Isaiah 50:1

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Isaiah 50:1 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.

King James Version KJV

Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

American Standard Version ASV

Thus saith Jehovah, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, wherewith I have put her away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities were ye sold, and for your transgressions was your mother put away.

Bible in Basic English BBE

This is the word of the Lord: Where is the statement which I gave your mother when I put her away? or to which of my creditors have I given you for money? It was for your sins that you were given into the hands of others, and for your evil-doing was your mother put away.

Free Bible Version FBV

This is what the Lord says: Where's your mother's divorce certificate I gave her when I sent her away? Which of my creditors did I sell you to? Now look! You were sold because of your sins, and your mother was sent away because of your wrongdoing.

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

Thus sayeth the Lord, Where is that bill of your mothers diuorcement, whome I haue cast off? or who is the creditour to whome I solde you? Beholde, for your iniquities are yee solde, and because of your transgressions is your mother forsaken.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

Thus said Jehovah: 'Where [is] this — the bill of your mother's divorce, Whom I sent away? Or to which of My creditors have I sold you? Lo, for your iniquities ye have been sold, And for your transgressions Hath your mother been sent away.

World English Bible WEB

The LORD says, “Where is the bill of your mother’s divorce, with which I have put her away? Or to which of my creditors have I sold you? Behold, you were sold for your iniquities, and your mother was put away for your transgressions.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

Thus saith the Lord: What is this bill of the divorce of your mother, with which I have put her away? or who is my creditor, to whom I sold you: behold you are sold for your iniquities, and for your wicked deeds have I put your mother away.

Translation for Translators T4T

This is also what Yahweh says: “You Israeli children, do not think [RHQ] that I forced your parents to be exiled/taken to Babylonia [MET] like some men send away their wives after giving them a paper on which they state that they were divorcing them! I certainly did not [RHQ] get rid of you like a man who sells his children to get money to pay what he owes. No, the reason that I forced you to be exiled was to punish you because of the sins that you have committed [DOU].

Study Highlights

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Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 50:1

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 50:1 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

HEB כֹּ֣ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אֵ֣י זֶ֠ה סֵ֣פֶר כְּרִית֤וּת אִמְּ/כֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שִׁלַּחְתִּ֔י/הָ א֚וֹ מִ֣י מִ/נּוֹשַׁ֔/י אֲשֶׁר מָכַ֥רְתִּי אֶתְ/כֶ֖ם ל֑/וֹ הֵ֤ן בַּ/עֲוֺנֹֽתֵי/כֶם֙ נִמְכַּרְתֶּ֔ם וּ/בְ/פִשְׁעֵי/כֶ֖ם שֻׁלְּחָ֥ה אִמְּ/כֶֽם

