TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 6:9–13. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
God takes Isaiah at his word, and here sends him on a strange errand - to foretel the ruin of his people and even to ripen them for that ruin - to preach that which, by their abuse of it, would be to them a savour of death unto death. And this was to be a type and figure of the state of the Jewish church in the days of the Messiah, when they should obstinately reject the gospel, and should thereupon be rejected of God. These verses are quoted in part, or referred to, six times, in the New Testament, which intimates that in gospel time these spiritual judgments would be most frequently inflicted; and though they make the least noise, and come not with observation, yet they are of all judgments the most dreadful. Isaiah is here given to understand these four things: -
1.That the generality of the people to whom he was sent would turn a deaf ear to his preaching, and wilfully shut their eyes against all the discoveries of the mind and will of God which he had to make to them (Isa 6:9): "Go, and tell this people, this foolish wretched people, tell them their own, tell them how stupid and sottish they are." Isaiah must preach to them, and they will hear him indeed, but that is all; they will not heed him; they will no understand him; they will not take any pains, nor use that application of mind which is necessary to the understanding of him; they are prejudiced against that which is the true intent and meaning of what he says, and therefore they will not understand him, or pretend they do not. They see indeed (for the vision is made plain on tables, so that he who runs may read it); but they perceive not their own concern in it; it is to them as a tale that is told. Note, There are many who hear the sound of God's word, but do not feel the power of it.
2.That, forasmuch as they would not be made better by his ministry, they should be made worse by it; those that were wilfully blind should be judicially blinded (Isa 6:10): "They will not understand or perceive thee, and therefore thou shalt be instrumental to make their heart fat, senseless, and sensual, and so to make their ears yet more heavy, and to shut their eyes the closer; so that, at length, their recovery and repentance will become utterly impossible; they shall no more see with their eyes the danger they are in, the ruin they are upon the brink of, nor the way of escape from it; they shall no more hear with their ears the warnings and instructions that are given them, nor understand with their heart the things that belong to their peace, so as to be converted from the error of their ways, and thus be healed." Note,
(1.)The conversion of sinners is the healing of them.
(2.)A right understanding is necessary to conversion.
(3.)God sometimes, in a way of righteous judgment, gives men up to blindness of mind and strong delusions, because they would not receive the truth in the love of it, Th2 2:10-12. He that is filthy let him be filthy still.
(4.)Even the word of God oftentimes proves a means of hardening sinners. The evangelical prophet himself makes the heart of this people fat, not only as he foretels it, passing this sentence upon them in God's name, and seals them under it, but as his preaching had a tendency to it, rocking some asleep in security (to whom it was a lovely song), and making others more outrageous, to whom it was such a reproach that they were not able to bear it. Some looked upon the word as a privilege, and their convictions were smothered by it (Jer 7:4); others looked upon it as a provocation, and their corruptions were exasperated by it.
3.That the consequence of this would be their utter ruin, Isa 6:11, Isa 6:12. The prophet had nothing to object against the justice of this sentence, nor does he refuse to go upon such an errand, but asks, "Lord, how long?" (an abrupt question): "Shall it always be thus? Must I and other prophets always labour in vain among them, and will things never be better?" Or, (as should seem by the answer) "Lord, what will it come to at last? What will be in the end hereof?" In answer to this he is told that it should issue in the final destruction of the Jewish church and nation. "When the word of God, especially the word of the gospel, had been thus abused by them, they shall be unchurched, and consequently undone. Their cities shall be uninhabited, and their country houses too; the land shall be untilled, desolate with desolation (as it is in the margin), the people who should replenish the houses and cultivate the ground being all cut off by sword, famine, or pestilence, and those who escape with their lives being removed far away into captivity, so that there shall be a great and general forsaking in the midst of the land; that populous country shall become desert, and that glory of all lands shall be abandoned." Note, Spiritual judgments often bring temporal judgments along with them upon persons and places. This was in part fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, when the land, being left desolate, enjoyed her sabbaths seventy years; but, the foregoing predictions being so expressly applied in the New Testament to the Jews in our Saviour's time, doubtless this points at the final destruction of that people by the Romans, in which it had a complete accomplishment, and the effects of it that people and that land remain under to this day.
