Isaiah 58:4

Fasting Conflict and reconciliation Integrity

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.

³ 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.

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?

⁶ Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You don’t fast today so as to make your voice to be heard on high.
ASV: Behold, ye fast for strife and contention, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye fast not this day so as to make your voice to be heard on high.
DARBY: Behold, ye have fasted for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness; ye do not at present fast, to cause your voice to be heard on high.
BLB: Behold, for quarreling and strife you⁺ fast, and for striking with the fist of wickedness. You⁺ shall not fast like this day to make heard your⁺ voice on high.

ÅB: Se, for å kives og strides faster dere, og for å slå med ugudelighets neve; dere faster ikke nå slik at deres røst kan høres i det høye.
OTB: Deres faste fører til strid og krangel, og til å slå hverandre med ugudelige knyttnever. Dere kan ikke faste som dere gjør i dag og forvente at deres røst skal bli hørt i det høye.
B1930: Se, for å kives og strides faster I, og for å slå med ugudelighets neve; I faster ikke nu således at eders røst kan høres i det høie.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Kings 21:9–13
And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
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Matthew 6:16–18
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
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Proverbs 21:27
The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
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Isaiah 59:2
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
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Luke 20:47
Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
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Jonah 3:7
And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
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Matthew 23:13
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
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Joel 2:13–14
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
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