Isaiah 1:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.

NIV: From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness-- only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil.

NASB: From the sole of the foot even to the head There is nothing healthy in it, Only bruises, slashes, and raw wounds; Not pressed out nor bandaged, Nor softened with oil.

CSB: From the sole of the foot even to the head, no spot is uninjured -- wounds, welts, and festering sores not cleansed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.

NLT: You are battered from head to foot — covered with bruises, welts, and infected wounds — without any soothing ointments or bandages.

KJV: From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

NKJV: From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment.

In this and the previous verse (Isaiah 1:5), the Lord seems to be describing the spiritual condition of Judah, Israel's southern kingdom. Failure to treat spiritual wounds will lead to physical destruction as described in the following verses (Isaiah 1:7–8).

God has said Israel's head is sick and her heart is weak. The people do not understand: all the good they have and need comes from the Lord. So, they continue to rebel. They fight against the one who provides for them. They do not trust Yahweh, and so they grow weaker and weaker.

Now the Lord describes their growing weakness as systemic throughout the "body" of Israel, from the sole of the foot to the head. Nothing about them is spiritually healthy. Israel is covered in spiritual bruises, sores, and open wounds because of her rejection of God. Still, she refuses to treat her wounds (Jeremiah 8:22). That would mean draining boils, bandaging wounds, and applying medicine. Spiritually, it would mean rebuking sin and leading others to properly honor God. The picture is of a limping, bleeding, fainting patient that expects to go about her day as if nothing is wrong. She denies her need for healing and continues to do what causes her harm.

The result of that spiritual weakness will be physical destruction (Isaiah 1:7–8).

Isaiah 1:2–20 begins a presentation somewhat like a lawsuit against the people of Judah in Israel. The Lord will show many of the ways they have broken their covenant with Him. The people are saturated with sin. They have forsaken Him. Isaiah describes a spiritual sickness Israel refuses to treat. It will lead to their physical destruction by enemy invaders. Their offerings are meaningless because of their sinful rebellion. God calls them to stop sinning and to do good. He offers to make their sins white as snow if they repent and to consume them if they rebel.

After identifying himself as the son of Amoz, Isaiah begins his vision from the Lord with the introduction of God's lawsuit against the people of Israel. His children are living in rebellion against Him. They are saturated in sin and have forsaken the Lord. Their spiritual sickness will lead to their destruction, though a few will be saved. Their offerings are meaningless because of their sinful lifestyles. If they repent now, they will be redeemed. If not, they will be destroyed. The Lord will restore justice to once righteous Jerusalem. All who do not repent will be consumed.

Isaiah 1 begins Isaiah's massive book of prophecy with the Lord presenting a lawsuit against His people Israel in Judah for breach of covenant. They live in rebellion against Him and are saturated in sin. They refuse to treat their spiritual illness and will be decimated by their enemies. Their offerings are meaningless. They must stop doing evil and start doing what is good. The Lord will burn off the corrupt from Jerusalem and return it to a place of justice and righteousness. Those who refuse to repent will be broken and destroyed.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).