4.That yet a remnant should be reserved to be the monuments of mercy, Isa 6:13. There was a remnant reserved in the last destruction of the Jewish nation (Rom 11:5, At this present time there is a remnant); for so it was written here: But in it shall be a tenth, a certain number, but a very small number in comparison with the multitude that shall perish in their unbelief. It is that which, under the law, was God's proportion; they shall be consecrated to God as the tithes were, and shall be for his service and honour. Concerning this tithe, this saved remnant, we are here told,
(1.)That they shall return (Isa 6:13; Isa 10:21), shall return from sin to God and duty, shall return out of captivity to their own land. God will turn them, and they shall be turned.
(2.)That they shall be eaten, that is, shall be accepted of God as the tithe was, which was meat in God's house, Mal 3:10. The saving of this remnant shall be meat to the faith and hope of those that wish well to God's kingdom.
(3.)That they shall be like a timber-tree in winter, which has life, though it has no leaves: As a teil-tree and as an oak, whose substance is in them even when they cast their leaves, so this remnant, though they may be stripped of their outward prosperity and share with others in common calamities, shall yet recover themselves, as a tree in the spring, and flourish again; though they fall, they shall not be utterly cast down. There is hope of a tree, though it be cut down, that it will sprout again, Job 14:7.
(4.)That this distinguished remnant shall be the stay and support of the public interests. The holy seed in the soul is the substance of the man; a principle of grace reigning in the heart will keep life there; he that is born of God has his seed remaining in him, Jo1 3:9. So the holy seed in the land is the substance of the land, keeps it from being quite dissolved, and bears up the pillars of it, Psa 75:3. See Isa 1:9. Some read the foregoing clause with this, thus: As the support at Shallecheth is in the elms and the oaks, so the holy seed is the substance thereof; as the trees that grow on either side of the causeway (the raised way, or terrace-walk, that leads from the king's palace to the temple, Kg1 10:5, at the gate of Shallecheth, Ch1 26:16) support the causeway by keeping up the earth, which would otherwise be crumbling away, so the small residue of religious, serious, praying people, are the support of the state, and help to keep things together and save them from going to decay. Some make the holy seed to be Christ. The Jewish nation was therefore saved from utter ruin because out of it, as concerning the flesh, Christ was to come, Rom 9:5. Destroy it not, for that blessing is in it (Isa 65:8); and when that blessing had come, it was soon destroyed. Now the consideration of this is designed for the support of the prophet in his work. Though far the greater part should perish in their unbelief, yet to some his word should be a savour of life unto life. Ministers do not wholly lose their labour if they be but instrumental to save one poor soul.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
(Verse 11-13.) And I said, how long, Lord? And he answered, until the cities are desolate and without inhabitant, and the houses are without people, and the land is left empty. And the Lord will remove men far away, and what was abandoned in the midst of the land will be multiplied. And even in it there will be a tenth, and it will be turned again to destruction, like a terebinth tree, and like an oak tree that sheds its leaves, the holy seed will be the stump that remains in it. The Lord said: Go, and tell this people, Hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive. For the heart of this people 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 (Deut. XXXII). The prophet responds, anxiously questioning about his people: How long, Lord, will this message endure, that they hear but do not understand; and see but do not perceive? To whom the Lord responded, for so long will not hear, and will not see, and will have a blind heart, until the cities of Judea are completely destroyed by Vespasian and Titus fighting, to the extent that not even the original name remains, and if there are any houses left; they will be without inhabitants, and the land will be reduced to a wilderness; and either by fleeing or by captivity, the Jewish people will be dispersed throughout the entire world: and the Jewish people will multiply not in Judea, as before, but in all the nations. But when I say that it will multiply, the misery of the remaining people will be so great that compared to the previous multitude, hardly a tenth part will remain. And even in the land itself there will be desolation (for this place can be understood in two ways: that hardly a tenth part will remain in the whole world, and that hardly a small part of the people will be reserved in Judea). Again, the remaining people will be for plundering, when after nearly fifty years Adrian will come and completely plunder the land of Judea, to such an extent that it will be compared to a terebinth and an oak tree that has lost its acorns. Finally, after the ultimate devastation, even the laws of the state were suspended, and the Jews were prohibited from entering the land from which they had been expelled. But if anyone believes in Christ, and the fulfillment of what we have read above: 'Unless the Lord of hosts had left us offspring, we would have become like Sodom and become like Gomorrah' (Isaiah 1:9); as the Apostle also says (Romans 9), the remnant will be saved; this holy offspring will be, and from the seed of the apostles all the churches will sprout forth. What we have said, the holy seed will be that which remains in her, or next to the eagle, the holy seed will be its offspring; it is not found in the Seventy Interpreters, but added by Origen from the Hebrew and Theodotion's edition; in the copies of the Church, it is stated that after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, then all Israel will be saved; and this word of the Lord will also be fulfilled, saying: 'I will kill, and I will make alive; I will wound, and I will heal' (Deuteronomy 32:39).