כֹּ֣ה kôh H3541 thus Adv

אָמַ֣ר ʼâmar H559 to say V-Qal-Perf-3ms

יְהוָ֗ה Yᵉhôvâh H3068 The Lord N-proper

אֵ֣י ʼay H335 where? Part

זֶ֠ה zeh H2088 this Pron

סֵ֣פֶר çêpher H5612 scroll N-ms

כְּרִית֤וּת kᵉrîythûwth H3748 divorce N-fs

אִמְּ/כֶם֙ ʼêm H517 mother N-fs | Suff

אֲשֶׁ֣ר ʼăsher H834 which Rel

שִׁלַּחְתִּ֔י/הָ shâlach H7971 to send V-Piel-Perf-1cs | Suff

א֚וֹ ʼôw H176 or Conj

מִ֣י mîy H4310 who? Part

מִ/נּוֹשַׁ֔/י nâshâh H5383 to lend Prep | V-Qal | Suff

אֲשֶׁר ʼăsher H834 which Rel

מָכַ֥רְתִּי mâkar H4376 to sell V-Qal-Perf-1cs

אֶתְ/כֶ֖ם ʼêth H853 Obj. DirObjM | Suff

ל֑/וֹ Prep | Suff

הֵ֤ן hên H2005 look! Part

בַּ/עֲוֺנֹֽתֵי/כֶם֙ ʻâvôn H5771 iniquity Prep | N-cp | Suff

נִמְכַּרְתֶּ֔ם mâkar H4376 to sell V-Niphal-Perf-2mp

וּ/בְ/פִשְׁעֵי/כֶ֖ם peshaʻ H6588 transgression Conj | Prep | N-mp | Suff

שֻׁלְּחָ֥ה shâlach H7971 to send V-Pual-Perf-3fs

אִמְּ/כֶֽם ʼêm H517 mother N-fs | Suff

Hebrew Word Study

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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 50:1

כֹּ֣ה kôh H3541 "thus" Adv

This Hebrew word means thus or in this manner. It can also indicate a location or time, such as here or now. The KJV translates it in various ways, including also, here, and so.

Definition: 1) thus, here, in this manner 1a) thus, so 1b) here, here and there 1c) until now, until now...until then, meanwhile Aramaic equivalent: kah (כָּה "thus" H3542)

Usage: Occurs in 541 OT verses. KJV: also, here, + hitherto, like, on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on) this (manner, side, way, way and that way), + mean while, yonder. See also: Genesis 15:5; 1 Kings 22:20; Isaiah 7:7.

אָמַ֣ר ʼâmar H559 "to say" V-Qal-Perf-3ms

This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.

Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.

יְהוָ֗ה 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.

אֵ֣י ʼay H335 "where?" Part

The Hebrew word for where or how, used to ask questions about location or method, as seen in various Bible translations, including how, what, or which way.

Definition: 1) whereto ?, whence? 2) which?, how? (in prefix with other adverb)

Usage: Occurs in 36 OT verses. KJV: how, what, whence, where, whether, which (way). See also: Genesis 3:9; Job 2:2; Proverbs 31:4.

זֶ֠ה zeh H2088 "this" Pron

This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.

Definition: 1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such 1a) (alone) 1a1) this one 1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another 1b) (appos to subst) 1b1) this 1c) (as predicate) 1c1) this, such 1d) (enclitically) 1d1) then 1d2) who, whom 1d3) how now, what now 1d4) what now 1d5) wherefore now 1d6) behold here 1d7) just now 1d8) now, now already 1e) (poetry) 1e1) wherein, which, those who 1f) (with prefixes) 1f1) in this (place) here, then 1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter 1f3) thus and thus 1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus 1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side 1f6) on this account 1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Usage: Occurs in 1061 OT verses. KJV: he, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus, very, which. Compare H2063 (זֹאת), H2090 (זֹה), H2097 (זוֹ), H2098 (זוּ). See also: Genesis 5:1; Exodus 10:17; Numbers 14:16.

סֵ֣פֶר çêpher H5612 "scroll" N-ms

This word means a written document, like a scroll or book, used to record important events or messages. It appears in books like Isaiah and Matthew, referring to written records.

Definition: : document 1) missive, document, writing, book 1a) missive 1a1) letter (of instruction), written order, commission, request, written decree 1b) legal document, certificate of divorce, deed of purchase, indictment, sign 1c) book, scroll 1c1) book of prophecies 1c2) genealogical register 1c3) law-book 1c4) book (of poems) 1c5) book (of kings) 1c6) books of the canon, scripture 1c7) record book (of God) 1d) book-learning, writing 1d1) be able to read (after verb 'to know')

Usage: Occurs in 174 OT verses. KJV: bill, book, evidence, [idiom] learn(-ed) (-ing), letter, register, scroll. See also: Genesis 5:1; 2 Chronicles 17:9; Psalms 40:8.

כְּרִית֤וּת kᵉrîythûwth H3748 "divorce" N-fs

In the Bible, this word means divorce or the end of a marriage. It is used to describe the cutting of the bond between husband and wife.

Definition: divorce, dismissal, divorcement

Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: divorce(-ment). See also: Deuteronomy 24:1; Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:8.

