The Meaning of Isaiah 1:15 Explained

Isaiah 1:15

KJV: And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

YLT: And in your spreading forth your hands, I hide mine eyes from you, Also when ye increase prayer, I do not hear, Your hands of blood have been full.

Darby: And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

ASV: And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when ye spread forth  your hands,  I will hide  mine eyes  from you: yea, when ye make many  prayers,  I will not hear:  your hands  are full  of blood. 

What does Isaiah 1:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 1:10-20 - Religion Without Righteousness Vain
The prophet points out, first the misery that had overtaken the country, Isaiah 1:4-9; and then the sins of the ruling classes, Isaiah 1:10; Isaiah 1:17; Isaiah 1:21-23. What may be called personal and private sins, such as drunkenness, vanity, bribery, and the oppression of the poor, are viewed in their public hearing, as bringing wrath and disaster on the whole nation. No man can sin by himself. His most private sins react on the whole community. Thistle-down floats far and wide. In reply, the nation pointed to the splendid ritual and innumerable sacrifices of the Temple service. But these observances only added to the tale of their sins, because they were formal and perfunctory. The sacrifice of God is a broken and contrite heart. The outward is absolutely worthless, unless it is the expression of the inward and the spiritual. But where a pure and holy spirit is present, the simplest forms are magnificent in their significance and value. To atone becomes the base of a ladder to heaven, and the thorn-bush flames with Deity. But forgiveness is freely offered to the guilty. Crimson and scarlet are the most lasting of all colors, and their removal impresses the completeness of God's pardoning love. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 1

1  Isaiah complains of Judah for her rebellion
5  He laments her judgments
10  He upbraids their whole service
16  He exhorts to repentance, with promises and threats
21  Bewailing their wickedness, he denounces God's judgments
25  He promises grace
28  And threatens destruction to the wicked

What do the individual words in Isaiah 1:15 mean?

And when you spread out your hands I will hide My eyes from you Even though you make many prayers not I will hear Your hands blood are full of
וּבְפָרִשְׂכֶ֣ם כַּפֵּיכֶ֗ם אַעְלִ֤ים עֵינַי֙ מִכֶּ֔ם גַּ֛ם כִּֽי־ תַרְבּ֥וּ תְפִלָּ֖ה אֵינֶ֣נִּי שֹׁמֵ֑עַ יְדֵיכֶ֖ם דָּמִ֥ים מָלֵֽאוּ

וּבְפָרִשְׂכֶ֣ם  And  when  you  spread  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: פָּרַשׂ  
Sense: to spread, spread out, stretch, break in pieces.
כַּפֵּיכֶ֗ם  your  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, second person masculine plural
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
אַעְלִ֤ים  I  will  hide 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: עָלַם  
Sense: to conceal, hide, be hidden, be concealed, be secret.
עֵינַי֙  My  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
מִכֶּ֔ם  from  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
גַּ֛ם  Even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
כִּֽי־  though 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
תַרְבּ֥וּ  you  make  many 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
תְפִלָּ֖ה  prayers 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּפִלָּה  
Sense: prayer.
שֹׁמֵ֑עַ  I  will  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
יְדֵיכֶ֖ם  Your  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, second person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
דָּמִ֥ים  blood 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
מָלֵֽאוּ  are  full  of 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָלֵא 
Sense: to fill, be full.