Isaiah 59:15
New International Version
Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice.

New Living Translation
Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The LORD looked and was displeased to find there was no justice.

English Standard Version
Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.

Berean Standard Bible
Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil becomes prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice.

King James Bible
Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

New King James Version
So truth fails, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him That there was no justice.

New American Standard Bible
Truth is lacking, And one who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the LORD saw, And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.

NASB 1995
Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the LORD saw, And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.

NASB 1977
Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the LORD saw, And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.

Legacy Standard Bible
So it is that truth is missing; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself plunder. Then Yahweh saw, And it was evil in His eyes that there was no justice.

Amplified Bible
Yes, truth is missing; And he who turns away from evil makes himself a prey. Now the LORD saw it, And it displeased Him that there was no justice.

Christian Standard Bible
Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil is plundered. The LORD saw that there was no justice, and he was offended.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil is plundered. The LORD saw that there was no justice, and He was offended.

American Standard Version
Yea, truth is lacking; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. And Jehovah saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.

Contemporary English Version
Everyone tells lies; those who turn from crime end up ruined. When the LORD noticed that justice had disappeared, he became very displeased.

English Revised Version
Yea, truth is lacking; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Truth is missing. Those who turn away from evil make themselves victims. The LORD sees it, and he's angry because there's no justice.

Good News Translation
There is so little honesty that those who stop doing evil find themselves the victims of crime." The LORD has seen this, and he is displeased that there is no justice.

International Standard Version
Truth is missing, and whoever turns away from evil becomes a prey." "Then the LORD looked, and it displeased him that there was no justice.

Majority Standard Bible
Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil becomes prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice.

NET Bible
Honesty has disappeared; the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed. The LORD watches and is displeased, for there is no justice.

New Heart English Bible
Yes, truth is lacking; and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.

Webster's Bible Translation
Yes, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

World English Bible
Yes, truth is lacking; and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Yahweh saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the truth is lacking, "" And whoever is turning aside from evil, "" Is making himself a spoil. And YHWH sees, and it is evil in His eyes, "" That there is no judgment.

Young's Literal Translation
And the truth is lacking, And whoso is turning aside from evil, Is making himself a spoil. And Jehovah seeth, and it is evil in His eyes, That there is no judgment.

Smith's Literal Translation
And truth shall be lacking; and he departing from evil being plundered: and Jehovah will see, and it will be evil in his eyes, for no judgment.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And truth hath been forgotten: and he that departed from evil, lay open to be a prey: and the Lord saw, and it appeared evil in his eyes, because there is no judgment.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the truth has gone into oblivion. And he who withdraws from evil endures plunder. And the Lord saw this, and it seemed evil in his eyes. For there is no judgment.

New American Bible
Fidelity is lacking, and whoever turns from evil is despoiled.

New Revised Standard Version
Truth is lacking, and whoever turns from evil is despoiled. The LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Yea, truth is hid, and understanding has departed from our mind; the LORD saw that there was no justice, and he was displeased.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the truth was in hiding and understanding passed by from our mind, and LORD JEHOVAH saw that there was no judgment, and it was evil in his eyes
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And truth is lacking, And he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. And the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him That there was no justice;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And truth has been taken away, and they have turned aside their mind from understanding. And the Lord saw it, and it pleased him not that there was no judgment.
Audio Bible



Context
Sin Separates Us from God
14So justice is turned away, and righteousness stands at a distance. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter. 15Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil becomes prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. 16He saw that there was no man; He was amazed that there was no one to intercede. So His own arm brought salvation, and His own righteousness sustained Him.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 7:28
Therefore you must say to them, ‘This is the nation that would not listen to the voice of the LORD their God and would not receive correction. Truth has perished; it has disappeared from their lips.

Jeremiah 5:1
“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem. Look now and take note; search her squares. If you can find a single person, anyone who acts justly, anyone who seeks the truth, then I will forgive the city.

Ezekiel 22:30
I searched for a man among them to repair the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, so that I should not destroy it. But I found no one.

Micah 7:2
The godly man has perished from the earth; there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; they hunt one another with a net.

Amos 5:10
There are those who hate the one who reproves in the gate and despise him who speaks with integrity.

Psalm 12:1
For the choirmaster. According to Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.

Psalm 82:5
They do not know or understand; they wander in the darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

Hosea 4:1
Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land!

Proverbs 28:4
Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them.

Proverbs 28:28
When the wicked come to power, people hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous flourish.

John 3:19-20
And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. / Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

Romans 1:18
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

Romans 3:10-12
As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. / There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. / All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. / For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, / in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. / For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, / unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, ...


Treasury of Scripture

Yes, truth fails; and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

truth

Isaiah 48:1
Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.

Psalm 5:9
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

Psalm 12:1,2
To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men…

he that

Habakkuk 1:13,14
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? …

Acts 9:1,23
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, …

Romans 8:36
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

2 Kings 9:11
Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.

Jeremiah 29:26
The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.

Hosea 9:7
The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.

displeased him.

Genesis 38:10
And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.

