Isaiah 6:8
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The profound shift from "I" to "us" in God's question ("Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?") isn't just a matter of majesty, but a subtle hint at a divine council or plurality within Godhead, a concept that later revelations would fully illuminate. Isaiah's immediate, unqualified "Here am I! Send me" reveals a powerful leap of faith, a complete surrender to the divine will even before knowing the daunting nature of the mission ahead.
In the wake of King Uzziah's death, Isaiah experiences a profound vision of God's holiness and his own unworthiness. After a seraph purifies his lips with a hot coal from the altar, Isaiah hears God's voice asking who will go on a mission. This verse captures Isaiah's immediate and eager response, volunteering himself for this daunting task before even knowing its specifics.
Understand the original words
Adonay · Hebrew Noun
In the Old Testament, this title refers to God's authority as Master or Owner. It signifies total sovereignty and lordship over creation and the individual.
Isaiah's vision occurs during a pivotal moment at the end of King Uzziah's long reign, a period of perceived stability but also underlying political shifts, which sets the stage for his prophetic call to a nation facing judgment and future hope.
740 BC— this verse
Reign of Uzziah ends
King Uzziah's death marked a significant transition for Judah, a time of both stability and potential uncertainty, prompting Isaiah's profound vision.
c. 740-730 BC
Isaiah's prophetic ministry begins
Isaiah receives his commissioning vision in the temple, marking the start of his prophetic ministry to Judah and surrounding nations.
c. 734-732 BC
Syro-Ephraimite War
Isaiah's prophecy of judgment and a remnant is delivered during this conflict, where Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel attempted to conquer Judah.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting its population and scattering the ten tribes, fulfilling prophecies of judgment.
This passage also uses the plural 'us' when God speaks, hinting at the plurality within the Godhead that Isaiah is experiencing in his vision and mission.
1 Samuel 3:10-11Like young Samuel, Isaiah is called by God's voice and responds with 'Here I am,' showing a prompt and willing submission to divine calling.
Matthew 28:19-20The Great Commission echoes Isaiah's commissioning, where Jesus sends out His disciples to make disciples of all nations, highlighting the ongoing need for willing messengers.
Romans 10:14-15This passage directly links the act of sending and the willingness to go with the proclamation of the Gospel, mirroring Isaiah's own response to God's call.
Acts 9:6Paul's immediate response to Jesus' call on the road to Damascus, 'Lord, what would you have me do?', is a powerful example of surrendered obedience, much like Isaiah's 'Here am I! Send me.'
barnesIsaiah 6:8: "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me."
The voice of the Lord - Hebrew: "The voice of Yahweh." He had before been addressed by one of the seraphim. Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? - The change of number here, from the singular to the plural, is very remarkable. Jerome, on this place, says that it indicates the 'sacrament' of the Trinity. The Septuagint renders it, 'whom shall I send, and who…
jfbIsaiah 6:8: "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me."
- I … us—The change of number indicates the Trinity (compare Ge 1:26; 11:7). Though not a sure argument for the doctrine, for the plural may indicate merely majesty, it accords with that truth proved elsewhere.Whom … who—implying that few would be willing to bear the self-denial which the delivering of such an unwelcome message to the Jews would require on the p…
The profound shift from "I" to "us" in God's question ("Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?") isn't just a matter of majesty, but a subtle hint at a divine council or plurality within Godhead, a concept that later revelations would fully illuminate. Isaiah's immediate, unqualified "Here am I! Send me" reveals a powerful leap of faith, a complete surrender to the divine will even before knowing the daunting nature of the mission ahead.
In the wake of King Uzziah's death, Isaiah experiences a profound vision of God's holiness and his own unworthiness. After a seraph purifies his lips with a hot coal from the altar, Isaiah hears God's voice asking who will go on a mission. This verse captures Isaiah's immediate and eager response, volunteering himself for this daunting task before even knowing its specifics.
In the wake of King Uzziah's death, Isaiah experiences a profound vision of God's holiness and his own unworthiness. After a seraph purifies his lips with a hot coal from the altar, Isaiah hears God's voice asking who will go on a mission. This verse captures Isaiah's immediate and eager response, volunteering himself for this daunting task before even knowing its specifics.
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701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
King Sennacherib of Assyria besieges Jerusalem, but the city is miraculously spared due to divine intervention, a testament to Isaiah's earlier prophecies.
"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”" — The profound shift from "I" to "us" in God's question ("Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?") isn't just a matter of majesty, but a subtle hint at a divine council or plurality within Godhead,…
