses to human sin.

#### Literary Devices
Isaiah 50:1 is rich in **Rhetorical Questions**, which are central to its persuasive power. By posing questions for which no affirmative answer can be given, the LORD compels His audience to confront their false assumptions and acknowledge the truth of their own culpability. The verse also employs a powerful **Metaphor** of marriage and divorce, portraying God as the faithful husband and Israel as the unfaithful wife, a common biblical motif (e.g., in Hosea and Jeremiah). This metaphor highlights the covenantal intimacy and the gravity of Israel's spiritual adultery. A related **Analogy** is that of debt and selling into slavery, which vividly illustrates the consequences of their actions. Furthermore, **Personification** is used with "your mother," representing the nation of Israel or Jerusalem, allowing for a more intimate and relatable depiction of the national consequences of sin. Finally, the verse exhibits strong **Parallelism** in its structure, with the two rhetorical questions mirroring each other, and the two explanatory clauses ("for your iniquities... for your transgressions...") reinforcing the singular message of self-inflicted consequences.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 50:1 profoundly articulates the principle of divine justice, demonstrating that God's actions are always righteous and responsive to human choices. It refutes any notion of divine caprice or weakness, firmly establishing that Israel's suffering and perceived abandonment were not due to God's failure or a broken covenant on His part, but rather the inevitable consequence of their own persistent rebellion and spiritual infidelity. This passage underscores that while God is sovereign, human accountability for sin is absolute. Yet, within this declaration of justice, there is a subtle undercurrent of mercy: the absence of a "bill of divorcement" implies that the covenant, though strained, is not irrevocably broken, leaving room for future restoration and redemption, a theme that permeates the latter half of Isaiah.

* [Deuteronomy 24:1-4](/deuteronomy/24-1 "Deuteronomy 24:1-4 - Law of Divorce") - Provides the Mosaic legal context for the "bill of divorcement," emphasizing its finality.
* [Jeremiah 3:8](/jeremiah/3-8 "Jeremiah 3:8 - Israel's Spiritual Adultery and Divorce") - Illustrates that God *did* have cause to "divorce" Israel due to their idolatry, making Isaiah 50:1's rhetorical question even more poignant regarding His enduring patience.
* [Romans 6:16](/romans/6-16 "Romans 6:16 - Slavery to Sin") - "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" This New Testament verse echoes the concept of "selling yourselves" into bondage to sin.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 50:1 serves as a powerful mirror for self-examination, urging us to consider the true source of our struggles and perceived distance from God. When we face hardship, despair, or a sense of divine abandonment, this verse redirects our gaze from blaming God to scrutinizing our own hearts and actions. It reminds us that our "iniquities" and "transgressions"—our active rebellion and passive neglect of God's ways—often lead to self-inflicted consequences that create a chasm between us and our Creator. This is not to say that all suffering is a direct result of personal sin, but it is a call to acknowledge the profound impact of our moral choices on our spiritual well-being and relationship with God. The absence of a "bill of divorcement" from God's side, however, offers immense hope: despite our unfaithfulness, His covenant love endures, and the path to repentance and restoration remains open. This verse therefore encourages humble confession, genuine repentance, and a renewed commitment to obedience, trusting in God's unwavering faithfulness even when we have strayed.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "iniquities" or "transgressions" in my life might be contributing to a sense of distance from God or self-imposed hardship?**
* **How might I be subtly blaming God for circumstances that are, in fact, consequences of my own choices?**
* **In what ways does the concept of God *not* issuing a "bill of divorcement" despite my unfaithfulness bring me comfort and hope?**
* **What specific steps can I take to "buy myself back" from the bondage of sin, recognizing that only God can truly redeem me?**

### FAQ
**Who is "your mother" in this verse, and why is she "put away"?**

Answer: In this context, "your mother" is a personification of the nation of Israel, or more specifically, Jerusalem, representing the collective covenant community. This imagery is common in prophetic literature, where cities or nations are often depicted as women. She is "put away," or "divorced," not because God arbitrarily abandoned her, but "for your transgressions." This means the nation's exile, destruction, and separation from God's immediate favor were direct consequences of the people's persistent rebellion, idolatry, and breaking of the covenant, rather than a failure on God's part. It underscores the principle that their suffering was a just outcome of their collective sin.

**Did God truly "divorce" Israel, or is this a purely rhetorical question?**

Answer: The question "Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away?" is indeed a rhetorical question, implying that no such bill exists from God's side. While the prophets, notably [Jeremiah 3:8](/jeremiah/3-8 "Israel's Spiritual Adultery"), describe God "putting away" or divorcing the Northern Kingdom (Israel) due to her spiritual adultery, Isaiah 50:1 emphasizes that for the remnant (Judah, the "mother" here), God has not issued a final, irrevocable bill of divorcement. This highlights God's enduring covenant faithfulness and His willingness to maintain a relationship despite Israel's profound unfaithfulness, leaving the door open for repentance and restoration. It distinguishes between temporary judgment and ultimate, permanent abandonment.

**What does it mean that "for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves"?**

Answer: This phrase means that the people of Israel, through their sinful choices and rebellion against God, effectively brought themselves into a state of spiritual and national bondage. They were not sold by God to a creditor because God was indebted; rather, their own "iniquities" (moral perversity, sin) and "transgressions" (rebellion) led them into a condition of slavery to sin and its consequences, including exile and subjugation by foreign powers. It's a powerful statement of self-inflicted harm, emphasizing their accountability for their predicament. This concept is mirrored in the New Testament, where Jesus states that "everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin" ([John 8:34](/john/8-34 "John 8:34 - Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 50:1, while highlighting Israel's self-inflicted spiritual bondage and God's unwavering justice, subtly yet powerfully points forward to the ultimate solution found in Jesus Christ. The rhetorical questions about a "bill of divorcement" and being "sold" to creditors underscore humanity's profound debt of sin and the seemingly irreparable breach between a holy God and a rebellious people. Israel "sold themselves" into slavery to sin, a condition from which they could not redeem themselves. This sets the stage for the true Servant of the LORD, Jesus, who perfectly fulfills the obedience that Israel failed to demonstrate (as seen in [Isaiah 50:4-9](/isaiah/50-4 "Isaiah 50:4-9 - The Obedient Servant")). Christ becomes the one who pays the insurmountable debt of humanity's sin, not because God was indebted, but because humanity was. He is the divine "ransom" ([Mark 10:45](/mark/10-45 "Mark 10:45 - The Son of Man Came to Serve")) who, through His sacrificial death, "bought us back" from the slavery and curse of sin ([Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse of the Law")). His shed blood is the ultimate payment, redeeming us "not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot" ([1 Peter 1:18-19](/1_peter/1-18 "1 Peter 1:18-19 - Redeemed by Christ's Blood")). Thus, where Israel's "iniquities" led to being "put away," Christ's perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice provide the means for humanity's reconciliation and eternal restoration, ensuring that no "bill of divorcement" will ever separate believers from God's love in Him ([Romans 8:38-39](/romans/8-38 "Romans 8:38-39 - Nothing Can Separate Us from God's Love")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 32:30

How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?

Jeremiah 3:8

And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

Matthew 18:25

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Nehemiah 5:5

Yet now our flesh [is] as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and [some] of our daughters are brought unto bondage [already]: neither [is it] in our power [to redeem them]; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

2 Kings 4:1

¶ Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

Isaiah 52:3

For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

Hosea 2:2

Plead with your mother, plead: for she [is] not my wife, neither [am] I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;