Isaiah 1:15 Meaning and Explanation
“And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →When Israel raises their hands in prayer, God turns away because their hands are stained with bloodshed and injustice.
The Context of Isaiah 1:15
Explanation of why God refuses to hear prayer: injustice nullifies intercession.
What Does Isaiah 1:15 Mean?
The image of spreading hands in prayer is a common biblical gesture of supplication, yet God declares he will 'hide his eyes' and not listen. The reason follows in a stark accusation: 'your hands are full of blood.' The 'blood' likely refers not only to literal violence but to injustice that harms and destroys others. The contrast between hands spread in prayer and hands full of blood is devastating: the worshippers are asking God to hear them while their very hands testify against them.
This verse drives home a critical principle: prayer and intercession are powerless when separated from just conduct. God's refusal to hear is not arbitrary punishment but a logical consequence. The person whose hands are full of blood has no standing to petition God, not because God is unmerciful but because such prayer is fundamentally incoherent—asking forgiveness while continuing to do wrong.
Isaiah 1:15 in the Original Language
dâm (דָּם), 'blood' — literally blood, but also symbolizes violence, murder, or unjust harm to others.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 1:15
What does Isaiah 1:15 mean?
When Israel raises their hands in prayer, God turns away because their hands are stained with bloodshed and injustice.
What is the context of Isaiah 1:15?
Explanation of why God refuses to hear prayer: injustice nullifies intercession.