the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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King James Version
Isaiah 64:4
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No one has ever heard of such a God. No one has ever heard such a story. No one has ever seen any God except you, who does such great things for those who trust him.
For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!
For from of old men haven't heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen a God besides you, who works for him that waits for him.
From long ago no one has ever heard of a God like you. No one has ever seen a God besides you, who helps the people who trust you.
Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who intervenes for those who wait for him.
For since the beginning of the world [men] have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee, [what] he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen a God besides you, who works for him who waits for him.
For from days of old no one has heard, nor has ear perceived, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who works and acts in behalf of the one who [gladly] waits for Him.
From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.
Fro the world thei herden not, nethir perseyueden with eeris; God, non iye siy, withouten thee, what thingis thou hast maad redi to hem that abiden thee.
For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God beside thee, which worketh for him that waiteth for him.
From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God but You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
You are the only God ever seen or heard of who works miracles for his followers.
For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him.
The ear has not had news of, or the eye seen, Three dots are used where it is no longer possible to be certain of the true sense of the Hebrew words, and for this reason no attempt has been made to put them into Basic English. any God but you, working for the man who is waiting for him.
You favored those who were glad to do justice, those who remembered you in your ways. When you were angry, we kept sinning; but if we keep your ancient ways, we will be saved.
Never have [men] heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor hath eye seen a God beside thee, who acteth for him that waiteth for him.
Thou didst take away him that joyfully worked righteousness, those that remembered Thee in Thy ways--behold, Thou wast wroth, and we sinned--upon them have we stayed of old, that we might be saved.
For since the beginning of the world men haue not heard, nor perceiued by the eare, neither hath the eye seene, O God, besides thee, what hee hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
From long ago no ear has heard and no eye has seen any God besides You, Who works for those who wait for Him.
From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.
For since the beginning of the world they haue not heard nor vnderstande with the eare, neither hath ye eye seene another God beside thee, which doeth so to him that waiteth for him.
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, any besides thee, because of what thou doest for those that wait for thee.
Although from age-past times It was never heard, It was not perceived by the ear, - Neither did, the eye, ever see - That, a god besides thee, could work for the man who waited for him,
From the beginning of the world they have not heard, nor perceived with the ears: the eye hath not seen, O God, besides thee, what things thou hast prepared for them that wait for thee.
From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides thee, who works for those who wait for him.
For since the beginning of the worlde it hath not ben hearde or perceaued, neither hath any eye seene another God beside thee, whiche doest so muche for them that put their trust in thee.
From of old we have not heard, neither have our eyes seen a God beside thee, and thy works which thou wilt perform to them that wait for mercy.
No one has ever seen or heard of a God like you, who does such deeds for those who put their hope in him.
From ancient times no one has heard,no one has listened to,no eye has seen any God except youwho acts on behalf of the one who waits for him.
For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen a God besides you, who works for him who waits for him.
And since ancient times they have not heard, have not listened, no eye has seen a God except you; he acts for the one who waits for him.
And from forever they have not heard; they did not give ear. Eye has not seen a God except You, who works for him who waits for Him.
Even from antiquity [men] have not heard, They have not given ear, Eye hath not seen a God save Thee, He doth work for those waiting for Him.
For sence the begynnynge of the worlde there was none (excepte thou o God) that herde or perceaued, nether hath eny eye sene what thou dost for the, that put their trust in the.
For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of one who waits for Him.
For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him.
For from ancient times they have not heard or given ear,Nor has the eye seen a God besides You,Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
have not: Psalms 31:19, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 2:10, Ephesians 3:5-10, Ephesians 3:17-21, Colossians 1:26, Colossians 1:27, 1 Timothy 3:16, 1 John 3:1, 1 John 3:2, 1 John 4:10, Revelation 21:1-4, Revelation 21:22-24, Revelation 22:1-5
seen: etc. or, seen a God besides thee, which doeth so for, etc. prepared. Psalms 31:19, Matthew 25:34, John 14:3, Hebrews 11:16
waiteth: Isaiah 25:9, Genesis 49:18, Psalms 62:1, Psalms 130:5, Lamentations 3:25, Lamentations 3:26, Luke 2:25, Romans 8:19, Romans 8:23-25, 1 Corinthians 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, James 5:7
Reciprocal: 1 Kings 10:7 - I believed Isaiah 8:17 - I will Isaiah 26:8 - in Isaiah 49:23 - for they Isaiah 66:8 - hath heard Luke 12:36 - men John 9:32 - the world 2 Corinthians 4:17 - far James 1:12 - which 1 John 4:16 - we
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear,.... Not only the things unexpected, undesired, and undeserved, had been done for the Lord's people of old; but there were other things, unheard of and unseen, which God, in his secret counsels, had prepared for them; and for which reason his appearance in his providential dispensations was the more to be desired and entreated. The Apostle Paul has cited this passage in 1 Corinthians 2:9 and applied it to Gospel times, and to evangelical truths, which are not discoverable by the light of nature; had there not been a revelation from God, the ears of men had never heard them, nor the eyes of men ever seen them:
neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee; and though there is a revelation made, yet, unless God gives men eyes to see, and ears to hear, divine truths will remain unknown to them; and those who have knowledge of them, it is but imperfect; perfect knowledge of them is reserved to another state. These are mysteries and, though revealed, remain so; the modes of them being unknown, or the manner how they are is inscrutable; such as the mode of each Person's subsisting in the Trinity; and how the two natures, human and divine, are united in the person of Christ. Moreover, under the Old Testament dispensation, these things were not so clearly revealed as now; they were the fellowship of the mystery hid in God, the treasure of Gospel truths hid in the field of the Scriptures; they were wrapped up in the dark figures and shadows of the ceremonial law, and expressed in obscure prophecies; they were kept secret since the beginning of the world, from ages and generations past, and, not so made known, as now, to the holy apostles and prophets; a more full and clear knowledge of them was reserved to Gospel times. This may also include the blessings of grace, more peculiarly prepared and provided for the church of Christ under the Gospel dispensation, especially in the latter part of it, as the promise of the Spirit; more spiritual light and knowledge; peace in abundance, and such as passeth all understanding; and particularly what will be enjoyed in the personal reign of Christ, described in so pompous a manner, Revelation 20:1 and it may be applied to the glories of the future state, which are such as the eye of man has never seen, nor his ear heard; and, as the apostle adds, have not entered into the heart of man to conceive of; and, as Jarchi paraphrases the words here,
"the eye of any prophet hath not seen what God will do for him that waits for him, except thine eyes, thou, O God;''
having cited a passage of their Rabbins out of the Talmud o, which interprets the words of the world to come,
"all the prophets say, they all of them prophesied only of the days of the Messiah; but as to the world to come, eye hath not seen, c.''
Some read the words, "neither has the eye seen God besides thee who will do for him that waiteth for him" p that is, none besides thee, O Christ, who lay in the bosom of the Father, and was privy to all, John 1:18: what
he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him; the apostle quotes it, "for them that love him"; which describes the same persons; for those that wait for the Lord love him, and those that love him will wait for him; as Old Testament saints did for the first coming of Christ, and as New Testament saints now wait on him, in the ministry of his word and ordinances, for his spiritual presence, and also are waiting for his second coming, and for the ultimate glory; and for such persons unseen and unheard of things are prepared in the counsels and purposes of God, and in the covenant of his grace; Christ, and all things with him; the Gospel, and the truths of it, ordained before the world was; and all the blessings of grace and glory. The Targum is,
"and since the world was, ear hath not heard the voice of mighty deeds, nor hearkened to the speech of trembling; nor hath eye seen, what thy people saw, the Shechinah of the glory of the Lord, for there is none besides thee, what thou wilt do to thy people, the righteous, who were of old, who wait for thy salvation.''
o T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 63. 1. Sanhedrin, fol. 99. 1. p עין לא ראתה אלהים זולתך יעשה למחכה לו "nono oculus vidit Deum praeter te, faciat expectanti ipsum", Montanus "qui faciat sic expectanti se", Pagninus, Munster.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For since the beginning of the world - This verse is quoted, though not literally, by the apostle Paul, as illustrating the effects of the gospel in producing happiness and salvation (see the notes at 1 Corinthians 2:9). The meaning here is, that nowhere else among people had there been such blessings imparted, and such happiness enjoyed; or so many proofs of love and protection, as among those who were the people of God, and who feared him.
Men have not heard - In no nation in all past time have deeds been heard of such as thou hast performed.
Nor perceived by the ear - Paul 1 Corinthians 2:9 renders this ‘neither have entered into the heart of man,’ ‘which,’ says Lowth, ‘is a phrase purely Hebrew, and which should seem to belong to the prophet.’ The phrase, ‘Nor perceived by the ear,’ he says, is repeated without force or propriety, and he seems to suppose that this place has been either willfully corrupted by the Jews, or that Paul made his quotation from some Apocryphal book - either the ascension of Esaiah, or the Apocalypse of Elias, in both of which the passage is found as quoted by Paul. The phrase is wholly omitted by the Septuagint and the Arabic, but is found in the Vulgate and Syriac. There is no authority from the Hebrew manuscripts to omit it.
Neither hath the eye seen - The margin here undoubtedly expresses the true sense. So Lowth renders it, ‘Nor hath the eye seen a God beside thee, which doeth such things for those that trust in him.’ In a similar manner, the Septuagint translates it, ‘Neither have our eyes seen a God beside thee (οὐδὲ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν εἶδον θεὸν πλήν σου oude hoi ophthalmoi hēmōn eidon theon plēn sou), and thy works which thou hast done for those who wait for mercy.’ The sense is, no eye had ever seen such a God as Yahweh; one who so richly rewarded those who put their trust in him. In the Hebrew, the word rendered ‘O God,’ may be either in the accusative or vocative case, and the sense is, that Yahweh was a more glorious rewarder and protector than any of the gods which had ever been worshipped by the nations.
What he hath prepared - Hebrew, יעשׂה ya‛ăs'eh - ‘He doeth,’ or will do. So the Septuagint, Ἅ ποιήσεις Ha poiēseis - ‘What thou wilt do.’ The sense given by our translators - ‘What he hath prepared,’ has been evidently adopted to accommodate the passage to the sense given by Paul 1 Corinthians 2:9, ἅἠτοίμασεν, κ.τ.λ. ha ētoimasen, etc. ‘What God has prepared.’ But the idea is, in the Hebrew, not what God has prepared or laid up in the sense of preserving it for the future; but what he bad already done in the past. No god had done what he had; no human being had ever witnessed such manifestations from any other god.
For him that waiteth for him - Lowth and Noyes, ‘For him who trusteth in him.’ Paul renders this, ‘For them that love him,’ and it is evident that he did not intend to quote this literally, but meant to give the general sense. The idea in the Hebrew is, ‘For him who waits (למחכה limchakēh) for Yahweh,’ that is, who feels his helplessness, and relies on him to interpose and save him. Piety is often represented as an attitude of waiting on God Psalms 25:3, Psalms 25:5, Psalms 25:21; Psalms 27:14; Psalms 37:9; Psalms 130:5. The sense of the whole verse is, that God in his past dealings had given manifestations of his existence, power, and goodness, to those who were his friends, which had been furnished nowhere else. To those interpositions the suppliants appeal, as a reason why he should again interpose, and why he should save them in their heavy calamities.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Isaiah 64:4. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard - "For never have men heard"] St. Paul is generally supposed to have quoted this passage of Isaiah, Isaiah 64:1; Isaiah 2:9; and Clemens Romanus in his first epistle has made the same quotation, very nearly in the same words with the apostle. But the citation is so very different both from the Hebrew text and the version of the Septuagint, that it seems very difficult, if not impossible, to reconcile them by any literal emendation, without going beyond the bounds of temperate criticism. One clause, "neither hath it entered into the heart of man," (which, by the way, is a phrase purely Hebrew, עלה על לב alah al leb, and should seem to belong to the prophet,) is wholly left out; and another is repeated without force or propriety; viz., "nor perceived by the ear," after, "never have heard:" and the sense and expression of the apostle is far preferable to that of the Hebrew text. Under these difficulties I am at a loss what to do better, than to offer to the reader this, perhaps disagreeable, alternative: either to consider the Hebrew text and Septuagint in this place as wilfully disguised and corrupted by the Jews; of which practice in regard to other quotations in the New Testament from the Old, they lie under strong suspicions, (see Dr. Owen on the version of the Septuagint, sect. vi.-ix.;) or to look upon St. Paul's quotation as not made from Isaiah, but from one or other of the two apocryphal books, entitled, The Ascension of Esaiah, and the Apocalypse of Elias, in both of which this passage was found; and the apostle is by some supposed in other places to have quoted such apocryphal writings. As the first of these conclusions will perhaps not easily be admitted by many, so I must fairly warn my readers that the second is treated by Jerome as little better than heresy. See his comment on this place of Isaiah. - L. I would read the whole verse thus; "Yea, from the time of old they have not heard, they have not hearkened to, an eye hath not seen a God besides thee. He shall work for that one that waiteth for him." This I really think on the whole to be the best translation of the original.
The variations on this place are as follows: for שמעו shameu, they have heard, a MS. and the Septuagint read שמענו shamanu, we have heard: for the second לא lo, not, sixty-nine MSS. and four editions have ולא velo, and not, and the Syriac, Chaldee, and Vulgate. And so ועין veayin, and eye, Septuagint and Syriac. את eth, the, (emphatic,) is added before אלהים Elohim, God, in MS. Bodleian. למחכי limechakkey, to them that wait, plural, two MSS. and all the ancient Versions. - L.
