The Meaning of Isaiah 58:6 Explained

Isaiah 58:6

KJV: Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

YLT: Is not this the fast that I chose -- To loose the bands of wickedness, To shake off the burdens of the yoke, And to send out the oppressed free, And every yoke ye draw off?

Darby: Is not this the fast which I have chosen: to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, and to send forth free the crushed, and that ye break every yoke?

ASV: Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Discover Isaiah 58:6

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Isaiah 58:6?

MEANING: What does Isaiah 58:6 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Isaiah 58:6 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Isaiah 58:6?

What is the context of Isaiah 58:6?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

What does Isaiah 58:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The type of fasting that pleases God is: giving up wickedness, oppression, enslavement, and binding of other people-not just food. Isaiah did not mean, of course, that God had no concern about His people going without food (cf. Leviticus 16:31). The prophet was going to the opposite extreme to make a point (cf. Isaiah 1:10-20; Amos 5:25-27; Micah 6:6-8; Luke 14:26).

"If they want to deprive themselves, let them do it for the sake of the oppressed, the needy, and the helpless, not for the sake of their own religiosity. God"s nature is to give himself away to those who can never repay him. There is no clearer evidence of the presence of God in a person"s life than a replication of that same behavior." ^[1]

God wants people to be free. That is why He sent the Servant, and that is why He liberated the Israelites from Egypt and Babylon. He wants His people to set others free, too.

"To loose the chains of injustice/"fetters of wickedness" points to the need to labour for the abolition of every way in which wrong social structures, or wrongdoers in society, destroy or diminish the due liberty of others. To untie the cords of the yoke refers to the need to eliminate every way in which people are treated like animals." ^[2]

Context Summary

Isaiah 58:1-14 - The Fast That God Has Chosen

The divorce between outward rites and inward piety has been the curse of every age. When the Pharisees were plotting our Lord's death, they refused to enter Pilate's hall. Not the bowed head, but the broken heart; not the sackcloth and ashes of the flesh, but the contrition of the soul!

Notice the three paragraphs descriptive of the experiences of the devout and consecrated soul: (1.) The conditions of blessedness, Isaiah 58:6-7. (2.) The successive items which go to make a blessed life, Isaiah 58:8-12. (3.) The true Sabbath-keeping, Isaiah 58:13-14. Primarily, it is inward, not outward. Let us be on our watch against the entrance into our hearts of all thoughts that would break the holy inward calm. Remember to imitate Nehemiah's instructions: Nehemiah 13:16-22. Let the divine peace rule within and be as a sentinel keeping the outward gate, Colossians 3:15; Philippians 4:7. Cease to follow your own ways, or find your own pleasures, or speak your own words. Delight yourself in God; so shall you sit with Christ in heavenly places and feed at the heavenly table. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 58

¹ The prophet, being sent to reprove hypocrisy,
³ shows the difference between a counterfeit fast and a true
⁸ He declares what promises are due unto godliness
¹³ And to the keeping of the Sabbath

What do the individual words in Isaiah 58:6 mean?

[Is] not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bonds of wickedness to undo the burdens heavy and to let go the oppressed free and every yoke that you break

הֲל֣וֹא זֶה֮ צ֣וֹם ؟ אֶבְחָרֵהוּ֒ פַּתֵּ֙חַ֙ חַרְצֻבּ֣וֹת רֶ֔שַׁע הַתֵּ֖ר אֲגֻדּ֣וֹת מוֹטָ֑ה וְשַׁלַּ֤ח רְצוּצִים֙ חָפְשִׁ֔ים וְכָל־ מוֹטָ֖ה ؟ תְּנַתֵּֽקוּ

הֲל֣וֹא	[Is] not
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle Root: הֲלֹא Sense: not, no.
זֶה֮	this
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular Root: זֶה Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
צ֣וֹם	the fast
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: צֹום Sense: fast, fasting.
؟ אֶבְחָרֵהוּ֒	that I have chosen
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular Root: בָּחוּר Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
פַּתֵּ֙חַ֙	to loose
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive absolute Root: פָּתַח Sense: to open.
חַרְצֻבּ֣וֹת	the bonds
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct Root: חַרְצֹב Sense: bond, fetter, pang, hands.
רֶ֔שַׁע	of wickedness
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: רֶשַׁע Sense: wrong, wickedness, guilt.
הַתֵּ֖ר	to undo
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute Root: נָתַר Sense: to start up, tremble, shake, spring up.
אֲגֻדּ֣וֹת	the burdens
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct Root: אֲגֻדָּה Sense: band, binding.
מוֹטָ֑ה	heavy
Parse: Noun, feminine singular Root: מֹוטָה Sense: pole, bar of yoke.
וְשַׁלַּ֤ח	and to let go
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Infinitive absolute Root: שָׁלַח Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
רְצוּצִים֙	the oppressed
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural Root: רָצַץ Sense: to crush, oppress.
חָפְשִׁ֔ים	free
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural Root: חָפְשִׁי Sense: free.
וְכָל־	and every
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct Root: כֹּל Sense: all, the whole.
מוֹטָ֖ה	yoke
Parse: Noun, feminine singular Root: מֹוטָה Sense: pole, bar of yoke.
؟ תְּנַתֵּֽקוּ	that you break
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine plural Root: נָתַק Sense: to pull or tear or draw off or away or apart, draw out, pluck up, break, li ft, root out.

What are the major concepts related to Isaiah 58:6?

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Similar Scriptures for Isaiah 58:6

		Nehemiah 5:10-12 [10]
		Isaiah 58:9 [8]
		1 Timothy 6:1 [7]
		Jeremiah 34:8-11 [7]
		Micah 3:2-4 [4]