Isaiah 1:16
Isaiah 1:16 in Multiple Translations
Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
¶ Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Be washed, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; let there be an end of sinning;
Wash yourselves and clean yourselves up. Get rid of your sins—I don't want to see them! Stop doing evil!
Wash you, make you cleane: take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes: cease to doe euill.
Wash ye, make ye pure, Turn aside the evil of your doings, from before Mine eyes, Cease to do evil, learn to do good.
Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.
Wash ye, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil;
Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from my eyes: cease to do perversely,
Cleanse your inner beings, and become spiritually clean! Stop your evil behavior! Stop doing things that are wrong!
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 1:16
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Isaiah 1:16 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
רַחֲצוּ֙
הִזַּכּ֔וּ
הָסִ֛ירוּ
רֹ֥עַ
מַעַלְלֵי/כֶ֖ם
מִ/נֶּ֣גֶד
עֵינָ֑/י
חִדְל֖וּ
הָרֵֽעַ
רַחֲצוּ֙
râchats
H7364
to wash
V-Qal-Impv-2mp
הִזַּכּ֔וּ
zâkâh
H2135
to clean
V-Hithpael-Impv-2mp
הָסִ֛ירוּ
çûwr
H5493
to turn aside
V-Hiphil-Impv-2mp
רֹ֥עַ
rôaʻ
H7455
evil
N-ms
מַעַלְלֵי/כֶ֖ם
maʻălâl
H4611
deed
N-mp | Suff
מִ/נֶּ֣גֶד
neged
H5048
before
Prep | Prep
עֵינָ֑/י
ʻayin
H5869
eye
N-cd | Suff
חִדְל֖וּ
châdal
H2308
to cease
V-Qal-Impv-2mp
הָרֵֽעַ
râʻaʻ
H7489
be evil
V-Hiphil-Ptc
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 1:16
רַחֲצוּ֙
râchats
H7364
"to wash"
V-Qal-Impv-2mp
The Hebrew word for washing or bathing, used in Exodus 30:19 where priests had to wash their hands and feet before entering the temple. It means to clean or purify oneself, as seen in 2 Kings 5:10 where Elisha tells Naaman to wash in the Jordan River.
Definition: : wash 1) to wash, wash off, wash away, bathe 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to wash, wash off, wash away 1a2) to wash, bathe (oneself) 1b) (Pual) to be washed 1c) (Hithpael) to wash oneself 2a) (Hithpael Passive) to be regarded clean, trustworthy
Usage: Occurs in 71 OT verses. KJV: bathe (self), wash (self). See also: Genesis 18:4; Leviticus 16:4; Psalms 26:6.
הִזַּכּ֔וּ
zâkâh
H2135
"to clean"
V-Hithpael-Impv-2mp
This verb means to make something clean, like washing away sins. In the Bible, it's used to describe God's people being purified and made righteous. It appears in Leviticus and Ezekiel, emphasizing God's desire for cleanliness.
Definition: 1) to be clean, be pure, be clear 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be clean, be pure 1a2) to be clear, be justified 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to make clean, make pure, keep clean, keep pure 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to cleanse 1c2) to make yourself clean, purify oneself
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: be (make) clean, cleanse, be clear, count pure. See also: Job 15:14; Psalms 119:9; Psalms 51:6.
הָסִ֛ירוּ
çûwr
H5493
"to turn aside"
V-Hiphil-Impv-2mp
To turn aside or remove is the meaning of this verb, used in various forms throughout the Bible. It can mean to depart, avoid, or put something away, and is often used in the context of turning away from sin or wrongdoing, as seen in the actions of prophets and leaders in the Old Testament.
Definition: : remove 1) to turn aside, depart 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto 1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid 1a3) to be removed 1a4) to come to an end 1b) (Polel) to turn aside 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose 1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish 1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed
Usage: Occurs in 284 OT verses. KJV: be(-head), bring, call back, decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), [idiom] grievous, lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away, down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, [idiom] be sour, take (away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without. See also: Genesis 8:13; 2 Samuel 6:10; Psalms 6:9.