Continue studying Isaiah 6:12 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
Isaiah 6:12 delivers a stark prophetic declaration, revealing the severe consequences of Judah's spiritual recalcitrance and persistent disobedience. Following Isaiah's commission to a people whose hearts would be hardened, this verse answers his poignant question, "How long?" by foretelling a widespread desolation of the land and the forceful removal of its inhabitants, signifying a profound divine judgment for their unresponsiveness to God's warnings and their continued rebellion against His covenant.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 6:12 serves as the climactic answer to Isaiah's poignant question, "How long, O Lord?" posed in Isaiah 6:11. This question immediately follows the prophet's awe-inspiring and transformative vision of God's holiness and glory in the temple, described in Isaiah 6:1-8. Having been cleansed and commissioned, Isaiah is given a profoundly challenging and perplexing task: to preach to a people whose hearts God would allow to become hardened, whose ears would be dull, and whose eyes blind, thereby preventing them from truly understanding God's message and turning back to Him for healing (Isaiah 6:9-10). Verse 12 directly describes the devastating outcome of this spiritual insensitivity and persistent rebellion: a widespread desolation and the forced removal of the population. This severe divine judgment for their unresponsiveness to God's warnings sets a somber tone, laying the groundwork for the subsequent prophecies of judgment and eventual restoration that characterize much of the book of Isaiah.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecy in Isaiah 6:12 is situated within a period of significant spiritual decline and political instability for the southern kingdom of Judah, spanning the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Despite periods of outward prosperity, the nation was deeply entrenched in idolatry, social injustice, and a superficial religiosity that masked a profound spiritual apathy and covenant unfaithfulness. The northern kingdom of Israel had already faced severe judgment, culminating in their exile by Assyria, and Judah itself was increasingly threatened by the rising power of empires like Assyria and later Babylon. The phrase "removed men far away" directly alludes to the brutal practice of forced deportation and exile, a common punitive measure employed by dominant ancient Near Eastern empires. This strategy aimed to break the national identity and spirit of conquered peoples, preventing future rebellions. This historical reality would find its grim fulfillment in the Babylonian captivity, where the people of Judah were indeed forcibly removed from their land, and Jerusalem and its sacred temple were left in ruins, precisely as prophesied here.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes central to the book of Isaiah and the broader prophetic corpus. Firstly, it emphatically underscores the theme of Divine Judgment and Consequences. It illustrates God's righteous wrath against a rebellious people, demonstrating that prolonged disobedience, despite repeated warnings and divine patience, inevitably leads to severe consequences. The "removal of men far away" is a clear sign of exile and divine discipline, a recurring motif throughout the Old Testament for covenant unfaithfulness, as vividly outlined in Deuteronomy 28. Secondly, the phrase "a great forsaking in the midst of the land" highlights the theme of Desolation of the Land. This imagery paints a stark picture of profound emptiness, ruin, and barrenness, where the land, once a symbol of God's blessing, is left uninhabited and desolate. This foreshadows the devastating impact of the Babylonian captivity on Judah, as further elaborated in Jeremiah 25:11. Thirdly, the verse unequivocally asserts God's Sovereignty even in judgment. It is explicitly "the LORD" (Yahweh) who orchestrates this removal and forsaking, demonstrating His absolute authority over nations and their destinies, and His unwavering commitment to His covenant, which encompasses both blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This is the sacred, personal name of God, often rendered as "Jehovah" or "the Lord." It signifies the self-existent, eternal, and covenant-keeping God of Israel. Its presence here emphasizes that the impending judgment is not a random occurrence or a mere consequence of human actions, but a deliberate, sovereign act of the God who is faithful to His righteous character and His covenant relationship with His people.
