Read Isaiah chapter 6 (New International Version) on maBible, the Bible online. In this chapter: Isaiah’s Commission.
Isaiah’s Commission
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.
7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
9 He said, “Go and tell this people:
“ ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
10 Make the heart of this people calloused;
make their ears dull
and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”
11 Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”
And he answered:
“Until the cities lie ruined
and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted
and the fields ruined and ravaged,
12 until the Lord has sent everyone far away
and the land is utterly forsaken.
13 And though a tenth remains in the land,
it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak
leave stumps when they are cut down,
so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”
Chapter themes
The end of a reign — In the year that king Uzziah died
The vision of the Lord — I saw also the Lord
The King on his throne — sitting upon a throne
God above all — high and lifted up
Glory fills the temple — filled the temple
Standing before the throne — Above it stood
The angels of fire — the seraphims
Winged heavenly creatures — each one had six wings
Not seeing God — with twain he covered his face
The humility of angels — with twain he covered his feet
Ready to serve — with twain he did fly
The answering song — And one cried unto another
The holiness of God — Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts
Glory seen everywhere — the whole earth is full of his glory
The voice that shakes — the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried
Glory filling the sanctuary — the house was filled with smoke
Dread before God — Woe is me! for I am undone
Unworthy lips — I am a man of unclean lips
A defiled people — I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips
Seeing the King — mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts
The heavenly messenger — Then flew one of the seraphims unto me
The purifying fire — having a live coal in his hand
Fire from the altar — which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar
The purifying touch — And he laid it upon my mouth
Forgiveness granted — thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged
Entendre la voix de Dieu — J'ai entendu le Seigneur dire
Qui vais-je envoyer — Qui vais-je envoyer
Le Dieu qui dit nous — qui va marcher pour nous ?
Répondre à l'appel — J'ai répondu
Me voici, envoie-moi — Me voici, envoie-moi !
Notes and references
Hebrew; Septuagint ‘You will be ever hearing, but never understanding; / you will be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / 10 This people’s heart has become calloused; / they hardly hear with their ears, / and they have closed their eyes