Isaiah 43:27 — Word Study
WLCאָבִ֥יךָ הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן חָטָ֑א וּמְלִיצֶ֖יךָ פָּ֥שְׁעוּ בִֽי׃
BSAYour firstriʼshôwn [very first, primary] fatherʼâb [first ancestor, paternal figure] sinnedchâṭâʼ■ [missed the mark, went wrong] and your spokesmenlûwts [teachers, leaders, interpreters] rebelledpâshaʻ■ [transgressed, broke away]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אָבִ֥יךָ | ancestor your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן | first | Particle |
| חָטָ֑א | he sinned | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| וּמְלִיצֶ֖יךָ | and spokesmen your | Conjunction, verb hiphil participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| פָּ֥שְׁעוּ | they transgressed | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| בִֽי׃ | against me | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Your first father sinned, and your spokesmen rebelled against Me. |
| KJV | Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me. |
| ASV | Thy first father sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me. |
| YLT | Thy first father sinned, And thine interpreters transgressed against me, |
| WEB | Your first father sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against me. |
| BBE | Your first father was a sinner, and your guides have gone against my word. |
The translations consistently render the key terms without significant variation.
The sentence is structured around two main clauses connected by a conjunction, clearly laying out the actions of both the father and the spokesmen.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָטָא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Isaiah 43:27
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Charge Against Israelgenerated
Isaiah 43:27 is part of a larger passage where God addresses Israel, reminding them of their failures. He points out that their first father sinned and their spokesmen rebelled against Him. This serves as a reminder of the consequences of their actions and the need for repentance, as seen in the surrounding verses, particularly Isaiah 43:25 and Isaiah 43:28.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 32:14 | Now behold, you, a brood of sinners, have risen up in place of your fathers to further stoke the burning anger of the LORD against Israel. |
| 2 | Psalm 78:8 | Then they will not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not loyal, whose spirit was not faithful to God. |
| 3 | Psalm 106:6–7 | We have sinned like our fathers; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 3:25 | Let us lie down in our shame; let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our fathers; from our youth even to this day we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.” |
| 5 | Ezekiel 16:3 | and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 23 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אָבִ֥יךָ, 'a.Vi.khagenerated
The word אָב (av) means 'father' and can refer to a literal father, a paternal figure, or an ancestor. It emphasizes a relationship of authority and care, and in this context, it refers to the first ancestor of Israel who set a precedent for sin.
This word is in the construct state, indicating a possessive relationship with the suffix meaning 'your'. The parsing as a noun common masculine singular construct shows it is a foundational term in understanding familial and spiritual relationships.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the rendering of אָבִ֥יךָ as 'your first father' and maintain the meaning of sin and rebellion throughout the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs חָטָא (he sinned) and פָּשְׁעוּ (they transgressed) govern the sentence, indicating the actions taken by both the father and the spokesmen. The structure highlights the relationship between the subjects and their actions.
The sentence is built around the subjects 'your first father' and 'your spokesmen,' with their respective actions clearly laid out, emphasizing the failure of both parties.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אָבִ֥יךָ as ὑμῶν (humōn), meaning 'your.' This choice reflects a direct address to the people, maintaining the possessive aspect of the Hebrew.
The Greek translation uses ἠνόμησαν for פָּשְׁעוּ, which indicates a strong sense of rebellion, aligning with the Hebrew meaning but potentially expanding on the implications of the actions described.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 43:27 tells us that both the first father of Israel and their spokesmen have sinned and rebelled against God. This verse highlights the historical failures of leadership and the consequences of turning away from God's commands.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This refers to the ancestral figure who represents the beginning of Israel's sinful history, setting a precedent for future generations.
The spokesmen refer to the leaders and teachers of the people who were responsible for guiding them but instead led them into rebellion.
Rebellion signifies a conscious choice to turn away from God's laws, leading to consequences for the people and their relationship with Him.
It serves as a reminder of Israel's historical failures and God's ongoing call for repentance and restoration.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I reflect on the failures of my own ancestors and leaders in my life?
- How can I ensure that I do not repeat the mistakes of those who have gone before me?
- What steps can I take to be a faithful spokesman for truth in my community?
- How does understanding the history of rebellion against God shape my relationship with Him today?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Theodoret of Cyrus comments on this verse, arguing that the misfortunes faced by the people are due to the actions of their ancestors and priests.
[The Lord] has proclaimed these words in addressing those who were in Babylon. It is not I, he says, who am the cause of these misfortunes, but your ancestors, and your priests, who have transgressed my laws.Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 43 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 43:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThy first father hath sinned,.... Either Adam, as Kimchi, in whom all have sinned, and from whom all derive a sinful and corrupt nature; or Abraham, as Jarchi, the father of the Jewish nation, of
Read John Gill on Isaiah 43 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me. Thy first father - collectively for 'thy most ancient ancestors' as the parallelism ("teachers") proves (Maurer).
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 43 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThy first father; either, 1. Adam, from whom the guilt and filth of sin is propagated to thee; or rather, 2. Abraham, who might well be called the first father of the Israelites, because they all descended from him, had all their right and title to God’ s ordinances and promises, and other special privileges, from God’ s covenant made with Abraham and with his seed, and who is oft emphatically called their father, as , &c; and the Jews gloried in and trusted to that relation which they had to Abraham, as we read, , and elsewhere. And this agrees well with the foregoing context. For having sufficiently intimated that they had no merits of their own, he now addeth, that even their father…
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 43 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 43:27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.Ver. 27. Thy first father.] Adam, or Abraham, say some. And thy teachers.] Heb., Thine interpreters, orators, ambassadors - that is, thy priests and prophets.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 43 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(27) Thy first father hath sinned . . .—The words have been interpreted: (1) of Adam; (2) of Abraham; (3) of Jacob; (4) of the ancestors of Israel collectively; (5) of this or that high priest individually. (3) fits in best. (See Isaiah 43:28.) Thy teachers.—Literally, thy interpreters (Job 33:23), or thy mediators. The term is used in 2 Chronicles 32:31 of the “ambassadors “of the king of Babylon, and stands here for the priests and the prophets, who ought officially to have been the expounders of the Divine will.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 43 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 27. Thy first father hath sinned] On this Kimchi speaks well: "How can ye say that ye have not sinned, seeing your first father, Adam, sinned; and man hath sin impressed on him through natural generation?"
Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 43 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges27. Thy first father] Undoubtedly Jacob, the eponymous hero of the nation, is meant (cf. Hosea 12:3 f.), not Abraham (who is never spoken of in the later literature as sinful), nor the earliest ancestors collectively; still less Adam. thy teachers] Lit. as R.V. thine interpreters (Genesis 42:23), and hence “mediators” (as Job 33:23; 2 Chronicles 32:31); used of the prophets only here. On the idea, see Jeremiah 23:11 ff. If the representative ancestor and the spiritual leaders of Israel were such, what must the mass of the nation have been!
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 43 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThy first father hath sinned - This is the argument on the side of God, to show that they were neither unjustly punished, nor punished with undue severity.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 43 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Your first father sinned, and your spokesmen rebelled against Me.
Your first father sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against me.
Your first father sinned, and your spokesmen rebelled against Me.
The father of your nation sinned; your spokesmen rebelled against me.
Tyndale line
Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.
Thy first father sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.
Thy first father sinned, and thine interpreters have transgressed against me.
Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.
Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers haue transgressed against me.
Strictly literal
Thy first father hath sinned, and thy mediators have rebelled against me.
Thy first father sinned, And thine interpreters transgressed against me,
Your first father sinned, || And your interpreters transgressed against Me,
Thy first father did sin, and they that plead for thee transgressed against me.
Your first father sinned, and your leaders have transgressed against me.
From the Latin
Thy brat father sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.
Simplified
Your very first father sinned, and your leaders rebelled against me.
Your first father was a sinner, and your guides have gone against my word.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text states: אָבִ֥יךָ הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן חָטָ֑א וּמְלִיצֶ֖יךָ פָּ֥שְׁעוּ בִֽי׃. The Septuagint matches five of the six words closely, maintaining the core message of the original text.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, specifically 1Qisaa, also align closely with the Masoretic Text, showing consistency in the wording and meaning, while 1Q8 has some restored words, indicating minor textual variations.
אָבִ֥יךָ הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן חָטָ֑א וּמְלִיצֶ֖יךָ פָּ֥שְׁעוּ בִֽי׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
אבי׳כה הרישון חטא ומליצי׳כה פשעו ב׳יא
6 words on the leather.
[אבי׳ך] [הראשון] חטא ומליצי׳ך פשעו ב׳י
3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 43:27
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.
אָב 1101 n.m. father
father of individual
of God as father of his people
head of household, family or clan
ancestor
originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
fig. of producer, generator
fig. of benevolence & protection
term of respect & honor
specif., ruler, chief (late)
base
H1 אָב father . father of individual
. of God as father of his people
. head of household, family or clan
. ancestor
. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
. fig. of producer, generator
. fig. of benevolence & protection
. term of respect & honor
. specif., ruler, chief (late)
1 'ab awb
a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or
figurative and remote application):--chief,
(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names
in "Abi-".
אָב (av) — father.
1) father of an individual
2) of God as father of his people
3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan
4) ancestor
4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person
4b) of people
5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
6) of producer, generator (fig.)
7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)
8) term of respect and honour
9) ruler or chief (spec.)
Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;
Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)
אָב (av) — father of.
The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;
son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word רִאשׁוֹן (*ri'shown*) means 'first' and can refer to something that is primary, former, or chief. It encompasses meanings related to time, rank, and location, indicating ancestors or previous things. The entries consistently emphasize its use as an adjective and adverb, with no significant disagreement noted among the lexicons.
רִאשׁוֹן 182 adj. former, first, chief
base
H7223 רִאשׁוֹן former, first, chief
7223 ri'shown ree-shone'
or riishon {ree-shone'}; from 7221; first, in place, time or
rank (as adjective or noun):--ancestor, (that were)
before(-time), beginning, eldest, first, fore(-father)
(-most), former (thing), of old time, past.
see HEBREW for 07221
רִאשׁוֹן (ri.shon) — first.
