The Meaning of Isaiah 59:18 Explained

Isaiah 59:18

KJV: According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.

YLT: According to deeds -- so He repayeth. Fury to His adversaries, their deed to His enemies, To the isles their deed He repayeth.

Darby: According to deeds, so will he repay: fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.

ASV: According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

According to  [their] deeds,  accordingly he will repay,  fury  to his adversaries,  recompence  to his enemies;  to the islands  he will repay  recompence. 

What does Isaiah 59:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God would take vengeance on His enemies and on those forces that opposed His people. He would pay them back according to their dealings. While the context refers to deliverance from sin in a general sense, the reference to the coastlands suggests that the Lord will also defend and deliver Israel from Gentile opponents (at His second coming). Ultimately, of course, the Lord will subdue every enemy of His.

Context Summary

Isaiah 59:15-21 - The Divine Arm Brings Redemption
Israel's Savior. The Almighty Lover of souls is described as looking round to see if help were forthcoming from any other quarter; and there being none, He girds Himself for the conflict with the enemies of His people. He dons breastplate and helmet, clothing and cloak, and hastens to deliver, Isaiah 59:17. This is surely a portrait of our Lord Jesus, who stands up to plead the cause and to achieve the redemption of the penitent and believing soul. When, the enemy threatens to pour in like a pent-up stream, look to Jesus to raise the standard against him. Let Him fight your battles! Let the blows that are meant for you be caught on His shield!
All parents and grandparents should ponder the precious promises of Isaiah 59:20-21. As God gives us children, let us place our fingers on this sure word of promise and claim that it shall be literally fulfilled in children and children's children. In thousands of godly families there has been an unbroken succession of piety. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 59

1  Calamities are not due to lack of saving power in God, but to their own sins
16  Salvation is only of God
20  The covenant of the Redeemer

What do the individual words in Isaiah 59:18 mean?

According to [their] deeds accordingly He will repay Fury to His adversaries Recompense to His enemies the coastlands fully He will repay
כְּעַ֤ל גְּמֻלוֹת֙ כְּעַ֣ל יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם חֵמָ֣ה לְצָרָ֔יו גְּמ֖וּל לְאֹֽיְבָ֑יו לָאִיִּ֖ים גְּמ֥וּל יְשַׁלֵּֽם

כְּעַ֤ל  According  to 
Parse: Preposition-k
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
גְּמֻלוֹת֙  [their]  deeds 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: גְּמוּלָה  
Sense: dealing, recompense.
כְּעַ֣ל  accordingly 
Parse: Preposition-k
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם  He  will  repay 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: .
חֵמָ֣ה  Fury 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֵמָא 
Sense: heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation, anger, wrath, poison, bottles.
לְצָרָ֔יו  to  His  adversaries 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צַר 
Sense: narrow, tight.
גְּמ֖וּל  Recompense 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גְּמוּל  
Sense: dealing, recompense, benefit.
לְאֹֽיְבָ֑יו  to  His  enemies 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
לָאִיִּ֖ים  the  coastlands 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִי  
Sense: coast, island, shore, region.
גְּמ֥וּל  fully 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גְּמוּל  
Sense: dealing, recompense, benefit.
יְשַׁלֵּֽם  He  will  repay 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: .