רֹ֥עַ
rôaʻ
H7455
"evil"
N-ms
This Hebrew word describes something as bad or evil, whether physically or morally. It is used in books like Genesis and Isaiah to convey a sense of wrongdoing. The concept of evil is central to the Bible's teachings.
Definition: 1) badness, evil 1a) badness, bad quality 1b) wilfulness 1c) evil, badness (ethical) 1d) sadness
Usage: Occurs in 19 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] be so bad, badness, ([idiom] be so) evil, naughtiness, sadness, sorrow, wickedness. See also: Genesis 41:19; Jeremiah 23:2; Psalms 28:4.
מַעַלְלֵי/כֶ֖ם
maʻălâl
H4611
"deed"
N-mp | Suff
Maalal means a deed or act, which can be good or bad, such as a practice or invention. It is used in the Bible to describe human actions and their consequences. This term is found in various biblical contexts.
Definition: 1) deed, practice 1a) practice (usually bad) 1b) deeds 1c) acts
Usage: Occurs in 41 OT verses. KJV: doing, endeavour, invention, work. See also: Deuteronomy 28:20; Jeremiah 21:12; Psalms 28:4.
מִ/נֶּ֣גֶד
neged
H5048
"before"
Prep | Prep
Before or in front of something, as in Genesis 18:22 where Abraham stands before the Lord. It describes a position of being face to face or in someone's presence.
Definition: subst 1) what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv 2) in front of, straight forward, before, in sight of 3) in front of oneself, straightforward 4) before your face, in your view or purpose with prep 5) what is in front of, corresponding to 6) in front of, before 7) in the sight or presence of 8) parallel to 9) over, for 10) in front, opposite 11) at a distance prep 12) from the front of, away from 13) from before the eyes of, opposite to, at a distance from 14) from before, in front of 15) as far as the front of Aramaic equivalent: ne.ged (נֶ֫גֶד "before" H5049)
Usage: Occurs in 142 OT verses. KJV: about, (over) against, [idiom] aloof, [idiom] far (off), [idiom] from, over, presence, [idiom] other side, sight, [idiom] to view. See also: Genesis 2:18; Job 10:17; Psalms 10:5.
עֵינָ֑/י
ʻayin
H5869
"eye"
N-cd | Suff
This word can mean a spring or fountain, but also refers to the eye or a source of something. It is often translated as affliction, outward appearance, or countenance, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 828 OT verses. KJV: affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him, [phrase] humble, knowledge, look, ([phrase] well), [idiom] me, open(-ly), [phrase] (not) please, presence, [phrase] regard, resemblance, sight, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them, [phrase] think, [idiom] us, well, [idiom] you(-rselves). See also: Genesis 3:5; Exodus 34:9; Deuteronomy 28:67.
חִדְל֖וּ
châdal
H2308
"to cease"
V-Qal-Impv-2mp
To cease means to stop or end something, like when God told the Israelites to cease work on the Sabbath in Exodus 20:10. It can also mean to be idle or lacking. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a change in action or behavior.
Definition: 1) to stop, cease, desist, forego, cease to be, leave undone, forbear 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cease, come to an end 1a2) to cease, leave off
Usage: Occurs in 56 OT verses. KJV: cease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave (off), let alone, rest, be unoccupied, want. See also: Genesis 11:8; 2 Chronicles 18:14; Psalms 36:4.
הָרֵֽעַ
râʻaʻ
H7489
"be evil"
V-Hiphil-Ptc
This word means to shatter or break something into pieces, making it useless or bad. It can also mean to afflict or displease someone.
