Isaiah 57:15 · Bible study
Isaiah 57:15 Commentary: The Paradox of God's Transcendence and Nearness
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 57:15 shows the infinite God dwelling with the contrite to revive them. A study on divine majesty and grace.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The high and holy God dwells both in heaven and with the crushed and lowly, to bring them life.
- Key words: 'high' (ram), 'lofty' (nissa), 'inhabits eternity' (shoken ad), 'contrite' (daka), 'humble' (shafal), 'revive' (hachayot).
- Main debate: Whether 'inhabiteth eternity' means eternally existing (Keil) or dwelling in eternity (traditional). Also whether 'contrite' describes affliction (Cambridge) or repentance (Gill).
- Theological theme: The paradox of God's transcendence and immanence; holiness that draws near without compromising itself.
- Best use: Pastoral comfort for the broken, and a corrective to views of God as distant or indifferent.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
KJV King James Version 1769
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For thus said the high and exalted One, Inhabiting eternity, and holy is His name: `In the high and holy place I dwell, And with the bruised and humble of spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of bruised ones,'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, and whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy [place], and with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For thus saith the High and the Eminent that inhabiteth eternity: and his name is Holy, who dwelleth in the high and holy place, and with a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque así dijo el Alto y Sublime, el que habita la eternidad, y cuyo nombre es el Santo: Yo habito en la altura y la santidad, y con el quebrantado y humilde de espíritu, para hacer vivir el espíritu de los humildes, y para vivificar el corazón de los quebrantados.
Porque assim diz o Alto e Sublime, que habita na eternidade, e cujo nome é santo: Na altura e no lugar santo habito; e também com o contrito e abatido espírito, para vivificar o espírito dos abatidos, e para vivificar o coração dos contritos.
Car ainsi parle le Très-Haut,
Denn also spricht der Hohe und Erhabene, der ewiglich wohnt, des Name heilig ist: Der ich in der Höhe und im Heiligtum wohne und bei denen, die zerschlagenen und demütigen Geistes sind, auf daß ich erquicke den Geist der Gedemütigten und das Herz der Zerschlagenen:
Want alzo zegt de Hoge en Verhevene, Die in de eeuwigheid woont, en Wiens Naam heilig is: Ik woon in de hoogte en in het heilige, en bij dien, die van een verbrijzelden en nederigen geest is, opdat Ik levend make den geest der nederigen, en opdat Ik levend make het hart der verbrijzelden.
Poiché così parla Colui ch’è l’Alto, l’eccelso, che abita l’eternità, e che ha nome “il Santo”: Io dimoro nel luogo alto e santo, ma son con colui ch’è contrito ed umile di spirito, per ravvivare lo spirito degli umili, per ravvivare il cuore dei contriti.
Bo tak mówi on najdostojniejszy i najwyższy, który mieszka w wieczności, a święte jest imię jego: Ja, który mieszkam na wysokości na miejscu świętem, mieszkam i z tym, który jest skruszonego i uniżonego ducha, ożywiając ducha pokornych, ożywiając serce skruszonych.
Ибо так говорит Высокий и Превознесенный, вечно Живущий, - Святый имя Его: Я живу на высоте небес и во святилище, и также с сокрушенными и смиренными духом, чтобы оживлять дух смиренных и оживлять сердца сокрушенных.
因為 那至高 至上、永遠長存（原文是住 在永遠）名 為聖者 的如此 說：我住 在至高 至聖的所在，也與 心靈 痛悔 謙卑的人同居；要使謙卑人 的靈 甦醒，也使痛悔人 的心 甦醒。
For this is the word of him who is high and lifted up, whose resting-place is eternal, whose name is Holy: my resting-place is in the high and holy place, and with him who is crushed and poor in spirit, to give life to the spirit of the poor, and to make strong the heart of the crushed.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 57:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse presents a deliberate paradox. The Cambridge Bible calls it 'the paradox of religion', God’s holiness separates Him infinitely from human pride, yet it brings Him near to the humble. Barnes notes that the verse counters the ancient pagan view of a distant deity; the God of Israel is both transcendent and immanent. Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that the Hebrew phrase shoken ‘ad means 'the eternally dwelling One,' not a dweller in eternity as a place, but One whose life is forever the same. The words 'contrite' (daka) and 'humble' (shafal) describe a spirit that is crushed and lowly, whether by affliction or by repentance. The purpose of God’s dwelling is revival: the verb hachayot means to bring to life, to sustain. This God does not merely observe from afar; He enters the broken places to restore.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Traditional/Transcendence-focused: Emphasizes God's infinite distance; 'inhabiting eternity' as a spatial idea. God condescends but does not change His nature.
