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Selected Verse: Isaiah 58:3 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 58:3	Strong Concordance	Wherefore have we fasted [06684], say they, and thou seest [07200] not? wherefore have we afflicted [06031] our soul [05315], and thou takest no knowledge [03045]? Behold, in the day [03117] of your fast [06685] ye find [04672] pleasure [02656], and exact [05065] all your labours [06092].
	King James	Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Wherefore--the words of the Jews: "Why is it that, when we fast, Thou dost not notice it" (by delivering us)? They think to lay God under obligation to their fasting (Psa 73:13; Mal 3:14). afflicted . . . soul-- (Lev 16:29). Behold--God's reply. pleasure--in antithesis to their boast of having "afflicted their soul"; it was only in outward show they really enjoyed themselves. GESENIUS not so well translates, "business." exact . . . labours--rather, "oppressive labors" [MAURER]. HORSLEY, with Vulgate, translates, "Exact the whole upon your debtors"; those who owe you labor (Neh 5:1-5, Neh 5:8-10, &c.).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Wherefore--the words of the Jews: "Why is it that, when we fast, Thou dost not notice it" (by delivering us)? They think to lay God under obligation to their fasting (Psa 73:13; Mal 3:14).

afflicted . . . soul-- (Lev 16:29).

Behold--God's reply.

pleasure--in antithesis to their boast of having "afflicted their soul"; it was only in outward show they really enjoyed themselves. GESENIUS not so well translates, "business."

exact . . . labours--rather, "oppressive labors" [MAURER]. HORSLEY, with Vulgate, translates, "Exact the whole upon your debtors"; those who owe you labor (Neh 5:1-5, Neh 5:8-10, &c.).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Wherefore have we fasted - They had fasted much, evidently with the expectation of delivering themselves from impending calamities, and securing the divine favor. They are here introduced as saying that they had been disappointed. God had not interposed as they had expected. Chagrined and mortified, they now complain that he had not noticed their very conscientious and faithful regard for the duties of religion. And thou seest not? - All had been in vain. Calamities still impended; judgments threatened; and there were no tokens of the divine approbation. Hypocrites depend on their fastings and prayers as laying God under obligation to save them. If he does not interpose, they complain and murmur. When fasting is the result of a humble and broken heart, it is acceptable; when it is instituted as a means of purchasing the divine favor, and as laying God under obligation, it can be followed by no happy result to the soul. Have we afflicted our soul - By fasting. Twenty-one manuscripts (six ancient), says Lowth, have this in the plural number - 'our souls' and so the Septuagint, Chaldee, and the Vulgate. The sense is not materially affected, however. It is evident here that they regarded their numerous fastings as laying the foundation of a claim on the favor of God, and that they were disposed to complain when that claim was not acknowledged. Fasting, like other religious duties, is proper; but in that, as in all other services of religion, there is danger of supposing that we bring God under obligations, and that we are laying the foundation of a claim to his favor. Thou takest no knowledge - Thou dost not regard our numerous acts of self-denial. Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure - The prophet here proceeds to state the reasons why their fastings were not succeeded as they supposed they would be, by the divine favor. The first reason which he states is, that even when they were fasting, they were giving full indulgence to their depraved appetites and lusts. The Syriac has well rendered this, 'In the day of your fasting you indulge your lusts, and draw near to all your idols.' This also was evidently the case with the Jews in the time of the Saviour. They were Characterized repeatedly by him as 'an evil and adulterous generation,' and yet no generation perhaps was ever more punctual and strict in the external duties of fasting and other religious ceremonies. And exact all your labors - This is the second reason why their fasting was attended with no more happy results. The margin renders this 'griefs,' or things wherewith ye grieve others.' Lowth renders it, 'All your demands of labor ye rigorously exact.' Castellio renders it, 'And all things which are due to you, you exact.' The word rendered here 'labors' denotes usually hard and painful labor; toil, travail, etc. The Septuagint renders it here, 'And goad (ὑπονύσσετε huponussete) all those who are under your control' (τοὺς ὑποχειρίους ὑμῶν tous hupocheirious humōn). The idea seems to be that they were at that time oppressive in exacting all that was due to them; they remitted nothing, they forgave nothing. Alas, how often is this still true! People may be most diligent in the external duties of religion; most abundant in fasting and in prayer, and at the same time most unyielding in demanding all that is due to them. Like Shylock - another Jew like those in the time of Isaiah - they may demand 'the pound of flesh,' at the same time that they may be most formal, punctual, precise, and bigoted in the performance of the external duties of religion. The sentiment taught here is, that if we desire to keep a fast that shall be acceptable to God, it must be such as shall cause us to unbind heavy burdens from the poor, and to lead us to relax the rigor of the claims which would be oppressive on those who are subject to us (see Isa 58:6).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Wherefore have we fasted - They had fasted much, evidently with the expectation of delivering themselves from impending calamities, and securing the divine favor. They are here introduced as saying that they had been disappointed. God had not interposed as they had expected. Chagrined and mortified, they now complain that he had not noticed their very conscientious and faithful regard for the duties of religion.

And thou seest not? - All had been in vain. Calamities still impended; judgments threatened; and there were no tokens of the divine approbation. Hypocrites depend on their fastings and prayers as laying God under obligation to save them. If he does not interpose, they complain and murmur. When fasting is the result of a humble and broken heart, it is acceptable; when it is instituted as a means of purchasing the divine favor, and as laying God under obligation, it can be followed by no happy result to the soul.

Have we afflicted our soul - By fasting. Twenty-one manuscripts (six ancient), says Lowth, have this in the plural number - 'our souls' and so the Septuagint, Chaldee, and the Vulgate. The sense is not materially affected, however. It is evident here that they regarded their numerous fastings as laying the foundation of a claim on the favor of God, and that they were disposed to complain when that claim was not acknowledged. Fasting, like other religious duties, is proper; but in that, as in all other services of religion, there is danger of supposing that we bring God under obligations, and that we are laying the foundation of a claim to his favor.

Thou takest no knowledge - Thou dost not regard our numerous acts of self-denial.

Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure - The prophet here proceeds to state the reasons why their fastings were not succeeded as they supposed they would be, by the divine favor. The first reason which he states is, that even when they were fasting, they were giving full indulgence to their depraved appetites and lusts. The Syriac has well rendered this, 'In the day of your fasting you indulge your lusts, and draw near to all your idols.' This also was evidently the case with the Jews in the time of the Saviour. They were Characterized repeatedly by him as 'an evil and adulterous generation,' and yet no generation perhaps was ever more punctual and strict in the external duties of fasting and other religious ceremonies.