Definition: 1) to be bad, be evil 1a)(Qal) 1a1) to be displeasing 1a2) to be sad 1a3) to be injurious, be evil 1a4) to be wicked, be evil (ethically) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to do an injury or hurt 1b2) to do evil or wickedly 1b3) mischief (participle)
Usage: Occurs in 99 OT verses. KJV: afflict, associate selves (by mistake for H7462 (רָעָה)), break (down, in pieces), [phrase] displease, (be, bring, do) evil (doer, entreat, man), show self friendly (by mistake for H7462 (רָעָה)), do harm, (do) hurt, (behave self, deal) ill, [idiom] indeed, do mischief, punish, still, vex, (do) wicked (doer, -ly), be (deal, do) worse. See also: Genesis 19:7; Psalms 27:2; Psalms 2:9.
Study Notes — Isaiah 1:16
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 1:16 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 1:16
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 1:16
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 1:16
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 1:16
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 1:16
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 1:16
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 1:16
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 1:16
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 1:16
- Sermons on Isaiah 1:16
Context — Meaningless Offerings
14I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.
15When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
16Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
17Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.” 18“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Peter 3:11 | He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. |
| 2 | Isaiah 55:6–7 | Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. |
| 3 | 1 Peter 2:1 | Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. |
| 4 | 2 Corinthians 7:1 | Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. |
| 5 | James 4:8 | Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. |
| 6 | Ezekiel 18:30–31 | Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? |
| 7 | Revelation 7:14 | “Sir,” I answered, “you know.” So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. |
| 8 | Titus 2:11–14 | For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone. It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age, as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. |
| 9 | Matthew 3:8 | Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. |
| 10 | Jeremiah 4:14 | Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you? |
Isaiah 1:16 Summary
[This verse is a call to turn away from sin and towards God, to 'wash and cleanse' ourselves from the inside out. It means recognizing our sin, being sorry for it, and seeking to do what is right, as God commands in Isaiah 1:16. This is similar to what we see in Psalm 51:7, where David asks to be washed and cleansed from his sin. By turning to God and seeking to do what is right, we can experience forgiveness and cleansing, as promised in 1 John 1:9.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'wash and cleanse' ourselves in Isaiah 1:16?
This phrase is a call to spiritual cleansing, turning away from sin and towards God, similar to what is described in Psalm 51:7, where David asks to be washed and cleansed from his sin.
Why does God tell the people to 'remove your evil deeds from My sight'?
God is weary of the people's empty rituals and outward appearances of righteousness when their hearts are still filled with evil, as seen in Isaiah 1:15, where He says their hands are 'covered with blood'.
How can we 'stop doing evil' as God commands in this verse?
To stop doing evil, we must first recognize and repent of our sin, then seek to do what is right and just, as encouraged in Isaiah 1:17, where we are told to 'learn to do right' and 'seek justice'.
Is this verse only for the Israelites, or does it apply to us today?
While Isaiah 1:16 was initially spoken to the Israelites, its principles of repentance, spiritual cleansing, and seeking to do what is right are timeless and universal, applying to all people, as seen in 1 John 1:9, where we are told that if we confess our sins, God will forgive us.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I need to 'wash and cleanse' myself, turning away from sin and towards God?
- How can I ensure that my outward actions and rituals are matched by a genuine heart of repentance and obedience to God?
- What are some 'evil deeds' that I need to remove from God's sight, and how can I take practical steps to stop doing them?
- In what ways can I 'learn to do right' and 'seek justice' in my daily life, as encouraged in the surrounding verses?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 1:16
Wash ye, make you clean, c. These two words are to be regarded as one, since they intend the same thing, and suppose the persons spoken to to be unclean, as they were, notwithstanding their legal
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 1:16
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Wash you, make you clean. God saith to the sinner.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 1:16
Make you clean; cleanse your hearts and hands from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and do not content yourselves with your ceremonial washings. Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; reform yourselves so thoroughly, that you may not only approve yourselves to men, but to me, who search your hearts, and try all your actions.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 1:16
Isaiah 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;Ver. 16. Wash ye, make ye clean.] "Wash your hearts from wickedness, that ye may be saved"; "yea, cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded." But how is that done? "Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep," &c. Ye cannot wash your bloody hands in innocence; wash them therefore in tears, which are a second baptism of the soul where it is rinsed anew. And surely, as the sins of the old world, so of this little world, need a deluge. Set to work, therefore, and God will soon set in with you. Wash yourselves with the tears of true repentance, and God will wash you with the blood of his Son; only be sure to do your work thoroughly - wash hard, rub, rinse; we have inveterate stains, which will hardly be got out till the cloth be almost rubbed to pieces; and as an error in the first concoction is not mended in the second, nor of the second in the third, so if a man’ s humiliation hath not been sound, his reformation cannot be right. "Wash," therefore, and then Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes.] Away with that abominable thing that is so grievous to all my five senses, yea, to my very soul, as is above said. Sin is in Scripture called pollution, leprosy, contagion, vomit of a dog, wallowing of a swine in the mire, &c., and must therefore be rid and removed out of the heart and life, or we cannot find favour. Cease to do evil.] This is first to be done: depart from evil, and do good; break off your sins by repentance, and be abrupt in the work; sow not among the thorns, cast away all your transgressions, &c.
The prophets, pressing moral duties in this sort, do it as explainers of the law: they did but unfold and draw out that arras which was folded together before.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 1:16
(16) Wash you, make you clean . . .—The words were probably as an echo of Psa 51:7. Both psalmist and prophet had entered into the inner meaning of the outward ablutions of ritual. Cease to do evil; (17) learn to do well.—Such words the prophet might have heard in his youth from Amos (Amos 5:14-15). What had then been spoken to the princes of the northern kingdom was now repeated to those of Judah.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 1:16
Verse 16. Wash you] Referring to the preceding verse, "your hands are full of blood;" and alluding to the legal washing commanded on several occasions. See Leviticus 14:8-9; Leviticus 14:47.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 1:16
10–17. “The false and the true way of seeking God’s favour” (Dillmann). The threatening aspect of public affairs had probably led to an unwonted display of zeal in the performance of the Temple ritual. Although the underlying thought of the people is that the bond between them and their God is maintained by sacrifice, &c., there is no reason to suppose that they are here conceived as consciously entering this plea in arrest of judgment. It is not till Isaiah 1:18 that Jehovah calls the nation to answer His indictment.—It is to be noted that in these verses there is a progression from the cruder and more external to the more spiritual expressions of religious homage: sacrifice, solemn assemblies, prayer. This shews that what the prophet repudiates is not cultus as such, but the unholy combination of ritual worship with immoral conduct.
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 1:16
Wash you - This is, of course, to be understood in a moral sense; meaning that they should put away their sins.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 1:16
16. Wash you — The allusion here is doubtless to the injunction on priests, who, on pain of death, (Exodus 30:19-21,) had to wash hands and feet before they ministered at the altar.
Sermons on Isaiah 1:16
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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What Is It to Accept Jesus by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of accepting Christ and making one's calling and election sure. He compares accepting Christ to having a compass on a sea jou |
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Are You Developing a Hard Heart by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the passage from Isaiah 6:9-10 where God sends Isaiah on a mission to a people who will not understand or perceive his message. The preacher |
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What Does It Mean to Accept Christ - Part 1 by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher tells the story of the prodigal son from the Bible. He emphasizes the humbling experience of the son feeding swine, which was considered shameful for a |
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The Anatomy of Adultery by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of taking action and living a holy life. He urges the audience to not just go through the motions of attending church, but to |
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(John - Part 46): The Last Supper: Jesus' True Humility by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the significance of Jesus washing the disciples' feet. He explains that in biblical times, it was customary for a servant to wash the feet of |
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The Voice of Reason by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the power of the gospel to transform lives. He acknowledges that many of the hymns we sing were written by individuals who were once evil an |
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(A Divine Visitation) Preparation - Part 2 by Richard Owen Roberts | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the message of John the Baptist and the different groups of people who responded to his preaching. He emphasizes the importance of bringing |