Isaiah 26:16
Isaiah 26:16 in Multiple Translations
O LORD, they sought You in their distress; when You disciplined them, they poured out a quiet prayer.
LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.
Jehovah, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.
Lord, in trouble our eyes have been turned to you, we sent up a prayer when your punishment was on us.
Lord, when we were suffering we came to you, pouring out our prayers like whispers as you disciplined us.
Lord, in trouble haue they visited thee: they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them.
O Jehovah, in distress they missed Thee, They have poured out a whisper, Thy chastisement [is] on them.
LORD, in trouble they have visited you. They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them.
LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.
Lord, they have sought after thee in distress, in the tribulation of murmuring thy instruction was with them.
Yahweh, when we were distressed, we asked you to help us; when you disciplined/punished us, we were able only to whisper when we prayed to you.
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 26:16
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 26:16 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
יְהוָ֖ה
בַּ/צַּ֣ר
פְּקָד֑וּ/ךָ
צָק֣וּ/ן
לַ֔חַשׁ
מוּסָרְ/ךָ֖
לָֽ/מוֹ
יְהוָ֖ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
N-proper
בַּ/צַּ֣ר
tsar
H6862
narrow
Prep | Adj
פְּקָד֑וּ/ךָ
pâqad
H6485
to reckon
V-Qal-Perf-3cp | Suff
צָק֣וּ/ן
tsûwq
H6694
to pour
V-Qal-Perf-3cp | Suff
לַ֔חַשׁ
lachash
H3908
charm
N-ms
מוּסָרְ/ךָ֖
mûwçâr
H4148
discipline
N-ms | Suff
לָֽ/מוֹ
Prep | Suff
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 26:16
יְהוָ֖ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
בַּ/צַּ֣ר
tsar
H6862
"narrow"
Prep | Adj
This word means hard or narrow, often referring to trouble or a tight spot, like an adversary or affliction. It can also mean a small stone or pebble, such as flint, and is used in various biblical contexts to describe challenges.
Definition: narrow, tight
Usage: Occurs in 107 OT verses. KJV: adversary, afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe, narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble. See also: Genesis 14:20; Psalms 89:24; Psalms 3:2.
פְּקָד֑וּ/ךָ
pâqad
H6485
"to reckon"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp | Suff
This word means to visit or oversee, and can imply a range of actions, from friendly to hostile. It is used in various contexts, including appointing, avenging, or delivering something into someone's care. The KJV translates it in many ways, including appoint, avenge, or commit.
Definition: : list/count 1) to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pay attention to, observe 1a2) to attend to 1a3) to seek, look about for 1a4) to seek in vain, need, miss, lack 1a5) to visit 1a6) to visit upon, punish 1a7) to pass in review, muster, number 1a8) to appoint, assign, lay upon as a charge, deposit 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be sought, be needed, be missed, be lacking 1b2) to be visited 1b3) to be visited upon 1b4) to be appointed 1b5) to be watched over 1c) (Piel) to muster, call up 1d) (Pual) to be passed in review, be caused to miss, be called, be called to account 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to set over, make overseer, appoint an overseer 1e2) to commit, entrust, commit for care, deposit 1f) (Hophal) 1f1) to be visited 1f2) to be deposited 1f3) to be made overseer, be entrusted 1g) (Hithpael) numbered 1h) (Hothpael) numbered
Usage: Occurs in 269 OT verses. KJV: appoint, [idiom] at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep, be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up, look, make, [idiom] by any means, miss, number, officer, (make) overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to) remember(-brance), set (over), sum, [idiom] surely, visit, want. See also: Genesis 21:1; Numbers 26:47; Psalms 8:5.
צָק֣וּ/ן
tsûwq
H6694
"to pour"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp | Suff
To pour out, like molten metal, or to utter words from the heart, as seen in Psalm 42:4.
Definition: (Qal) to pour out, melt
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: be molten, pour. See also: Job 28:2; Job 29:6; Isaiah 26:16.
לַ֔חַשׁ
lachash
H3908
"charm"
N-ms
This Hebrew word means a whisper or private prayer, but also an incantation or charm, like serpent charming. In the Bible, it can refer to a magical amulet worn by women. It appears in various forms, including as a type of enchantment or earring.
Definition: 1) whispering, charming 1a) serpent-charming 1b) charms, amulets (worn by women) 1c) whisper (of prayer)
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: charmed, earring, enchantment, orator, prayer. See also: Ecclesiastes 10:11; Isaiah 3:20; Isaiah 3:3.