And exact all your labors - This is the second reason why their fasting was attended with no more happy results. The margin renders this 'griefs,' or things wherewith ye grieve others.' Lowth renders it, 'All your demands of labor ye rigorously exact.' Castellio renders it, 'And all things which are due to you, you exact.' The word rendered here 'labors' denotes usually hard and painful labor; toil, travail, etc. The Septuagint renders it here, 'And goad (ὑπονύσσετε huponussete) all those who are under your control' (τοὺς ὑποχειρίους ὑμῶν tous hupocheirious humōn). The idea seems to be that they were at that time oppressive in exacting all that was due to them; they remitted nothing, they forgave nothing. Alas, how often is this still true! People may be most diligent in the external duties of religion; most abundant in fasting and in prayer, and at the same time most unyielding in demanding all that is due to them. Like Shylock - another Jew like those in the time of Isaiah - they may demand 'the pound of flesh,' at the same time that they may be most formal, punctual, precise, and bigoted in the performance of the external duties of religion. The sentiment taught here is, that if we desire to keep a fast that shall be acceptable to God, it must be such as shall cause us to unbind heavy burdens from the poor, and to lead us to relax the rigor of the claims which would be oppressive on those who are subject to us (see Isa 58:6).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
There follow now the words of the work-righteous themselves, who hold up their fasting before the eyes of God, and complain that He takes no notice of it. And how could He?! "'Wherefore do we fast and Thou seest not, afflict our soul and Thou regardest not?' Behold, on the day of your fasting ye carry on your business, and ye oppress all your labourers. Behold, ye fast with strife and quarrelling, and with smiting with the fist maliciously closed: ye do not fast now to make your voice audible on high." By the side of צוּם (root צם, to press, tie up, constrain) we have here the older expression found in the Pentateuch, נפשׁ ענּה, to do violence to the natural life. In addition to the fasting on the day of atonement (the tenth of the seventh month Tizri), the only fast prescribed by the law, other fasts were observed according to Zac 7:3; Zac 8:19, viz., fasts to commemorate the commencement of the siege of Jerusalem (10th Tebeth), its capture (17th Tammuz), its destruction (9th Aibb), and the murder of Gedaliah (3rd Tizri). The exiles boast of this fasting here; but it is a heartless, dead work, and therefore worthless in the sight of God. There is the most glaring contrast between the object of the fast and their conduct on the fast-day: for they carry on their work-day occupation; they are then, more than at any other time, true taskmasters to their work-people (lest the service of the master should suffer form the service of God); and because when fasting they are doubly irritable and ill-tempered, this leads to quarrelling and strife, and even to striking with angry fist (בּאגרף, from גּרף, to collect together, make into a ball, clench). Hence in their present state the true purpose of fasting is quite unknown to them, viz., to enable them to draw near with importunate prayer to God, who is enthroned on high (Isa 57:15). (Note: The ancient church called a fast statio, because he who fasted had to wait in prayer day and night like a soldier at his post. See on this and what follows, the Shepherd of Hermas, iii. Sim. 5, and the Epistle of Barnabas, c. iii.) The only difficulty here is the phrase חפץ מצא. In the face of Isa 58:13, this cannot have any other meaning than to stretch one's hand after occupation, to carry on business, to occupy one's self with it - חפץ combining the three meanings, application or affairs, striving, and trade or occupation. מצא, however, maintains its primary meaning, to lay hold of or grasp (cf., Isa 10:14; Targ. צרכיכון תּבעין אתּוּן, ye seek your livelihood). This is sustained by what follows, whether we derive עצּביכם (cf., חלּקי, Isa 57:6) from עצב (et omnes labores vestros graves rigide exigitis), נגשׂ (from which we have here תּנגּשׂוּ for תּגּשׂוּ, Deu 15:3) being construed as in Kg2 23:35 with the accusative of what is peremptorily demanded; or (what we certainly prefer) from עצב; or better still from עצב morf ll (like עמל): omnes operarios vestros adigitis (urgetis), נגשׂ being construed with the accusative of the person oppressed, as in Deu 15:2, where it is applied to the oppression of a debtor. Here, however, the reference is not to those who owe money, but to those who owe labour, or to obligations to labour; and עצב does not signify a debtor (an idea quite foreign to this verbal root), but a labourer, one who eats the bread of sorrows, or of hard toil (Psa 127:2). The prophet paints throughout from the life; and we cannot be persuaded by Stier's false zeal for Isaiah's authorship to give up the opinion, that we have here a figure drawn from the life of the exiles in Babylon.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

There follow now the words of the work-righteous themselves, who hold up their fasting before the eyes of God, and complain that He takes no notice of it. And how could He?! "'Wherefore do we fast and Thou seest not, afflict our soul and Thou regardest not?' Behold, on the day of your fasting ye carry on your business, and ye oppress all your labourers. Behold, ye fast with strife and quarrelling, and with smiting with the fist maliciously closed: ye do not fast now to make your voice audible on high." By the side of צוּם (root צם, to press, tie up, constrain) we have here the older expression found in the Pentateuch, נפשׁ ענּה, to do violence to the natural life. In addition to the fasting on the day of atonement (the tenth of the seventh month Tizri), the only fast prescribed by the law, other fasts were observed according to Zac 7:3; Zac 8:19, viz., fasts to commemorate the commencement of the siege of Jerusalem (10th Tebeth), its capture (17th Tammuz), its destruction (9th Aibb), and the murder of Gedaliah (3rd Tizri). The exiles boast of this fasting here; but it is a heartless, dead work, and therefore worthless in the sight of God. There is the most glaring contrast between the object of the fast and their conduct on the fast-day: for they carry on their work-day occupation; they are then, more than at any other time, true taskmasters to their work-people (lest the service of the master should suffer form the service of God); and because when fasting they are doubly irritable and ill-tempered, this leads to quarrelling and strife, and even to striking with angry fist (בּאגרף, from גּרף, to collect together, make into a ball, clench). Hence in their present state the true purpose of fasting is quite unknown to them, viz., to enable them to draw near with importunate prayer to God, who is enthroned on high (Isa 57:15).

(Note: The ancient church called a fast statio, because he who fasted had to wait in prayer day and night like a soldier at his post. See on this and what follows, the Shepherd of Hermas, iii. Sim. 5, and the Epistle of Barnabas, c. iii.)

