Isaiah 58:3

Fasting

¹ “Cry aloud, do not hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins.

² For day after day they seek Me and delight to know My ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not forsake the justice of their God. They ask Me for righteous judgments; they delight in the nearness of God.”

“Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers.

⁴ You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot fast as you do today and have your voice be heard on high.

⁵ Is this the fast I have chosen: a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD?

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers.
KJV: Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
WEB: ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers.
ASV: Wherefore have we fasted, [say they], and thou seest not? [wherefore] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find [your own] pleasure, and exact all your labors.
DARBY: Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not; have afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find what pleaseth [you], and exact all your labours.
BLB: “Why have we fasted and You have not seen—we have afflicted our soul, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your⁺ fast you⁺ find pleasure, and you⁺ oppress all your⁺ laborers!

ÅB: Hvorfor[^1] faster vi, og du ser det ikke? Hvorfor plager vi vår sjel, og du akter ikke på det? - Se, på den dag dere faster, gjør dere deres gjerning, og alle deres arbeidere plager dere.
OTB: ‘Hvorfor har vi fastet,’ sier de, ‘og du har ikke sett? Hvorfor har vi ydmyket oss, og du har ikke lagt merke til det?’ Se, på dagen for deres faste, følger dere deres egne ønsker og undertrykker alle deres arbeidere.
B1930: Hvorfor faster vi, og du ser det ikke? Hvorfor plager vi vår sjel, og du akter ikke på det? - Se, på den dag I faster, gjør I eders gjerning, og alle eders arbeidere plager I. / < så sier de. JER 14, 12.>

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Luke 18:9–12
To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:
Read in context
Malachi 3:14
You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements and walking mournfully before the LORD of Hosts?
Read in context
Proverbs 28:9
Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.
Read in context
Matthew 20:11–12
On receiving their pay, they began to grumble against the landowner.
Read in context
Leviticus 16:29
This is to be a permanent statute for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month, you shall humble yourselves and not do any work—whether the native or the foreigner who resides among you—
Read in context
Jonah 3:6–8
When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
Read in context
Nehemiah 5:7
and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them
Read in context
Exodus 2:23–24
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.
Read in context