Isaiah 58:5

Like this, shall the fast be that I choose, A day for the son of earth to humble his soul? Is it to bow down as a rush his head, And sackcloth and ashes, to spread out? Is it, this, thou wilt call a fast, Or a day of acceptance with Yahweh?

The Emphasised Bible by J. B. Rotherham

In The King James Version

Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

In Context

4Lo! for strife and contention, ye fast, And to smite with the fist of lawlessness,—Ye shall not fast as to-day, To cause to be heard on high your voice!

6Is not, this, the fast that I must ever choose—To unbind the tight cords of lawlessness, To unloose the bands of the yoke,—and To let the crushed go free, and That every yoke, ye tear off?

Read all of Isaiah 58

Cross References

1 Kings 21:27And it came to pass, when Ahab heard these words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted,—and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

2 Chronicles 20:3And Jehoshaphat was afraid, and set his face to seek unto Yahweh,—and proclaimed a fast for all Judah.

Nehemiah 9:1Now, on the twenty-fourth day of this month, were the sons of Israel gathered together, with fasting and with sackcloth, having earth upon them.

Esther 4:16Go! gather ye together all the Jews who are to be found in Shusan, and fast ye for me—and neither eat nor drink—three days, night nor day, and, I and my maidens, will fast so,—and, in this manner, will I go in unto the king, though it is not according to the law, and, when I have perished, I have perished!

Psalms 69:13But, as for me, my prayer shall be unto thee, O Yahweh, in a time of acceptance, O God, in the abounding of thy lovingkindness, answer me with thy saving faithfulness.

Isaiah 58:3Wherefore have we Fasted and thou hast not seen? Humbled our soul, and thou wouldst take no note? Lo! in the day of your fast, ye take pleasure, But all your toilers, ye drive on!

Matthew Henry on Isaiah 58:4-8

A Charge against the People. ( b. c. 706.) 3 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. 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a… Read the whole commentary →

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