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15 Honesty has disappeared;
the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed.
The Lord watches and is displeased,[a]
for there is no justice.

The Lord Intervenes

16 He sees there is no advocate;[b]
he is shocked[c] that no one intervenes.
So he takes matters into his own hands;[d]
his desire for justice drives him on.[e]
17 He wears his desire for justice[f] like body armor,[g]
and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head.[h]
He puts on the garments of vengeance[i]
and wears zeal like a robe.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 59:15 tn Heb “and it is displeasing in his eyes.”
  2. Isaiah 59:16 tn Heb “man” (so KJV, ASV); TEV “no one to help.”
  3. Isaiah 59:16 tn Or “appalled” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “disgusted.”
  4. Isaiah 59:16 tn Heb “and his arm delivers for him.”
  5. Isaiah 59:16 tn Heb “and his justice [or “righteousness”] supports him.”
  6. Isaiah 59:17 tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”
  7. Isaiah 59:17 tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”
  8. Isaiah 59:17 tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”
  9. Isaiah 59:17 tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”

15 Truth(A) is nowhere to be found,
    and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.

The Lord looked and was displeased
    that there was no justice.(B)
16 He saw that there was no one,(C)
    he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;(D)
so his own arm achieved salvation(E) for him,
    and his own righteousness(F) sustained him.
17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate,(G)
    and the helmet(H) of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments(I) of vengeance(J)
    and wrapped himself in zeal(K) as in a cloak.

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