Isaiah 59:11
We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse uses the imagery of "growing like bears" and "moaning like doves" not just to express general distress, but to highlight a contrast: a loud, frustrated roar alongside a quieter, persistent sorrow. This juxtaposition reveals the multifaceted nature of their suffering and desperate hope, showing how their cries for justice, though varied in their expression, all stem from a deep sense of absence.
The prophet is speaking on behalf of the people, describing their deep despair and anguish. After lamenting their collective sinfulness and the resulting darkness and confusion that has fallen upon them, they express their profound distress and longing for relief from their suffering. This verse directly follows their confession of widespread iniquity and their admission that justice and salvation seem impossibly distant, setting the stage for God's response to their plight.
Why does Isaiah compare the people's distress to the sounds of bears and doves? What does this imagery tell us about their inner state?
The verse uses vivid animal sounds to capture the depth of the people's suffering and their desperate longing for relief.
Roaring Like Bears
The 'roaring' like bears isn't just noise; it suggests a deep, guttural sound of frustration, anger, and intense discomfort. Think of a bear that's been provoked or is intensely hungry – there's a raw power and desperation in that sound. It speaks to a collective, almost primal, outcry against their oppressive circumstances and the lack of justice. This isn't a polite request; it's a forceful expression of agony.
Moaning Like Doves
In contrast, the 'moaning' like doves points to a softer, more sorrowful sound. Doves are often associated with mourning or tenderness. This sound reflects the deep sadness, the grief, and the quiet despondency that accompanies their suffering. It’s the sound of a heart broken by injustice and longing for solace.
Together, these images show a people experiencing a full spectrum of anguish – from loud, frustrated outbursts to quiet, persistent sorrow. They are not simply sad; they are profoundly distressed, and their sounds reflect the intensity of that pain.
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The people 'hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us.' What makes their hope so empty, and where does true hope lie?
This verse exposes a profound spiritual crisis: a people yearning for what is right and for deliverance, yet finding it absent. Their hope is misplaced because it's detached from its true source.
A Hope Based on Circumstance, Not Covenant
The people are looking for justice and salvation based on their circumstances and perhaps a perceived entitlement, rather than on God's character and covenant promises. They see the absence of justice and the distance of salvation, and their hope falters because it's rooted in what they can see rather than in who God is.
The Silence of Injustice
'Justice, but there is none' highlights a world where fairness is absent. 'Salvation, but it is far from us' speaks to a feeling of abandonment and the perceived distance of divine help. This isn't just a political or social problem; it's a spiritual void. Their groans and moans are prayers unanswered, cries unheard because the foundation of their hope wasn't in the God who is justice and salvation.
True hope, the Bible teaches, is not a passive waiting for circumstances to change, but an active trust in God's faithfulness, even when justice and salvation seem distant. It's a hope anchored in God's promises, not in the shifting sands of human experience.
Understand the original words
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
The legal or moral standard of God's requirements for his people, often referring to fairness in judicial settings or living in conformity to God's character. It represents the right order of society under God's rule.
teshu'ah · Hebrew Noun
The act of being saved, delivered, or rescued by God from peril, enemies, or judgment. Biblically, it emphasizes God as the only source of ultimate deliverance from sin and its consequences.
The lament in Isaiah 59:11 stems from the devastating consequences of the Babylonian conquest and exile, where the people experienced a profound loss of justice and salvation.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah's Ministry Begins
Isaiah begins his prophetic ministry in Judah during a time of political instability and moral decay, prophesying both judgment and hope.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling its people. This event serves as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
c. 701 BC
Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah
The Assyrian king Sennacherib invades Judah, capturing many cities but failing to conquer Jerusalem, largely due to divine intervention and Hezekiah's reforms.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar II, begins deporting Judeans to Babylon, including members of the royal family and skilled workers. This marks the start of the Babylonian exile.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and exile the remaining population, leaving Judah devastated and without a central place of worship or governance.
c. 550 BC
Prophetic Words of Return and Restoration
During the exile, prophets like Isaiah (traditionally attributed to Second Isaiah in this period) offer words of comfort, promising a future return from exile and a renewed covenant.
This passage echoes the sentiment of looking for justice and salvation but finding none, describing a similar state of despair and disappointment in the people of Judah.
Psalm 59:3This psalm describes a similar sense of oppression and lack of justice, where the psalmist cries out to God because enemies are actively seeking to harm him, mirroring the 'roar' and 'mourn' of Isaiah's people.
Lamentations 1:20-22Here, the prophet laments their suffering and calls on God for deliverance, expressing a deep sense of anguish and a plea for justice that is far from them, similar to the imagery in Isaiah 59:11.
Ezekiel 7:16This verse uses similar imagery of mourning like doves when disaster strikes, directly connecting the sound of grief to a people facing severe divine judgment.
clarkeIsaiah 59:11: "We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us."
But it is far off from us "And it is far distant from us" - The conjunction ו vau must necessarily be prefixed to the verb, as the Syriac, Chaldee, and Vulgate found it in their copies; ורחקה verachakah, "and far off."
pulpitIsaiah 59:11: "We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us."
Verse 11. - We roar all like bears; rather, we growl. The verb is used commonly of the "roaring" of the sea (Isaiah 17:12; Isaiah 51:15; Jeremiah 6:23; 31:45; 50:42; 51:55); but is applied also to the noise made by a dog (Psalm 59:6, 14). Here it represents the deep murmur of discontent, which alternates with the mournful tones of Israel's despo…
The verse uses the imagery of "growing like bears" and "moaning like doves" not just to express general distress, but to highlight a contrast: a loud, frustrated roar alongside a quieter, persistent sorrow. This juxtaposition reveals the multifaceted nature of their suffering and desperate hope, showing how their cries for justice, though varied in their expression, all stem from a deep sense of absence.
The prophet is speaking on behalf of the people, describing their deep despair and anguish. After lamenting their collective sinfulness and the resulting darkness and confusion that has fallen upon them, they express their profound distress and longing for relief from their suffering. This verse directly follows their confession of widespread iniquity and their admission that justice and salvation seem impossibly distant, setting the stage for God's response to their plight.
The prophet is speaking on behalf of the people, describing their deep despair and anguish. After lamenting their collective sinfulness and the resulting darkness and confusion that has fallen upon them, they express their profound distress and longing for relief from their suffering. This verse directly follows their confession of widespread iniquity and their admission that justice and salvation seem impossibly distant, setting the stage for God's response to their plight.
"We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us." — The verse uses the imagery of "growing like bears" and "moaning like doves" not just to express general distress, but to highlight a contrast: a loud, frustrated roar alongside a quieter, persistent…
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