- Immanence-focused: Sees the paradox as resolved in God's character; His holiness itself includes gracious condescension (Keil). 'Contrite' as affliction prepares for revival.
- Repentance-focused: Gill and Geneva tie contrition to repentance. The humble are those who have turned from sin, and God responds to them.
What is clear: God, who is infinitely high and holy, chooses to be near to those who are crushed and lowly in spirit, for the purpose of reviving them.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'inhabiteth eternity' | All agree the phrase expresses God's eternal existence, beyond time. | Some (Keil, Delitzsch) render it 'the eternally dwelling One', a description of God's nature. Others (KJV, WEB) read it as 'inhabits eternity' as a place, emphasizing His transcendence. |
| Nature of contrition | The contrite are those who are crushed and lowly in spirit. | Cambridge sees this primarily as the effect of affliction (a subdued, self-distrusting spirit). Gill and Geneva see it as evangelical repentance, a brokenness over sin. |
| Relationship of transcendence and immanence | God is both high and near, and His dwelling with the humble is real. | Cambridge sees no contrast but two separate aspects; Keil sees them as complementary. Some worry that seeing condescension as part of holiness blurs God's otherness. |
| Purpose of God's dwelling | God dwells with the humble to revive them, to give life. | Whether this revival is primarily spiritual renewal (inner life) or also physical restoration (healing, deliverance) is discussed. The verb <em>hachayot</em> can include both. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 57 belongs to the latter section of the book, likely addressing the exilic or post-exilic community. The preceding verses rebuke idolatry and false trust; verse 13 calls the gathered companies 'wind' that will not deliver. Verse 14 commands, 'Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling block out of the way of my people.' This sets the stage: God is about to act for His people, but He first clears the obstacles.
The people had experienced the trauma of exile and were tempted to believe God had abandoned them or was indifferent. The surrounding pagan cultures often thought of their gods as remote, uninterested in human suffering. Barnes mentions that Epicureans and Gnostics held that God 'was so lofty that he did not condescend to notice human affairs.' Against this backdrop, Israel’s God declares both His infinite exaltation and His intimate nearness.
The phrase 'high and holy place' (marom ve-kadosh) probably refers to heaven, but the absence of the word 'place' in the Hebrew (the text reads: 'in the high and holy I dwell') emphasizes the quality of God’s dwelling, a sphere of absolute purity and majesty. Yet He also dwells 'with the crushed and lowly of spirit.' This is consistent with Isaiah’s vision of a holy God who sends a prophet to a sinful people (ch. 6). The exiles had to learn that God’s holiness does not mean distance; rather, it is the very ground of His mercy. The goal of His dwelling is 'to revive' (hachayot), a verb used elsewhere for restoring life to the faint or healing. This verse anchors the hope of restoration not in human effort but in God’s own character.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note a minor textual variation in the opening word. Adam Clarke reports that a manuscript adds 'Yahweh' after 'says,' and the Septuagint and Arabic support the inclusion. Lowth adopted this reading, but Barnes judges the authority insufficient. The Hebrew text as represented by the Masoretic tradition reads simply 'For thus says the high and lofty One.' No other significant variants are discussed in the supplied commentaries. The main text is stable and well-attested.
Reception History
Isaiah 57:15 has been a treasured text throughout church history for its pairing of divine majesty and mercy. Early church fathers interpreted it as prophecy of God's condescension in Christ. Reformed and Puritan writers often cited it to encourage humility and comfort the afflicted. Jonathan Edwards referenced it in his sermons on revival. In modern times, it has been used liturgically and in pastoral care to reassure those who feel crushed by sin or suffering. Its message crosses denominational boundaries, affirming that the holy God is not remote but present with the lowly of spirit.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Exalted God, He is high and lofty, inhabiting eternity, holy.
- The Condescending God, He dwells with the contrite and humble.
- The Reviving God, He restores the spirit and heart of the lowly.
Five-point outline
- The Majesty of God: 'high and lofty' (ram, nissa), He is above all, infinite.
- The Eternity of God: 'inhabits eternity', He is without beginning or end.
- The Holiness of God: 'whose name is Holy', He is separate from all impurity.
- The Nearness of God: 'dwells with the contrite and humble', He is present in brokenness.