מוּסָרְ/ךָ֖
mûwçâr
H4148
"discipline"
N-ms | Suff
This Hebrew term means discipline or correction, often used to describe God's guidance. In Psalm 50:17, it warns against rejecting God's discipline, while in Proverbs 1:7, it emphasizes the importance of discipline in gaining wisdom. It involves learning from mistakes.
Definition: : discipline/punishment 1) discipline, chastening, correction 1a) discipline, correction 1b) chastening
Usage: Occurs in 50 OT verses. KJV: bond, chastening(-eth), chastisement, check, correction, discipline, doctrine, instruction, rebuke. See also: Deuteronomy 11:2; Proverbs 15:10; Psalms 50:17.
לָֽ/מוֹ
""
Prep | Suff
Study Notes — Isaiah 26:16
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 26:16 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 26:16
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 26:16
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 26:16
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 26:16
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 26:16
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 26:16
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 26:16
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 26:16
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 26:16
- Sermons on Isaiah 26:16
Context — A Song of Salvation
14The dead will not live; the departed spirits will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them; You have wiped out all memory of them.
15You have enlarged the nation, O LORD; You have enlarged the nation. You have gained glory for Yourself; You have extended all the borders of the land.
16O LORD, they sought You in their distress; when You disciplined them, they poured out a quiet prayer.
17As a woman with child about to give birth writhes and cries out in pain, so were we in Your presence, O LORD. 18We were with child; we writhed in pain; but we gave birth to wind. We have given no salvation to the earth, nor brought any life into the world.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hosea 5:15 | Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” |
| 2 | Psalms 50:15 | Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.” |
| 3 | Psalms 77:1–2 | I cried out to God; I cried aloud to God to hear me. In the day of trouble I sought the Lord; through the night my outstretched hands did not grow weary; my soul refused to be comforted. |
| 4 | Psalms 42:4 | These things come to mind as I pour out my soul: how I walked with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God with shouts of joy and praise. |
| 5 | Judges 10:9–10 | The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, and Israel was in deep distress. Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against You, for we have indeed forsaken our God and served the Baals.” |
| 6 | Lamentations 2:19 | Arise, cry out in the night from the first watch of the night. Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children who are fainting from hunger on the corner of every street. |
| 7 | Isaiah 37:3 | to tell him, “This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace; for children have come to the point of birth, but there is no strength to deliver them. |
| 8 | Jeremiah 22:23 | O inhabitant of Lebanon, nestled in the cedars, how you will groan when pangs of anguish come upon you, agony like a woman in labor.” |
| 9 | Deuteronomy 4:29–30 | But if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice. |
| 10 | Psalms 142:2 | I pour out my complaint before Him; I reveal my trouble to Him. |
Isaiah 26:16 Summary
Isaiah 26:16 shows us that when people are in distress, they can seek God and pour out their hearts to Him in humble prayer. This is a powerful example for us today, reminding us that we can always turn to God, even when we're struggling or facing difficult circumstances (see Psalm 34:17-18). By seeking God in our distress, we can experience His comfort, guidance, and peace. As we respond to God's discipline with a quiet and humble prayer, we can grow in our relationship with Him and learn to trust Him more deeply (see Hebrews 12:5-11).
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of distress are the people in Isaiah 26:16 experiencing?
The distress in Isaiah 26:16 is likely a reference to the discipline and punishment from God, as mentioned in the surrounding verses, such as Isaiah 26:14, where it says God has punished and destroyed them.
What is a 'quiet prayer' in this context?
A quiet prayer, as seen in Isaiah 26:16, is a humble and sincere cry to God, similar to what is described in Psalm 51:17, where a broken and contrite heart is what God desires.
How does God's discipline lead to seeking Him?
God's discipline, as mentioned in Isaiah 26:16, leads to seeking Him because it brings people to a place of humility and recognition of their need for God, as also seen in Hebrews 12:11, where discipline is said to produce a harvest of righteousness.
Is this verse only for Israel or can it apply to believers today?
While Isaiah 26:16 is addressed to Israel, the principle of seeking God in distress and responding to His discipline with humble prayer can apply to believers today, as seen in James 4:8-10, where believers are called to humble themselves before God.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I have experienced distress in my life, and how have I responded to it?
- How do I typically react when God disciplines me, and what can I learn from the example in Isaiah 26:16?
- What does it mean for me to 'pour out a quiet prayer' to God, and how can I cultivate this kind of humble and sincere prayer life?