The only difficulty here is the phrase חפץ מצא. In the face of Isa 58:13, this cannot have any other meaning than to stretch one's hand after occupation, to carry on business, to occupy one's self with it - חפץ combining the three meanings, application or affairs, striving, and trade or occupation. מצא, however, maintains its primary meaning, to lay hold of or grasp (cf., Isa 10:14; Targ. צרכיכון תּבעין אתּוּן, ye seek your livelihood). This is sustained by what follows, whether we derive עצּביכם (cf., חלּקי, Isa 57:6) from עצב (et omnes labores vestros graves rigide exigitis), נגשׂ (from which we have here תּנגּשׂוּ for תּגּשׂוּ, Deu 15:3) being construed as in Kg2 23:35 with the accusative of what is peremptorily demanded; or (what we certainly prefer) from עצב; or better still from עצב morf ll (like עמל): omnes operarios vestros adigitis (urgetis), נגשׂ being construed with the accusative of the person oppressed, as in Deu 15:2, where it is applied to the oppression of a debtor. Here, however, the reference is not to those who owe money, but to those who owe labour, or to obligations to labour; and עצב does not signify a debtor (an idea quite foreign to this verbal root), but a labourer, one who eats the bread of sorrows, or of hard toil (Psa 127:2). The prophet paints throughout from the life; and we cannot be persuaded by Stier's false zeal for Isaiah's authorship to give up the opinion, that we have here a figure drawn from the life of the exiles in Babylon.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Afflicted - Defrauded our appetites with fasting, of which this phrase is used, Lev 16:29. Ye find - Either you indulge yourselves in sensuality, as they did, Isa 22:13. But this does not agree with that afflicting of their souls which they now professed, and which God acknowledges; or you pursue and satisfy your own desires: though you abstain from bodily food, you do not mortify your sinful inclinations. Exact - Your money, got by your labour, and lent to others, either for their need or your own advantage, which you require either with usury, or at least with rigour, when either the general law of charity, or God's particular law, commanded the release, or at least the forbearance of them.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Have we adopted our soul "Have we afflicted our souls" - Twenty-seven MSS. (six ancient) of Dr. Kennicott's, thirty-six of De Rossi's, and two of my own, and the old edition of 1488 have the noun in the plural number, נפשינו naphsheynu, our souls; and so the Septuagint, Chaldee, and Vulgate. This reading is undoubtedly genuine. In the day of your fast ye find pleasure - Fast days are generally called holidays, and holidays are days of idleness and pleasure. In numberless cases the fast is turned into a feast. And exact all your labors - Some disregard the most sacred fast, and will oblige their servant to work all day long; others use fast days for the purpose of settling their accounts, posting up their books, and drawing out their bills to be ready to collect their debts. These are sneaking hypocrites; the others are daringly irreligious.

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⁸ And I said [0559] unto them, We after our ability [01767] have redeemed [07069] our brethren [0251] the Jews [03064], which were sold [04376] unto the heathen [01471]; and will ye even sell [04376] your brethren [0251]? or shall they be sold [04376] unto us? Then held they their peace [02790], and found [04672] nothing [01697] to answer.
⁹ Also I said [0559], It is not good [02896] that [01697] ye do [06213]: ought ye not to walk [03212] in the fear [03374] of our God [0430] because of the reproach [02781] of the heathen [01471] our enemies [0341]?
¹⁰ I likewise, and my brethren [0251], and my servants [05288], might exact [05383] of them money [03701] and corn [01715]: I pray you, let us leave off [05800] this usury [04855].

¹ And there was a great [01419] cry [06818] of the people [05971] and of their wives [0802] against their brethren [0251] the Jews [03064].
² For there were [03426] that said [0559], We, our sons [01121], and our daughters [01323], are many [07227]: therefore we take up [03947] corn [01715] for them, that we may eat [0398], and live [02421].
³ Some also there were [03426] that said [0559], We have mortgaged [06148] our lands [07704], vineyards [03754], and houses [01004], that we might buy [03947] corn [01715], because of the dearth [07458].
⁴ There were [03426] also that said [0559], We have borrowed [03867] money [03701] for the king's [04428] tribute [04060], and that upon our lands [07704] and vineyards [03754].
⁵ Yet now our flesh [01320] is as the flesh [01320] of our brethren [0251], our children [01121] as their children [01121]: and, lo, we bring into bondage [03533] our sons [01121] and our daughters [01323] to be servants [05650], and some of our daughters [01323] are [03426] brought unto bondage [03533] already: neither is it in our power [0410] [03027] to redeem them; for other men [0312] have our lands [07704] and vineyards [03754].

