God’s anger still rests on a society that collectively persists in evil, affecting every segment of the population, and remains unrelenting until they repent and return to Him.
Therefore the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men, Nor does He have pity on their orphans or their widows; For every one of them is godless and an evildoer, And every mouth is speaking foolishness. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out. (Isaiah 9:17)
Isaiah ministered in the southern kingdom of Judah during the 8th century BC, around 740-700 BC, a pivotal time in Israel’s history when the Assyrian Empire threatened the land. The prophet’s warning in Isaiah 9:17 highlights the seriousness of Israel’s depravity. The verse begins by stating that the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men and shows how the guilt of the people extends even to the most vulnerable—orphans and widows—because, as the verse explains, every one of them is godless and an evildoer. It indicates that the entire society, from leaders to common people, had turned to wickedness and openly defied God’s ways. Even their speech, every mouth is speaking foolishness, reflects a deeper moral and spiritual decay.
This verse also emphasizes that His anger does not turn away and His hand is still stretched out, reinforcing a central theme in Isaiah 9. Earlier and subsequent verses echo this refrain, describing God’s righteous judgment upon a nation that refuses to repent. The imagery of God’s hand still stretched out suggests that His judgment persists, but it also implies His sovereignty and involvement in these events. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, similar concepts show that when people persist in hardening their hearts against the Lord, they place themselves under divine discipline until repentance occurs Deuteronomy 30:1-3). In the New Testament, John 3:36 likewise points out that those who refuse to believe remain under God’s wrath. Throughout Scripture, however, the overarching message is one of God’s desire for His people’s salvation and a return to covenant faithfulness.
Isaiah’s words were targeted at his own generation’s blatant disregard for God’s commands. They had the chance to follow Him in awe and obedience, but they did not—even those who were supposed to be innocent or needy had followed the shared culture of rebellion. This corporate rebellion explains why the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men and shows that the entire nation is held responsible for its antagonism toward God’s covenant. Although devastating, such warnings were offered by the prophet in hopes that a faithful remnant would heed them and turn back to the ways of the Lord (Isaiah 10:20-21).
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Isaiah 9:17 meaning
Therefore the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men, Nor does He have pity on their orphans or their widows; For every one of them is godless and an evildoer, And every mouth is speaking foolishness. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out. (Isaiah 9:17)
Isaiah ministered in the southern kingdom of Judah during the 8th century BC, around 740-700 BC, a pivotal time in Israel’s history when the Assyrian Empire threatened the land. The prophet’s warning in Isaiah 9:17 highlights the seriousness of Israel’s depravity. The verse begins by stating that the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men and shows how the guilt of the people extends even to the most vulnerable—orphans and widows—because, as the verse explains, every one of them is godless and an evildoer. It indicates that the entire society, from leaders to common people, had turned to wickedness and openly defied God’s ways. Even their speech, every mouth is speaking foolishness, reflects a deeper moral and spiritual decay.
This verse also emphasizes that His anger does not turn away and His hand is still stretched out, reinforcing a central theme in Isaiah 9. Earlier and subsequent verses echo this refrain, describing God’s righteous judgment upon a nation that refuses to repent. The imagery of God’s hand still stretched out suggests that His judgment persists, but it also implies His sovereignty and involvement in these events. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, similar concepts show that when people persist in hardening their hearts against the Lord, they place themselves under divine discipline until repentance occurs Deuteronomy 30:1-3). In the New Testament, John 3:36 likewise points out that those who refuse to believe remain under God’s wrath. Throughout Scripture, however, the overarching message is one of God’s desire for His people’s salvation and a return to covenant faithfulness.
Isaiah’s words were targeted at his own generation’s blatant disregard for God’s commands. They had the chance to follow Him in awe and obedience, but they did not—even those who were supposed to be innocent or needy had followed the shared culture of rebellion. This corporate rebellion explains why the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men and shows that the entire nation is held responsible for its antagonism toward God’s covenant. Although devastating, such warnings were offered by the prophet in hopes that a faithful remnant would heed them and turn back to the ways of the Lord (Isaiah 10:20-21).