The Meaning of Isaiah 57:10 Explained

Isaiah 57:10

KJV: Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.

YLT: In the greatness of thy way thou hast laboured, Thou hast not said, 'It is desperate.' The life of thy hand thou hast found, Therefore thou hast not been sick.

Darby: Thou wast wearied by the multitude of thy ways; but thou saidst not, It is of no avail. Thou didst find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not sick of it.

ASV: Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not, It is in vain: thou didst find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not faint.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou art wearied  in the greatness  of thy way;  [yet] saidst  thou not, There is no hope:  thou hast found  the life  of thine hand;  therefore thou wast not grieved. 

What does Isaiah 57:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

These trips to obtain political security through idolatry wore the envoys out. Rather than ensuring that security did not come in that way, however, they persevered in their wickedness in spite of their weariness.
"As with any addiction, the memory of former gratification drives one on, even when the gratification grows steadily less and less. To admit that the quest is hopeless would be to drive one back into the arms of God, whose invitation to surrender all control and live in trust one has already rejected." [1]

Context Summary

Isaiah 57:1-21 - No Peace To The Wicked
A terrible portrayal is given here of the idolatries and impurities into which the Chosen People had fallen. These scenes under "the oaks" (r.v.) and in the valleys remind us of the invariable evils associated with idolatry which the great Apostle has recorded in Romans 1:23-28. They refused to retain God in their knowledge, and He gave them over to a reprobate mind; that is, He ceased to restrain them.
But amid the degenerate nation, there was a handful of elect souls; God is always careful against rooting up the tares, lest one stalk of wheat perish. Amid the destruction that must overtake the guilty land they that trusted in Him, would not be overlooked. See Isaiah 57:13-14.
With what comfort the chapter closes! Isaiah 57:15, etc. We may have been covetous and froward, and have deserved wrath and chastisement, but God will not always chide. Only return to Him! He will revive your heart, and "restore comfort" to you. He will heal where He has wounded, and will bring you near, through the blood of the Cross. See Ephesians 2:16-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 57

1  The blessed death of the righteous
3  God reproves the People for their idolatry
13  He gives promises of mercy to the penitent

What do the individual words in Isaiah 57:10 mean?

In the length of your way You are wearied not [Yet] you did say there is no hope the life of your hand You have found upon thus not you were grieved
בְּרֹ֤ב דַּרְכֵּךְ֙ יָגַ֔עַתְּ לֹ֥א אָמַ֖רְתְּ נוֹאָ֑שׁ חַיַּ֤ת יָדֵךְ֙ מָצָ֔את עַל־ כֵּ֖ן לֹ֥א חָלִֽית

בְּרֹ֤ב  In  the  length 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹב  
Sense: multitude, abundance, greatness.
דַּרְכֵּךְ֙  of  your  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
יָגַ֔עַתְּ  You  are  wearied 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: יָגַע  
Sense: to toil, labour, grow weary, be weary.
אָמַ֖רְתְּ  [Yet]  you  did  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נוֹאָ֑שׁ  there  is  no  hope 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָאַשׁ  
Sense: to despair.
חַיַּ֤ת  the  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
יָדֵךְ֙  of  your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
מָצָ֔את  You  have  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
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.
כֵּ֖ן  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
חָלִֽית  you  were  grieved 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: חָלָה 
Sense: to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry.