Isaiah 59:1–2
God is able to save; it is the people's faults that put distance between them
Study it word by word1Look, the hand of YHWH has not grown too short to save, nor his ear too heavy to hear.
2But your iniquities have been what separates between you and your Elohim, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
In its context
…
3For your palms are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken falsehood; your tongue mutters injustice.
4There is no one who calls with righteousness, and no one who pleads his case with faithfulness; they trust in emptiness and speak falsehood; they conceive suffering and give birth to wickedness.
Its words in the original
- קָצְרָהkatsra· reap, be short
Reap: cut the grain; harvest. Also be short, be shortened ("is the hand of YHWH too short?").
- יַדyad· hand, power
Hand. Figuratively, power or control ("into the hand of" = into the power of); also side, part, or share. Also a projecting piece, such as a tenon.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- הוֹשִׁיעַhoshia· save
Save: deliver someone from danger or from an oppressor. From this root come the names Joshua and Jesus.
- כָבְדָהchavda· be heavy, honor
Be heavy. In a good sense, have weight: be rich, important or honored; hence "honor" and "glorify". In a bad sense, be a burden, or become dull and unresponsive (as Pharaoh's heart).
- אָזְנazn· ear
Ear. "Speak in someone's ears" is to tell him something directly.
- שְּׁמוֹעַshemoa· hear, listen, obey
Hear, listen. In the Bible listening truly includes paying heed; so it often means "obey". In the causative form, make heard, proclaim.
- עֲוֺנֹתֵיavonote· iniquity
Iniquity: wickedness, a serious wrong. The same word covers the wrong, the guilt it leaves and the punishment it brings.
- הָיוּhayu· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- מַבְדִּלִיםmavdilim· separate
Separate, make a distinction between two things; also set something apart for a purpose.
- אֱלֹהֵיelohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- חַטֹּאותֵיchatovte· sin, sin offering
Sin: missing the mark of what God asks; also the guilt and the punishment. In the laws the same word also names the sacrifice offered for sin.
- הִסְתִּירוּhistiru· hide
Hide, conceal; be hidden.
- פָנִיםfanim· face, presence
Face. From there "surface" (the face of something) and "presence" (being before someone's face); with a preposition it means "before" or "in front of".