ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Isaiah 55.9

Book: Isaiah · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (ASV)

"7. let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah."

"9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

"10. For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11. so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:7-11, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh."

"9. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

"10. For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11. so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do." (Isaiah 55:7-11, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. the unrighteous: Heb. the man of iniquity abundantly: Heb. multiply to pardon 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."

"9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

"10. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:7-11, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"7. Forsake doth the wicked his way, And the man of iniquity his thoughts, And he returneth to Jehovah, and He pitieth him, And unto our God for He multiplieth to pardon. 8. For not My thoughts [are] your thoughts, Nor your ways My ways,, an affirmation of Jehovah,"

"9. For high have the heavens been above the earth, So high have been My ways above your ways, And My thoughts above your thoughts."

"10. For, as come down doth the shower, And the snow from the heavens, And thither returneth not, But hath watered the earth, And hath caused it to yield, and to spring up, And hath given seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, 11. So is My word that goeth out of My mouth, It turneth not back unto Me empty, But hath done that which I desired, And prosperously effected that [for] which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:7-11, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Isaiah son of Amoz (traditional unity) + LORD direct discourse
  • Audience: Judah under Uzziah/Jotham/Ahaz/Hezekiah + exilic remnant
  • Location: Jerusalem and Judah
  • Time period: ministry c. 740-680 BC

Theological reading

Key words

No Strong's-tagged lexicon matches found in this passage. (Lexicon coverage is curated, ~159 of the most apologetically-loaded Greek/Hebrew terms.)

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.