Isaiah 59:1

KJV

¶ Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

KJV (with Strong's)

Behold {H2005}, the LORD'S {H3068} hand {H3027} is not shortened {H7114}, that it cannot save {H3467}; neither his ear {H241} heavy {H3513}, that it cannot hear {H8085}:

Complete Jewish Bible

ADONAI's arm is not too short to save, nor is his ear too dull to hear.

Berean Standard Bible

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.

American Standard Version

Behold, Jehovah’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Isaiah 59:1 stands as a profound declaration of God's unassailable power and perfect attentiveness, serving as a foundational truth that immediately disarms any human doubt regarding His ability to intervene or hear. It emphatically asserts that the Lord's capacity to save is never diminished, nor is His ear ever dull to the cries of His people, thereby setting the stage for the subsequent revelation that the true impediment to divine blessing lies not with God, but with human sin and rebellion.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Isaiah 59:1 initiates a powerful and sobering section of Isaiah's prophecy, directly following chapter 58, which critiques the people's hypocritical religious practices and calls for true justice and righteousness. This verse functions as a direct counter-argument to the unspoken or expressed complaints of the people, who, suffering under various forms of oppression or internal decay, might have concluded that God was either unable or unwilling to rescue them. It emphatically refutes any notion of divine limitation, thereby shifting the focus to human culpability, which is then meticulously detailed in the subsequent verses (Isaiah 59:2-8). The chapter culminates in a confession of sin (Isaiah 59:9-15a) and a dramatic depiction of God's personal intervention to bring salvation and justice (Isaiah 59:15b-21), demonstrating that His "hand" and "ear" are indeed fully capable and engaged.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophetic ministry of Isaiah spanned a tumultuous period in Judah's history, from the reigns of Uzziah to Hezekiah, encompassing the Assyrian threat and the moral decline preceding the Babylonian exile. While the precise historical setting for Isaiah 59 is debated (some scholars place it pre-exilic, others post-exilic), the underlying cultural context is one where the people of Israel, despite their covenant relationship with Yahweh, often faced national crises, foreign oppression, and internal corruption. In such times, it was natural for them to question God's presence, power, or faithfulness, much like the lament found in [Psalm 44:23-24](/psalm/44-23 "Psalm 44:23-24 - Why do you sleep, O Lord?"). The prophet's task was often to correct these misconceptions, reminding the people of God's unchanging character while simultaneously exposing their sin as the true source of their distress. The imagery of a "shortened hand" or "heavy ear" would have been readily understood as metaphors for incapacitation or indifference, directly challenging the people's potentially despairing view of their covenant God.
* **Key Themes:** This foundational verse introduces several critical themes that resonate throughout Isaiah and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully asserts **God's Omnipotence and Sovereignty**, declaring His limitless capacity to act and deliver, a truth echoed in [Jeremiah 32:17](/jeremiah/32-17 "Jeremiah 32:17 - God's Great Power"). Secondly, it highlights **God's Omniscience and Attentiveness**, assuring His perfect awareness and responsiveness to all things, including the prayers and cries of His people, a theme beautifully articulated in [Psalm 65:2](/psalm/65-2 "Psalm 65:2 - God Hears Prayer"). Thirdly, by refuting any divine limitation, the verse implicitly introduces the theme of **Human Sin as a Barrier** to God's blessings and intervention, setting the stage for the explicit indictment that follows in [Isaiah 59:2](/isaiah/59-2 "Isaiah 59:2 - Your Iniquities Have Separated You"). This establishes a crucial theological principle: God's character is never the problem; human unfaithfulness is. Finally, it underscores **Divine Faithfulness**, affirming God's unwavering commitment to His covenant promises and His consistent nature, even when His people are unfaithful.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Hand (Hebrew, _yâd'_):** From H3027, this word refers to the open hand, indicating power, means, and active intervention. In this context, it symbolizes God's executive power and ability to act on behalf of His people, to deliver, protect, or punish. A "shortened hand" would imply a diminished capacity or inability to reach out and effect change.
* **Shortened (Hebrew, _qâtsar'_):** From H7114, meaning "to dock off, i.e., curtail" or "to be short." Here, it vividly portrays a limitation or inadequacy. The declaration that God's hand is *not* shortened emphatically denies any curtailment of His infinite power or His reach to save.
* **Heavy (Hebrew, _kâbad'_):** From H3513, meaning "to be heavy," often implying dullness, severity, or being burdensome. When applied to the ear, it signifies an inability to perceive sound clearly, a metaphorical deafness or indifference. The assertion that God's ear is *not* heavy assures His perfect and unhindered perception and responsiveness.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;":** This clause opens with a call to attention ("Behold"), emphasizing the profound truth that follows. It directly addresses the common human tendency to doubt God's power in times of distress. The "LORD'S hand" is a powerful anthropomorphism representing God's active strength, authority, and ability to intervene. The phrase "is not shortened" emphatically negates any idea of His power being diminished, limited, or insufficient. Therefore, His capacity to "save" (deliver, rescue, bring salvation) remains absolute and undiminished, irrespective of the magnitude of the challenge or the depth of human need.
* **"neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:":** This second parallel clause reinforces the first, shifting from God's power to His perception and attentiveness. A "heavy ear" is a metaphor for deafness or an inability to hear clearly, implying indifference or unresponsiveness. The declaration that God's ear is "not heavy" assures that He is perfectly aware, keenly attentive, and fully capable of hearing every prayer, cry, and lament. There is no impediment to His hearing, just as there is no limit to His power. He is neither deaf nor indifferent to the plight of His people.

#### Literary Devices
Isaiah 59:1 is rich in **Anthropomorphism**, attributing human body parts ("hand," "ear") to God to make His divine attributes more comprehensible to a human audience. The "hand" symbolizes His power and action, while the "ear" represents His perception and responsiveness. This verse also employs striking **Metaphor**: a "shortened hand" is a metaphor for limited power, and a "heavy ear" is a metaphor for deafness or inattention. The structure of the verse is a prime example of **Parallelism**, specifically **Negative Parallelism**, where two distinct but complementary statements negate a false premise about God's character, reinforcing the same overarching truth through different imagery. The verse functions as a powerful **Affirmation** or **Declaration**, directly countering potential human doubt with an emphatic statement of divine truth.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 59:1 serves as a crucial theological anchor, establishing God's unchanging nature as omnipotent and omniscient. It refutes the common human error of projecting our limitations onto the divine, reminding us that God's capacity is never the issue when His people experience distress or unanswered prayer. Instead, the verse subtly directs attention to the human side of the equation, preparing the reader for the subsequent revelation that sin creates a barrier between a holy God and His people. This foundational truth about God's boundless power and perfect attentiveness undergirds all His redemptive acts and covenant promises throughout scripture, assuring believers that His character is steadfast and His ability to deliver is absolute.

* [Numbers 11:23](/numbers/11-23 "Numbers 11:23 - The LORD's Hand Is Not Shortened")
* [Psalm 121:4](/psalm/121-4 "Psalm 121:4 - God Never Slumbers Nor Sleeps")
* [Hebrews 4:13](/hebrews/4-13 "All Things Are Naked Before God")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 59:1 offers profound reassurance and a vital call to introspection for believers today. In moments of personal struggle, national crisis, or when prayers seem unanswered, it is tempting to question God's power or His presence. This verse unequivocally declares that such doubts are misplaced concerning God's character. His "hand" is never too short to save, nor His "ear" too heavy to hear. Therefore, any perceived distance or lack of divine intervention is never due to His weakness or indifference, but often points to unconfessed sin or a misalignment of our will with His. The verse encourages us to examine our own lives, to confess any iniquities that might create a barrier, and to approach God with unwavering confidence, knowing that He is always capable, always listening, and always ready to act according to His perfect will and timing. It calls us to persistent, faith-filled prayer, grounded in the absolute certainty of God's boundless power and perfect attentiveness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life have I implicitly doubted God's power or willingness to intervene?**
* **What "iniquities" or spiritual barriers might be hindering my fellowship with God or my experience of His saving power?**
* **How does the truth of God's unshortened hand and unheavy ear encourage me to pray differently or with greater confidence?**
* **How can I live in a way that consistently acknowledges God's omnipotence and omniscience, even when circumstances seem to contradict it?**

### FAQ

**Why would the people of Isaiah's time, or even people today, think God's hand is shortened or His ear heavy?**

Answer: People often project their own limitations or experiences onto God. When facing prolonged suffering, oppression, or when prayers seem to go unanswered, it's natural for human beings to question the efficacy of divine intervention. They might conclude that God is either not powerful enough to help (His "hand is shortened") or not paying attention to their plight (His "ear is heavy"). Isaiah 59:1 directly counters this human tendency, asserting that the problem is never with God's capacity or attentiveness, but rather, as the subsequent verses explain, with the people's own sin that creates a barrier between them and their Holy God, as seen in [Isaiah 59:2](/isaiah/59-2 "Isaiah 59:2 - Your Iniquities Have Separated You").

**If God's hand is not shortened and His ear is not heavy, what then is the primary obstacle to His saving and hearing?**

Answer: The very next verse, [Isaiah 59:2](/isaiah/59-2 "Isaiah 59:2 - Your Iniquities Have Separated You"), provides the direct answer: "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." The primary obstacle is human sin and rebellion. God's power and attentiveness are absolute, but His holiness means He cannot countenance sin. Sin creates a spiritual chasm, hindering the flow of His blessings and the experience of His presence. This is a consistent theme in scripture, emphasizing that God is always ready to save, but human unrighteousness can impede that saving work in our lives.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 59:1, while a powerful declaration of God's unchanging attributes, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the very embodiment of God's unshortened hand and unheavy ear, the one through whom God's saving power is fully unleashed and His perfect hearing is demonstrated. The "hand of the LORD" that is not shortened to save is most vividly seen in the incarnation, where God Himself entered human history in Jesus to accomplish salvation (cf. [John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")). Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are the supreme demonstration of God's limitless power to save humanity from sin and death (cf. [Matthew 1:21](/matthew/1-21 "Matthew 1:21 - Jesus Will Save His People")). Furthermore, as the Great High Priest, Jesus perfectly represents humanity before God, ensuring that the Father's "ear" is never heavy to the cries of His people. Through Christ, believers have confident access to the Father, knowing that their prayers are heard and their needs are known by Him who intercedes on their behalf (cf. [Hebrews 4:15-16](/hebrews/4-15 "Jesus Understands Our Weaknesses") and [1 Timothy 2:5](/1_timothy/2-5 "1 Timothy 2:5 - One Mediator Between God and Man")). Thus, Isaiah 59:1 points forward to the Lamb of God, who not only demonstrates God's infinite capacity to save but also removes the very barrier of sin that had separated humanity from Him.

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

Jeremiah 32:17

Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, [and] there is nothing too hard for thee:

Isaiah 50:2

Wherefore, when I came, [was there] no man? when I called, [was there] none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because [there is] no water, and dieth for thirst.

Numbers 11:23

And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

Isaiah 65:24

And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

Hebrews 7:25

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Genesis 18:14

Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Matthew 13:15

For this people's heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.