Derived from a primitive root meaning "to widen (in any direction)," this verb signifies to recede or to remove, to be far or distant. In this context, it conveys the idea of banishment, scattering, or a forced separation of the people from their homeland. This is a powerful term indicating a divine act of displacement, not merely a natural migration, but a punitive expulsion orchestrated by God.
This feminine passive participle implies desertion or abandonment, specifically referring to the state of inhabitants. It speaks to the condition of being left desolate, empty, and neglected. When applied to the land, as it is here, it evokes a profound sense of ruin and barrenness, emphasizing the absence of life, activity, and cultivation that would result from the removal of its people.
Verse Breakdown
"And the LORD have removed men far away"
This initial clause directly attributes the impending calamity to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. The action of "removing men far away" clearly points to a forced exile or deportation, a severe form of divine discipline frequently seen in the Old Testament. It signifies a complete severing of the people from their ancestral land, which was central to their identity and their covenant relationship with God. The Hebrew root for "far away" is repeated or implied in both "removed" and "far away," emphasizing the totality and distance of this banishment, indicating a profound and irreversible separation.
"and [there be] a great forsaking in the midst of the land."
This second clause describes the direct and devastating consequence of the first: the land itself will become desolate and abandoned. The phrase "a great forsaking" underscores the vastness and severity of this desolation, implying that the land will be left empty of its inhabitants, its cities ruined, and its fields neglected, leading to a profound sense of emptiness and desolation. "In the midst of the land" emphasizes that this desolation will not be confined to a specific region but will permeate the entire territory, highlighting the comprehensive and inescapable nature of God's judgment upon the whole nation.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 6:12 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of impending judgment and desolation. Hyperbole is evident in the phrase "a great forsaking," which, while finding literal fulfillment in the Babylonian exile, also serves to amplify the sense of utter devastation and emptiness that will befall the land, leaving little doubt as to the severity of the divine wrath. The implicit personification of the land, suffering from being "forsaken," adds a layer of pathos to the prophecy, depicting the land itself as experiencing the consequences of its inhabitants' sin. The entire verse functions as a direct prophetic declaration, a solemn and authoritative pronouncement of divine will and future events, delivered with the unmistakable authority of "the LORD." Furthermore, the imagery of removal and desolation carries strong symbolism: the physical removal of the people from the land symbolizes the breaking of the covenant relationship due to their unfaithfulness, as the land was a key component of God's promise to Abraham and his descendants, representing blessing and presence.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 6:12 stands as a stark reminder of God's unwavering justice and the severe consequences of persistent spiritual rebellion. While God is merciful and patient, His impeccable holiness demands that sin be addressed. This verse reveals that divine judgment is not arbitrary but a righteous response to a people who have repeatedly hardened their hearts against His truth and warnings, as explicitly prophesied in Isaiah 6:9-10. The "removal" and "forsaking" signify a profound disruption of the covenant relationship, where the blessings of the land are withdrawn due to disobedience. Yet, even within this severe judgment, the broader context of Isaiah often hints at God's ultimate faithfulness to His promises, suggesting that judgment, while painful, can also serve as a purifying agent, paving the way for a future remnant and ultimate restoration.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 6:12 serves as a timeless and sobering reminder of the gravity of spiritual apathy and rebellion against God. It teaches us that while God's patience is vast and His grace abundant, it is not infinite, and He will act in justice when His people persistently refuse to heed His warnings and turn from sin. For believers today, this verse underscores the critical importance of cultivating a heart that is open and responsive to God's Word and His Spirit, rather than allowing it to become hardened through neglect, deliberate disobedience, or the deceptive allure of worldly comforts. It challenges us to recognize that our choices have profound spiritual consequences, and a persistent refusal to align with God's commands can lead to a sense of spiritual desolation and a feeling of being "far away" from His vibrant presence and blessing. Ultimately, it calls us to appreciate God's impeccable holiness, which necessitates judgment against sin, even as we continually marvel at His boundless mercy and grace that always offers a path to repentance, reconciliation, and restoration for those who humbly seek Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "removed men far away" specifically refer to?
