Isaiah 64:1

Isaiah 64:1

Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,

a. ASV: Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence,  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT:  Didst Thou not rend the heavens? Thou didst come down, From thy presence did mountains flow, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified:  Oh, that You would rend the heavens and that You would come down, that the mountains might quake and flow down at Your presence— [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. The Milstein Edition, Later Prophets, Isaiah:[Isaiah 64:1 in our Bible is Isaiah 63:19 in the Jewish Bible]: We have become as if You had never ruled over them, as if Your Name had not been called upon them. If only You would tear open the heavens and descend, the mountains would melt before You!  [THE ARTSCROLL SERIES\MILSTEIN EDITION THE LATTER PROPHETS, ISAIAH Ⓒ Copyright 2013 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ltd.]

e. Peshitta Eastern Text: OH that thou wouldst rend the heavens and that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flee at they presence. [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT.Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

f. The Israel Bible: [Isaiah 64:1 in our Bible is Isaiah 63:19 in the Jewish Bible]: We have become as a people You never ruled, To which Your name was never attached. If you would but tear open the heavens and come down, So that mountains would quake before You. [The English Translation was adapted by Israel 365 from the JPS Tanakh. Copyright Ⓒ 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society. All rights reserved.]

g. Torah, Judaism and Jewish information on the web: www.chabad.org; Online English Translation of the Tanakh (Jewish Bible): [Isaiah 64:1 in our Bible is Isaiah 63:19 in the Jewish Bible]  We were [like those] over whom You never ruled, over whom Your name was not called; had You rent the heavens, had You descended, mountains would have dripped from before You. [English Translation, Ⓒ Copyright The Judaica Press All rights reserved.]

1. “Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down…”

a. Oh that [Strong: 3863 luw' loo or lu {loo}; or luw {loo}; a conditional particle; if; by implication (interj. as a wish) would that!:--if (haply), peradventure, I pray thee, though, I would, would God (that).]

b. [thou wouldst] rend [Strong: 7167 qara` kaw-rah' a primitive root; to rend, literally or figuratively (revile, paint the eyes, as if enlarging them):--cut out, rend, X surely, tear.]

c. [the] heavens [Strong: 8064 shamayim shaw-mah'-yim dual of an unused singular shameh {shaw-meh'}; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve):--air, X astrologer, heaven(-s).]

d. [that thou wouldst] come down [Strong: 3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw' a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any time, X to (and fro), utter.]

2. “...that the mountains might flow down at thy presence.”

a. [that the] mountains [Strong: 2022 har har a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X promotion.]

b. [might] flow down [Strong: 2151 zalal zaw-lal' a primitive root (Compare 2107); to shake (as in the wind), i.e. to quake; figuratively, to be loose morally, worthless or prodigal:--blow down, glutton, riotous (eater), vile.]

c. [at thy] presence [Strong: 6440 paniym paw-neem' plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh {paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s) past, (un-)to(-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with(- in, + -stand), X ye, X you.]

1). J. Vernon McGee: The prophet is a representativeof the believing remnant of Israel in that future day. Again he is using the past rense, which is called a prophetic tense. That is, God sees it as having already taken place, and He gives the prophecy to Isaiah from the other sid, looking back at the event. The prophet is pleading with God just as the remnant of Israel will do in that day of the Great Tribulation. This Scripture is not written to us, the church is not in view here. It is addressed to the remnant of Israel, but as believers we can identify with them…But it is clear in this section that Isaiah is predicting Israel's prayer during the Great Tribulation.

2). Victor Buksbazen, The Prophet Isaiah: Israel’s situation is so desperate and hopeless that only God’s personal intervention can save her. The cry that God might tear apart the heavens and come down to earth is probably the most passionate outburst of the human soul. And so once, at a time when the cup of suffering and woe was full. God actually heard and answered that cry and actually came down to earth.