Isaiah 1:5

5 Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted.

Isaiah 1:5 in Other Translations

5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

5 Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

5 Why do you continue to invite punishment? Must you rebel forever? Your head is injured, and your heart is sick.

5 "Why bother even trying to do anything with you when you just keep to your bullheaded ways? You keep beating your heads against brick walls. Everything within you protests against you.

5 Why will ye be still stricken, that ye revolt more and more? the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

5 "Why do you still want to be beaten? Why do you continue to rebel? Your whole head is infected. Your whole heart is failing.

5 Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep on rebelling? The whole head is hurt, and the whole heart is sick.

5 Israel, why do you want to be beaten all the time? Why do you always refuse to obey the LORD? Your head is covered with wounds. Your whole heart is weak.

Isaiah 1:5 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 1:5

Why should ye be stricken any more?
&c.] Or "for what are ye stricken again" ^F1? with afflictions and chastisements, with which God smites his people by way of correction for their sins, ( Isaiah 57:17 ) ( Hosea 6:1 ) and the sense is, either that they did not consider what they were afflicted for, that it was for their sins and transgressions; they thought they came by chance, or imputed them to second causes, and so went on in sin, and added sin to sin; to which sense the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi, incline: or the meaning is, that the chastisements that were laid upon them were to no purpose; had produced no good effect, were of no avail, and unprofitable to them; and which is mentioned as an aggravation of their sins, obstinacy, and impenitence; see ( Jeremiah 5:3 ) . Ye will revolt more and more,
or "add defection" ^F2; go on in sin, and apostatize more and more, and grow more obdurate and resolute in it; unless afflictions are sanctified, men become more hardened by them: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;
which may be understood either of their chastisements, which were universal, and had reached all sorts and ranks of men among them, without any reformation, and therefore it was in vain to use more; or of their sins and transgressions which abounded among them, even among the principal of them; their civil rulers and governors, meant by the "head"; and the priests, who should feed the people with knowledge and understanding, designed by the "heart"; but both were corrupted, and in a bad condition.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 (wkt hm le) "super quo", V. L. "ad quid", Ar.
F2 (hro wpyowt) "addentes prevaricationem", Sept. V. L.

Isaiah 1:5 In-Context

3 The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”

4 Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.

5 Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted.

6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil.

7 Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 20:30
• 2. Jeremiah 2:30; Jeremiah 5:3; Jeremiah 8:5
• 3. S ver 2; Isaiah 31:6; Jeremiah 44:16-17; Hebrews 3:16
• 4. Lamentations 2:11; Lamentations 5:17
• 5. Isaiah 30:26; Isaiah 33:6,24; Isaiah 58:8; Jeremiah 30:17