- The Purpose of God: 'to revive', He gives life and strength.
Illustration hooks
- A king who leaves his palace to live in a refugee camp, not visiting, but taking up residence. The greatness of the king is not diminished; it is magnified by his condescension.
- A hospital room where a patient feels abandoned by God, but a quiet presence of a friend who simply sits with them echoes the dwelling of God with the crushed.
- After a natural disaster, volunteers arrive not with speeches but with shovels and meals. Their presence says more than words. God’s dwelling is that kind of presence.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God is so holy and exalted, does He really care about my small struggles?
- I feel crushed by my failures, am I too far from God for Him to want to be with me?
- What does it mean to have a contrite and humble spirit in our modern world of self-promotion?
Leading a Discussion
This verse reveals the heart of God: He is not a distant tyrant but a Father who draws near to the broken. The group will explore how God’s transcendence and immanence work together.
Discussion questions
- Read Isaiah 57:15 slowly. What words or phrases strike you most? Why?
- The verse describes God as 'high and lofty' and 'inhabiting eternity.' How does this description shape your view of who God is?
- What does it mean that God dwells both in the 'high and holy place' and with the 'contrite and humble spirit'? How is this not a contradiction?
- The Hebrew word for 'contrite' (daka) means 'crushed.' In what ways have you felt crushed, by sin, by circumstances, or by life?
- God’s purpose in dwelling with the humble is 'to revive.' What does revival look like in your own life? When have you experienced God reviving your spirit?
- How can we cultivate a contrite and humble spirit in our daily walk? Is humility something we produce, or is it a gift?
- This verse comes after a warning against idolatry (v. 13). How does idolatry contradict the posture of humility described here?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 21:33 | Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God. |
| Exodus 15:11 | Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? |
| Deuteronomy 33:27 | The eternal God is your dwelling place. Underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrust out the enemy from before you, and said, ‘Destroy!’ |
| I Samuel 2:2 | There is no one as holy as Yahweh, for there is no one besides you, nor is there any rock like our God. |
| I Kings 8:27 | But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain you; how much less this house that I have built! |
| II Chronicles 33:12 | When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. |
| II Chronicles 33:13 | He prayed to him; and he was entreated by him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God. |
| II Chronicles 34:27 | because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you,” says Yahweh. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to manuscript evidence for the divine name in this verse, noting that some Hebrew copies add "Jehovah" or "Yah" to clarify the speaker. He also suggests a possible textual emendation, reading "and I see" instead of "and with" based on similar passages in Psalms.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes contrasts the pagan view that God is too remote to notice human affairs with the biblical revelation that the same high and eternal God also makes his home with the contrite. The point is not that God's loftiness keeps him distant, but that he delights in dwelling with penitent hearts.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary highlights a striking paradox: God's holiness sets Him infinitely above human pride, yet His dwelling with the lowly is not a contradiction but a different aspect of His character. The word "contrite" here refers to a subdued, self-distrusting spirit produced by affliction, not necessarily remorse. Through exile, Israel learned that peace with the exalted God comes through humility.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights God's paradoxical dwelling: He inhabits both the highest eternity and the lowly contrite heart. His majesty does not keep Him distant; He comes near to revive the humble spirit and give life to the broken in heart.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights God's self-description as "high and lofty" to contrast with antichrist's arrogance, even pointing to the Trinity or holy angels as the "high and holy" with whom God dwells. Yet this same God also makes His home with the contrite and humble, specifically to revive their drooping spirits during times of oppression.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB traces Israel's stumbling over Christ to their pride and self-righteousness. He sees their future contrition and self-humiliation in the last days as necessary preludes to God's intervention, with a period of unbelief likely even after their return before final prosperity comes.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch highlight the twofold dwelling of God: He is the high and holy One who inhabits heaven's inaccessible light, yet He also dwells with the crushed and lowly of spirit. This is not a contradiction but the very nature of the Holy One who is also the Merciful One. His purpose in drawing near is to revive the spirit and heart of those broken by repentance.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that God's love operates in two ways: it smites in anger but also heals inwardly, dwelling with the contrite to revive them. God heals only those who allow themselves to be healed, leading and restoring them with comfort. The wicked, however, are like the restless sea, finding no peace.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws a stark contrast between the emptiness of idolatry and the security of trust in God. Idols and their worshippers vanish like chaff before God’s wrath, while those who put their trust in God will possess the land and inherit his holy mountain.