2 Samuel 11:27
And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

2 Chronicles 21:7
Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.

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Angry Cause Cruel Departeth Departs Displeased Displeasing Evil Faileth Faith Found Heart Judgment Justice Lacking Makes Maketh Nowhere Power Prey Shuns Sight Truth Turned Turns
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Angry Cause Cruel Departeth Departs Displeased Displeasing Evil Faileth Faith Found Heart Judgment Justice Lacking Makes Maketh Nowhere Power Prey Shuns Sight Truth Turned Turns
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














Truth is missing
The Hebrew word for "truth" here is "אֱמֶת" (emet), which conveys a sense of firmness, stability, and reliability. In the context of Isaiah, this absence of truth reflects a society that has strayed from God's commandments and moral absolutes. Historically, Israel was meant to be a beacon of God's truth to the nations, but their failure to uphold divine standards led to societal decay. This phrase challenges believers to uphold truth in their lives, emphasizing the importance of living in accordance with God's Word, which is the ultimate truth.

whoever turns from evil becomes prey
The phrase "turns from evil" suggests repentance and a conscious decision to abandon sinful ways. The Hebrew root "שׁוּב" (shuv) means to return or turn back, indicating a change of direction towards righteousness. However, the consequence of becoming "prey" highlights the societal hostility towards those who choose righteousness over wickedness. This reflects a time when moral corruption was so pervasive that those who sought to live rightly were persecuted. It serves as a reminder that following God may lead to opposition, yet believers are called to stand firm in their convictions.

The LORD looked and was displeased
The act of the LORD "looking" signifies divine awareness and concern. The Hebrew verb "רָאָה" (ra'ah) implies not just seeing, but perceiving with understanding. God's displeasure, or "וַיֵּרַע" (vayera), indicates a deep sorrow and righteous anger towards the injustice and moral failures of His people. This anthropomorphic expression of God’s emotions underscores His holiness and justice. It serves as a call to self-examination for believers, urging them to align their lives with God's standards to avoid His displeasure.

that there was no justice
The Hebrew word for "justice" is "מִשְׁפָּט" (mishpat), which encompasses judgment, rights, and lawful order. In the biblical context, justice is a fundamental attribute of God's character and a requirement for His people. The absence of justice in Israel was a sign of their departure from God's covenant, leading to societal chaos and divine judgment. For contemporary believers, this phrase is a call to pursue justice in all areas of life, reflecting God's character and bringing His kingdom values to a world in need of righteousness.

(15) Truth faileth--i.e., is banished, and becomes as a missing and lost thing. The man who departs from evil is but the victim of the evil-doers. Other renderings are (1) is outlawed, and (2) is counted mad, but the Authorised Version is quite tenable. The words remind us of the terrible picture of Greek demoralisation in Thuc. iii.

And the Lord saw it . . .--The verse at first suggests the thought that what Jehovah saw were the sins thus described. The sequence of thought, however, tends to the conclusion that the words are properly the beginning of a new section, and that the supplied pronoun refers to the repentance and confession of the people. It displeased Him--literally, was evil in His eyes--that the penitents were still subject to oppression, that they found no leader and deliverer, and therefore He came, as it were, alone and unaided, to the rescue. (Comp. Joel 2:17-19.)

Verse 15. - Yea, truth faileth. Truth itself is altogether gone, is missing, not forthcoming. "Tetras Astraea reliquit." This is the worst of all. For truth is the basis of the social fabric, the groundwork of all morality. Once let there be no regard for truth in a state, no discredit attaching to lying, and all virtue is undermined, all soundness is vanished - nothing remains but "wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores" (Isaiah 1:6). He that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. Evil-doers prosper. The man who "eschews evil," and declines to employ (as others do) the weapons of fraud and violence, simply gives himself over as a prey to those who are less scrupulous than himself. Verses 15-21. - A PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE. TO OPPRESSED ISRAEL. The godly in Israel were suffering a double oppression:

(1) at the hand of their ungodly brethren;

(2) at the hand of the heathen.

The prophet promises a deliverance from both. The deliverance will be followed by the establishment of Messiah's kingdom, which will continue for ever. Verse 15. And the Lord saw it. The division of the verses here requires alteration. The opening clause of ver. 15 belongs to what precedes; the second clause to what follows. "The Lord saw" that condition of things in Israel which is described in vers. 3-15; and it displeased him; literally, it was evil in his eyes, especially in that there was no judgment. Justice was not done between man and man; no one thought of pronouncing just judgments. The circumstances were such as to invite a Divine interposition.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Truth
הָֽאֱמֶת֙ (hā·’ĕ·meṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 571: Stability, certainty, truth, trustworthiness

is
וַתְּהִ֤י (wat·tə·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

missing,
נֶעְדֶּ֔רֶת (ne‘·de·reṯ)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 5737: To arrange as a battle, a vineyard, to muster, to miss

and whoever turns
וְסָ֥ר (wə·sār)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

from evil
מֵרָ֖ע (mê·rā‘)
Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

makes himself prey.
מִשְׁתּוֹלֵ֑ל (miš·tō·w·lêl)
Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7997: To drop, strip, to plunder

The LORD
יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

looked
וַיַּ֧רְא (way·yar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

and was offended
וַיֵּ֥רַע (way·yê·ra‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7489: To spoil, to make, good for, nothing, bad

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

there was no
אֵ֥ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

justice.
מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (miš·pāṭ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 59:15 Yes truth is lacking (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 59:14
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