This phrase specifically refers to the forced deportation and exile of the people of Judah from their homeland. This was a common and brutal practice of ancient Near Eastern empires like Assyria and Babylon, who would conquer nations and then remove their populations to other territories to break their spirit, prevent rebellion, and assimilate them into the conquering empire. In the immediate context of Isaiah's prophecy, it foretells the Babylonian Exile, where the Jewish people were taken captive and removed from Jerusalem and Judah for seventy years, as detailed in Jeremiah 25:11 and narrated in historical books like 2 Kings 25.
Is the judgment described in Isaiah 6:12 permanent?
While Isaiah 6:12 describes a severe and comprehensive judgment of removal and desolation, the broader prophetic message of Isaiah, and indeed the overarching biblical narrative, indicates that this judgment is not ultimately permanent for the entire people. Immediately following this verse, Isaiah 6:13 introduces the crucial concept of a "holy seed" or "remnant" that will survive the judgment and eventually return to the land. This demonstrates God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, even amidst judgment. The exile served as a purifying and disciplinary process, after which a remnant did return to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, foreshadowing God's ultimate plan of restoration and salvation that culminates in Christ.
How does this prophecy of judgment reconcile with God's love?
This prophecy, though severe, is not contradictory to God's love but rather a profound demonstration of His holy character and righteous love. God's love is not merely sentimental or permissive; it is a love that desires His people's holiness, faithfulness, and flourishing in covenant relationship with Him. When His people persistently rebel, reject His warnings, and violate His covenant, His justice demands a response. The judgment serves as a corrective measure, a severe form of discipline intended to bring His people to repentance, to purify them, and ultimately to restore their relationship with Him. It underscores that God takes sin seriously and that His covenant relationship with Israel involved both blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, as clearly outlined in Deuteronomy 28. Ultimately, even within judgment, God's redemptive purpose is at work, aiming for restoration and a deeper, purer relationship with a repentant remnant.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 6:12, with its grim prophecy of a land forsaken and a people removed, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not merely in the physical exile, but in the profound spiritual desolation of humanity apart from God and the radical reversal brought about by Jesus Christ. The "great forsaking" of the land due to sin foreshadows the spiritual abandonment and separation from God that humanity experiences because of its fallen nature, a condition powerfully described in Ephesians 2:12. The judgment of removal, while historically fulfilled in the Babylonian exile, points to the deeper reality of humanity's alienation from God's holy presence, a consequence of our rebellion and sin. However, Jesus Christ, the true "holy seed" mentioned in Isaiah 6:13, enters this forsaken world. He takes upon Himself the ultimate "forsaking" when He cries out from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). In that agonizing moment, He experiences the full weight of humanity's deserved judgment and separation from God, enduring the curse of the covenant so that all who believe in Him might never be "removed far away" from God's presence. Through His atoning sacrifice, Christ reverses the curse of desolation, offering a new spiritual "land" or inheritance in the kingdom of God, where believers are brought near to God "by the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:13) and are no longer strangers and exiles but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household (Ephesians 2:19). He is the true Temple, the dwelling place of God, ensuring that His people are never truly forsaken.