: first
adj
1) first, primary, former
1a) former (of time)
1a1) ancestors
1a2) former things
1b) foremost (of location)
1c) first (in time)
1d) first, chief (in degree)
adv
2) first, before, formerly, at first
רִאשׁוֹן (ri.shon) — first: previous.
: previous
adj
1) first, primary, former
1a) former (of time)
1a1) ancestors
1a2) former things
1b) foremost (of location)
1c) first (in time)
1d) first, chief (in degree)
adv
2) first, before, formerly, at first
רִאשׁוֹן (ri.shon) — first: chief.
: chief
adj
1) first, primary, former
1a) former (of time)
1a1) ancestors
1a2) former things
1b) foremost (of location)
1c) first (in time)
1d) first, chief (in degree)
adv
2) first, before, formerly, at first
Art | Adj — ParticleHTd/Aomsa
furst ('echadh, ri'shon; proton, to proton, protos):
Of these words, which are those most frequently used for "first," ri'shon is from rosh, "the head, and is used for the highest, chief, etc.; also of time, the beginning, e.g. Ge 8:13, in the first month"; in Isa 44:6; 48:12, it is used of Yahweh as Eternal and solely Supreme--the First and the Last (compare Isa 41:4). Special usages are in connection with "firstborn," "first- fruit," etc.; proton is used of that which is first in order; but also of that which is first or chief in importance, etc. (Mt 6:33; Jas 3:17). In
חָטָא (chata') means to miss a goal or way, and is commonly translated as 'to sin.' It encompasses a range of meanings including incurring guilt, making a sin offering, and purifying from uncleanness. The word can also imply leading others to sin or causing oneself to lose one's way. It appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances of the concept of sin.
חָטָא 238 vb. miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin
Qal
miss
sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit
Pi.
bear loss
make a sin offering
purify from sin
purify from uncleanness
Hiph.
miss the mark
induce or cause to sin
bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment
Hithp.
miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself
purify oneself from uncleanness
base
H2398 חָטָא miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin .. miss
. sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
. incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit
. . bear loss
. make a sin offering
. purify from sin
. purify from uncleanness
. . miss the mark
. induce or cause to sin
. bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment
. . miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself
. purify oneself from uncleanness
2398 chata' khaw-taw'
a primitive root; properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and
generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate,
repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn:--bear the blame,
cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss,
miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self),
make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.
חָטָא (cha.ta) — to sin.
1) to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to miss
1a2) to sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
1a3) to incur guilt, incur penalty by sin, forfeit
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to bear loss
1b2) to make a sin-offering
1b3) to purify from sin
1b4) to purify from uncleanness
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to miss the mark
1c2) to induce to sin, cause to sin
1c3) to bring into guilt or condemnation or punishment
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to miss oneself, lose oneself, wander from the way
1d2) to purify oneself from uncleanness
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
לִיץ (luwts) means to scorn or mock, with various forms indicating actions like deriding or acting as a scorner. It can also refer to interpreting language or serving as an ambassador. The entries highlight its use in different contexts, including boasting and showing arrogance.
[לִיץ] vb. scorn
Qal scorn
Hiph.
deride
Pt. interpreter
Po‛lel scorners
Hithp. act as a scorner, shew oneself a mocker
base
H3887 [לִיץ] scorn .scorn
. . deride
. Pt. interpreter
.scorners
. act as a scorner, shew oneself a mocker
3887 luwts loots
a primitive root; properly, to make mouths at, i.e. to scoff;
hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign language) to
interpret, or (generally) intercede:--ambassador, have in
derision, interpreter, make a mock, mocker, scorn(-er, -ful),
teacher.
לִיץ (luts) — to mock.
1) to scorn, make mouths at, talk arrogantly
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to boast
1a2) to scorn
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to mock, deride
1b2) to interpret (language)
1b2a) interpreter (participle)
1b2b) ambassador (fig.)
1c) (Hithpalpel) to be inflated, scoff, act as a scorner, show oneself a mocker
Also means: la.tsats (לָצַץ "to scorn" H3945)
Conj | V-Hiphil | Suff — Conjunction · verb hiphil participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHC/Vhrmpc/Sp2ms
פָּשַׁע (pasha`) means to rebel or transgress, indicating a break from authority. It encompasses actions like revolt and apostasy, and can also refer to being offended in a relational context. The term appears in various forms, including Qal and Niphal, suggesting both active rebellion and passive offense.
פָּשַׁע vb. rebel, transgress
Qal
rebel, revolt, of nations
transgress against
Niph. a brother (who has been) offended
base
H6586 פָּשַׁע rebel, transgress
6586 pasha` paw-shah'
a primitive root (identical with 6585 through the idea of
expansion); to break away (from just authority), i.e.
trespass, apostatize, quarrel:--offend, rebel, revolt,
transgress(-ion, -or).
see HEBREW for 06585
פָּשַׁע (pa.sah) — to transgress.
1) to rebel, transgress, revolt
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to rebel, revolt
1a2) to transgress
1b) (Niphal) to be rebelled against
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
נִי (ni) — me.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs
