Isaiah 50:1 Meaning: No Divorce, No Creditor, Only Your Sin
Yahweh says, “Where is the bill of your mother’s divorce, with which I have put her away? Or to which of my creditors have I sold you? Behold, you were sold for your iniquities, and your mother was put away for your transgressions.
Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
Thus saith Jehovah, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, wherewith I have put her away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities were ye sold, and for your transgressions was your mother put away.
Thus said Jehovah: `Where is this--the bill of your mother's divorce, Whom I sent away? Or to which of My creditors have I sold you? Lo, for your iniquities ye have been sold, And for your transgressions Hath your mother been sent away.
Thus saith Jehovah: Where is the bill of your mother's divorce, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, through your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
Meaning in one sentence
In Isaiah 50:1, God asks for a divorce certificate that doesn't exist. You weren't sold to a creditor; your own sins caused the separation. Don't blame Him.
Context
Isaiah 50 opens with a scene of accusation. The people of Israel, living in exile in Babylon, likely felt abandoned by God. They may have whispered that He had given up on them, that the covenant was broken beyond repair. God responds with a courtroom challenge. He uses two familiar customs from daily life: a husband who divorces his wife gives her a legal certificate, and a father deep in debt may sell his children to pay creditors. God asks for the certificate. He asks for the creditor. Neither exists. The separation did not come from His own will or from any outside pressure. It came from their own sin. This verse sets the stage for the rest of the chapter, where God proclaims His power to redeem and introduces the Servant who will bear the sins of many.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for ‘divorce’ here (keritut) carries the sense of a cutting off. In Israel, a husband could hand his wife a written certificate that made the separation legal and final. God asks, ‘Where is that document?’ The question is a denial. No such paper was ever given. The door was never locked from God’s side.
The word for ‘creditor’ (nosheh) comes from a verb meaning to lend. A creditor could demand payment and even take children as slaves. God asks, ‘Which of my creditors?’ He has no debts. He didn’t hand His people over to satisfy an obligation.
Then comes the passive verb nimkartem, ‘you were sold.’ And the cause is clear: your iniquities (avon, twistedness) and your transgressions (pesha, open rebellion). God didn’t sell them; they brought the consequences on themselves. But notice, He still calls them His children. He still asks the questions. He is not finished with them.
How Christians Read This Verse
Commentators across Christian traditions read this verse as a powerful denial that God has broken His covenant. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that no divorce document exists, ‘leaving the way open for reconciliation.’ Matthew Henry, in his classic commentary, says the challenge proves ‘the quarrel began on our side, not on God’s.’ John Wesley adds that the verse is meant ‘to convince the Jews that they were the causes of their own calamities.’ Later Reformed scholars like Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown point out that God still retains the right of a husband; He can take His people back when they repent. All agree: the fault lies with Israel, not with God.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to read this verse as God admitting that He had divorced Israel or sold them. The grammar of the Hebrew question expects a negative answer. ‘Where is the bill?… Which creditor?’ The answer is: there is none. God never issued a final divorce or handed anyone over. The real cause is internal, not external. The fault is Israel’s sin. So the mistake is to think God has permanently rejected them; in fact, He is inviting them to see the truth so they can return.
Living This Out
What does this verse ask of you this week? Consider a situation where you feel far from God. Maybe you have blamed Him for not answering, for being silent, for allowing hardship. Before you write the complaint, pause and ask yourself the questions of this verse. Has God given you a certificate of divorce? Is He your creditor demanding payment? Or have your own decisions, anger, pride, neglect, created the distance? The honesty this verse calls for is not meant to shame you but to free you. When you see that you have ‘sold yourself’ by your choices, you also see that God has not slammed the door. He is still standing there, asking the question, waiting for you to come back.
Main takeaway: God has not permanently rejected you; your own sin caused the separation, and He waits to restore.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God didn’t send us away like a divorce. We did wrong things that made us feel far from Him. But He still loves us and wants us back.
For ages 9, 12
In this verse, God uses two pictures: a divorce and a debt. He asks Israel to show the divorce papers or the person He owes money to. They can’t, because He never divorced them or sold them. The real reason they were far from Him was their own sin. That’s the good news: God hasn’t stopped being their husband. He wants them to come home. When you feel far from God, remember: He didn’t leave you; He’s waiting for you to turn around.
Questions People Ask
What does the 'bill of divorce' refer to in Isaiah 50:1?
In ancient Israel, a man could write a certificate of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1) to end a marriage. God asks for that document, implying He never gave one. The covenant was not permanently broken.
Why does God ask 'which of my creditors'?
In those days, a father deep in debt could sell his children to pay what he owed (Exodus 21:7, 2 Kings 4:1). God has no creditors. He didn't sell Israel to settle a debt. They sold themselves by their own sins.
What are 'iniquities' and 'transgressions' in this verse?
In Hebrew, 'iniquity' (avon) means twistedness or guilt, and 'transgression' (pesha) means rebellion. These are strong words for deliberate sin, not just mistakes. They point to Israel's persistent unfaithfulness.
Does Isaiah 50:1 mean God has permanently rejected His people?
No. The rhetorical questions expect a negative answer: there is no divorce certificate, no creditor. God has not made the separation final. It is because of their sin, not His decision, that they are in exile. The door remains open for return.
How does this verse apply to Christians today?
It reminds us that when we feel far from God, we often blame Him. But this verse asks us to look at our own choices. God hasn't broken His commitment. He invites us to come back, confess, and find that He is still the same loving God.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study