Isaiah 64:4

“And from of old they have not heard, they have not listened; no eye has seen an Elohim besides you who acts for the one who awaits him.”

Isaiah 64:4 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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Quotation · 1 Corinthians 2:9

Go to 1 Corinthians 2:9

The quotation resembles Isaiah 64:4 (“no eye has seen an Elohim besides you who acts for the one who awaits him”) but does not match it word for word; “did not come up into the heart of man” is not in Isaiah.

Formula: γέγραπται “it is written” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: ἀλλὰ καθὼς γέγραπται Ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσεν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη ὅσα ἡτοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν

Hebrew (Masoretic text): וּמֵעוֹלָם לֹא שָׁמְעוּ לֹא הֶאֱזִינוּ עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ יַעֲשֶׂה לִמְחַכֵּה לוֹ

Septuagint (Isaiah 64:4 in the Septuagint numbering): ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐκ ἠκούσαμεν οὐδὲ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν εἶδον θεὸν πλὴν σοῦ σοῦ>, καὶ τὰ ἔργα σου ἀ ποιήσεις τοῖς ὑπομένουσιν

In the Septuagint verse that most resembles it, no two consecutive words match the Greek of the NT. The transcription has reading errors, so a match may not show.

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Isaiah 64:4, word by word

And from of oldעוֹלָםolam

of old

The times of the forefathers, far back in the past.

Where else “olam” appears
heardשָׁמְעוּshamu

hear

To hear a sound, or learn of something.

Where else “shamu” appears
listenedהֶאֱזִינוּheezinu

listen, give ear

Give ear, listen carefully.

Where else “heezinu” appears
no eyeעַיִןayin

eye

The organ with which one sees; so "lift the eyes" means to look.

Where else “ayin” appears
has seenרָאָתָהraata

see

To see with one's eyes.

Where else “raata” appears
an Elohimאֱלֹהִיםelohim

Elohim

The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.

Where else “elohim” appears
besides youזוּלָתְzulat

except, besides

Except, besides.

Where else “zulat” appears
who actsיַעֲשֶׂהyaase

do

To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.

Where else “yaase” appears
for the one who awaitsמְחַכֵּהmechake

wait, wait for

To wait, to wait for something to happen or for someone to act (2 Kings 7:9). In the Psalms and in Isaiah it is also used for waiting on God with trust (Isaiah 30:18).

Where else “mechake” appears

Translation note

Paul takes up these words in 1 Corinthians 2:9.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · 1 Corinthians 2:9

The quotation resembles Isaiah 64:4 (“no eye has seen an Elohim besides you who acts for the one who awaits him”) but does not match it word for word; “did not come up into the heart of man” is not in Isaiah.

See them side by side

Isaiah 64:4

4And from of old they have not heard, they have not listened; no eye has seen an Elohim besides you who acts for the one who awaits him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

9But as it is written: What eye did not see and ear did not hear and did not come up into the heart of man, what things God prepared for those who love him.

The context

3When you did fearsome things that we did not wait for, you came down; before you the mountains melted.

4 · This verse (above)

5You meet the one who rejoices and does righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Look, you were angry, and we sinned; in them from of old, and we will be saved.

Read all of Isaiah 64

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