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Isaiah 58:3

Fasting

1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

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.

4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

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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

    And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

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  • Malachi 3:14

    Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

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  • Proverbs 28:9

    He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

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  • Matthew 20:11–12

    And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

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  • Leviticus 16:29

    And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

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  • Jonah 3:6–8

    For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

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  • Nehemiah 5:7

    Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.

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  • Exodus 2:23–24

    And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

    Read in context