- In what ways can I seek God in the midst of my current challenges and difficulties, and what might be the outcome of doing so?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 26:16
Lord, in trouble have they visited thee,.... This, and the two following verses Isaiah 26:17, represent the troubles and disappointments of the church and people of God, before the destruction of
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 26:16
LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 26:16
They, to wit, thy people, as appears both from the matter of this verse, and from the following verses. Visited thee; come into thy presence, with their prayers and supplications, as the next clause explains it. They poured out; which notes the plenty or rather the earnestness of their prayers, as 142:2. A prayer, Heb. a muttering or lowly speech, such as charmers use, and such as Hezekiah used when he was in great distress, , Like a crane or swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove; and such as is usual in case of great humiliation and dejection of mind. When thy chastening was upon them; when thou wast punishing them for their sins.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 26:16
Isaiah 26:16 LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer [when] thy chastening [was] upon them.Ver. 16. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee.] Pulcherrimus afflictationum fructus, precandi ardor et assiduitas. Affliction exciteth devotion, as blowing doth the fire. Christ in his agony prayed most earnestly. Martha and Mary, when their brother Lazarus was sick, sent messengers to Jesus; Quos putas nisi suspiria continuata, nisi preces irremissas, saith Scultetus - i.e., what were those messengers but their continued groans and earnest prayers? See Hosea 5:15. Prayer is the daughter of affliction, and the mother of comfort. They poured out.] Freely and largely, and well watered. Not dropped, but poured; not prayers, but a prayer; one continual act: and as in the speaking of three or four words there is much efficacy in a charm, so their prayers were very prevalent. A prayer.] Heb., A charm, a mussitation, a submiss and lowly speech.
Spells and enchantments were conceived to be full of efficacy, containing much in few: think the same of prayer. But how much was he mistaken in this kind of charm or spell who would haunt the taverns, play houses, and whore houses at London all day: but he dared not go forth without private prayer in the morning, and then would say at his departure, Now, devil, do thy worst.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 26:16
(16) Lord, in trouble have they visited thee.—Better, have they missed Thee (as in 1 Samuel 20:6; 1 Samuel 25:15), or sought after Thee, or, remembered Thee.They poured out a prayer . . .—The word for “prayer” is a peculiar one, commonly used, as in Isaiah 3:3; Isaiah 8:19, for the whispered incantations of the heathen. Here it appears to mean the low-toned prayers, pitched as in a minor key, of the afflicted. In Isaiah 29:4 we have the same thought more fully developed.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 26:16
Verse 16. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee - "O JEHOVAH, in affliction we have sought thee"] So the Septuagint and two MSS. have פקדנוך pekadnucha, in the first person plural. And so perhaps it should be צקנו tsaknu, in the first person; but how the Septuagint read this word is not clear; and this last member of the verse is extremely obscure. For למו lamo, "on them," the Septuagint read לנו lanu, "on us," in the first person likewise; a frequent mistake; See Clarke on Isaiah 10:29.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 26:16
16–18. The poet plunges abruptly into a train of reflection on the depressing side of the nation’s experience.
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 26:16
Poured out a prayer - Margin, ‘Secret speech.’ The Hebrew word לחשׁ lachash means properly a whispering, muttering; and thru a sighing, a calling for help. This is the sense here.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 26:16
16-18. Back to Israel’s night of affliction — perhaps before, and certainly during, the captivity — is the glance again taken. See Isaiah 26:8-9.
Sermons on Isaiah 26:16
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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They Poured Out a Prayer by Thomas Brooks | Thomas Brooks emphasizes that fervent prayer is the greatest remedy for life's troubles, particularly when faced with God's chastening. He illustrates that true prayer emerges from |
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Letter 118 by James Bourne | James Bourne addresses the spiritual struggles and pains that believers face, comparing them to the intense labor pains of a woman about to give birth. He emphasizes the importance |
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Hosea #3 Ch. 4-5 Israel's Willful Ignorance by Chuck Missler | In this sermon on the book of Hosea, the speaker begins by highlighting the broken home of Israel as a result of their adulterous relationship with God. The focus then shifts to ch |
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Dvd 16 the Time of Jacobs Trouble by Art Katz | This sermon delves into the prophetic insights regarding God's dealings with the Jewish people in the last days, focusing on the time of Jacob's trouble as foretold in Jeremiah 30. |
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Our Need of Personal Revival by Denny Kenaston | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of pacing oneself in the Christian journey, comparing it to running a marathon rather than a short sprint. He highlights the n |
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Busyness Leads to God Hiding Himself? Ask Pastor Tim by Tim Conway | This sermon addresses the struggle of feeling distant from God, especially in the busyness of life, where priorities like school, work, and personal goals can overshadow seeking Go |
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The Lord Is Holy by Mary Peckham | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need for the presence of God in our lives. He describes how we often become accustomed to the ordinary and miss out on the supernatural |