אִמְּ/כֶם֙ ʼêm H517 "mother" N-fs | Suff

The Hebrew word for 'mother' is used in the Bible to describe a female parent or a maternal figure. It can also refer to the source or origin of something, such as a river or a family. In some cases, it is used figuratively to describe a person's relationship to others.

Definition: 1) mother 1a) of humans 1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.) 1c) of animals 2) point of departure or division

Usage: Occurs in 202 OT verses. KJV: dam, mother, [idiom] parting. See also: Genesis 2:24; 2 Kings 4:19; Psalms 22:10.

אֲשֶׁ֣ר ʼăsher H834 "which" Rel

This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.

Definition: A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

Usage: Occurs in 4440 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 20:9; Genesis 31:16.

שִׁלַּחְתִּ֔י/הָ shâlach H7971 "to send" V-Piel-Perf-1cs | Suff

To send or depart is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which has various applications in the Bible. It can describe sending someone or something away, or letting something go.

Definition: : depart/send 1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to send 1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct 1a3) to send away 1a4) to let loose 1b) (Niphal) to be sent 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out 1c2) to let go, set free 1c3) to shoot forth (of branches) 1c4) to let down 1c5) to shoot 1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled 1e) (Hiphil) to send

Usage: Occurs in 790 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out). See also: Genesis 3:22; Exodus 9:27; Joshua 14:11.

א֚וֹ ʼôw H176 "or" Conj

Desire can also mean or, and, or if, showing a choice between options, as seen in Proverbs 31:4. It is used to express alternatives or possibilities.

Definition: 1) or, rather 1a) implying that the latter choice is preferred 1b) or if, introducing an example to be seen under a particular principle 1c) (in series) either...or, whether...or 1d) if perchance 1e) except, or else 2) whether, not the least, if, otherwise, also, and, then

Usage: Occurs in 218 OT verses. KJV: also, and, either, if, at the least, [idiom] nor, or, otherwise, then, whether. See also: Genesis 24:49; Leviticus 25:49; Proverbs 30:31.

מִ֣י mîy H4310 "who?" Part

This word is used to ask questions like who, whose, or whom. It can also be used to express a wish, like would that or whoever. It appears in many forms throughout the Bible, often in phrases like O that or what.

Definition: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

Usage: Occurs in 342 OT verses. KJV: any (man), [idiom] he, [idiom] him, [phrase] O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), [phrase] would to God. See also: Genesis 3:11; 2 Samuel 15:4; Psalms 4:7.

מִ/נּוֹשַׁ֔/י nâshâh H5383 "to lend" Prep | V-Qal | Suff

To lend means to give something to someone with the expectation of getting it back, often with interest. This verb is used in the Bible to describe financial transactions and responsibilities. It can also mean to borrow or be a creditor.

Definition: 1) to lend, be a creditor 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lend 1a2) creditor (participle) (subst) 1b) (Hiphil) to lend

Usage: Occurs in 12 OT verses. KJV: creditor, exact, extortioner, lend, usurer, lend on (taker on) usury. See also: Exodus 22:24; Nehemiah 5:10; Psalms 109:11.

אֲשֶׁר ʼăsher H834 "which" Rel

This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.

מָכַ֥רְתִּי mâkar H4376 "to sell" V-Qal-Perf-1cs

In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to sell something or someone, like a merchant selling goods or a father selling his daughter into marriage. It appears in books like Genesis and Exodus. The word can also mean to surrender or give something up.

Definition: 1) to sell 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sell 1a2) seller (participle) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be sold 1b2) to sell oneself 1b3) to be given over to death 1c) (Hithpael) to sell oneself

Usage: Occurs in 74 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, sell (away, -er, self). See also: Genesis 25:31; Deuteronomy 32:30; Psalms 44:13.

אֶתְ/כֶ֖ם ʼêth H853 "Obj." DirObjM | Suff

In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.

Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.

ל֑/וֹ "" Prep | Suff

הֵ֤ן hên H2005 "look!" Part

An expression meaning look or behold, used to get someone's attention, like in the prophet Isaiah's writings. It can also express surprise or introduce a hypothetical situation.

Definition: interj 1) behold, lo, though hypothetical part 2) if Aramaic equivalent: hen (הֵן "look!" H2006A)

Usage: Occurs in 311 OT verses. KJV: behold, if, lo, though. See also: Genesis 3:22; Job 2:6; Psalms 51:7.

בַּ/עֲוֺנֹֽתֵי/כֶם֙ ʻâvôn H5771 "iniquity" Prep | N-cp | Suff

In the Bible, this Hebrew word means moral evil or sin, like the kind God sees in people's hearts. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Psalms. This concept is key to understanding human nature.

Definition: : crime 1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity 1a) iniquity 1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition) 1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity

Usage: Occurs in 215 OT verses. KJV: fault, iniquity, mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin. See also: Genesis 4:13; Psalms 107:17; Psalms 18:24.

נִמְכַּרְתֶּ֔ם mâkar H4376 "to sell" V-Niphal-Perf-2mp

Definition: 1) to sell 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sell 1a2) seller (participle) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be sold 1b2) to sell oneself 1b3) to be given over to death 1c) (Hithpael) to sell oneself

Usage: Occurs in 74 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, sell (away, -er, self). See also: Genesis 25:31; Deuteronomy 32:30; Psalms 44:13.

וּ/בְ/פִשְׁעֵי/כֶ֖ם peshaʻ H6588 "transgression" Conj | Prep | N-mp | Suff

Transgression refers to a revolt or rebellion against God or others, resulting in guilt and punishment, as in Genesis 3:6-7. It involves intentional disobedience.

Definition: 1) transgression, rebellion 1a1) transgression (against individuals) 1a2) transgression (nation against nation) 1a3) transgression (against God) 1a3a) in general 1a3b) as recognised by sinner 1a3c) as God deals with it 1a3d) as God forgives 1a4) guilt of transgression 1a5) punishment for transgression 1a6) offering for transgression

Usage: Occurs in 90 OT verses. KJV: rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass. See also: Genesis 31:36; Proverbs 29:6; Psalms 5:11.

שֻׁלְּחָ֥ה shâlach H7971 "to send" V-Pual-Perf-3fs

To send or depart is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which has various applications in the Bible. It can describe sending someone or something away, or letting something go.

אִמְּ/כֶֽם ʼêm H517 "mother" N-fs | Suff

Definition: 1) mother 1a) of humans 1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.) 1c) of animals 2) point of departure or division

Usage: Occurs in 202 OT verses. KJV: dam, mother, [idiom] parting. See also: Genesis 2:24; 2 Kings 4:19; Psalms 22:10.

Study Notes — Isaiah 50:1

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Isaiah 50:1 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 50:1
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 50:1
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 50:1
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 50:1
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 50:1
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 50:1
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 50:1
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 50:1
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 50:1
Sermons on Isaiah 50:1

Context — Israel’s Sin

1This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.

2Why was no one there when I arrived? Why did no one answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem you? Or do I lack the strength to deliver you? Behold, My rebuke dries up the sea; I turn the rivers into a desert; the fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst. 3I clothe the heavens in black and make sackcloth their covering.”

