Isaiah 1:4 Meaning and Explanation
“Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Isaiah directly names Israel's condition: they are a sinful, corrupted people who have deliberately turned from God and provoked his anger.
The Context of Isaiah 1:4
Direct characterization of Israel's sinful state.
What Does Isaiah 1:4 Mean?
Isaiah uses a cascade of condemning terms—'sinful nation,' 'laden with iniquity,' 'seed of evildoers,' 'children that are corrupters'—to describe Israel's comprehensive moral failure. The weight of these descriptions builds the sense of pervasive corruption that affects the people's character and choices. Each term adds a layer: they are not merely individuals who sin, but a systematic community of wickedness.
The phrase 'gone away backward' suggests not merely standing still but active regression. They have 'forsaken the LORD'—a choice to abandon relationship—and provoked his anger through this deliberate action. The intensity of language reflects the prophet's urgency in confronting a people whose condition demands recognition and response.
Isaiah 1:4 in the Original Language
chata (חָטָא), 'sinful' — to miss the mark, to err from the right way, to transgress.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 1:4
What does Isaiah 1:4 mean?
Isaiah directly names Israel's condition: they are a sinful, corrupted people who have deliberately turned from God and provoked his anger.
What is the context of Isaiah 1:4?
Direct characterization of Israel's sinful state.