The Lord poses a question, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" This isn't just about needing a messenger, but highlighting a profound willingness within the Godhead to engage with humanity. Isaiah's immediate, unhesitating "Here I am! Send me" reveals a heart transformed by divine encounter, eager to be part of God's work, even before knowing the full scope of the mission.
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.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After a profound vision of God's holiness and his own unworthiness, Isaiah is purified by a seraph. Immediately following this cleansing, he hears the voice of the Lord asking who will be sent to carry out a difficult and unwelcome message. Isaiah volunteers himself, ready to be God's messenger.
God initiates a conversation, posing a question that echoes through eternity. What does it mean that God asks, 'Whom shall I send?'
In Isaiah's vision, the prophet hears the very voice of the Lord asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” This isn't a question of God being unsure or needing advice. Instead, it's a profound invitation.
A King Seeking Volunteers
Imagine a sovereign preparing for a crucial mission. They don't lack the power to command, but they might seek willing hearts to carry out their will. This divine question highlights that God desires a willing participation from His people. It’s an opportunity for individuals to step forward and be part of His divine plan.
The Plurality in God
The use of 'us' alongside 'I' is significant. While theologians have debated its precise meaning, it certainly points to a rich, multifaceted nature within God Himself – a plurality that has been understood as an early hint of the Trinity. It suggests that even in this divine dialogue, there's a unity in purpose among the persons of God, inviting humanity to join in that unified mission.
In the face of overwhelming holiness and a daunting task, one prophet boldly steps forward. What fuels such immediate and selfless commitment?
Isaiah's response, 'Here am I! Send me,' is more than just a simple 'yes.' It's a testament to the transformative power of encountering God's presence and the profound effect of receiving His cleansing.
From Terror to Zeal
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Just moments before, Isaiah was struck with terror, overwhelmed by his own impurity in the face of God's absolute holiness (Isaiah 6:5). After the seraph purified his lips with a burning coal from the altar, his perspective shifted dramatically. The encounter with God's power and the assurance of his sin being purged ignited a powerful zeal within him.
Spontaneous Self-Giving
His immediate willingness to go, even before knowing the full details of the mission, speaks volumes. It reveals a heart that, once touched by God's grace and forgiveness, is eager to serve. This isn't a calculated decision; it's a spontaneous, faith-filled offering of himself to whatever God has planned. It shows that genuine encounters with God's holiness and mercy naturally lead to a desire to be His instrument.
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.
lebab · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the inner person, including the mind, will, emotions, and conscience. It is the seat of moral choices and the center from which one relates to or rejects God.
shub · Hebrew Verb
The act of repentance; turning away from sin and toward God. It signifies a fundamental change of direction in one's life and allegiance.
rapha · Hebrew Verb
The state of being restored to wholeness or health, specifically referring to spiritual and covenantal restoration. It implies the reversal of the consequences of sin.
Isaiah's prophetic call occurs at a time of political instability following King Uzziah's death, setting the stage for his pronouncements of judgment and hope amidst the looming threats of powerful empires.
c. 750-740 BC— this verse
King Uzziah's Death
Isaiah's prophetic calling begins in the year King Uzziah of Judah died, a significant political and spiritual moment for the nation.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah's Vision and Commission
Isaiah experiences a divine vision in the temple, where he is cleansed and commissioned by God to prophesy.
c. 740-700 BC
Reign of Ahaz
Isaiah's ministry during the reign of King Ahaz, marked by religious syncretism and the Syro-Ephraimite War.
c. 734-732 BC
Syro-Ephraimite War
Isaiah advises King Ahaz not to form an alliance with Assyria against Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The northern kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Neo-Assyrian Empire, a fulfillment of prophetic warnings.
c. 701 BC
Sennacherib's Invasion
The Neo-Assyrian king Sennacherib invades Judah, besieging Jerusalem. Isaiah delivers prophecies of deliverance.
This passage shows a similar use of plural pronouns ('Us,' 'Our') when God speaks, suggesting a divine council or plurality within the Godhead, paralleling the 'us' in Isaiah's commission.
1 Kings 22:19This verse describes Micaiah's vision of the Lord on His throne with the host of heaven, illustrating the divine council context where God asks for a messenger, similar to Isaiah's experience.
Matthew 28:19The Great Commission echoes Isaiah's commissioning by commanding disciples to go and make disciples in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, revealing the Triune God who sends and empowers.
Acts 9:15This passage shows God speaking of Saul (later Paul) as a 'chosen instrument' to carry His name, paralleling the 'Whom shall I send?' question and highlighting God's selection of individuals for His purposes.
John 12:41This verse states that Isaiah saw Christ's glory and spoke of Him, connecting the vision in Isaiah 6 to the person of Jesus and showing Him as the one who sends and is served.
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 Lord poses a question, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" This isn't just about needing a messenger, but highlighting a profound willingness within the Godhead to engage with humanity. Isaiah's immediate, unhesitating "Here I am! Send me" reveals a heart transformed by divine encounter, eager to be part of God's work, even before knowing the full scope of the mission.
After a profound vision of God's holiness and his own unworthiness, Isaiah is purified by a seraph. Immediately following this cleansing, he hears the voice of the Lord asking who will be sent to carry out a difficult and unwelcome message. Isaiah volunteers himself, ready to be God's messenger.
After a profound vision of God's holiness and his own unworthiness, Isaiah is purified by a seraph. Immediately following this cleansing, he hears the voice of the Lord asking who will be sent to carry out a difficult and unwelcome message. Isaiah volunteers himself, ready to be God's messenger.
"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.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people:
“‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do n…" — The Lord poses a question, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" This isn't just about needing a messenger, but highlighting a profound willingness within the Godhead to engage with humanity.…
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Last reviewed October 2026