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Deuteronomy 32:30	How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
2	Jeremiah 3:8	She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well.
3	Matthew 18:25	Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.
4	2 Kings 4:1	Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”
5	Nehemiah 5:5	We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6	Isaiah 52:3	For this is what the LORD says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.”
7	Deuteronomy 24:1–4	If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds some indecency in her, he may write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house. If, after leaving his house, she goes and becomes another man’s wife, and the second man hates her, writes her a certificate of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house, or if he dies, then the husband who divorced her first may not remarry her after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination to the LORD. You must not bring sin upon the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
8	Hosea 2:2–4	Rebuke your mother, rebuke her, for she is not My wife, and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adultery from her face and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts. Otherwise, I will strip her naked and expose her like the day of her birth. I will make her like a desert and turn her into a parched land, and I will let her die of thirst. I will have no compassion on her children, because they are the children of adultery.
9	Mark 10:4–12	They answered, “Moses permitted a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away.” But Jesus told them, “Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart. However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” When they were back inside the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter. So He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
10	2 Kings 17:17	They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

Isaiah 50:1 Summary

In Isaiah 50:1, God is asking His people to consider why they are separated from Him, and the answer is not because He has abandoned or divorced them, but because of their own sin and disobedience, as also mentioned in Romans 3:23. Just like in a human marriage, God is committed to His people, and there is no 'certificate of divorce' because He did not initiate the separation. This verse helps us understand that our sin has consequences, but God's love and commitment to us remain, as seen in Jeremiah 31:3 and Isaiah 54:10, and He desires for us to return to Him in repentance and faith.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does God mean by asking for a certificate of divorce in Isaiah 50:1?

God is emphasizing that He did not divorce Israel, and there is no record of such an action, just as there would be no certificate of divorce in a human marriage, as seen in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, highlighting His commitment to His people.

Why does God say the people were sold for their iniquities in Isaiah 50:1?

This is a reference to the consequences of sin, where God's people are handed over to their enemies due to their disobedience, as also mentioned in Isaiah 52:3 and Romans 7:14, emphasizing the seriousness of sin and its consequences.

What is the significance of 'your mother was sent away' in Isaiah 50:1?

The 'mother' here refers to the nation of Israel, and being 'sent away' signifies God's judgment on the nation for their transgressions, similar to the concept found in Hosea 1:2, where God instructs Hosea to marry an adulterous wife to illustrate Israel's unfaithfulness to God.

How does this verse relate to God's character?

Isaiah 50:1 showcases God's justice and righteousness, as He holds His people accountable for their actions, while also highlighting His faithfulness and lack of abandonment, as seen in Isaiah 54:10 and Jeremiah 31:3, demonstrating His enduring love for His people.

Reflection Questions

What are the iniquities in my life that may be causing separation from God, and how can I repent and return to Him?
How does the concept of being 'sold' for my transgressions make me reflect on the gravity of sin and the importance of seeking forgiveness?
In what ways can I, like Israel, be restored to a right relationship with God, and what role does humility and repentance play in this process, as seen in 1 John 1:9?
What does this verse teach me about God's heart towards His people, and how can I apply this understanding to my own relationship with Him?

Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 50:1

Thus saith the Lord,.... Here begins a new discourse or prophecy, and therefore thus prefaced, and is continued in the following chapter: where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 50:1

Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you?

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 50:1

ISAIAH CHAPTER 50 The dereliction of the Jews is not of Christ; for he hath power to save, ; and was obedient in that work; and God is present with him, . An exhortation not to trust in ourselves, but in God, ,11. Thus saith the Lord: this is another sermon begun here, and continued in the next chapter. The main scope of it is to vindicate God’ s justice, and to convince the Jews that they were the causes of all their calamities which they imputed to God. Where is the bill of your mother’ s divorcement? God had formerly espoused’ the Israelites to himself in a kind of matrimonial covenant, but seemed to cast them off when he sent them to Babylon, and did wholly reject them afterward from being his people, and took the Gentiles into their stead; which great and wonderful change was foretold in the Old Testament, as hath been already observed, and we shall see again, and accomplished in the New. And because God foresaw that those strange dispensations would provoke the Jews to murmur and quarrel with God for, casting them off without sufficient cause, as indeed they were always prone to accuse God, and to vindicate themselves, he bids them produce their bill of divorce; for those husbands which put away their wives merely out of levity or passion were obliged to give their wives a bill of divorce, which vindicated the wife’ s innocency, and declared that the husband’ s will and pleasure was the cause of the divorce; of which see the notes on . Which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? have I any creditors to whom I was obliged or willing to sell you for the payment of my debt? Produce then the bill of sale to witness against me. Parents might, and in some cases were forced to sell their children to their creditors; of which see on , and . For your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, & c.; you can blame none but yourselves and your own sins for all your captivities and miseries.

Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 50:1

Isaiah 50:1 Thus saith the LORD, Where [is] the bill of your mother’ s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors [is it] to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. Ver. 1. Where is the bill of your mother’ s divorcement.] Heb., Abscission. This bill was called by the Greeks ‘Aποστασιον: but none such could here be produced or proven as given by God to the Jewish state; but that the disloyalty was theirs, and their dereliction on their part. God had neither rejected them though innocent, (as some husbands did their wives out of a peevish and selfish humour), nor sold them though obedient, as some fathers did their children, for payment of their debts; for he is neither debtor to any nor non-solvent. Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves.] O duram servitutem! O miseram necessitatem! "You have sold yourselves," as Ahab did, to work wickedness, and therefore I have justly sold and abandoned you into the hands of your enemies. Is your mother,] i.e., The synagogue, whereunto the Jews do yet still adhere as to their mother; and the Lord did then acknowledge himself to be her husband, but now he hath worthily cast her off.

Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 50:1

L. (1) Where is the bill . . .?—The thought seems suggested by Isaiah 49:14, but expands in a different direction. Both questions imply a negative answer. Jehovah had not formally repudiated the wife (Judah) whom he had chosen (Deuteronomy 24:1) as he had done her sister Israel (Jeremiah 3:8;·Hosea 2:2). He had no creditors among the nations who could claim her children. On the law of debt which supplies the image, comp. Exodus 21:7; 2 Kings 4:1; Nehemiah 5:5. The divorce, the sale, were her acts and not His.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 50:1

CHAPTER L In this chapter God vindicates his dealings with his people, whose alienation is owing to themselves, 1. And, by allusion to the temporal deliverances connected with the drying up of the Red Sea and the Euphrates, asserts his power to save, 2, 3; namely, by the obedience and sufferings of the Messiah, 4-6; who was at length to prove victorious over all his enemies, 7-9. The two last verses exhort to faith and trust in God in the most disconsolate circumstances; with a denunciation of vengeance on those who should trust to their own devices, 10, 11. NOTES ON CHAP. L Verse 1. Thus saith the Lord] This chapter has been understood of the prophet himself; but it certainly speaks more clearly about Jesus of Nazareth than of Isaiah, the son of Amos. Where is the bill - "Where is this bill"] Husbands, through moroseness or levity of temper, often sent bills of divorcement to their wives on slight occasions, as they were permitted to do by the law of Moses, Deuteronomy 24:1. And fathers, being oppressed with debt, often sold their children, which they might do for a time, till the year of release, Exodus 21:7. That this was frequently practised, appears from many passages of Scripture, and that the persons and the liberty of the children were answerable for the debts of the father. The widow, 2Kg 4:1, complains "that the creditor is come to take unto him her two sons to be bondmen." And in the parable, Matthew 18:25: "The lord, forasmuch as his servant had not to pay, commands him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made." Sir John Chardin's MS. note on this place of Isaiah is as follows: En Orient on paye ses dettes avec ses esclaves, car ils sont des principaux meubles; et en plusieurs lieux on les paye aussi de ses enfans. "In the east they pay their debts by giving up their slaves, for these are their chief property of a disposable kind; and in many places they give their children to their creditors." But this, saith God, cannot be my case, I am not governed by any such motives, neither am I urged by any such necessity. Your captivity therefore and your afflictions are to be imputed to yourselves, and to your own folly and wickedness.

Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 50:1

Isaiah 50:1-3. The third oracle meets another doubt which must have occurred to the exiles, viz., that the covenant relation between Jehovah and Israel has been broken beyond possibility of renewal. In Isaiah 50:1 this fear is dispelled by the help of two analogies from common life. Where is the bill … whom I have put away?] (better, as R.V., wherewith I have put her away). No such document exists. Although Jehovah has had good reason to adopt this extreme measure (Jeremiah 3:8), He has not done it, but has left the way open for a reconciliation. The effect of the “bill of divorcement” was to make the separation absolute and final; the woman was free to marry another, but could not after that be received back by her former husband (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). (A specimen of the form of words used by later Jews is given in Dalman’s Aramäische Dialektproben, p. 5.) In Mohammedan law a man may divorce his wife twice and take her back without any ceremony, but a third divorce (or a triple divorce conveyed in one sentence) is final, unless the woman have contracted a fresh marriage in the interval and been released from it either by divorce or the death of the husband (Koran, Sura 2:229 f.; see Lane, Modern Egyptians, chap. 3). Both the Mosaic and the Mohammedan laws accord to a husband the unrestricted right of divorce, and for this reason the Jewish custom was pronounced by our Lord to be inconsistent with the true idea of marriage and a concession to the weakness of human nature (Matthew 19:3 ff.; Mark 10:2 ff.). which of my creditors is it &c.] i.e. “what creditor of mine is there to whom” &c.? The selling of children into slavery in payment of a debt is another practice tolerated, though hardly approved, by the Law (Exodus 21:7; cf. 2 Kings 4:1; Nehemiah 5:5). Since it is inconceivable that Jehovah should have a creditor, so it is impossible that He should have surrendered His rights over His own children. Behold, for your iniquities &c.] This is the true explanation of the slavery of the children and the divorce of the mother, and this cause is removed by the offer of forgiveness (Isaiah 40:2). It is remarkable that the prophet does not, like Hosea and Ezekiel, directly attribute sin to the ideal mother of the nation, but only to the individual Israelites, to whom this whole expostulation is addressed (cf. Hosea 2:2). For have you sold yourselves render with R.V. were ye sold (so again ch. Isaiah 52:3). The phrase is frequently used in the Book of Judges of the delivering of Israel into the power of its enemies (Judges 2:14 &c.).

Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 50:1

Thus saith the Lord - To the Jews in Babylon, who were suffering under his hand, and who might be disposed to complain that God had dealt with them with as much caprice and cruelty as a man did with

Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 50:1

1. Thus saith the Lord — As in reply to Zion’s complaint, and in justification of himself. Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement?

Sermons on Isaiah 50:1

	Sermon	Description
	The Cross in God's Heart by Alan Redpath	In this sermon, the speaker addresses the weariness and heartache that is prevalent in the world today. He emphasizes that God sent His Son to speak a word of comfort and encourage
	Studies in Isaiah - Part 4 by Harry Ironside	In this sermon, Dr. McCabe talks about the importance of awakening and rising up in the Lord. He refers to three calls to awake: one to the arm of the Lord, one to Jerusalem in its
	(Through the Bible) Isaiah 48-50 by Chuck Smith	In this sermon, the preacher discusses the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah and the purposes of God in his being smitten. The preacher mentions how Jesus was smitten and buffeted, wit
	Studies in Isaiah - Part 10 by Harry Ironside	In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the last three verses of Isaiah chapter 52. He begins by discussing the image of beautiful feet upon a mountain, representing the remnant co
	As Christ Love His Church by Carter Conlon	In this sermon, the preacher discusses the importance of following God's blueprint for marriage. He emphasizes that when a society turns away from God, the breakdown of the marriag
	Sin's Wages Is Always Death by Erlo Stegen	Erlo Stegen emphasizes the grave consequences of sin, illustrating that while the wages of sin is death, God's gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ. He recounts the story of A
	Hearing the Word by Richard E. Bieber	Richard E. Bieber preaches on the powerful story of Jesus raising a dead man to life, emphasizing the importance of truly hearing the words of Jesus to receive life. He highlights