²⁹ And this shall be a statute [02708] for ever [05769] unto you: that in the seventh [07637] month [02320], on the tenth [06218] day of the month [02320], ye shall afflict [06031] your souls [05315], and do [06213] no work [04399] at all, whether it be one of your own country [0249], or a stranger [01616] that sojourneth [01481] among [08432] you:

¹⁴ Ye have said [0559], It is vain [07723] to serve [05647] God [0430]: and what profit [01215] is it that we have kept [08104] his ordinance [04931], and that we have walked [01980] mournfully [06941] before [06440] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635]?

¹³ Verily I have cleansed [02135] my heart [03824] in vain [07385], and washed [07364] my hands [03709] in innocency [05356].

⁶ Is not this the fast [06685] that I have chosen [0977]? to loose [06605] the bands [02784] of wickedness [07562], to undo [05425] the heavy [04133] burdens [092], and to let the oppressed [07533] go [07971] free [02670], and that ye break [05423] every yoke [04133]?

² It is vain [07723] for you to rise up [06965] early [07925], to sit up [03427] late [0309], to eat [0398] the bread [03899] of sorrows [06089]: for so he giveth [05414] his beloved [03039] sleep [08142].

² And this is the manner [01697] of the release [08059]: Every creditor [01167] [04874] [03027] that lendeth [05383] ought unto his neighbour [07453] shall release [08058] it; he shall not exact [05065] it of his neighbour [07453], or of his brother [0251]; because it is called [07121] the LORD'S [03068] release [08059].

³⁵ And Jehoiakim [03079] gave [05414] the silver [03701] and the gold [02091] to Pharaoh [06547]; but he taxed [06186] the land [0776] to give [05414] the money [03701] according to the commandment [06310] of Pharaoh [06547]: he exacted [05065] the silver [03701] and the gold [02091] of the people [05971] of the land [0776], of every one [0376] according to his taxation [06187], to give [05414] it unto Pharaohnechoh [06549].

³ Of a foreigner [05237] thou mayest exact [05065] it again: but that which is thine with thy brother [0251] thine hand [03027] shall release [08058];

⁶ Among the smooth [02511] stones of the stream [05158] is thy portion [02506]; they, they are thy lot [01486]: even to them hast thou poured [08210] a drink offering [05262], thou hast offered [05927] a meat offering [04503]. Should I receive comfort [05162] in these?

¹⁴ And my hand [03027] hath found [04672] as a nest [07064] the riches [02428] of the people [05971]: and as one gathereth [0622] eggs [01000] that are left [05800], have I gathered [0622] all the earth [0776]; and there was none that moved [05074] the wing [03671], or opened [06475] the mouth [06310], or peeped [06850].

¹³ If thou turn away [07725] thy foot [07272] from the sabbath [07676], from doing [06213] thy pleasure [02656] on my holy [06944] day [03117]; and call [07121] the sabbath [07676] a delight [06027], the holy [06918] of the LORD [03068], honourable [03513]; and shalt honour [03513] him, not doing [06213] thine own ways [01870], nor finding [04672] thine own pleasure [02656], nor speaking [01696] thine own words [01697]:

¹⁵ For thus saith [0559] the high [07311] and lofty One [05375] that inhabiteth [07931] eternity [05703], whose name [08034] is Holy [06918]; I dwell [07931] in the high [04791] and holy [06918] place, with him also that is of a contrite [01793] and humble [08217] spirit [07307], to revive [02421] the spirit [07307] of the humble [08217], and to revive [02421] the heart [03820] of the contrite ones [01792].

¹⁹ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635]; The fast [06685] of the fourth [07243] month, and the fast [06685] of the fifth [02549], and the fast [06685] of the seventh [07637], and the fast [06685] of the tenth [06224], shall be to the house [01004] of Judah [03063] joy [08342] and gladness [08057], and cheerful [02896] feasts [04150]; therefore love [0157] the truth [0571] and peace [07965].

³ And to speak [0559] unto the priests [03548] which were in the house [01004] of the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], and to the prophets [05030], saying [0559], Should I weep [01058] in the fifth [02549] month [02320], separating [05144] myself, as I have done [06213] these so many years [08141]?

¹³ And behold joy [08342] and gladness [08057], slaying [02026] oxen [01241], and killing [07819] sheep [06629], eating [0398] flesh [01320], and drinking [08354] wine [03196]: let us eat [0398] and drink [08354]; for to morrow [04279] we shall die [04191].